Claremont United Church of Christ: Recent Episodes
Pastors Jen and Jacob
Join Pastors Jen and Jacob at Claremont United Church of Christ for sermons that are engaging, inspiring, and challenging. Claremont UCC is an open and affirming congregation that welcomes ALL people regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, or ability.
Lent is a season that celebrates transformation--in all its forms. For this Ash Wednesday sermon we remember the greatest transitions of all. We are born of star dust, and to star dust we shall return. Join us as we spend 40 days facing hard truths, taking responsibility, and creating something beautiful together through it all.
Welcome home! Regardless of your age, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, abilities, or faith background, we are glad you’re worshiping with us today.You belong here.
Welcome home! Regardless of your age, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, abilities, or faith background, we are glad you’re worshiping with us today.You belong here.
This week has felt darker than ever as ICE continues to terrorise our communities and another person has been murdered by ICE in Minneapolis. But, church, our faith has built us for this moment! It has built us to still believe that the world can change. It has built us to speak up when our voice and our faith are needed the most.
Guest Liturgist & Preacher: Lorraine & Chris HarryThis Sunday we join Lorraine and Chris Harry on Chris' sermon "Bon Appétit: Meals Worth Remembering, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner."Chris and Lorraine Harry have served as campus ministers at The Claremont Colleges since 2004 and 2000, respectively. The group they staff, Claremont Christian Fellowship, is a queer-affirming, justice-seeking, question-loving community, with students from all seven colleges. They both majored in English at Pomona College, and Chris also holds a Master of Arts in Theology from Fuller Theological Seminary. They live in Claremont with their 16-year-old daughter, Audrey, and beloved cat, Momo. In addition to their career in ministry, Lorraine works in communications at Pomona College, and Chris runs an electronics import business.
The dining table is much more than a place to consume food; it is a place for connecting, laughing, telling stories, and comforting one another. Shared meals bond us, heal us, and lift us up. In the first installment of our new sermon series, Bon Appetit: Meal Worth Remembering, we join a group of disciples after the resurrection who see the risen Christ in the breaking of bread with one another.
The dining table is much more than a place to consume food; it is a place for connecting, laughing, telling stories, and comforting one another. Shared meals bond us, heal us, and lift us up. In the first installment of our new sermon series, Bon Appetit: Meal Worth Remembering, we join a group of disciples after the resurrection who see the risen Christ in the breaking of bread with one another.
This Sunday Pastor Jen will be preaching on"'Awkward Family Photo: The Family With Nowhere to Go" Welcome home! Regardless of your age, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, abilities, or faith background, we are glad you’re worshiping with us today.You belong here.
In this next installment of our Awkward Family Photo sermon series we take a look at The Ones Who Get Lost Along the Way. The Magi show up to the scene of the nativity quite late after Jesus’ birth. Were they lost along the way? In today’s sermon, Pastor Jacob shares that it’s not about the answer we seek, but about the journey we take to find them.
Welcome home! Regardless of your age, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, abilities, or faith background, we are glad you’re worshiping with us today.You belong here. We are an open and affirming in-person and online church! Located in Claremont, California!
The Nativity story contains a wild amalgamation of characters from the shepherds, to the magi, to the Holy Family, a collection of people just as unusual as our own extended families. This Advent, we will take a closer glimpse of the Awkward Family Photo in the Gospels who gather for Jesus birth--beginning with the family members who seem to be at the center of all the drama: Mary and Joseph.
This Sunday we join Kevin in his sermon "'It's Complicated." And That's Beautiful. That's Grace." Taking our cue from a few poems by the Jesuit priest Gerard Manley Hopkins (1844—89) which echo wisdom found in the Psalms, we’ll consider what it means to have a sacramental world view—to find visible reminders of God’s invisible grace everywhere around us. Even in the mixed-up, messed-up, impure things, what Hopkins called “pied things.” Even in the messiness of our everyday lives.Kevin Dettmar is a professor of English at Pomona College, where he teaches courses in British and Irish literature and contemporary popular music. He and his wife Robyn have been members of CUCC since 2022.
Step into a world where music transcends time, weaving a tapestry of sound and storytelling. From the majesty of the Baroque to the passion of the Romantic era, from cinematic landscapes to bold contemporary soundscapes, the organ’s voice will transport you across centuries. Laughter and drama unfold in a lively work for organ and narrator, while the ethereal fusion of organ and tape blurs the line between the real and the otherworldly.
In the final installment of our Namesakes sermon series, Pastor Jacob explores the various Jospehs throughout the Bible. Each of these Josephs dared to dream of a brighter future even when the present seemed bleak. How might we also dare to dream of a brighter future, but for ourselves, and for our world?
7pm on Thursday, Nov. 20th is a special Transgender Day of Remembrance Service in our Sanctuary. We are commemorating all transgender, non-binary, and gender non-conforming persons who have been targeted and killed for living authentically and courageously.
11-16-25Welcome home! Regardless of your age, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, abilities, or faith background, we are glad you’re worshiping with us today. You belong here. We are an open and affirming in-person and online church! Located in Claremont, California!
This week in our Namesakes sermon series we explore all of the Johns of the Bible--and scholars are not even sure exactly how many different Johns there are! But what is obvious is that each of these Johns jumps into their faith wholeheartedly and Pastor Jacob encourages us to do the same.
11-02-25Welcome home! Regardless of your age, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity,abilities, or faith background, we are glad you’re worshiping with us today.You belong here.
In our final installment of our Wicked sermon series, two powerful passages from Isaiah and Hebrews help us trust that with God and our faith community, we too can defy gravity when the hardships of this world and the hardships of our lives try to keep us down.
Welcome home! Regardless of your age, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, abilities, or faith background, we are glad you’re worshiping with us today. You belong here.
Welcome home! Regardless of your age, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, abilities, or faith background, we are glad you’re worshiping with us today. You belong here.
K-Pop Demon Hunters has become a global phenomenon as the most watched Netflix movie of all time with a soundtrack that became the fastest to 3 billion streams on spotify. In today's sermon, Pastor Jacob explores how the themes from the movie declare the message of the Gospel: we are all called to self-acceptance as recipients of God's unconditional love.
In our last installment of our "Holy Friendships" sermon series, Pastor Jacob explores the deep connection between David and Jonathan, a relationship so intimate that some scholars have suggested it goes beyond platonic friendship. Regardless of the nature of their relationship, how might we fight a connection as strong as the one these two men shared? Is it possible that in some ways, the church itself, and even God, might be the kind of unwavering, unconditional friend that we seek?
Welcome home! Regardless of your age, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, abilities, or faith background, we are glad you’re worshiping with us today. You belong here.
In Acts 9, Barnabas vouches for a recently converted Paul, seeing the potential in him to become a better person. But by Acts 15, the friendship breaks down when Barnabas feels like Paul isn't acting in accordance with the Gospel he is preaching. Pastor Jacob explores the friendship between Paul and Barnabas, and weaves in the events of this week, to proclaim that Holy Friends keep us accountable to better live out the love of Christ.
In a world with a notable loneliness epidemic, holy friendships are as critical to our health as a good diet, regular exercise, and adequate sleep. What does it look like to intentionally cultivate and nurture the type of genuine relationships that help us reframe our past, hold space for our present, and give birth to a brighter future? This series uses Biblical examples of holy friendships to consider why these relationships are transformational and how we can seek them out in our own lives.
SUNDAY'S GUEST PASTORRev. Gabriel LopezCo-Pastor of Iglesia Cristiana del Este de WhittierGabriel is an immigrant from Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. He was brought to the U.S. at the age of 7. His parents planted a church in Huntington Park, California in the early 90's and the church is now in East Whittier, Ca. His experience as an immigrant and as a pastor's kid has shaped his passion for ministry for the Latino/x/e context (immigrant, first- and second-generation Latino church). These experiences have made him a Puente-- a bridge -- between multiple generations and as someone who thirsts and hungers for justice for the most vulnerable.Gabriel is a graduate of the Claremont School of Theology, M.DIV, and is an ordained minister with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).He is married to Rev. Siobhan Lopez and they have a 7-year-old daughter, Metztli. He is a fan of Star Wars, sneakers, Rock en Español, and is a gamer.
As our "A is for..." summer sermon series winds down, Pastor Jacob explores what is known as the Tetragrammaton, or the four letters that make up the Divine name that God uses when talking to Moses in Exodus. What does it mean when God says, "I Am Who I Am?"
Welcome home! Regardless of your age, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, abilities, or faith background, we are glad you’re worshiping with us today. You belong here.
We often refer to God as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the 3 main patriarchs from the Book of Genesis, but in each of their stories, their spouses take center stage as well. So, perhaps it could be the God of Sarah, Rebekah, and Rachel. In this installment of our sermon series, it's R is for Rebekah as we take a look at a part of Rebekahs' story where she boldly steps into the unknown of her future trusting God to be with her along the way.
Welcome home! Regardless of your age, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, abilities, or faith background, we are glad you’re worshiping with us today.You belong here.
The Nicene Creed in some form represents the beliefs of 98.5% of global Christians, including all 3 major branches of Protestants, Catholics, and Eastern Orthodox. But the creed has not been without controversy throughout history, including causing the Great Schism of 1054 that split the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches. Buckle up for a ride through church history and theology as Pastor Jacob concludes that getting our doctrine perfect should never be the litmus test for whether we are being faithful followers of Jesus.
Welcome home! Regardless of your age, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity,abilities, or faith background, we are glad you’re worshiping with us today.You belong here.
In J is for Jepthah's Daughter, we take on another text of terror that shows the worst parts of humanity. Pastor Jacob guides us through the terrible decisions by Jephthah to make and keep a vow that takes his own daughter's life and reminds us that our faith does not ask us to worship our religion or its rules, but instead our faith asks us to commit ourselves to living out the unconditional love of God.
It's hard to define the concept of "faith" in just one sermon! In fact, Pastor Jacob shares that his understanding of faith changes over time, if not daily. Listen in for Pastor Jacob's current musings of faith influenced by his experiences at Vacation Bible School over the last week.
This Sunday, June 22 was our annual Open & Affirming Celebration! We're celebrating 31 years of being a welcoming and inclusive congregation for all people. One of the most beautiful services of the year will be full of gorgeous music, powerful testimonies, and tasty treats as always.
Genesis 34 is known as a text of terror for its violent themes and storyline. This chapter is the only story we have about Dinah, one of Jacob's daughters, but she doesn't even get a voice in this passage. Pastor Jacob explores her story and tragedy of the cycles of violence it contains. While there may not be much hope in this passage, might there be hope in the rest of Scripture? And while there seems to be little hope to be found in the current mass deportations targeting women and children, might there be hope that the tides are turning in how we embrace immigrants in our country?
B is for....Boanerges. You voted and chose to learn more about the Sons of Thunder. James and John were unusual picks to be Jesus' disciples, but was there something about their fiery, passionate, personalities that attracted Jesus, or was all of their bluster too toxic?
Rev. Belva Brown Jordan, ordained with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) after teaching special education on the elementary school level, served over 35 years in ministry for the denominational and in theological higher education. Rev. Jordan retired in the fall of 2023 after serving as interim president for Disciple Seminary Foundation. Before her three years at DSF she was on the faculty of Claremont School of Theology and served as an associate dean in academics. She presently lives in Upland, California with her daughter and grandson.
This summer we are traveling through the alphabet as we explore stories, themes, and characters in the Bible that YOU voted for! Stay tuned to see which subjects came out on top from our poll earlier this year!
We conclude our Stewardship Season by asking what it means to be "Truth-Tellers." How do we know that we proclaim as Christians is the truth?
Like Simon of Cyrene carrying the cross of Jesus, we are called to be cross bearers. As a church community we carry each other's burdens when they are too heavy to carry alone, and we carry the burdens and problems of society when we can't fix them by ourselves. This is who we are!
Our faith tradition is built on stories of our ancestors acting bravely in times of trouble because they understood it was the right thing to do. Join us this Stewardship season as we remind ourselves who we are and why we live the way we do!
We conclude our "Bless this Mess" sermon series on Easter morning! Part of the messiness of the spiritual journey is that we don't always know for sure what we believe. However, part of having faith is understanding that faith and doubt can coexist within us at the same time.
Is there much to be grateful for in a world where so much is going wrong? Is it privileged of us to take time out of our days to be grateful when so many people are suffering? Join Pastor Jacob in our Bless this Mess sermons series as he explores the importance of gratitude as a spiritual discipline.
