Preacher Paul's Blogs

This Sunday we begin our "Summer Destinations" sermon series with a journey to Mount Carmel in 1 Kings 18:21-39. There, the prophet Elijah challenges the people of Israel to decide whether they will follow the Lord or continue chasing after Baal. While most of us are not tempted by ancient idols, we often find ourselves distracted by the many activities, responsibilities, and pleasures that compete for our attention, especially during the summer months. Together we will explore what it means to make room for God amid the busyness of life.  As you prepare for worship, consider these questions:  What "Baals of summer" compete for your attention and devotion?  How can you intentionally make time to encounter God this week?

  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...

As we prepare for this Sunday, we will turn to Acts 2:42–47 and reflect on what it means to be the church at its most basic level. In this sermon, “Back to Basics,” we will look at the earliest community of believers and consider how they were united in Christ, how they cared for one another in real and tangible ways, and how they gathered together with joy and purpose. Their example reminds us that the church is not simply something we attend, but a community we belong to, shaped by shared faith, mutual care, and regular fellowship. This passage invites us to rediscover what it looks like to live as one body in Christ and to ask whether these same marks of the early church are visible in our own life together.  As you reflect on this passage this week,  Where do you see opportunities to strengthen your connection to the body of Christ and How might God be calling you to care more intentionally for someone within it?

This Sunday, we will reflect on the story of the road to Emmaus from Luke 24:13–35 and consider how the risen Christ is often present in our lives in ways we do not immediately recognize. Like the two disciples who walked and talked with Jesus without knowing who was beside them, we too can miss Christ in the ordinary moments of life, especially when we are distracted, discouraged, or simply not looking. Yet this story reminds us that Christ meets us on the road, opens the Scriptures to us, and is revealed in simple acts like the breaking of bread. It also challenges us to think about how others might experience Christ through us in our daily actions.  Things to ponder this week. Where might Christ be showing up in your life right now that you have not yet recognized?  And how might someone else encounter Christ through you this week?

This Sunday’s sermon, “What Changed?”, invites us to step back into that first Easter evening when the disciples were still hiding in fear, uncertain and overwhelmed, and then to see what happened when the risen Christ stood among them and spoke peace. Something shifted in that room, and it was more than relief or reassurance. It was transformation.  The same question is placed before us: what has it changed in our lives since meeting Christ? Has it moved us from fear to faith, from routine to purpose, from silence to sharing the good news?  As you prepare for worship, take some time to reflect on this:  what has truly changed in your life because of the resurrection,  and where might Christ be calling you to rediscover that fire?

As we come to Easter Sunday, we turn to John 20:1–18 and the powerful truth at the heart of our faith: the resurrection of Jesus Christ changes everything. This week’s sermon, “I Give Up… Hopelessness,” focuses not on the absence of hope, but on the sure and unshakable hope that is born from the empty tomb. Mary Magdalene arrives in grief and confusion, but she leaves as the first witness to the resurrection, proclaiming, “I have seen the Lord.” Easter reminds us that the cross was not the end, that sin and death have been defeated, and that God has acted decisively on our behalf. Because Christ is risen, we are not forgotten, not beyond grace, and not without a future. The resurrection is not just something that happened long ago. It is the promise that shapes our lives right now and secures our future with God.  As you prepare for worship, consider this:  What does the resurrection mean for your life today?  And how might you live differently this week if you truly bel...

This Sunday, as we celebrate Palm Sunday, we will reflect on the expectations of the crowd as Jesus entered Jerusalem and how those expectations shaped what they believed God should do. Like them, we often carry our own assumptions about how God should act in our lives, and when those expectations are not met, we can feel confused or even disappointed. In this sermon, we will explore what it means to let go of our need to define God on our own terms and instead learn to trust God’s presence and work, even when it looks different than we imagined.  As you prepare for worship, consider this:  Where might you be expecting God to follow your plan?  And how might your faith grow if you trusted God beyond your expectations?

This Sunday we will look at Jesus’ words in John 12:20–26, where Jesus uses the simple image of a grain of wheat to teach a profound truth about the Christian life. Jesus reminds us that a grain must fall into the earth and die before it can bear fruit, and in the same way, we are called to loosen our grip on living only for ourselves. In a world that constantly tells us to look out for number one, Jesus invites us into a different way of living, a life centered on service, faith, and trust in what God is doing through us. Together we will reflect on what it means to follow Christ not just in belief, but in the way we live each day.  As you prepare for worship, consider this:  What parts of your life are you holding onto most tightly right now?  Where might God be inviting you to let go so that something new can grow?

