Preacher Paul's Blogs

  IT’S SUMMERTIME!   Pack your bags and join Pastor Paul as we journey through some of the Bible's most memorable destinations. From mountaintops and lakeshores to oceans and dusty roads, Scripture is filled with stories of people who encountered God in unexpected places. Our summer sermon series, " Summer Destinations: Places Where We Meet God," will explore how these familiar settings became sacred spaces where lives were changed and faith was strengthened.   Along the way, we will travel with Elijah on Mount Carmel, stand beside the woman at the well, watch Naaman find healing in the Jordan River, sail with Jonah through a stormy sea, and accompany Abraham and Paul on life-changing journeys. Each destination reminds us that God is not confined to a sanctuary or a particular place. God meets people wherever they are and often when they least expect it.   Whether your summer plans include a trip to the mountains, a visit to the beach, time at the lake, or s...

As we gather for Trinity Sunday, we will explore one of the deepest mysteries of the Christian faith through Jesus’ words in John 16:12-15. In a sermon titled “The Divine Dance,” we will reflect on the mysterious image of the Trinity as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit moving together in perfect love, creation, redemption, and sustaining grace. While we may never fully understand the mystery of the Trinity, we are invited to experience the presence of the God who never stops creating, redeeming, and sustaining us.  This week, as you prepare for worship, consider these questions:  Where have you seen the sustaining presence of God in your own life recently?  And how might God be inviting you to join more fully in the rhythm of divine love and grace?

This Pentecost Sunday, we will reflect on Jesus’ promise in John 14:15–18 that we are never alone. In a sermon titled “A Friend for Life,” we will explore the meaning of the Greek word paraklētos , often translated as Advocate, and consider how the Holy Spirit comes alongside us as Counselor, Helper, and Companion. Whether we need wisdom, strength, or simply the assurance that God is near, the Holy Spirit remains with us and will never leave us orphaned.  As you prepare for worship, ask yourself:  When have you sensed the Holy Spirit guiding or strengthening you?  How might God be reminding you this week that you are never alone?

As we celebrate Ascension Sunday, we will reflect on Acts of the Apostles 1:1–11 in a sermon titled “Book III.” Luke tells us that the Gospel of Luke was the first volume and the Book of Acts was the second. Together, they remind us that the story of Jesus did not end with the resurrection or the ascension. The work Christ began continued through the disciples and now continues through the church. In many ways, our lives are part of “Book III,” the next chapter in the ongoing story of God's work in the world.  As you prepare for worship, consider these questions:  What am I adding to the story Christ is still writing?  How is God calling me to continue the work Jesus began? 

This Sunday we will take a closer look at one of the most familiar verses in all of Scripture, John 3:16 , and consider how it speaks to us in ways we may have overlooked. Many of us can recite it from memory, but the words Jesus spoke to Nicodemus were far more surprising and demanding than we often realize. We will explore how God’s love reaches beyond every boundary, how believing is more than agreeing in our minds but trusting with our lives, and how the life Jesus offers is not just something we wait for someday but something we begin living right now.  As you prepare for worship, take some time to reflect on this passage and ask yourself:  Do I truly trust Christ with my life, or just believe certain things about Christ?  And how might God be calling me to live differently right now because of that love?

During last week’s sermon on Acts 2, I made reference to the “Holy Catholic Church” and mentioned that two of the most common questions Presbyterian clergy receive about the Apostles’ Creed involve the meaning of “the holy catholic church,” which is often confused or conflated with the Roman Catholic Church, and the line where we proclaim that Jesus “descended into hell.” I told you that would be a sermon for another Sunday, and many of you reached out to ask how long you would have to wait. The answer is not long. This will done in the sermon and not in the form of a seminary theology lecture.   During the sermon, we will reflect on Psalm 139:7–12 and the powerful truth that there is nowhere we can go where God is not already present. This sermon, “Out of Every Darkness,” will take us into that difficult line of the Creed and explore what it means for our lives today. We will consider how this phrase has been understood throughout church history and then focus on how the Ref...