GUEST PREACHER:REV. DR. KATHERINE GEORGIA A. THOMPSONThe Rev. Dr. Karen Georgia A. Thompson is the General Minister and President and the Chief Executive Officer of the United Church of Christ. Rev. Thompson is the first woman and first woman of African descent to serve as leader of the denomination. She is a writer, poet and theologian who has contributed to numerous publications. Her book of poetry Drums in Our Veins was published in 2022.Prior to this call, Rev. Thompson served in the national setting of the United Church of Christ for 14 years – two years as Minister for Racial Justice, eight years as Minister for Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations, and four years as the Associate General Minister for Wider Church Ministries and Co-Executive for Global Ministries. She was elected as Associate General Minister in 2019. As General Minister and President of the UCC, Rev. Thompson is the head of communion and the spiritual leader of the church, as well as the executive leader of the church.Her passion for justice and equity moved her work on behalf of the UCC into a global context when she served as Minister for Racial Justice. This passion for justice was a catalyst for her global advocacy to reduce the marginalization experienced by African descendant peoples and other communities globally. She continues to participate globally bringing her leadership to addressing a variety of issues including global racial justice, gender justice, and human rights.Before joining the national staff in 2009, Rev. Thompson served in the Florida Conference United Church of Christ as a Pastor and on the Conference staff as the Minister for Disaster Response and Recovery. She also worked in the nonprofit arena for over 10 years in leaderships positions.Rev. Thompson earned a Bachelor of Arts from Brooklyn College in New York, a Master of Public Administration from North Carolina Central University in Durham, NC, and a Master of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary in New York. She also studied Public Policy at Duke University and earned her Doctor of Ministry at Seattle University. She was awarded an honorary doctorate from Heidelberg University in 2023.
In Ezekiel Chapter 37, God brings Ezekiel to a valley full of dry, dead bones and asks him, "Can these bones live?" As we survey the chaos and country of our world, God asks us the same question, "Can these bones live?"
Our world, our lives, and sometimes our hearts feel messy. Thankfully, Jesus entered our mess and agreed to walk through it with us, never turning away from our pain and promising transformation along the journey. Lent is a season that celebrates transformation--in all its messy forms. Join us as we spend 40 days facing hard truths, taking responsibility, and creating something beautiful together through it all.May God bless this mess!
One of the biggest gaps in Scripture is what happened in Jesus' life from the time he was born until he was 30 and baptized by John. In the final installment of our "Mind the Gap" sermon series, Pastor Jacob explores how people living very ordinary lives can be the source of a prophetic word for our times.
This Sunday we welcome guest preacher Lydia Sohn to the pulpit! The Rev. Lydia Sohn is a Korean American United Methodist elder and writer whose writings have appeared in The New York Times, The Atlantic and The Christian Century, among others. Her forthcoming book, Here: A Spirituality of Staying in a Culture of Leaving releases on February 25, 2025 and is available for preorder now! Most importantly, she is mom to Hugh, Ivy, and Iris, wife to a handsome brainiac named James, and a long time resident and lover of Claremont. Follow along her journeys in Claremont filled with parenting, writing, eating pastries at Some Crust, and pastoring at www.revlydia.com. The official launch party for her book is this upcoming Saturday, March 1st at 2 p.m. at Claremont United Methodist Church. This event is free and open to the public! Learn more at launchforhere.eventbrite.com
Did you know that there were more letters written by apostles like Paul and John than are contained in our New Testaments? Many of these letters have been lost to history! Pastor Jacob explores the gaps in the correspondence between the apostles and the churches to whom they wrote and explains how Christians today carry on the conversations that the apostles were having in their letters.
We launch a new series this week looking at stories where there are holes in the plot or content of the passage. So many times when we read a Biblical story, we are not privy to the inner thoughts and feelings of the characters. In today's Scripture reading, Jesus is rejected by his hometown, and he must have been disappointed and distraught. Pastor Jacob reflects on Jesus' potential feelings and compares them to the ones so many of us are feeling in a time of turmoil.
We often think of second chances coming when we have made a mistake and need an opportunity to get it right. But what about second chances when everything goes wrong, and we did nothing to cause it? This week we read from the Book of Lamentations and ask how our world might get a second chance when everything seems lost and hopeless.
This Sunday Pastors Jen and Jacob will be doing an "Ask Us Anything" session in lieu of a sermon!
We continue our series "All I Want for Christmas," with the fourth candle on our Advent wreath: Love. We talk A LOT about love in the church, but what does it actually mean to love someone? Is there a way to quantify our love? How do we know if we are actually becoming more loving? Pastor Jacob tries to define love so that perhaps we can give and receive love this holiday season in more ways than ever before.
Each week during our Advent sermon series, Pastors Jen and Jacob will be comparing a classic Christmas toy to one of the candles of our Advent wreath: hope, peace, joy, and love. This week Pastor Jacob questions whether the vision of peace presented in Scripture is simply a fantasy, or is our faith the most real and authentic part of our lives
Now is your chance to ask Pastors Jen and Jacob your burning questions! With a Spirit of humility and humor, Pastors Jen and Jacob will turn the chancel into a conversation space where no questions are off limits. Congregants both online and in-person will be able to submit questions “live” and Pastors Jen and Jacob will answer those questions on-the-spot with no prior knowledge of what the questions will be!
Now is your chance to ask Pastors Jen and Jacob your burning questions! With a Spirit of humility and humor, Pastors Jen and Jacob will turn the chancel into a conversation space where no questions are off limits. Congregants both online and in-person will be able to submit questions “live” and Pastors Jen and Jacob will answer those questions on-the-spot with no prior knowledge of what the questions will be!
This Sunday we welcome back guest preacher Rev. Dr. Craig Hadley! Pastor Craig grew up in Redlands, studied architecture in Montana, and then returned to Riverside to get his Masters of Divinity degree from La Sierra University. After working for a global Christian denomination for seven years, he, along with several of his friends, started Paradox Church in Redlands. Today, Paradox is one of three open and affirming churches in Redlands. A few years later, Craig graduated from Portland Seminary with his Doctorate of Ministry degree with an emphasis on Biblical contradictions. He currently lives in Redlands with his wife, Kimi (who is WAY out of his league), and his daughter, Maya (who sleeps on the top bunk in her own room) and his son, Bode (who cried tears of joy when he got a Nintendo Switch for Christmas).
As we head to the polls in the United States, Pastor Jacob's sermon is a reminder that the work of the church will not change come Wednesday morning regardless of the results. We will still be called to stand up for our LGBTQIA+ siblings, to dismantle racism and the patriarchy, and to strive to love all people equally.
As Election 2024 approaches, our special two-week sermon series reminds us that we are called to something greater: something greater than our political parties, something greater than the boundaries of our country, something greater than our single church. The Kingdom of God transcends any one election year or political leader and calls us to be part of God’s ongoing work in the world.
Our annual Animal Blessing Sunday! Pastor Jacob explores the language we use during times of war when people are described as dogs or animals in an attempt to dehumanize them. Why did this language ever become an insult? What does it have to say about how humans consider themselves as more important than other species?
The Bible is full of prophets beyond just the ones with books named after them. In the book of 1 Kings we meet a prophet named Micaiah who is willing to share a hard truth with King Ahab of Israel, even though 400 other people are telling the king exactly what he wants to hear. Join Pastor Jacob as he invites us to step out of our echo chambers and listen for a God who is calling us into a deeper and more compassionate faith.
This Sunday we launch a new sermon series taking a look at the hidden figures of Scripture! In the 31,102 verses of Scripture there are characters that get only a passing reference and are quickly forgotten. Take Bezalel and Oholiab for example! They are only mentioned in Exodus 31 but these two men with hard to pronounce names are called by God for a specific purpose, and perhaps God is calling us too.
The story of the Isrealites crossing the Red Sea in their escape from Egypt becomes the central story of the Hebrew people. Join Pastor Jacob as he explores why the crossing is about so much more than Moses vs. Pharaoh or Israel vs. Egypt, and why it tells a story that the forces of oppression in this world will never prevail.
Pastor Jen will be preaching onRetold: Sunday School Stories You Thought You Knew"Jonah"
You can't think of Joseph without thinking of his Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat! But Joseph's life was far from sunshine and rainbows. In fact, from the beginning, Joseph was mired in family dysfunction. However, his story is a source of encouragement that no matter what hardships we might be facing, we can be resilient enough to keep going, trusting that God goes with us.
We have all seen the effects of religious communities leading with hatred and division and dogmatism. As we launch this year’s stewardship season, we explore what it looks like when spiritual communities lead with love beginning with a beautiful story in Luke 5 of a group of friends supporting one another.
Dr. Philip Clayton directs the PhD program in comparative theologies and philosophies at the Claremont School of Theology. As a scholar, he works at the intersection points of science, philosophy, and theology. As an activist he is president of EcoCiv.org. The organization works internationally to support multi-sector innovations toward a sustainable society through collaborations between governments, businesses, policy experts, and NGOs.
As part of our earth month sermon series, Pastor Jen explores the mystery and majesty of the oceans. This element of God’s creation not only contains endless wonder, but also sustains life on earth and must be protected.
Today we launch a new sermon series and adult education lineup focused on climate justice. While it can feel like preaching to the choir at Claremont UCC to talk about environmentalism, it is an issue that must stay at the forefront of our minds because progress is dependent on people of faith uniting to protect our planet. In today's sermon, Pastor Jacob explains how creation care is not a political issue, or even a hot-button issue, instead it is an integral part of what it means to be a Christian.
On Easter morning, Pastor Jen considers why Mark ended his gospel story with more questions than answers. How might we find the risen Christ among us?
In the shadows of Good Friday, Pastor Jen takes us to the final hours of Jesus’ life and examines the fact that everyone was frustrated and angered by his refusal to answer their questions. In what ways do we still try and force Jesus to say and do what we want? And what can we learn from his silence?
The story of the Last Supper comes right in the middle of Jesus telling his disciples that Judas is going to betray him and that Peter is going to deny him. And yet, Jesus still sits down with these two men and shares a meal. Jesus informs them that they should eat this meal again and again to remember one simple fact: God's love and grace is always with them. No matter what.
Pastor Jen brings us another Easter Egg from the Gospel of Mark. Join her as she examines the symbolism of the withered fig tree that Jesus curses and compares it to his infamous “Temple Tantrum,” during which he quotes the prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah in an effort to highlight God’s love for ALL people.
In Mark 14, the Chief Priests and scribes are conspiring to find a way to secretly put Jesus to death. But in the middle of their plans comes the story of an unnamed woman with an alabaster jar. Her small act of kindness serves as a subversive act of goodness to counter the hatred of the Chief Priests' plans. And now, her amazing story calls us to join the revolution of kindness.
In the blockbuster movie Inception, the characters travel into a dream within a dream within a dream. This week, Pastor Jacob explains that the Gospel of Mark is a story within a story within a story. But what all of these layers of stories reveal is that a life of faith doesn't mean we have all of the answers. There is never a pint where we have "arrived at faith." Instead, a life of faith is a continuous journey of learning more about ourselves and the world around us.
Rev. Dr. David Vásquez-Levy serves as President of Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, California. One of the UCC seminaries, PSR is a progressive, multidenominational seminary and center for social justice that prepares theologically and spiritually rooted leaders to work for the well-being of all. A committed pastor, a nationally recognized higher education and immigration leader, and a sought after speaker, Vásquez-Levy leads at the intersection of faith, higher education, and social change. His innovations have led to cinrease access in theological education and leadership formation. Originally from Guatemala, Vásquez-Levy has lived in four countries, including working on refugee resettlement in Canada, and taught courses and led international study and service trips across the globe.
We often ask God what is next in our lives. Sometimes the answer we receive is the calling to leave where we are and go somewhere new. How do we trust that God is leading us somewhere we will thrive?
A few church members asked Pastor Jen if she was going to follow her sermon on Peter the Rock by one about Mary the Tower. Not one to walk away from a challenge, Pastor Jen finished our sermon series by presenting the work of Elizabeth Schrader and her discovery that the story of Martha and Mary in the Gospel of John comes from a manuscript that had been intentionally altered.
When Jesus first calls the disciples, he nicknames James and John the Sons of Thunder. Scholars don't know what Jesus meant by these epithets, but the two brothers do have quite the tempers in the Gospels. Pastor Jacob explores why Jesus would call these two hotheads into ministry and why Jesus decided to call each of us.
Pastor Jen kicks off our new sermon series with the story of Jesus changing Simon’s name to Peter. Why would Jesus give the name “Rock” to a disciple like Simon?
Pastor Jen looks at Paul’s letter to the Ephesians and discusses the concept of home and what it means to be rooted in love.
Our sermon series "Rooted," is designed to celebrate the ways in which a community of faith can help us deepen our spirituality and connect with others. But strangely, Pastor Jacob begins his sermon by sharing all the ways religion and religious communities can actually be a source of evil. To avoid these same pitfalls, Pastor Jacob encourages us to focus on the root of our faith which is not power or control or having all the right answers, instead the root of our faith is being rooted in the love of Christ.