This Sunday we continue our Lenten series, “I Give Up… I Quit,” by reflecting on something many of us quietly carry: grudges. In Romans 12:17–21, Paul challenges Christians to resist the natural urge to get even and instead respond to wrongdoing with goodness and grace. It is a difficult teaching because holding on to resentment can feel justified, even protective, yet Paul reminds us that vengeance belongs to God and that our calling is to live peaceably with others whenever possible. During worship we will consider how grudges shape our lives and relationships, and how letting them go can free us to live more fully into the love God calls us to practice.  As you prepare for Sunday, consider this:  Is there someone you are still holding a grudge against?  What might it look like to begin releasing that burden and trusting God with the outcome?

This Sunday we continue our Lenten series, “I Give Up… I Quit,” by letting go of one of the most exhausting habits in the Christian life: comparing ourselves to others. In 2 Corinthians 10:12–18, Paul reminds the church that measuring ourselves against one another is not wisdom, and that the only approval that ultimately matters is God’s. Some of us quietly believe we are not enough for God, while others are tempted to think we have things figured out better than most. Yet in Christ, the scorecard is torn up and we are invited to faithfulness, not competition.  As you read the passage this week, ask yourself:  Where am I most tempted to measure myself against someone else?  And what might change if I truly believed that Christ is enough?

This Sunday we continue our Lenten series, “I Give Up… I Quit,” by turning to Genesis 12:1–4a and Abram’s call to leave everything familiar and go where God would show him. Abram does not receive a map, a timeline, or a detailed explanation. He receives a promise, and he goes. Together we will explore what it means to give up the need to know everything before we take a step of obedience, and how our trust in God can become a blessing to others.  As you read this passage this week, ask yourself:  Where might God be calling me to move forward without full clarity?  And is my need for certainty keeping me from becoming a blessing to someone else?

In this week’s sermon,  “I Give Up… Being in Charge,”  we begin Lent by walking with Jesus into the wilderness in Matthew 4:1-11. There, the temptations are not about obvious evil but about control, shortcuts, and certainty. Jesus refuses each invitation to manage outcomes and instead chooses trust, showing us that faith is not about gripping tighter but about learning to let go. Lent invites us to give up more than small habits and instead release the illusion that everything depends on us, discovering the freedom that comes when we trust God before we act rather than after we decide. As you prepare for worship, where in your life are you trying hardest to stay in control?  What might it look like this week to pray first and decide second?

Have you ever reached a point when the only words you could say were, “I give up”? Most of us know that feeling. Life becomes complicated, relationships become strained, faith becomes confusing, and we feel worn out trying to manage everything. Lent invites us to a different kind of surrender. This season is not about quitting life or giving up hope. It is about releasing the habits, fears, and assumptions that quietly stand between us and the grace of God.   Our Lenten series this year is called “ I Give Up, I Quit” . Each week we will name something we cling to and learn how faith invites us to let it go. We begin with our need to be in control as Jesus refuses shortcuts in the wilderness while Adam and Eve grasp for certainty. We move to our need to understand everything as Abram walks without a map and Nicodemus learns faith is entered, not mastered. We confront comparison through the Samaritan woman who receives dignity instead of judgment. We release grudges as Jesus weeps ...

 As we begin Lent together, this week’s message reflects on Jesus’ words in Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 and the meaning behind the ashes we receive. Ash Wednesday confronts us with honesty about our mortality, yet it also frees us from the pressure to impress God or one another. Jesus reminds us that giving, praying, and fasting are not spiritual performances but conversations with God, meant for an audience of one. When faith becomes comparison or self-display, its reward fades quickly, but when it becomes trust and relationship, it shapes the heart in lasting ways. The ashes point us toward a deeper treasure, not reputation or recognition, but belonging to God and living with quiet confidence that nothing can take that away. As you prepare for worship this week, what spiritual habits might draw you closer to God rather than closer to approval?  Where is your heart storing its treasure right now?

