the Vine with Chris Green

Pastor Scott Lambert continues his Advent sermon series, "The Greatest Upside Down Story Ever Told" by taking us to an online meeting, ca. 0 AD, of the Messiah Development Council (MDC) to hear subcommittee reports on Logistics, Education, and Marketing. Humans, with our focus on power as we understand it, would get God's plan for the Messiah, for His own Son, all wrong! But God's true "way of wor...

Pastor Scott Lambert's message on December 2, 2025, was split into two parts. Here is the main part of his sermon on "Fear to Joy", focusing on Mary's, and Joseph's, reaction to news borne to both of them by angels. Fear is an innate human response, but the angels' messages in the Advent story are prefaced by "Fear not!"

As America approaches Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 27), Scott Lambert shares a profound yet entertainingly agrarian (and quantitative) reflection on two Biblical episodes that underscore the power of voluntary giving (for both the giver and for the Kingdom of God) and the importance of gratitude for the gifts we receive. "All that have is Thine alone, A trust O Lord from Thee"

Scott Lambert focuses on Jesus' Emmaus walk to give us context for our walks with Jesus – Son of God and our Savior – observing that, while salvation is personal, our worship (and the whole of the church on earth) is a team activity.  “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told yo...

Guest preacher Scott Sottosanti shared with us his compelling message, taken from Paul's letter to the church at Galatia, on grace: what it isn't, what it is, and how we experience it. We thank Scott for joining us on November 9th.

The Nicene Creed is an "extra-scriptural" yet foundational document of the Christian faith. In this sermon, Pastor Scott Lambert weaves together history, theology, Scripture, and grace to enhance our understanding of the circumstances surrounding the crafting of this statement of faith and the value it brought to the early church as well as the church today.

A compelling look at the powerful, uplifting, yet challenging message delivered by Paul to the first Christian congregation in Europe, the church at Philippi. Our guest preacher for this message is Timothy Pillsbury of CU Vox Dartmouth, and we thank him for sharing it with us.

Guest preacher Michael O'Leary gives us a crisp, powerful, and insightful assessment of the multi-leveled miracle of Jesus' healing of a leper who runs to the healer. Jesus touches the unclean leper, thus confounding expectations and inverting Mosaic law. "The clean thing" (Christ) touches the unclean (the leper) and renders it (him) clean. So, too, Jesus "became sin for us" so that we might be ma...

Pastor Scott Lambert uses Jesus' "Parable of the Talents" to talk about Christians' confidence - or our fear - in moving forward under Jesus' guidance. With God on our side, what are we afraid of?

Focusing on Galatians 1:1-10, Scott Lambert discusses the importance of truth, transcendence, and eternity.

Our interim pastor Scott Lambert's series on the important things continues with a sermon on the Holy Spirit. If you never saw a connection between the Paraclete and the 1984 NBA Championship Series... watch this sermon!

Pastor Scott Lambert shares a message on Jesus' equipping the "professionals" (and us) for their mission: healing and telling.

Our Interim Pastor, Scott Lambert, begins his season in the Upper Valley with a meditation on Paul's examination of the most important thing: "... that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas [Peter], then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hu...

A look at the first part of Hebrews 11 -- the famous "Faith" chapter.

Capping off a worship service including two baptisms, Pastor Chris shares a brief, heartfelt message drawing the text of 1 Corinthians 15.

Pastor Chris Green continues our journey through Paul's first letter to the church of Corinth.

But truly, as I live, and as all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord, none of the men who have seen my glory and my signs that I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and yet have put me to the test these ten times and have not obeyed my voice, shall see the land that I swore to give to their fathers. And none of those who despised me shall see it. But my servant Caleb, because he h...

1 Corinthians 13 - "It's not about marriage".

What does it really mean to “show up” for worship? In this message, we explore the first part of Paul’s teaching on gathered worship in 1 Corinthians 11. From head coverings to the Lord’s Supper, Paul challenges the church not just on their behaviors, but on their posture—their mindset, their spirit, their honor for Christ and for one another. When the church gathers, we don’t come as spectators—w...

Life can feel like a pressure cooker - full of stress, temptation, fear, and uncertainty. In this sermon from 1 Corinthians 10, we explore what it means to live faithfully under pressure while running with the gospel. The Apostle Paul reminds us that even when the pressure builds, God is faithful. He won’t let us be tempted beyond what we can bear - and He always provides a way of escape. Whether...

The worst thing that can happen to a fighter is that he becomes civilized—and the worst thing that can happen to a church is that it gets comfortable. In this passionate, transitional message from 1 Corinthians 9, Pastor Chris calls the church to a life of gospel grit - because the gospel is worth it. Drawing from Paul’s imagery of athletic discipline and inspired by scenes from the Rocky films, t...

In a divided world obsessed with being "right," how are followers of Jesus called to live? In this sermon from 1 Corinthians 8, we explore how secondary issues then and now threaten to divide the Church. Paul reminds us that "knowledge puffs up, but love builds up." Join us as we unpack the call to live the cruciform life - a life shaped by the Cross. Discover why it's not about winning arguments,...

What if the pressure to prove yourself was already gone? In this sermon, we explore what it means to live from victory - not for it. Drawing from 1 Corinthians 15:57–58, we confront the exhausting cycle of striving, performing, and hoping we’re enough - and discover the freedom, confidence, and purpose that come when we live grounded in Christ’s finished work. If you’re tired of white-knuckling yo...