The Book of Ecclesiastes reminds us in a passage made famous by The Byrds that there is a season for everything under the sun: a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to weep and a time to laugh. Pastor Jacob welcomes us all together this Easter morning no matter what season of life we find ourselves in today and reminds us that the hope of resurrection means that no season of darkness lasts forever. Happy Easter!
Pastor Jen reflects on the story of Jesus sleeping in the boat during a storm and considers how Tricia Hersey’s book Rest Is Resistance might help us understand the necessity of rest.
In the first letter from the Bible that he ever wrote, Paul tells the church he started in Thessaloniki that they should, "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and give thanks in all circumstances." Paul's words seem like pretty naïve advice if we have to suppress all of our other feelings just so that we can rejoice. Join Pastor Jacob as he explores how rejoicing, praying, and expressing gratitude don't have to be something we do but can be something we are as people of God.
In the Gospels, Jesus is constantly enjoying meals with whoever will join him! In today's sermon, Pastor Jacob invites us to take on a new spiritual discipline during this Unhurried Lent--having slow meals with friends! Tune-in to discover how preparing and eating a meal can be part of the Kingdom of God.
In Psalm 46, the Psalmist tells us that God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in times of trouble. But what about those times when it feels like God isn't very much help at all, or that perhaps God has even abandoned us? Pastor Jacob helps us to not ignore those very real feelings and at the same time learn how to, as the Psalmist says, be still and know that God is God.
“We can sleep when we're dead,” Pastor Jen’s friend once jokingly said. But why don’t we rest while we live? Pastor Jen kicks off our Unhurried Lent with a reflection on why the obsessive productivity in our culture is toxic, and how we as people of faith can rest as resistance.
The Prophet Jeremiah has a seldom talked about sidekick: Baruch. Baruch is a scribe who is tasked with writing down the words of Jeremiah. He even has to do it twice after one of the evil kings of Israel throws the first scroll in the fire. Because of Baruch, a major part of our Bible has been preserved. Pastor Jacob explores what it means to carry on the story of God for future generations.
“The Best Supporting Actress Award goes to….Miriam! Pastor Jen reminds us why the first prophet in the Bible is critical to the story of the Israelites’ liberation."
In the story of Joseph, he experiences mishap after mishap and yet still is able to do good in the world. Pastor Jacob explores how God does not cause the misfortunes in our lives but still works through us in the midst of tragedy to bring something good into the world just like Joseph.
In our current sermon series, we are exploring the big reveals and plot twists of Scripture, beginning with perhaps the biggest one of all: the conversion of Saul, the great persecutor of the Christian faith. Pastor Jacob helps to walk us through the story as we get to know Saul and invites us to open ourselves up to the constant self-discovery we experience in our own lives.
"The angels' final appearance in the Nativity story is to a group of shepherds watching their flocks at night. But it's an interesting choice since shepherds were not even allowed to give eyewitness testimony in a court of law. Why would God choose them to be among the first to share the Good News of Christ's birth?
When Joseph receives the news of Mary’s unplanned pregnancy, he wants to quietly extricate himself from the story. But an angel tells him not to be afraid, and he decides to roll with it. What if we all did the same with the unexpected news in our lives?
In today's Scripture passage, Gabriel shows up at Mary's home and declares, "Greetings favored one! The Lord is with with you!" It's a strange message, especially when the angel informs her that she will bear God's son into the world. In a situation where Mary could easily run away in fear, she embraces this calling with faith. Pastor Jacob explains how we all have the same calling as Mary to be Theotokos, bearers of God into the world.
This Sunday we begin our journey to discover the Gospel According to Gabriel by looking at the parts of the Nativity story where Gabriel and the other angels burst onto the scene with an important message: "Be Not Afraid." Join Pastor Jacob as he explores the story of Jesus' birth from the cosmic perspective of the angels and encourages us to remember that we too are part of God's wider plan for all of humanity. Today we look at the angel's appearance to the priest Zecheriah
Why does eating matter so much in our lives? Why does sharing a meal nourish s both in body and spirit? Pastor Jen tells the story of the prophet Elijah and his journey, during which he is fed by and angel and encounters God inside the sheer sound of silence.
Genesis 16 is classified as a "text of terror" for how horrifically Abram and Sarai treat their servant Hagar. But this story is not just about Abram and Sarai. Instead, Hagar takes control of her own life and learns that God has been with her all along. So too, in our darkest moments, when all seems lost, God is working in the midst for tragedies and trauma to bring new life, new paths, new hope.
Pastor Jen kicks off the new sermon series with the story of Jacob and Esau. Are we unnecessarily running from our past mistakes?
The 2022 Pulitzer Prize-winning composition will be featured at a special service next Sunday, October 30 at 10am, along with a homiletic solo performance by the composer. Free admission.
Earlier this year, Raven Chacon became the first Native American composer to win the Pulitzer Prize for Music, for his Voiceless Mass. The piece, which was premiered by Present Music in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on November 21, 2021, is a meditation on the meaning of voicelessness, both in the context of grand physical spaces (churches and cathedrals) and instruments (the pipe organ), as well the historic and ongoing silencing of oppressed peoples by those in positions of privilege. As the composer writes: “[Voiceless Mass] considers the futility of giving voice to the voiceless, when ceding space is never an option for those in power.”
Voiceless Mass, for pipe organ and chamber ensemble (solo strings, winds, percussion, recorded sine tones), will be presented as part of a special Sunday worship service at Claremont United Church of Christ. It will be the third public performance of the work (following the 2021 Milwaukee premiere and a performance in Toronto on September 30 of this year). The service will also include a solo homiletic performance, conceived for the occasion by the composer.
Claremont United Church of Christ (CUCC), lead producer of the event, invites all to attend this special service, which is open to the public and free of charge. Voiceless Mass will be co-conducted by CUCC co-Directors of Music and Fine Arts, Alexandra Grabarchuk and David Rentz.
Orchestra Collective of Orange County and the Scripps College Music Department have provided additional artistic and production support for the performance of Voiceless Mass.
Raven Chacon: http://spiderwebsinthesky.com/ Pulitzer announcement: https://www.pulitzer.org/winners/raven-chacon
Pastor Jen reminds us of the perfect balance God intended for creation and invites us to make small choices every day to restore that balance in ourselves and in our world.
Rev. Dr. Jacob Buchholz: God knows that sometimes we need to be reminded of our identity, we need to be reminded of who we are. On this Open and Affirming Sunday, hear these words from Isaiah: You have been created by God, redeemed by God, named by God, and claimed by God. You are God's beloved.
Rev. Dr. Jennifer Strickland Pastor Jen explains why it is crucial for churches to teach children (and adults) that God loves them, full stop.
Our Scripture reading today is one of the most religion-shattering, mind-expanding, belief-challenging statements in the Bible. It reminds us on this World Communion Sunday, that when we come to God's table, we will be sitting by those we least expect to see, because in God's Kingdom, all are welcome.
Pastor Jen closes our sermon series on the parables of Jesus by considering the meaning of the Parable of the 10 Wedding Attendants. What can we learn from the 5 foolish and 5 wise attendants? What might it mean for us to always have some extra lamp oil in our back pocket? And is Jesus really coming back? Because we’ve been waiting a long time...
Jesus encourages his listeners to dig deeper into the parables, and indeed, some of the parables are confusing and seem to have multiple interpretations. Join Pastor Jacob as he proposes two different ways to understand the Parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard and invites us to keep digging deeper on our own.
Jesus tells the parable of the Good Samaritan to illustrate how our faith should compel us to perform acts of kindness and compassion, not avoid them. The love of the Other invites us to consider how we are called to put our faith into action.
In one of Jesus' parables, he seems rather worried that people will light a lamp and then hide it. But who would ever do that? In today's sermon, Pastor Jacob charts the history of light in Jesus' time and explores the ways we often hide the light within us, even to our own detriment.
We begin our new series on the parables of Jesus the Storyteller with the Parable of the Sower. This sower seems like a terrible farmer and sows seeds with reckless abandon flinging seeds without any regard for where they land. Pastor Jen explains why this sower seems like a gardener in Nebraska much more than a gardener in California!
Today God is Feeling...Anxious. We join Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane as he cries out in grief and agitation. It can be comforting to know that Jesus experienced the very same anxiety we do in life. Join Pastor Jacob as he tries to destigmatize conversations around mental health and invites us to be vulnerable as we share our own anxieties.
What does it mean the God is pleased with us? Join Pastor Jen as she explores how God often acts like a proud soccer mom and takes pleasure in us living into our true selves.
Of all of the emotions that Scripture portrays God as feeling, we don't often dwell on the joy of God. And yet, in Scripture God is often portrayed as rejoicing and taking joy in Scripture. Pastor Jen shows how possessing joy is actually a subversive act in the face of the troubles of this world.
Throughout history some theologians have argued that God is beyond human emotions, but one look through Scripture and it is obvious that God feels as many emotions as we do! Join Pastors Jen and Jacob as they explore God’s wide range of feelings from anger to joy, from compassion to grief. Perhaps we might discover that God knows exactly how we are feeling.
Christians have turned to the Bible to discover more about God and to find answers to our deepest questions and longings for thousands of years. But, what if the Bible had never been written? Would we still be able to know anything about God? Join Pastor Jacob as he digs deeper into exactly what the Bible is, how it was formed, and how it might guide us today. Attachments area
So much of Christianity is centered on the redemption provided to us through the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. But what if Jesus had died of old age instead? Would God have still found a way to redeem us?
This week we have see the dangers of moving toward a theocracy. Join Pastor Jacob as he explores the history of the marriage of the church and Empire and asks, "What If...Constantine Had Never Become a Christian?"
The 10 Commandments have always been seen as the moral compass of our society, but is obeying these 10 laws all there is to living a moral life? Join Pastor Jacob as he asks, "What If...Moses Had Never Received the 10 Commandments," and explores how God has engraved a moral compass on our hearts.
Pastor Jacob kicks off his "What If..." sermon series exploring what would happen if major events in Christianity never took place by asking "What if Adam and Eve Never Ate the Fruit?" Pastor Jacob invites us to understand the story of Adam and Eve not as a tale about original sin, but rather as a coming-of-age story for humanity where we learned to accept our responsibility for dealing with the moral complexity of good and evil in this world.
We conclude our series on the dreamers of the Bible by turning to our quintessential dreamer in Scripture, Joseph, complete with his amazing, technicolor dreamcoat. Joseph interprets one of Pharaoh's dreams that predicts 7 years of plenty followed by 7 years of famine are coming to Egypt. How do we learn from Joseph's story how to navigate the lean years and the good years of our own lives?
If America is just as much of an Empire as the ones of history such as the Roman Empire and the Mongol Empire, what are the warning sides that this empire might fall? Join Pastor Jacob and he reflects on what created the American Empire we know today and how our ultimate allegiance belongs to the realms of God.
In a world where things never seem to change or to get better, it can be an act of resistance to dream that perhaps the world can become a better place after all. However, it may take a bit of wrestling, maybe even wrestling with God. Join Pastor Jacob as he tells the story of a Biblical dreamer named Jacob who thought that perhaps the vision of heaven might come to earth, but it wasn't as easy as he thought it would be.
The Bible is full of dreams-- wild, profound, practical, and more. This stewardship season we will learn these dreamers' stories, and we will dare to dream ourselves!
It's easy to walk past people without noticing them, until we realize each person is God's masterpiece.
After he rises from the grave, Jesus begins appearing to his disciples. In one tender scene, he cooks a group of them breakfast on the beach and asks Peter a very important question…three times. Join Pastor Jen as she explains why Peter needed this moment with Jesus and why the same question is asked of us all.
Peter has messed up again, and this time, Jesus calls him Satan! Join Pastor Jen as she explores Peter’s mistake.
The disciples are constantly trying to keep some people out and let others in. Obviously, Jesus teaches them that all are welcome in the Kingdom of God, but what deeper lesson does Jesus have for us about how we can work together with people different from us?
This week’s (un)faithful disciple is Peter, who tries to walk on water but sinks like a Rock (pun intended). But is it really his sinking that indicates a lack of faith in Jesus, or the fact that he tried to climb out of the boat in the first place? Join Pastor Jen as she examines this dramatic story.
James and John can't seem to get it right. A week after hearing about their quest to become the greatest among the disciples, now they want to pray to God to bring fire down on their enemies. Jesus' message to them is simple: stop looking to the past and set your face toward the future. How might we do the same?
This week, James and John completely miss the mark when they ask Jesus to sit beside him in his glory. But don’t we also ask Jesus for what we want in life and expect him to deliver? What if following Jesus offers us no rewards, glory, or success? Is simply following Jesus for the sake of following Jesus enough for us?