As we prepare for worship this Sunday, we will be looking together at 2 Peter 1:16–21, a passage where Peter insists that the story of Jesus is not myth, illusion, or exaggeration, but witnessed truth. In a world where it is increasingly difficult to tell what is real and what is manufactured, Peter reminds us that the faith we stand on is grounded in eyewitness testimony, confirmed by Scripture, and illuminated by the Holy Spirit. We will reflect on the Transfiguration as a moment where God publicly affirms who Jesus is, uniting the Law, the Prophets, and the voice of God, and we will consider what it means to carry that light with us as we begin the journey toward Lent.  As you read the passage this week, ask yourself:  Am I truly listening for the leading of the Holy Spirit in my life right now? Have I taken time to ponder what Jesus’ transfiguration reveals about who Jesus is and what that means for my faith today

This coming Sunday’s sermon, “Even a Flickering Candle Still Shines,” is rooted in Jesus’ familiar words from Matthew 5:14–16, where we are named as the light of the world. Often we hear this passage as a call to be brighter, stronger, or more confident in our faith. But this sermon leans in a different direction. It speaks especially to those moments when faith feels tired, fragile, or barely holding on. Through a simple story and Jesus’ own imagery, we are reminded that God does not require a bonfire. Even a small, flickering candle can guide someone safely home. Faithfulness, presence, and quiet acts of goodness matter more than we often realize. This sermon invites us to stop hiding our light out of fear, weariness, or self doubt, and to trust that God is already at work through who we are and where we are. As you prepare for worship, spend time with Matthew 5:14–16 this week.  Where do you feel like your light is flickering right now?  And how might God be using your q...

As we gather this coming Sunday, we will reflect on a familiar verse that asks an unfamiliar kind of honesty from us. Micah 6:8 does not invite us to talk about faith or admire it from a distance. Instead, it presses us to consider how faith shows up in the ordinary choices of our lives. In the sermon, “Let’s Write Your Eulogy,” we will imagine what our loved ones might say about us if our lives were summed up by three simple questions: Did you do justice? Did you love mercy? Did you walk humbly with God? These are everyday practices that shape how we treat coworkers, neighbors, friends, and even those who frustrate us. The sermon is about invitation and possibility. None of us has finished writing the story of our lives, and Micah’s words remind us that faith is something we live into, one step at a time. Justice, mercy, and humility are not boxes to check someday, but a way of life we are invited to practice today, tomorrow, and every ordinary day God gives us. As you prepare for ...

  This week’s upcoming sermon, “My (Un)happy Place,” is rooted in God’s clear and compassionate invitation in Deuteronomy 30:15–20, where God sets before the people a choice between life and death, blessing and curse, and urges them to choose life. Together, we will reflect on the places in our lives that quietly drain joy, peace, and spiritual vitality. Some of these places exist because life is genuinely hard, but others persist because of thoughtlessness, unhealthy patterns, or fear of change. The sermon explores how God does not deny hardship, yet also does not ask us to normalize unnecessary suffering. Instead, God consistently points toward life, flourishing, and hope, even when that means having the courage to step away from what is harming us. We will also consider what creates unhappy places in the first place, how our words and actions can unintentionally wound others, and why staying in soul-crushing environments can diminish our ability to serve Christ with compassion ...

This Sunday we will turn our attention to James 3:1–12, a passage that speaks with surprising clarity to everyday life in the church. James reminds us that words are never neutral. What we say, how we say it, and why we say it all matter. The tongue may be small, but it carries the power to shape relationships, damage trust, and influence entire communities. James challenges us to take our speech seriously, especially as people who claim to follow Christ, because our words reveal what is truly shaping our hearts. The sermon also invites us to reflect on how easily assumptions, half-truths, and unchecked talk can take root among faithful people. The Gospels show that even Jesus was subject to rumor, mischaracterization, and false testimony. When words are used carelessly, even with good intentions or religious language, they can wound rather than heal. As we begin a new year, James calls us to live from our baptismal identity, choosing speech that reflects patience, restraint, and grac...

As we begin a new year and prepare to worship together on Baptism of the Lord Sunday, this upcoming sermon invites us to slow down and remember rather than rush ahead. Drawing on Matthew 3:13–17 and the familiar refrain of Auld Lang Syne , the sermon reflects on how faith does not begin with a clean slate or a list of resolutions, but with memory and identity. Before Jesus teaches, heals, or begins public ministry, Jesus is named beloved. In the same way, baptism reminds us that our lives of faith begin not with effort or achievement, but with God’s claim and God’s love, spoken over us long before we are aware of it. Rather than asking what we need to fix in ourselves this year, the sermon asks a different question: how might we live as people who already belong to God? Remembering baptism grounds us when life feels uncertain, reminds us who we are when we forget, and calls us to live faithfully out of grace rather than pressure. As you prepare for worship, I invite you to spend some ...