Vessel Houston

A healing encounter on the Sabbath ignites a fury of backwards religiosity, reminding us that following Jesus often means embracing a holy disobedience in the face of injustice and neglect for those suffering under the many afflictions of our world. (sermon begins at 01:00) Scripture & Quotations Luke 13:10-17 ... for the growing good of the world is partly dependent on unhistoric acts; a...

Our world will never be transformed from a place of endless conflict and worry through greater control, but by communities who move toward the rupture, joining God in co-crating the just, equitable, and loving alternative. (sermon begins at 01:00) Scripture & Quotations Isaiah 1:10-20 Luke 12:22-34 - God is not impressed by our rituals - When life is only about what you have , everything...

We resist prayer to the same degree that we resist relationship. As a herald of hope to a world in turmoil, Jesus calls us the Church to a deeper embrace of both; each strengthening the other. Prayer is not a static set of words to parrot, but an invitation into loving and honest dialogue wherein we gain new sight for God’s activity in the world and within our own hearts. (sermon begins at 01:00)...

Revisiting the Parable of the Good Samaritan, we are drawn once more into the simplicity and endless mystery of this story which Jesus chose to tell (and to whom). May the blessed actions of the outsider lead us to lament and rethink more than simply our conditional definitions of belonging on earth, but the ways that we allow fear, self-interest, and need for retribution to extend that distorted...

It was a thrill to have our friend Ericka Graham join as our guest preacher this weekend, inviting us into a dense and evocative story. Across the sea, Jesus approaches a man with a grave affliction; an encounter revealed to be more than merely an exorcism. Jesus guides us ever to the margins, rejecting the hollow power of empire, liberating the oppressed, and empowering us all to bear witness to...

On Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came rushing down as wind and fire, reversing the “curse” of Babel, and calling all of humanity to the truth that we are made to exist in diverse and inter-reliant community. As lines of demarcation and othering, “US” and “THEM” continue to be drawn, and immigrant communities terrorized across the country, followers of Christ must be a part of proclaiming justice and...

Two strangers encounter one another along the road. By all religious and social custom they are not to interact, and yet they depart as siblings in Christ. To understand why is to understand who we are as those who claim to follow Jesus in a world of man-made borders. (sermon begins at 01:00) Scripture & Quotations Acts 8:26-40 Isaiah 56 Perhaps Philip, on the basis of his experience in Samari...

In our first worship gathering since Resurrection Sunday, we reflect upon the conversion of a murderous zealot into one of the most influential figures in the early Church; Paul/Saul reminding us that the journey of renewal is ever unfolding. (sermon begins at 01:00) Scripture & Quotations Acts 9:1-22 Galatians 1:13-14 1 Timothy 1:13-15 1 Corinthians 15:9-10 “The convictions that form the back...

Resurrection is far more than an abstract promise of distant reward, it is a new way of seeing and being in the world today. At a time in which many “Christian” voices are anything but Christ-like, may the light of Jesus’ new day transform judgement and condemnation into ever-expanding embrace. There’s a seat for ALL at the table of grace. Halleluiah, He is risen indeed! Scripture & Quotations...

Given what little we know about Jesus’ precise activities preceding his unjust imprisonment, punishment, and death, we ought to take special note of the practices in which he engaged and especially those he repeated in his final hours. Through two consecutive stories of foot washing, the author of the stars embodied the humble servant, that we might do the same. (sermon begins at 01:00) Scripture...

Jesus tells a story of a fruitless fig tree, and later encounters one along the roadside. In one case, we witness God’s boundless mercy, and in the other, see how the “performance” of fruitfulness ends in a withering curse. In this Lenten season, might we all give up the act ? (sermon begins at 01:00) Scripture & Quotations Psalm 13:1-2 Luke 13:1-8 Mark 11:12-14 “Calamity strikes and we wonder...

This week marks the beginning of our yearly pilgrimage through the “desert” of Lent. Jesus wasn’t the first biblical figure to spend forty days in the wilderness. Join us in considering Elijah’s fearful exile, and the multifaceted care God brings in the midst of his trial. (sermon begins at 01:00) Scripture & Quotations 1 Kings 19:1-16 “These forty days are a sacred journey through the wildern...