Our Lenten sermon series is entitled, "(un)faithful: When Even Disciples Miss the Mark," and we will be exploring the many stories of Jesus' disciples failing to live up to Jesus' hopes for them. We begin with Nathanael and his initial judgment of Jesus, "Can Anything Good Come from Nazareth." Even though Nathanael didn't believe the Messiah could come from a small town in Galilee, we quickly learn that we can encounter the divine anywhere, within anyone.
Have you ever wondered why we take Communion, and what it symbolizes? Pastor Jen delves into the history, controversy, and meaning behind this sacrament.
The book of James encourages us to pray for the sick so that they may be healed. But can our prayers really heal the sick? What does it mean when our prayers aren't answered?
On Sunday mornings in America churches now compete with a variety of other appealing activities from youth sports to nature walks to brunch. Why is worshipping as a community on a weekly basis still valuable and necessary for our spiritual development?
We kick-off our exploration of the ancient traditions of Christianity by exploring baptism. Why are we supposed to be baptized? Is there a difference between being baptized as an infant or as an adult? Is there a difference between a full-immersion and a sprinkling? Join Pastor Jacob as he tries to answer these questions and more.
This week, Pastor Jen tells a story she heard from a mission worker in South Sudan that is both powerful and heart-breaking. She then recounts The Parable of the Mustard Seed and asks how the kingdom of God might be growing quietly among us even now.
In the 4th Century, St. Basil of Ceaserea said something incredibly profound: "Annunciations are frequent, incarnations are rare." Wondering what's so powerful about that phrase? Tune-in to find out more.
Pastor Jen kicks off our new sermon series, Wisdom From Around the World, by examining a Haitian proverb that speaks to our human experience of facing challenge after challenge. What wisdom does Jesus offer us in the face of stress, anxiety, and hardship?
Transformation is not just something that happens to us, but something that happens when we actively take part in God's unconditional love and grace.
We are constantly told to renew our lives, to aspire to more. But what is God's dream for us, right here and right now? How does God renew us and our aspirations, even in the midst of chaos?
Join pastors Jen and Jacob for stories about the best Christmas gifts ever received as we gather around the fire for this cozy Christmas. Graphic can be the one from the weekly emails. Do you get those? Will forward now if not. Sermon can just be called cozy Christmas
Rather than look at another ruler of history, Pastor Jacob concludes our King of Kings sermon series by exploring a concept that often has more power and control over our lives than any king, president, or emperor: time. How do we free ourselves from the tyranny of time in our lives to allow the grace of God to rule instead?
So many rulers maintain their power by ruling with an iron fist and killing whoever gets in their way. So how then, did our Prince of Peace, Jesus, who never lifted a sword somehow defy all odds and become the King of Kings? Join Pastor Jacob in this next installment of our sermon series as he compares Jesus to Vlad the Impaler.
Pastor Jen puts Henry VIII up against Jesus and considers how they each treated the women in their lives. Spoiler alert: Henry wasn’t very nice to them!
The 13th century King of Mali, Mansa Musa, is believed by scholars to have been the richest person in history with an inflation-adjusted net worth of $400 billion. In contrast, the King of Kings, Jesus, did not even have a place to lay his head at night. Pastor Jacob digs deeper into why so many rulers pursue wealth, but Jesus found his treasures elsewhere.
Pastor Jen kicks off our Advent sermon series, “King of Kings” by sharing the history of Israel’s relationship with kings and comparing Jesus to an infamous emperor of Rome, Nero. While Nero was power-hungry, self-obsessed, and violent, Jesus was the complete opposite. But how can Jesus be a more powerful king than this rich, well-connected tyrant?
One of the most challenging questions of our faith is why bad things happen to good people. If God is all-powerful and all-loving, then why does God allow evil to exist in our world? Join Pastor Jacob as he works through this difficult question.
In the Old Testament the Israelites believe that God wants them to completely wipe out their enemies from the land they are about to occupy. Does God really give them these instructions? Join Pastor Jacob as he tries to make sense of these "Texts of Terror" and determine how we can know whether or not our beliefs about God are true.
In our first sermon of the series, “You Ask, We Preach: Your Biggest, Burning Questions,” Pastor Jen tackles the issue of why God has been historically referred to as male, and why we can all benefit from exploring the feminine side of God.
When the writer of Hebrews says that faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the certainty of things unseen, we are told that we can have this assurance because we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses. Pastor Jacob shares about the encouragement we can receive from the spiritual ancestors who have gone before us.
Every year on ONA Sunday, Pastor Jen and Pastor Jacob share reflections on why the LGBTQ+ community is vital to the health and life of the church. Pastor Jen explains why the church is blessed by the LGBTQ+ community. Pastor Jacob discusses the transfiguration and what it means to fully reveal one’s true self to the world.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego are known for surviving the fiery furnace, but the real reason they are heroes of our faith is because of their unconditional love for God. Join Pastor Jen for this spooky and inspiring story.
In a moment of fear and panic, Saul goes to the Witch of Endor to find answers. But what causes us to demand certainty in the first place? Can we find peace amidst the uncertainty?
For World Communion Sunday, Pastor Laurel talks about how we are called to come to the table from a child's point of view. What does it look like when communion is playful?
Finishing up our Wabi-Sabi sermon series, Pastor Jen considers how the brief lives of our animal companions helps us accept the impermanence of this world and find beauty in being present each day.
Ancient Christians used to be slandered as donkey worshippers. The donkey was a symbol of foolishness and what could be more foolish than worshipping a God who died on a cross? Join Pastor Jacob as he teaches us how to embrace the foolish aspect of our faith
Although King David’s abuse of power and assault of Bathsheba is extreme, his story reminds us that we all fall short of God’s dream for us. By acknowledging our sins and failures, we open ourselves up to new healing, transformation, and wholeness. Like the Japanese art of “kintsukuroi” in which cracked pottery is mended with golden lacquer to highlight rather than hide the flaws, our stories of overcoming our issues become beautiful testimonies to the life-changing power of our faith in God.
In Exodus 4, God calls Moses to go to Egypt to rescue God's people. But, Moses has a few objections first. Sometimes we too have objections to the idea that God might have a calling for us in this world. Join God and Moses as they have a conversation about these objections and discover that God calls each of us, imperfections and all.
Historically, the story of Martha and Mary paints Martha as the harried housewife and Mary as the devoted student at Jesus’ feet. But a closer look at the original Greek offers a slightly different understanding of these sisters. Join Pastor Jen as we kick off our new sermon series and consider what it means to find contentment and even joy in our imperfect lives.
During this sermon series, we have seen God part the waters of seas and rivers on behalf of the Israelites, but what happens when we come to a river that won't part at all?
As the Israelites crossed the Jordan River into the long-awaited Promised Land, God asks them to get their feet wet this time as an act of faith. They are also invited to gather stones from the riverbed and build an Ebenezer to remind them of how faithful God has been throughout their long, strenuous journey. Let us take a moment today to pause and remember how God has carried us this far in our own wilderness and let us have faith that there is new life waiting for us on the other side.
So many world religions worry about who is next in line: as pope, as imam, and head of the church. In 2 Kings, the people are worried that there will be no more prophets once Elijah is gone, but Elisha appears to take up his mantle and continue his work. In the Gospel of John, Jesus declares that we are ALL his successors, and that we have all been called to carry on his ministry, in fact to exceed it! Join Pastor Jacob as he reminds us what it means for us to possess the Spirit of God.
When the Israelites fled Egypt they were fleeing enslavement, violence, chaos, and oppression. God parted the Red Sea to lead them toward freedom, life, and a new future filled with hope. In our chaotic world today, we must have faith that God will deliver us if we just keep moving in the direction of freedom.
The ancient Israelites imagined the chaos and tragedies of their lives as embodied in a fabled sea creature known as the Leviathan. Even though we don't believe the same mythologies, what can we learn from these poetic descriptions of the Leviathan about dealing with the chaos and tragedies in our own lives?
Most of us heard the story of David and Goliath for the first time as children, but the nuances of the story become even more powerful as adults. What can we learn from David about facing our own giants in today's fractured world.
The story of the ten plagues reads like a typical Hollywood disaster movie, but it contains one of the most theologically problematic sentences in Scripture. What does it mean for God to harden Pharaoh's heart?
Christianity has become a mainstream religion in America, but sometimes we forget that our Scriptures are full of strange mythical creatures and bizarre monsters such as the Nephilim. Join Pastor Jen as she kicks off this new sermon series and invites us to embrace the weirdness of our faith.
We conclude our series by examining how we are able to accomplish so much more together. Let's continue our creative process by connecting with one another!
We could spend all day coming up to reasons not to create, but ultimately God invites us to set aside our hesitations and simply begin.
Guest preacher Rev. Wally Hoeger takes us back to the Sabbath commandment to remind us that part of the creative process is to make sure we PLAY!
The story of Paul's non-linear mission path through Asia Minor and his chance encounter with Lydia teaches us that if our creative projects (including our lives) are not neat and tidy, we are doing them just right.
In our hurried, frenzied lives, it can be hard to pause and listen to the Holy Spirit's guidance. Today, may you take a breath, and create the space needed to be your most creative self.
As human beings, we are created to create. If we can align our creativity with God's unfolding dream for the world, we will not only be giving the world our greatest gifts, but also tapping into some divine magic.
When being the change in the world, the Canaanite woman gives us this advice: Shout if you must! Make a scene if you need to. Repeat your requests. Let insults roll off your back. And believe that God is on your side even if God doesn't realize it yet.
Sometimes faith is not about having the answers, but about asking the right questions. In Acts, the Ethiopian Eunuch asks, "What is to prevent my being baptized." What a great questions! There may have been a lot actually that might prevent him, but he didn't let that stop him from taking control of his own spiritual journey. What is to prevent your being the change you would like to see in the world?
The story of the Good Samaritan reminds us that our faith in God is our first step in ministry to the world. Christ calls us to not only hear and believe his teachings but to live them out in our lives.
Pastor Jacob shares why he thinks the Book of Numbers is one of the most interesting books of the Bible and why the obscure story of The Daughters of Zelophehad is one of the most important passages in the entirety of the Bible because it helps us understand the function of religion.
On the way to Emmaus, two strangers encounter Jesus unexpectedly. What strangers in your life might be waiting to show you the light of Christ?
A modern term helps us understand what is happening in Luke's account of the resurrection: gaslighting! Seriously, read it for yourself! Join Pastor Jacob as he celebrates the importance of listening to the voices of every single holy fragment, including you!
On this most powerful night of the year, Jesus gives up his last breath. Our breath is so important to us, but it has been cut short for so many in the dual pandemics of Covid-19 and racism. As we mourn the death of Christ tonight, we also mourn those who have lost in the last year. We pray for the hope of resurrection for us all.
We gather together for Holy Communion on Maundy Thursday as we see our own holy fragments in the life of Jesus who was "broken to heal."
So much of Christianity is defined by what Christians are against. But what if we placed special emphasis on what we are FOR?
Jesus' healing miracles are never just about the body. They are always widening the boundaries of community and acceptance. If we can join him in this expansive inclusion, we too can be healed.
In the Gospel of Luke, Zacchaeus learns that he has the power to make all things new. Join Pastor Jacob as he explores our own ability to make old things new, just like Christ, as we write the stories of our lives.
If Jesus wants to dine with someone who is rejected and despised by their own community, then who is IN and who is OUT of the circle of compassion? Pastor Jen examines Jesus' determination to engage with brokenness in order to heal and transform that brokenness.
Do we truly see the people around us? Do we feel seen? Strangely, one of the only stories shared in all four Gospels is of an unnamed woman with an alabaster jar. Join Pastor Jacob as he tries to help us see her as she truly is.
In the Gospels, we find the disciples hiding after Jesus' death, finding it hard to believe everything that Jesus told them. Why do we sometimes have a hard time believing what is right in front of us?
The teachings of Christ and the legacy of Dr. King invite us to reject Cain's dismissal of his brother and instead become caretakers of our siblings. How might we build beloved community brick by brick and choice by choice?
Our new sermon series starting today is entitled, "Didn't See That Coming: Embracing the Unexpected." But we definitely SHOULD have seen the events of this week coming because they are a result of our country's inability to deal with its legacy of white supremacy. Join Pastors Jen and Jacob as they explore the events of this week and what they teach us about our past and about how we can shape our future.
Contrary to popular belief, the magi were probably not following a giant, unmissable star in the sky. Instead, they were seekers of truth who had spent their whole lives looking carefully for signs of the divine. What big and small epiphanies might God be trying to reveal to us in our daily lives now?
In today's world we often specialize in a single discipline or trade, but today Pastor Jacob invites us all to be generalists as we explore several different topics and try to answer the question, "How can we see God?"
Many of us come to Christmas Eve this year feeling weary from the year we have just lived. But take heart, because the angel proclaims that unto YOU a child is born.
