Village Pres Sermons

At a time when our nation seems more starkly divided and when too many Thanksgiving tables are filled with tension and arguments, the Apostle points the way to a celebration where all are truly welcome. Rev. Dr. Rodger Nishioka explores how God calls us to love one another at the Thanksgiving table and beyond. Romans 12:9-18 Support the show Contact Village Presbyterian Church villagepres.org comm...

In the last sermon in the series “I Believe. Help My Unbelief,” Rev. Tom Are preaches about Paul’s conversation about the resurrection. Paul clearly understands that the resurrection of Christ is not simply a factor that speaks to life after death. No, the fact that Christ is alive reshapes life here and now. As we grow in faith and faithfulness, as we engage in the ministry and mission of the chu...

In part two of the sermon series “I Believe. Help My Unbelief,” Rev. Tom Are turns to Peter. Peter and Jesus shared a resurrection breakfast. The topic of conversation was feeding sheep who were hungry all the time. Peter wasn’t always good at that, but he was good enough that, at times, folks felt like Jesus was still with them. Sometimes our care for one another is so genuine, it seems like Jesu...

Rev. Tom Are begins the sermon series, “I Believe. Help My Unbelief.” This is a prayer Rev. Are uses every Sunday. We trust that God is never intimidated by our wondering. Not only this, but we also confess that Christian faith invites us to trust that which is so large, so transformational, that it is never easily believed without at least a hint of unbelief. Mark 9:14-29 Support the show Contact...

Rev. Tom Are concludes the series about the prophets, “God May Not Be Who You Think She Is,” with a few words from Ezekiel. Ezekiel declares God will restore Israel, but not because Israel deserves it, but because God’s reputation is on the line. As Christians, we have a name to live up to. How we live reflects on how others understand our faith. Ezekiel 36:22-30 Support the show Contact Village P...

In the seventh sermon of the series about the prophets, “God May Not Be Who You Think She Is,” Rev. Tom Are turns to Jeremiah and to the text that the spiritual “There is a Balm in Gilead” references. Jeremiah speaks of God’s judgment of God’s people. We might think that God’s judgment is an expression of anger, but the deeper basis of judgment is not anger, but grief. Jeremiah says that people ha...

In the sixth sermon of the series about the prophets, “God May Not Be Who You Think She Is,” Rev. Dr. Rodger Nishioka turns to the prophet Micah, who teaches us that God has requirements: to do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with God. Dr. Nishioka preaches about what it means to live out these virtues in our lives. Micah 6:1-8 Support the show Contact Village Presbyterian Church villagepre...

In the fifth sermon of the series about the prophets, “God May Not Be Who You Think She Is,” Rev. Tom Are's message focuses on one of the phrases that lives in the theological imagination of the prophets declaring that God’s children are to be a “light unto the nations.” Rev. Are lifts up the work of grace that happens through this church family and reaches around the globe. Isaiah 42:1-7 Sup...

In the fourth sermon of the series about the prophets, “God May Not Be Who You Think She Is,” Rev. Tom Are turns to Amos who lifts up the theme of poverty. For the prophets, poverty is a sign that the community has failed. So, Amos speaks to those who are not poor and invites them to see themselves not as blessed or fortunate or self-made, but as called to rebuild the community.  Amos 6:4-7 Suppor...

In the third sermon of the series about the prophets, “God May Not Be Who You Think She Is,” Rev. Tom Are turns to Daniel, a preacher to folks who were facing difficult things. He had a simple but important message: we have been here before. The people of God through the ages have often faced hard times. There is something about God’s faithfulness that we never learn until we have to endure the ha...

In the second sermon of the series about the prophets, “God May Not Be Who You Think She Is,” Rev. Tom Are preaches about one of the more surprising messages from the prophets: sometimes God wishes to be anywhere but in worship. According to the prophets, it is not only what happens in worship that matters, but what happens when we leave worship. Amos 5:21-24 Support the show Contact Village Presb...

In the first sermon of the series about the prophets, “God May Not Be Who You Think She Is,” Rev. Tom Are looks at Jeremiah and the passage where he admits that if it were possible to be anything other than a prophet, he would. It’s not a job he wants. But it is a job he must do. Jeremiah 20:7-13 Support the show Contact Village Presbyterian Church villagepres.org communications@villagepres.org 91...

Rev. Sally Wright preaches on the Pentecost story. Together early Christians studied teachings, fellowshipped, prayed and broke bread together. They were bearing witness to the ways that Christ was present in their midst. These are the ways that we meet God, who shapes us and forms us. In each new moment, encounter and interaction we get to know God anew. Acts 2:1-4; 41-47 Support the show Contact...