To begin 2025, we are utilizing a series of Jesus’ parables as a lens through which we might better see and live into God’s Kingdom in the messy here and now; not a distant destination, but a present, parallel reality which we have a hand in cultivating. In this third entry, we look to the familiar story of a wounded stranger on the roadside and consider the responses of those who happen to be pas...

To begin 2025, we are utilizing a series of Jesus’ parables as a lens through which we might better see and live into God’s Kingdom in the messy here and now; not a distant destination, but a present, parallel reality which we have a hand in cultivating. In this third entry, we look to the familiar story of a wounded stranger on the roadside and consider the responses of those who happen to be pas...

To kick off the New Year we’ll be considering a series of Jesus’ parables, and how they invite us to see and live into God’s Kingdom in the messy here and now; not a distant destination, but a parallel reality that is always breaking through in glimmers and one which we have a hand in creating. In this second week, we look to mustard leaves and yeast to consider the explosive and surprising manner...

To kick off the New Year we’ll be considering a series of Jesus’ parables, and how they invite us to see and live into God’s Kingdom in the messy here and now; not a distant destination, but a parallel reality that is always breaking through in glimmers and one which we have a hand in creating. We pray that it would be a blessing to you, wherever you are in your journey. (sermon begins at 01:00) S...

For the Fourth Sunday of Advent, we look to the elusive text of Revelation and discover an unlikely vision of Christmas hope. In our time of intense conflict and anxiety, how might the presence of an unexpected visitor to the manger help us to receive anew the gift of Christ’s coming as a warning to the powerful and hope to the hopeless? (sermon begins at 01:00) Scripture & Quotations Revelati...

During what can easily become the noisiest, most chaotic time of year, how might we embrace an intentional quiet to center our attention on the enchanted power of God’s Incarnation? Considering an often overlooked portion of the Christmas story, we witness how the gift of holy silence prepared the hearts of a faithful couple to receive the new thing that God was preparing. (sermon begins at 01:00)...

The season of Advent arrives once again to shake us from our spiritual slumber; to hear and respond to the desert call of our newborn King. Will our hearts prepare him room? (sermon begins at 01:00) Scripture & Quotations Isaiah 43:18-19 Galatians 2:20 John 14:8-14 John 16:21-22 “The Church is not tradition. The Church is not the past. The Church is what we do next…” - Conclave (screenwriter P...

The corrupt systems of worldly power would like nothing more than for you to believe that the “other” is your enemy rather than your sibling. In a time of ceaseless division and upheaval, empathy is critical to develop if these fractures are ever to be mended. As Jesus arrives to meet friends in the midst of grief, what does his response reveal about the heart of God? (Sermon begins at 1:00) Scrip...

Reflecting upon several core values we hope to embody as a community, we consider generosity through the encounter of Jesus and a disgraced tax collector. Zacchaeus’ greed brought no satisfaction, only distance from relationship, until Jesus calls him by name into the unexpected possibility of reconciliation. (Sermon begins at 1:00) Scripture & Quotations Luke 19:1-10 1 Timothy 6:9-10 Matthew...

In a culture obsessed with performance and comparison, it is easy to be misread Jesus' parable through the lens of judgment, fixated on the condition and “fruitfulness” of the soil. But what if God has lovingly hidden a better, truer story in plain sight? The choice is yours. (Sermon begins at 1:00) Scripture & Quotations Matthew 13:1-23 ”What if it is not about our own successes and failures...

Humanity has always desired a “king” to swoop into the mess of the world and fix everything for us, rarely considering the oppressive realities which often occur as a result of placing our trust in earthly rulers. In the midst of a starkly divided, and deeply disorienting election season, we are reminded that our allegiance is not to any state or nation or party or hollow political promise. We ple...

Even with the compassion of Jesus directly in front of him, Peter cannot help but let his attention be drawn into comparison with the so-called “beloved” disciple now arriving to the scene. “What about [them]?” is a question we all navigate to some degree, as though certain that others must experience a greater divine favor. Join us as we seek to dismantle that destructive lie, and allow yourself...

Having been part of a crowd of five thousand fed with only a few loaves of bread, a group crosses the Sea of Galilee in search of Jesus, as their hunger has now returned. Jesus’ response echoes the deliverance of Exodus, and a renewed invitation to abide in the promise of daily provision. In a relentless world of FAST and MORE , rhythms of Sabbath and sanctuary help to restore our humanity and hum...