Each year the children retell the nativity story and make the birth of Jesus alive again in our times. Telling the nativity story again and again each year is a lot like the family stories we tell during the holidays. Pastor Jacob shares some of his family stories and reflects on how these stories shape us.
Even though the holidays look and feel different this year, Pastor Jen reminds us that something big is coming to us and it is our responsibility to make sure we don't miss it.
Most English translations of John 1:14 don't quite capture what the original hearers of this passage would have imagined. The literal translation is that Jesus "set up a tent" among us. The Israelites thought God lived in their tent or tabernacle, but now John tells us that Jesus can set up a tent wherever, including in us.
This year most of us will spend the season of Advent safely at home. As we kick-off our sermon series, "Home for the Holidays," Pastor Jen explores the concept of a spiritual home and why we experience a homesickness of the soul every year.
There has been a war against truth in our culture over the last four years. How can we sort through fact and fiction in our world today?
Animals are some of our greatest spiritual teachers if we are willing students. Join Pastor Jen as she lifts up four spiritual lessons we can learn form animals.
No matter the results of the 2020 election, the work of the church does not change. We are called to always strive for greater love, inclusion, and equality in the world.
Every day the clock keeps ticking, reminding us that time is passing. But the prophet Isaiah announces that the time for renewal and redemption is NOW! How can we, like the saints who have gone before us, make the most of our days?
The parable of the prodigal son is one of the most well known stories in Scripture, but Jesus never meant for the parable to have only one meaning. How can we hear this parable again today and learn something new for our context.
Many of us feel lost right now. But Jesus tells a parable that reminds us that nothing is lost to God.
Today we celebrate 26 years of being an Open and Affirming church and welcome guest preacher, Rev. Brian Ellison, of The Covenant Network for an excellent sermon on the parable of the pearl of great price.
When Jesus introduces a series of three stories about lost items in Luke 15, he begins with a story about a lost sheep. Join Pastor Jacob as he connects this story to the Black Lives Matter movement and asks, "Who is really lost?"
The wilderness of the multiple pandemics we are experiencing are uncomfortable and challenging. What might be revealed to us in the midst of this dry place?
There is an Iroquois law that said decisions should be made based on how they impact the community seven generations into the future. What if God is calling us to invest in creating a better world, even if we never live to see it?
Like Ezekiel, we are surveying the dead, dry bones of our personal and communal lives. With God's Holy Spirit, may we one day take a collective new breath and begin a new era in which everyone can breathe together.
While they are in the wilderness waiting for Moses to come down from Sinai, the Israelites ask Aaron to make them some sort of god that they can see and touch. We always crave certainty. But what if the only thing that is certain is our uncertainty? How do we live in the uncertainty?
Our world certainly feels as if it is being refined by fire this year. We are being called to change many of our ways of thinking and our practices. Is it possible to find God in the midst of all of this change? Malachi thinks so!
Pastor Jacob admits he likes to check things off lists and felt compelled to preach out all of the remaining books before the series came to a close. He looks to eight different passages and asks if there might be a common theme unifying the entire canon of Scripture.
After generations of failure and chaos, the Israelites are left wondering how they could ever rebuild what they had before? Will it be possible for us to rebuild?
Doesn't it sometimes feel that Christianity has been hijacked by fundamentalists. But what if they think the same thing about us so-called "progressives." Pastor Jacob provides some guidance about how to have conversations regarding the heart of our faith.
How did you come to learn about the faith? We all have people, books, or experiences that shaped our own understanding of Christianity. Join Pastor Jen as we track the journey of our own faith.
These two books of history are seldom read because the stories they contain are mostly repeats from the historical books that come before. In this sermon, Pastor Jacob suggests that we cannot practice our Christian faith without understanding how we live out that faith in our own historical context.
Nehemiah contains the story of the people of Israel after they return from exile and are trying to rebuild their city. Pastor Jen teaches us the wisdom we can learn from their rebuilding efforts and how each person simply rebuilt their small part of the city.
The books of 2 and 3 John almost did not make it into the canon of Scripture because they are so short and lack context. Is there something we can learn from these letters that contain less than 300 words each? Pastor Jacob suggests that these letters capture in part what it is like to do ministry during a pandemic.
We kick off our series on "The Unread Books," that Pastors Jen and Jacob have not used for sermons in these last four years with Obadiah. What does this prophet have to say for our times?
St. Theresa is often lifted up as a saint extraordinaire, but there were many criticisms of her work in her lifetime, and she herself experienced periods of intense spiritual darkness. In this period of spiritual darkness for our country, Pastor Jacob calls for us to take stock of our own flaws so that we can humbly work to bring ourselves out of the chaos.
Join Pastor John as we learn about Christina the Astonishing and how her life can be a lesson to us about the work of resurrection we need to do to combat systemic racism in our country.
The most famous line of Julian of Norwich's writing is, "All shall be well. All shall be well. And all manner of things shall be well." But how can we think that anything will be well as our country confronts two major public health crises in Covid-19 and racism. Learn how our ability to confront the worst parts of ourselves can set us on the path toward wellness.
St. Jan Martin de Porres Velázquez may be the nicest man you ever hear about. But that still didn't stop him from experiencing terrible racism throughout his life. Pastor Jen shares how its time to stop making excuses for the systemic racism in our country.
Join Pastor Jacob as he explores the legacy of Oscar Romero and the importance of liberation theology.
Pastor Jen starts our "Saints You Should Know" sermon series by teaching us about Hildegard of Bingen and all of the incredible aspects of her life.
The parallels between King Ahab in our passage for today and our current administration are uncanny. We can gather people around us who will tell us what we want to hear or people who will be honest and candid with us. Friends, we cannot return to "normal".
During the pandemic, it is so easy to feel isolated and alone. Pastor Jen explains why, no matter where you are, you belong in this community.
During Paul's missionary journeys in the Book of Acts, the Spirit of God takes him to unexpected places. How is the Spirit leading us to new places and new discoveries during this pandemic?
Like the rock that Jacob placed in the desert marking the spot where he encountered God, Claremont United Church of Christ is a marker of a place where people have come together to worship God, be inspired, and accompany one another through life for 130 years.
The parallels between how our country responded to Covid-19 in its earliest stages and how we handle climate change are uncanny. On these world issues we must come together to accept the fact before us and make wide-spread, systemic changes.
The 3-Day flip is finished! The risen Christ is restored! But where exactly should we be looking for Jesus after the resurrection?
Our homes are at their cleanest when guests are about to arrive. We curate the images we put on social media. But when Jesus enters the temple before his death to cleanse the temple of the money changers, he asks us to keep a clean house year-round and to be willing to expose the most vulnerable parts of ourselves.
The night in the Garden of Gethsemane involves violence even though Jesus spent his whole ministry teaching his disciples to be peaceful. What would happen if followers of Christ actually started living out his teachings?
Pastor Jen looks at the famous story of a woman caught in adultery in the Gospel of John. How far have we come or not come from this story? How does God feel about the ways we so easily cast blame on others?
Join Pastor Jacob as he explores how the Deaf community understands the story of Jesus healing a man who is deaf in Mark 7. What is the real miracle of this passage?
In one of Jesus' miracles he doesn't get it right the first time! Then again, we don't always get it right the first time either. Pastor Jen helps us understand that sometimes we don't always see clearly, and that's part of life.
This week for our "3 Day Flip" sermon series, we look at the example par excellence of restoration in the New Testament: Saul's conversion experience before he becomes Paul. Do we believe that anyone is capable of change?
Pastor Jen ends our “Uncorked" sermon series with the story of Jesus’s first miracle: turning water into wine at a wedding in Cana. Why did he “waste” his first miracle on this small country party?
Jesus' parables are intentionally multi-layered and challenge us to think below the surface. Join Pastor Jacob as he explores The Parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard and its possible message for us now and after death.
In Scripture, a meal is never just a meal. Bread is never just bread. Wine is never just wine. Join Jesus at his last meal with his disciples, even the disciple who is about to betray him, as they share together in a Passover Seder. As Jesus takes a cup and blesses it, what message is he sharing with his friends and with us?
Pastor Jen kicks off our new sermon series, “Uncorked: Sermons from Grape to Glass.” Join her as she sets the stage with California’s storied history of winemaking and considers what Jesus meant when he said you can’t out new wine in old wineskins. What is the new wine being poured into your life, and how will you receive it in a new vessel?
Oftentimes so-called "Bible-believing" churches perpetuate the worst racism, homophobia, and hatred in our country. In today's sermon on New Year's Resolutions, Pastor Jacob reminds us that to embody God’s Word doesn’t just mean to read the Bible, because we know that we can read and quote the Bible all we want and completely miss the mark on how it’s supposed to transform our lives. Tune-in to learn more about what it actually looks like to embody God's Word.
Pastor Jen explores the story of Jesus' baptism and asks us to consider what it would mean to listen to God's voice telling each of us that we are beloved and well-pleasing just the way we are.
When Paul was establishing churches throughout the Mediterranean he quickly discovered that when people gather together, disagreements are inevitably. Unfortunately, modern psychologists confirm what Paul knew 2,000 years ago: humans are bad at having disagreements and apologizing to each other. Join Pastor Jacob as he explores how to take responsibility for our behavior in the midst of disagreement.
Pastor Jen prepares us for the new year by examining one of the most common new year’s resolutions: “to live life to the fullest.” Join her for a reflection on time synesthesia, acknowledging the various seasons of life, and learning to be present each day.
Scripture says the people were amazed when Zechariah announced his son’s name…even though Elizabeth had already announced it. Pastor Jen asks us to consider why society had trouble (and still has trouble) hearing the voice of women, and how we might use the remaining days of Advent to make space for unexpected voices to speak truth in our world.
Teenage Mary was living a quiet, typical life when a visit from the angel Gabriel changed everything. In that moment, she made the choice to say yes to a wildly unknown future and become a God-bearer. What about you? Will you have the courage to say yes the next time unexpected, life-changing news is delivered to you? Will you have the strength to bring God into this world?
We start our journey through the first chapter of Luke and delve into the lives of the Real Housewives of Bethlehem. At the end of our Scripture reading today, Elizabeth decides to go off into seclusion for five months, but the text doesn't tell us why. Join Pastor Jacob as he invites us to use this Advent season as a time to truly find ourselves.
The story of the 10 healed lepers asks us to consider the transformative aspects of gratitude. Join Pastor Jen as she pairs it with the famous hymn “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing” and the concept of headwind/tailwind asymmetry. How might we practice gratitude this Thanksgiving and every day?
What would it look like to live out the vision of the hymn "All Creatures of Our God and King," in which we are one with all creation? How might a story about St. Francis taming a violent wolf teach us to respect animals…and one another? Join Pastor Jen for this special sermon on Animal Blessing Sunday.
The activist Dr. Anna Julia Cooper said that God was a "Singing Something" and that God had put a song inside of us that needed to be sung. Join Pastor Jacob as he explores the hymn, "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing," which in 1919 became known as The Black National Anthem.
Join Pastors Jen and Jacob as they each offer a reflection on the importance and meaning of Claremont UCC’s 25th anniversary of being an Open and Affirming congregation.
Join Pastor Jen on this World Communion Sunday as she reflects on what it means to have global neighbors.
Tune-in to this important presentation delivered by one of our country's greatest speakers and activists: Rev. Dr. Otis Moss II. Dr. Moss presents on the topic, "Speaking Up Instead of Shutting Down: Maintaining Dialogue Across the Divide."
The ancient Israelites used sackcloth as an outward symbol of their inner transformation. What are ways that we can demonstrate outwardly the word of God's grace that takes place internally?
What pairs perfectly with the first sin? God’s first act of mercy, of course! Join Pastor Jen as she reads the infamous story of Adam and Eve’s exit from Eden and invites us to examine an often overlooked detail: the moment when God becomes a seamstress and sews clothing for our spiritual ancestors before sending them out of paradise.
Jesus gives his disciples an outlandish charge: cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, and cast out demons. Who does that?! And why does Jesus tell the disciples not to wear any shoes when they do it? Join Pastors Jen and Jacob as they launch a new sermon series exploring all the hot fashion trends in ancient Palestine.
Usually the Pharaohs of Egypt are portrayed as oppressive enslavers of the Israelites. But in the story of Joseph, this Pharaoh is pro-immigration and full of hospitality for Joseph’s estranged brothers. Join Pastor Jen as she explores what we can learn from this ancient Egyptian leader and his immigration policy.
Sometimes we respond to the news of our world by oscillating between denial and despair. But in a letter sent by the Prophet Jeremiah to the exiles in Babylon who were feeling both denial and despair, Jeremiah provides a third option. Join Pastor Jacob as we learn from Jeremiah's letter abut how to make the place we find ourselves in feel like home.