This summer our Village Church youth met various people from Scripture and discovered ways in which they are not too different from us. Tyler Strongman, Lily Webb and Abby Schipfer preached the 9:30 a.m. worship service. Philemon 1:8-18 Support the show Contact Village Presbyterian Church villagepres.org communications@villagepres.org 913-262-4200 Have a prayer request?  congregational-care@villag...

This summer our Village Church youth met various people from Scripture and discovered ways in which they are not too different from us. Autumn Sun, Radley Brown and Sienna Sun preached at the 11 a.m. worship service. Philemon 1:8-18 Support the show Contact Village Presbyterian Church villagepres.org communications@villagepres.org 913-262-4200 Have a prayer request?  congregational-care@villagepre...

In the last sermon in the series “People Like Us,” Rev. Hallie Hottle preaches about the stranger who shows up in our biblical text again and again, embodied in Abraham and Sarah, Hagar and Ruth, Uriah, even Jesus. Our faith story is a collection of strangers' tales and the God who claims them as our holy family. Matthew 25: 31-40 Support the show Contact Village Presbyterian Church villagepr...

In part nine of the series “People Like Us,” Rev. Tom Are preaches about Joseph of Arimathea, who may be the most hopeful person known. Even as he holds the lifeless body of Jesus, in one of the most hopeless moments in history, we are still told that he is waiting expectantly for the kingdom of God. Luke 23:50-56 Support the show Contact Village Presbyterian Church villagepres.org communications@...

In part eight of the series “People Like Us,” Rev. Dr. Brandon Frick preaches about Peter. The “Saint” in St. Peter often causes us to think of him as wholly (or holy) different than the rest of us. We’ll see just how much we have in common with the man on whom Jesus builds his church – the same man who tries to deter Jesus from his mission. Matthew 16:13-23 Support the show Contact Village Presby...

In part seven of the series “People Like Us,” Rev. Zach Walker preaches about Gideon. When we look around it can be tempting to feel we don’t have as much as we need in order to live well, or to make a difference, or even to sense God’s presence. When we wonder where God is or if we ourselves are enough, Gideon offers wisdom on what we might be missing. Judges 6:36-40; 7:2-7 Support the show Conta...

In part six of the series “People Like Us,” Rev. Tom Are preaches about Cain. We don’t know much about Cain except that he went to church with his brother, Abel, and that’s when things fell apart. It seems that God did not get what he wanted from Cain; but in reality, it is more likely Cain did not get what he wanted from God. Genesis 4:1-16 Support the show Contact Village Presbyterian Church vil...

In part five of the series “People Like Us,” Rev. Becky Chamberlain preaches about Shiphrah and Puah, who are unknown to many of us. Their names appear only once in sacred scripture, but they are forever named in the heart of God. Exodus 1:8-22 Support the show Contact Village Presbyterian Church villagepres.org communications@villagepres.org 913-262-4200 Have a prayer request?  congregational-car...

In part four of the series “People Like Us,” Rev. Tom Are preaches about a woman known only by her illness. She was a remarkable woman and refused to let her life be defined by her illness. Soon, she became known not for her illness, but for her faith. She teaches us that sometimes the hardest things in our lives can also be important to our spiritual vitality. Mark 5:24-34 Support the show Contac...

In part three of the series “People Like Us,” Rev. Sally Wright preaches about Hannah. Hannah’s story shows us that the issues of infertility and children are of deep importance to God and to our own faith journey. We will look to Hannah to discover understanding of infertility and to discover ways we can be partners on the journey. 1 Samuel 1: 1-18 Support the show Contact Village Presbyterian Ch...

In part two of the series “People Like Us,” Rev. Hallie Hottle preaches about Miriam, one of the most important leaders of our ancient religious history. It’s Miriam’s brother, Moses, we remember as the liberator of Israel. But without Miriam, could there have been a Moses? Without Miriam, could they have reached the promised land? Exodus 2:1-10; 15:20-21  Support the show Contact Village Presbyte...

In part one of the series “People Like Us,” Rev. Tom Are preaches about Joseph. We can assume it pleased God that Joseph would be the man who would raise God’s own son, for Joseph was a righteous man. Matthew 1:18-25 Support the show Contact Village Presbyterian Church villagepres.org communications@villagepres.org 913-262-4200 Have a prayer request?  congregational-care@villagepres.org Facebook @...