Many of us today don't think of ourselves as migrants because we have the means and privilege of putting down roots and calling it home. But did you know that we are, all a species, migratory beings? What does it mean that our God ordains and blesses migration? Join pastor Jen as she looks at the story of Abraham and Sarah and God's call for them to migrate.
Our new series comes at a poignant time a day after a hate crime against immigrants. People often wonder what the Bible has to say about modern issues and in today's sermon Pastor Jacob outlines God's instructions for how to love the "alien" in your land and explains that this kind of love is part of God's very nature.
Micah is best known for his question, “What does the Lord require of you?” But he also paints a wonderful vision of the future in which we will trade our warrior mentalities for gardener mentalities! Join Pastor Jen for our last One-Hit Wonder as she pairs “Everlasting Love” with the prophet Micah.
In the Book of Zechariah, the prophet Zechariah has a series of eight visions about rebuilding the city of Jerusalem. What does it mean for us to have a vision today for ourselves and for our world?
What does the song “Video Killed the Radio Star” have to do with Joel’s prophecy about a locust swarm? As we continue our "One Hit Wonders" sermon series, join Pastor Jen for a surprising look at these two seemingly disparate works and find out what Joel might be telling us today.
We kick-off our One-Hit Wonders sermon series with a look at the prophet Amos. Amos is obsessed with the concepts of justice and righteousness, but what do these words mean for him, and what do they mean today in a world where the idea of justice has become so overly politicized?
Unfortunately, only the last seven minutes of this sermon were recorded, but it's a powerful 7 minutes! Pastor Jen looks at Jesus' declaration that we have to become like children to enter the Kingdom of Heaven and tries to understand what that means for us today. With the horrible treatment of migrant children in the news, Pastor Jen asks us what would happen if we were met by these children in heaven and held accountable for how we treated them.
One moment Jesus blesses Simon and renames him Peter; the next minute, he calls him Satan! WHAT?! Join Pastor Jen as she selves into yet another one of Jesus’ shocking sayings.
In Matthew 22, Jesus tells a group of Sadducees that there will be no marriage in heaven. WHAT!? Before you tell your spouse or fiancee to take a hike, join Pastor Jen as she explains the context of this conversation and asks us to consider what it means to be in a relationship rather than be defined by our relationship.
We begin our journey through some of the head-scratching words of Jesus with this declaration from Jesus where he claims he is bringing division rather than peace. How does this fit the peaceful Christ we know? Join Pastor Jacob as he explores how to respond to division in this world and seek the true peace that Christ provides.
We celebrate the completion of our annual Stewardship campaign with a look into Daniel’s famous episode in the lion’s den. Did you know Daniel was said to be 90 years old when this part of his story takes place? And do you know why he was thrown in there in the first place? Join Pastor Jen as we explore this famous story and consider how we might be inspired to live faithfully and fearlessly!
In our next installment of our Faithful and Fearless sermon series, we dive deep into the story of Esther. When Esther feels as if there is nothing she can do to intervene on behalf of her people, her cousin Mordecai responds with one of the most powerful lines in Scripture: "Who knows? Perhaps you have been called to royal dignity for just such a time as this." Join Pastor Jacob as he explores the ways God is moving in our midst at just such a time as this.
Have you heard the Parable of the Talents? In it, Jesus tells the story of three servants who were entrusted with a huge sum of money in their master's absence. What they chose to do with that money determined their fate upon the master's return. How does this story challenge and inspire us today? Is it about money, or is it about more than that? Join Pastor Jen for a closer look.
In the Gospel of Mark, the first eyewitness to the resurrection flee from the tomb in fear and the Gospel ends. Join Pastor Jacob as he explores how doubt is a necessary component of faith. This Easter, let us sit in the wonder of the story of Christ's resurrection.
Watch our full Good Friday Service as we travel the stations of the cross and pay attention to the ways today's headlines intersect with the Gospel story. Jump to 4:17 for the start of the service and 39:30 to catch the sermon.
The Center for Disease Control found that only 65 percent of women and 31 percent of men washing their hands after using the bathroom. We have a hard time washing our hands, but an easy time washing our metaphorical hands when we shouldn't. How can we tell the difference between those experiences that we should just wash away, and those we can't?
The noise and chaos of Palm Sunday soon takes a precipitous decline a week later when Jesus finds himself before Pontius Pilate and his accusers. Pastor Jen contrasts the noise and silence of Palm Sunday and Passion Sunday and asks why Jesus stood silent before those who were trying to kill him.
How can we have faith when God is silent? Pastor Jacob explores those moments in life when we have so many questions, but God seems nowhere to be found.
This story from Mark 3 has a lot of interesting elements, but in this sermon, Pastor Jen zeroes in on the silence of the Pharisees after Jesus questions them. What happens in that moment when our silence starts to solidify as stubbornness?
We all know that death can come at any time. What's hard is that we don't know when that time will be and Scripture doesn't give us any answers. What do we do in the face of the silence surrounding our own deaths?
In this famous passage, Elijah is running for his life and hiding in a cave when he hears a "still, small voice." But what did God actually say in the silence of that moment? Have you ever thought about the conversation between Elijah and God? Join Pastor Jen and she explores what it means to have a Divine Dialogue with God.
There are over 600,000 word forms in the English language. We are inundated everyday with a constant stream of words. But with so many words, sometimes they lose they power--particularly, the words we use to talk about God. When we have said so many wrong words about God, how do we know which to believe? Perhaps we need to take Jesus' lead and stop talking about God long enough to actually listen to God instead.
We begin our journey to Easter Sunday with this year's Ash Wednesday service, a night to remember and reflect on our own mortality. Join us this Lent as we enter into the silence of Scripture. Tonight, hear the words of the Psalmist: Selah. Pause...breathe...reflect...God is forever.
Moral of the story: never underestimate a woman. Deborah and Jael seem like such different characters, but in the same story (gruesome though it is) God calls them both. In the last sermon of our Women of the Bible series, join Pastor Jen as she explores the call of God on all of our lives.
Listen as President of the Pacific School of Religion, Rev. Dr. David Vasquez-Levy, guest preaches at Claremont United Church of Christ and explores how Jochebed and other women of the revolution changed the story of the Bible!
Like so many other women in the Bible, the Canaanite woman and her daughter in Matthew 15 remain nameless. Her story is one of the most confusing in all of Scripture, but perhaps this unnamed woman teams up with Jesus to teach us the greatest lesson of all.
This week we look at a troubling story of a woman whose life was marked by oppression and abuse: Hagar. Instead of hearing her story as people from a completely different context and culture, Pastor Jen invites us to consider how Hagar’s life and hardships reflect the experiences of many women still today.
Romans 16 is a boring chapter to read. It's just a list of names of people to whom Paul sends his greetings. But the list includes 10 women, several who were leaders in the early church. Join Pastor Jacob as he highlights one, Junia, who was an apostle, one of the highest positions in the church. Together let us break down gender stereotypes that try to put women and men in certain roles in our society.
There has always been a lot of speculation about Mary Magdalene and, sadly, artists throughout history have portrayed her as a prostitute. All we know about her from Scripture, though, is that she was a disciple of Jesus and Jesus cast out seven demons from her. But just what were these demons?
In the story of the Exodus, Pharaoh attempts to kill all the infant boys, but he lets the females live. Little does he know that women will feature prominently in the attempts to foil his plans. Meet Shiphrah and Puah, the first non-violent protesters who begin the resistance in Egypt.
The story of Hannah seems like a trite tale from Scripture: woman is barren, woman prays for a child, woman receives a child. But what if there is more to the story of Hannah? Join Pastor Jacob as he explores the power of having agency in this world.
Join Pastor Jen as she kicks off our new sermon series, "Stories Untold: Women of the Bible." This week we learn about Queen Vashti, the predecessor of Queen Esther, and her role in empowering Esther and other women to work for justice in the midst of oppression.
The Old Testament Book of Habakkuk is a short but impactful book. In it, Habakkuk demands to know why God seems so slow to act. God's response is powerful. Join Pastor Jacob to find out more!
The nativity story fast forwards to John the Baptist emerging from the wilderness as an adult, dressed in clothes made of camel hair and eating locusts. What does it mean that God's Word comes to this weirdo in the wilderness? Are we able to hear God's voice from unexpected people in unlikely places?
As we look at the messy reality of Jesus' birth, we can't forget the frightening stories of King Herod, the unhinged, paranoid tyrant in power at the time. Join Pastor Jen as we take a look at this ruthless leader and ask ourselves how he might still be in power in our lives today.
One aspect of the nativity story vexes many Christians: Could Mary truly have been a virgin when she gave birth to Christ? Does that question even matter?
As we dig deeper into the real nativity story, we find that Jesus' family tree is not full of saints. Instead, it is as messy, and weird, and uncomfortable as any other family tree. Join Pastor Jen as she explores the family stories Jesus would have heard growing up.
In the last installment of our sermon series, Sweet Dreams, we address the concerns we all have for our country and ask "What we can we do when it feels as if we are taking steps backward in living out the message of Christ's love?"
In response to the question: "What keeps you up at night?" several of our survey responders said climate change. Join Pastor Jen as we explore the history and present reality of climate change, and understand why we as people of faith are called to respond.
In our new sermon series "Sweet Dreams: What Keeps You Up At Night," we explore the fears, anxieties, and worries that plague our lives. Pastor Jacob begins by looking at our pervasive worry for the well-being of our family members.
All Saints Day is a Sunday when we participate in some odd rituals. Come to think of it, the Christian Church is full of odd rituals! Join Pastor Jen as she delves into the meaning of All Saints Sunday and explains why we as Christ-followers are called to understand death in an unusual way.
On Animal Blessing Sunday we pause to break down our anthropocentric views of the world and try to understand God's creation through the eyes of other species. When animals look at a rainbow, they don't all see the same colors. What does it mean that we see the world differently? Does it tell us something about how God sees the world?
How can God be all-loving and still condemn people to hell? Is God really that volatile? Join Pastor Jen as she examines passages about hell in the Bible and holds them in tension with the merciful Creator described in Jesus’s teachings.
Join Pastors Jen and Jacob for a two-part sermon series exploring the afterlife. Discussions of the afterlife produce a lot of anxiety around the questions of who gets to heaven, how do we get there, and what will it look like. But should we be so anxious? Pastor Jacob starts with heaven and suggests that God's grace will cover us all.
Join Pastor Jen in examining the story of the Tower of Babel. Is it possible that diversity is not God's punishment for humanity, but rather God's divine design for us?
From picket fences and gated neighborhoods to office cubicles and prison cells, we live in a world of walls. We can end up a lonely people...stuck in the ghettos of poverty and the ghettos of affluence. But God is all about tearing down walls. We are not alone. Stories of compassion and reconciliation invite us into the promise that the gates will not prevail. Poverty and injustice become personal, as we gain the keys to see the suffering around us. The Gospel comforts the afflicted and afflicts the comfortable...but is good news to all of us.
In our last installment of 5 Greek Words Every Christian Should Know, we look at the word pistis, which means faith. What does it mean that we put our faith in something that we cannot see? Is our faith just wish fulfillment?
This week's Greek word is gnosis, knowledge, and it has made its way into English with words such as diagnosis, prognosis, and agnostic. Join Pastor Jacob as he explores the ancient sect known today as Gnosticism, and asks the question, "What do we need to know in order to be Christians."
Our word for today is doxa, and Pastor jen will be teaching us about the story of Jesus healing 10 lepers. But there is more to this story than simply healing a skin disease or giving thanks--the heart of this story lies in the identity of the leper who turns back to praise God. Who was he and what can he teach us today?
In the second installment of 5 Greek Words Every Christian Should Know, we turn to what may be the earliest written words of the New Testament. Philippians 2 contains what scholars think are lyrics to a hymn that the first Christians sang together. The song talks about Christ "emptying himself". The Greek word is kenosis, and Pastor Jacob takes us deeper into the concept of kenosis and how we can fill ourselves up by first emptying ourselves. Tune-in to hear more about this paradox.
Why is it important to live in commUNITY? Join Pastor Jen as she looks at Paul’s letter to the Ephesians and teaches about henotes, the Greek word for “unity.”
In this last installment of Tweetable Scriptures, Jesus gives this message in 140 characters or less to all those carrying the burdens of guilt, fear, self-contempt, regret, workaholism, and pride: “Come to me all you who are weary and carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”
We live in an ordinary world…and yet, God infuses it with extraordinary miracles! Join Pastor Jen as she examines the story of Moses and the burning bush and asks the question, “What if all ground is holy ground?"
Paul writes in Philippians 2:14, "Do all things without mumbling and arguing." But let's be real: we complain all the time. It's what we do! Life would be boring without a little griping. What exactly does Paul have in mind when he makes this statement? What would it look like to live without mumbling and arguing?
This single beloved line from Psalm 119 packs quite a spiritual punch. Join Pastor Jen as she examines why the psalmist encourages us to cling to God's Word...and explains why she doesn't like lamps!
John 11:35 is the shortest verse in the English Bible. It reads, "Jesus Wept." As Jesus weeps for his deceased friend Lazarus, does it make it more believable or less believable that this man could be the Son of God? Join Pastor Jacob as he explores the emotions of God.
It’s a short and well-known verse, but what does it really mean to be a branch connected to the vine of Jesus? What does it really mean to bear fruit in this world? Join Pastor Jen as she kicks off our new sermon series, “Tweetable Scriptures: the Gospel in 140 Characters or Less.”
In our last Bodylicious sermon, we find the prophet Ezekiel lying on his left side for 390 straight days and then his right side for another 40 days. What is the purpose of the impressive feat of endurance? Join Pastor Jacob as he investigates the ancient practice of "sympathetic magic" and calls for us to care so much about the problems of the world, that we feel it in our own bodies.
This week we talk about the dry bones Ezekiel encountered. How do old, dusty bones have hope for new life? What are the dry bones of regret in your life and in our world, and how might be join God in bringing breath back into them? Join us.
What does Jesus mean when he tells people not to let their left hand know what their right hand is doing? Join Pastor Jacob as he explores a series of hyperbolic statements made by Jesus and his underlying call for us to take off our masks of religiosity and discover our true motivations within.
Join us as we celebrate 24 years of being an Open and Affirming congregation! We will look at Paul's letter to the Corinthians and talk about what it means to be the big, beautiful diverse body of Christ.
This week we take a look at the tongue! How did Jesus use his tongue? How might we use our tongues to create positive change, to speak God's truth and to help bring justice to our world? Join us as we examine this small but mighty appendage!
In the Book of Genesis, Jacob comes out of the womb grasping Esau's heel. Was the enmity between these two brothers all part of God's plan? Why would God want to lift the younger brother above the older? Join Pastor Jacob as he explores the ways God upsets the order of the world and calls for us to stop grasping.
Our first sermon in this series examines the famous story of Adam's rib. How does this second account of creation compare to the first? Despite the traditional gender roles that align with this narrative, are there any progressive theological aspects of this story? As descendants of these first humans, what does their creation story compel us to do? Join us.
In our last installment looking at the The First 100 Days after Jesus' resurrection, we turn to the development of the early church. Acts 2 seems to depict the ideal church where everyone shares their possessions with whoever has need. But did this kind of church ever exist? Should we strive for the ideal? How does the Holy Spirit meet us now? Tune-in to learn more.
On Pentecost Sunday, we celebrate the Holy Spirit coming to us like wind and flames. What did that fiery day mean for the first apostles, and what does it mean for us today?
In the Gospel of Matthew, one of Jesus' major acts during his First 100 Days post-resurrection is to deliver The Great Commission to the eleven remaining disciples. But, when the disciples encounter the risen Christ, they worship him, but some doubt. Join Pastor Jacob as he takes this passage often used to convert others, and brings out of it the welcoming, inclusive, non-judgmental Gospel of Jesus.
Just after the resurrection, Jesus appeared to his disciples to offer them peace. Thomas was mysteriously absent for that encounter and when he returned he could not believe what he heard about it! He has since been known as Doubting Thomas. Join Pastor Jen as we look at who Thomas was and why it was important for him to touch Christ’s wounds in order to believe in life after death.
In John 6, a crowd following Jesus is confused when Jesus tells them that they must eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of Man. What does Jesus mean by these bizarre words? Join Pastor Jacob as he explains how Jesus is asking us to expand our expectations.
Zaccheaus was a man who had become rich at the expense of his fellow citizens. He was despised by his own community. Join Pastor Jen as we discover how his encounter with Christ changed his life, causing him to break free from a system of oppression and proclaim, "I'm IN!"
What is God calling you to do? Join Pastor Jacob as he explores one of the most famous call stories in Scripture in Isaiah 6 as we learn to jump in to God's call in our lives even in the midst of confusion and feelings of inadequacy.
In our last installment on Easter Sunday, Mary Magdalene is in the garden after Christ's resurrection, but she mistakes the risen Christ for the gardener. So too do two disciples fail to recognize Jesus on the road to Emmaus. Had Jesus changed in some way? Join Pastor Jen as she uses the metaphor of the butterfly and intriguing findings in science to ponder what it means to be transformed in the resurrection.
On Good Friday, we gather with the women at the foot of Jesus' cross, and we weep. But Jesus tells us not to weep for him, but to weep for ourselves. We have much to weep for these days. Tonight, we descend into the darkness of our world in the hopes that we too might rise on Easter morning.
Maundy Thursday commemorates Jesus' last meal with this disciples, but it is also the night that Judas betrays his teacher and friend. What motivated him to turn Jesus over to his captors? Why, like Judas, do we find ourselves so often doing what we know we shouldn't, and failing to do what we know we should? Join Pastor Jacob as we come and find that we can always turn to God and receive the Bread of Life. Again and again.
At the same time as Jesus' procession into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, Pilate and the imperial army were marching in their own procession on the other side of town. Join Pastor Jacob as he explores how Jesus' entry into Jerusalem that day was a carefully planned counter-protest. Palm Sunday offers us two processions, two paths, which one will we take?
Salvation is a complicated theological concept. Could we learn about what it means from an executed criminal? Join us as we read the story of Saint Dismas, the Penitent Thief, who found salvation in the most unlikely place.
In the temple in Jerusalem a curtain sixty feet high and thirty feet wide stood outside the Holy of Holies where the presence of God was supposed to dwell. This curtain was four inches thick and the Jewish historian Josephus said that even two horses attached to the curtain on either side could not tear it apart. Join Pastor Jacob as he looks at the story of the Roman centurion who stood at the foot of Jesus' cross and explores the curtains we construct that prevent us from seeing the world as God sees it.
Nicodemus was a Pharisee who had all of the answers. So why does he come to Jesus in the middle of the night asking questions? Join us as we unravel Nicodemus' tightly wound theology and discover the beauty of the Spirit's mystery.
Last week, Pastor Jen called on us to take up the proverbial cross of Christ and live lives of risk. This week we visit the one person who literally carried the cross of Christ and we ask what it takes to make a hero.
We start our Lenten sermon series, “Were You There?” by entering into one of the most shocking conversations Jesus has with his disciples. Although he had just praised Peter, in this passage he calls him Satan! Join us as we begin our journey with the people who first followed Jesus and learn what Jesus meant when he called for us to take up our crosses.
“You are dust, and to dust you shall return.” It was the original curse that God placed on Adam and Eve after they deliberately violated God’s trust. However, the story does not end with a curse, but rather a word of life. Join us as we begin our 40 day Lenten journey, acknowledging that we are made of dust, but also celebrating that we are clothed in God’s grace.
The Book of Hosea starts with a strange metaphor where Hosea marries an unfaithful spouse and tries to reconcile with her. Join Pastor Jacob as he explores the problems with this metaphor and reflects on how the metaphors we use to describe God are often a reflection of ourselves.
This year, Ash Wednesday falls on Valentine's Day. Before we kick off Lent, join Pastors Jen and Jacob for a two week sermon series entitled, "My Funny Valentine: Tales of Biblical Romance." Today's text is the story of Jacob and Leah and Rachel in Genesis 29, a romance so full of flaws and disaster, it makes us wonder, "Where is God in all of this?" And how have we inherited the mistakes of our Biblical ancestors today?
The 4th of the 10 commandments tells us to rest. BUT do we have to? Sabbath rest insists that we are valuable outside of our work. BUT why is that so hard to believe? Jesus teaches that the Sabbath is made for us--we are not made for the Sabbath. BUT how do we live that out? Join us as we explore our final Big Buts of Bible sermon!
This week we expand our exploration of the "Big Buts of the Bible" to "Tiny Heinies" as well. To be specific, Pastor Jacob looks at the Hebrew word hinneh, which is used over 1,000 times in the Old Testament, but is rarely translated into English. Pastor Jacob explains how this small but powerful word can help us learn how to listen for God, even in our darkest moments.
Feeling anxious these days? Paul says the remedy for worry is prayer, BUT how does that work? Is it possible to feel peace when we talk to God? Join us as we explore Paul’s letter to the Philippians.
Jesus' biggest "but" comes in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7. In it, Jesus teaches us the way of life that God intended, indeed, our very purpose in life.
Our first "big BUT" comes from Paul's letter to the Romans. He writes, "Do not be conformed to this world, BUT be transformed by the renewing of your minds." That's easier said than done, Paul! Why shouldn't we conform? And do we go about being transformed anyway? Join us as we explore this powerful letter and head into the new year together.
We all have names and our names are part of our identity. As we celebrate the birth of Baby Jesus, how does the name of this child help shape our own lives? How does Jesus help free us from the confines of the names and labels that people tend to use to divide each other?
Simeon waits his entire life to see the Messiah, and just before he dies, he gets a glimpse of Baby Jesus. Yet, he'll never know what becomes of this child. What does it mean that so much of what we hope for never takes place in our own lifetimes? Join us for the last installment of "The Original Christmas Album," as we travel to the temple forty days after the birth of Jesus to hear Simeon sing of his satisfaction in life.
Today we examine another song on "The Original Christmas Album," the Benedictus by Zechariah. Surprisingly, we find that Zechariah mostly sings about Jesus, not his own newborn son John! Join us as we explore the reasons! Attachments area
In Luke 2 the angels sing out, "Gory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth, peace among those whom God favors." We sing the Latin version of these words each year in the hymn Angels We Have Heard On High when we sing "gloria in excelsis deo", but is there more to the angels' lyrics than we know? Tune-in as Pastor Jacob explains how these words were meant to serve as protest to the Roman Empire and empires everywhere.
After the sermon, keep listening as percussion, brass, and choir performs John Rutter's Gloria, based on the song of the angels.
Today we kick off Advent with our new sermon series, "The Original Christmas Album." Our first song is Mary's Magnificat, a song of hope and awe. Join us as we explore who Mary was and what her song means for all of us today!
In our final installment of "Taste and See," we find the Israelites in Numbers 11 craving the foods they remember eating in Egypt. So often we desire to return to the past in order to escape the present. Is it even possible to go backwards? Are we capable of restoring some romanticized past? Do we even want to?
God gave the Israelites manna every day while they wandered in the wilderness. The word "manna" means, "what is it?" As we continue to ask God for our daily bread, maybe we should be asking, "What is it?" each day as well.
2 Kings 4 presents a fable of the prophet Elisha multiplying jars of oil to save a woman and her sons from debt slavery. How did the people of Israel use this story to declare a new message about the economics of God's Kingdom? How can something so small like a jar of oil provide us with hope in our moments of greatest need? Taste and See that God is good!
Join us as we kick off our new sermon series Taste & See with a passage from Ezekiel that involves eating a scroll! Luckily, the prophet reported that it tasted sweet as honey. What is so sweet about God’s Word in a world often filled with bitterness?
Animals and stories about animals are found throughout the Bible, from the first story of creation to Noah's Ark to Daniel in the lion's den. Jesus uses animals to teach us about God, ourselves, and the world, and God is compared to animals several times throughout Scripture. What can we learn from our fellow creatures today?
The final installment of our series, "God Never Said That," is here, and we are tackling the most used cliche of them all: "Everything Happens for a Reason." It is comforting to know that God has a plan for us, but could it really be true that God is orchestrating everything? What about natural disasters? What about starving children? What about the times we suffer abuse and assault as our eyes are opened to the number of people who are speaking out with #MeToo to highlight rampant sexual assault in our society? Is God involved? Tune in to learn more.
When God closes a door, a window opens…or does it? Join us as we investigate another cliche that is commonly quoted but not found in the Bible.
The Bible says that Scripture is God-breathed, but does that make it infallible (without any errors)? Is the Bible perfect just like God is perfect? If it's not, how do we know which parts of the Bible to take seriously? Pastor Jacob explores our next cliche that God never said: "The Bible is Infallible."
The phrase "God won't give you more than you can handle" is meant to be comforting, but actually has some troubling implications. Can we as followers of Jesus do better than this hollow cliche? Join us as we talk examine the story of Job and learn how to truly comfort each other in times of suffering.
It's true that life requires a lot of hard work, but does God really help those who help themselves? Join Pastor Jacob as he explores God's vision for making sure everyone in the world has enough and hear the words that God speaks to us in our moments of greatest need.
Today we celebrate 23 years since Claremont UCC adopted the "Open and Affirming" designation! Listen as Pastor Jen and Jacob reflect on what it means for the church to be inclusive of the LGBTQ community.
Climb aboard for the last stop in our summer sermon series. In Acts 17, Paul gives one of the first sermons ever delivered to the philosophers of the city of Athens. In Paul's sermon he takes the words of the philosophers and gives them new meaning. Join Pastor Jacob as he challenges us to give new meaning to the words in our society that are driving us farther apart.
Today we travel to Damascus, where the most unlikely event took place: a man named Ananias went to Saul, a persecuted of Christians, and extended a hand of peace. Can we do the same?
What are the underlying roots of the beliefs of the white supremacists in Charlottesville? How do we lose sight of our identity? How do we forget the crux of the Gospel? Join Pastor Jacob as he takes us back to Galatia to discover what the Apostle Paul believes is the core of the Gospel message.
Today we travel to the Sea of Galilee, where Jesus called the first disciples. Upon hearing his call, they dropped their nets and followed him. But what does it mean for us to be called by Jesus today?
In Acts 19, the silversmith Demetrius is worried that his business is going to collapse because of the spread of Christianity. Demetrius makes silver shrines for use in the Temple of Artemis. Transport yourself back to antiquity and put yourself in the shoes of Demetrius. What do we do when the world begins to change and everything that makes sense begins to shift?
Join Pastor Jen as we travel to Babylon, the place of the exile. The Israelites have broken God's laws once again...but can God forget their unfaithfulness? Perhaps memory loss can save us all...
This week Pastor Jacob takes us to Ancient Antioch where for the first time people are called by the name, "Christian". But is it a good thing that this term, "Christian," developed? Does the word do more harm than good now? What should we call ourselves?
This week we are traveling to the Jordan River, where the Israelites crossed over from 40 years of wandering in the desert to the long-awaited Promised Land. But this momentous occasion came with special instructions that offer us an important lesson today. Join us!
Join Pastors Jen and Jacob on a new sermon series this summer, "Wish You Were Here: Postcards From a Journey Through Scripture," as they travel to a new geographical location each Sunday and delve deeper into its significance in Scripture. The first stop? Egypt. Egypt might get a bad rap in Scripture, but Pastor Jacob asks us whether we might not give Egypt a second chance.
Jacob favored his son Joseph above all his other sons, gifting him a beautiful coat. Unfortunately, being dad's favorite caused a lot of problems for Joseph. Join us for our last sermon in the Bad Dad & Flawed Fathers of the Bible series as we explore what it means to be spiritually mature.
As we explore strained parental relationships in Scripture, is it possible that God was a "bad dad" in God's relationship with Christ? Join Pastor Jacob as he reflects on Jesus' prayer from the cross, "My God, My God, Why have you forsaken me?" and as he calls us to be more authentic before God and the people in our lives.
Abraham, our first "bad dad," took his son Isaac up a mountain to sacrifice him! What could be worse than that? Even more disturbing is the fact that God was the one who called Abraham to do it. But if we dive deeper into this troubling story, will we find profound questions and surprising insights into our own relationship with God. Join us.
Join Pastor Jacob as he takes us into a dream within a dream within a dream to tell three stories of people who had to wake up from lies they believed in order to gain a better grasp of reality.
In Matthew 11, John the Baptist is sitting in prison and second-guessing whether Jesus is actually the Messiah. There often comes a time in life when God does not meet our expectations. The author and pastor Barbara Brown Taylor calls this, "The Gift of Disillusionment". Join Pastor Jacob as he explores how being disillusioned with God can open us up to finding the God who is, not the God we want.
Like the poor widow who placed copper coins in the treasury, our story is one of remembering we are all in poverty without God's faithfulness.
In 1928, Claremont United Church of Christ made plans to build a new building, not knowing that the next year the Great Depression would hit. Nevertheless, the congregation moved forward in faith and now we carry the legacy left behind by people we have never met. The stories of the past envelop us like a great cloud. Join Pastor Jacob as we explore the concept of faith and how faith helps us run the race of life despite what obstacles might arise.
Have you ever wondered where the concept of tithing comes from? Join us as we examine the very first tithe in the Bible and discover what it teaches us about giving today.
Abraham is known as the "Father of Faith" and he receives this title even in the midst of intense doubt. How do faith and doubt intertwine, and how can we know that God is always with us? Join Pastor Jacob as we launch a new sermon series exploring the concept of faith. What is faith? How much of it do we need? What do we have faith in. We'll try to answer these questions by looking at the chronicles of the ancestors of our faith.
Happy Easter! Christ is Risen!
Join Pastor Jacob for the last installment of our Clue sermon series as we journey to the Empty Tomb. The body of Jesus isn't there, but where is the risen Christ? It seems he is nowhere to be found! Perhaps the story of Easter is only the beginning...
On Good Friday, we reflect on the seven last words of Christ. But what happens when Christ stops speaking? Were we listening to his words at all? Our clues take us to Golgotha where Jesus is crucified. What do we find on this ancient hill?
We return to the Upper Room for our Maundy Thursday investigation and explore the meaning behind the word "Maundy" and the meaning behind Jesus' last Passover celebration with his disciples. Continue the journey with us this Holy Week.
What is truth? Pontius Pilate's famous question still stands over 2,000 years later. Join Pastor Jen in Pilate's headquarters to search for more clues as we continue our journey to the cross.
After his arrest, Jesus is taken before the Sanhedrin to be tried for blasphemy. His accusers know their testimony is false, but what if what they say is actually true? Join Pastor Jacob as he continues our investigation of the scenes of the crime and explores the greatest irony of all in the Gospel story.
Why are Jesus and his disciples praying outside, and why do the disciples keep falling asleep? Why does Jesus pray to let this cup pass from him? Why does he call Judas "friend"? Tune in as Pastor Jen guides us through clues in the Garden of Gethsemane.
Journey with Jesus and the disciples from the Temple to the Upper Room as Jesus removes his outer garments, ties a towel around his waist, and stoops down to wash the feet of his disciples. Tune-in to hear how Jesus is presenting a beautiful picture of what will come to pass during Holy Week.
Pastor Jen continues our investigation by gathering a whole host of clues in Jesus' cleansing of the temple. It's not about the figs...it's not about the money...it's about the fruit. Tune-in!
The miracle of the raising of Lazarus is supposed to point to the greater miracle of the raising of Jesus. But does the miracle of new life only pertain to a far-off, future resurrection, or does it mean something for us now? Join Pastors Jacob and Jen on the first installment of our sermon series Clue: Investigating the Scenes of the Crime as we stop at each location of Jesus' last week and gather clues along the way.
As we begin our Lenten journey to the cross and empty tomb, Join Pastor Jen as she invites us to root ourselves in the ground in order to rise up again. Perhaps death can lead to life.
One of the patriarchs of the faith, Jacob, puts on goat hair to trick his father into giving him the family blessing. Later, Jacob tries to do the same thing to God. Listen to Pastor Jen as she invites us to open ourselves up to receiving blessings rather than taking them.
As we continue our exploration of hairy tales, we find that hair in 1 Timothy 2:8-15 is used to try to control the way women dress, talk, and behave. Join Pastor Jacob as he equips us with the tools necessary for interpreting this passage and teaches us how to each develop a blueprint for approaching Scripture.
Samson is set apart as a Nazirtie and is not supposed to cut his hair, but he has a deep desire to be just like everyone else. Join Pastor Jen as she explores the calling that God places on each of our lives.
In 2 Samuel, Absalom is praised for the beauty of his hair, but his hair ends up being his downfall. Join Pastor Jacob as he explores the cycles of life that we so easily get caught up in and calls for us to be the first ones to escape the same old cycles.
Rabbi David Mattis from Temple Sholom in Ontario joins us to conclude our sermon series and discuss a word that is personal to him: Shalom. It is even his middle name! Listen to learn what is needed to actively work toward peace in our world.
Tune in to Cantor Paul Buch from Temple Beth Israel as he teachers us about the Hebrew Word Shir. How can a song declare the depths of our souls and the content of our faith? Listen as Cantor Paul teaches and sings and calls us to more love.
Join pastor Jen for the next installment of 5 Hebrew Words Every Christian Should Know and learn the important differences between human justice and divine mishpat!
People wonder what is next for the church in the days, months, and years ahead. As we look to the future, one thing we can never forget is that every person has the ruach of God within them. Listen to Pastor Jacob to learn more about the Hebrew word ruach.
This week's Hebrew word, chesed, describes a state of being, and it's one of the best words we have to describe God. In fact, chesed has the potential to bind us all together. Learn more from Pastor Jen!
The first Hebrew word that we will learn in Shema. Listen up! Because this word just might encapsulate the entirety of Scripture.
Get in your pajamas, cuddle up next to a fire, make a cup of hot chocolate, and listen to Pastors Jen and Jacob share some Christmas Morning reflections on Luke 2:22-38.
Get in your pajamas, cuddle up next to a fire, make a cup of hot chocolate, and listen to Pastors Jen and Jacob share some Christmas Morning reflections on Luke 2:22-38.
Tune in to Pastor Jen's creative Christmas Eve sermon to explore how we should pray to Baby Jesus and why we should be thankful that God has fontanelles.
There is a little known tradition at Claremont United Church of Christ that each year the baby who plays Jesus in the church pageant is given a solid gold coin. The coin was started by a Kurdish member of the congregation who is part of the Yaresan faith community that traces it's heritage back to the magi of Scripture. The Yaresans believe that all of humanity is united in a quest for truth. Join Pastor Jacob as he invites us to do away with our divisions and dogmatism and embrace the human journey for truth.
In the final installment of our sermon series, "Scrooge Meets Jesus," Pastor Jacob takes us on a wild ride through the Gospel of John to discover that the key to the future may be found in the present.
We might see the people around us with our eyes, but do we really see them for who they are? Join Pastor Jen, the Ghost of Christmas Present, and an unnamed woman with an alabaster jar for a journey into the depths of the human soul.
The Ghost of Christmas Past helps Scrooge realize that his icy heart is the product of the pain and turmoil of his past. In John 5, Jesus invites a man who has been paralyzed for 38 years to stand up and walk. The miracle points to a greater reality that sometimes we are held captive to our past when through Christ we are able to move forward without regret. What ghosts of the past still haunt you?
The great Native American spiritualist Black Elk had a vision of a world at peace where everyone was connected by a sacred hoop. Listen as Pastor Jen compares Christianity and the teachings of Black Elk and invites us to use this Thanksgiving as a way to begin to repair our world
Tune in for the only sermon you'll ever hear that intertwines support for the work of Charles Darwin and the development of evolutionary biology, an exploration of the writing of the Apostle Paul, and an exhortation for what comes next in our post-election country.
Our country is struggling to have important conversations about race. Perhaps, our dialogue would benefit from our taking a look at the implicit ways we are all involved in systems of inequality. Using Jesus' invitation from the Sermon on the Mount to consider the spirit of the law and using the philosophy of Malcolm X, Pastor Jacob asks us not to shift the blame in today's conversations on race.
Today we remember our loved ones who have died in the last year along with the 125th birthday of Claremont United Church of Christ. Join Pastor Jen as she helps us navigate both grief and hope during times of death and as she calls us all to leave a lasting impact in our communities. Happy Birthday, CUCC!
The danger of following God is that often God calls us to Ninevah rather than Tarshish. No matter how much we may try to run in the opposite direction, God waits patiently for us. Perhaps we find ourselves in the belly of the whale, waiting, listening, getting ready to change our minds. Join Pastor Jen as she provides us a new paradigm for understanding our journey through life.
What does the story of a talking donkey have to do with our national conversation on "locker room talk"? Tune in to find out more!
We join Pastor Jen on the day of our Animal Blessing as pets of every kind are gathered in the sanctuary with us for the church service. Such inter-species worship might seem like a chaotic prospect, but Pastor Jen enlightens us on how animals are part of God's divine design to bring order to the world.
Pastor Jacob has a distaste for rituals and traditions, especially those that are mandated by the church with no explanation of their purpose. Listen, though, as Pastor Jacob tries to delve into the meaning of communion and why this ritual helps us to tell a beautiful story of inclusivity. Also, he shares one of his most embarrassing stories ever!
Our sermon series concludes with the most bizarre and confusing passage of them all. The entire Book of Revelation! What in the world do locusts, dragons, and the number 666 have to do with Christian spirituality? Is any of this stuff actually going to happen? Tune in to learn more!
In the Book of 1 Kings, the prophet Elijah throws down with the prophets of the god Baal in history's one and only prophet-off! It's an entertaining story, but do the altars of Baal linger in our world? Listen to Pastor Jen to hear the prophet Elijah's challenge for all of us.
On the 15th Anniversary of 9/11, we remember and mourn the victims of this tragic attack, we celebrate the heroism and bravery of those who gave their lives for others, and we look to the peace of the future. Today, we stand arm-in-arm with the Muslim community as we pray for the peace of the world--one without fear or ignorance. Join Imam Hadi Qazwini of the Islamic Educational Center of Orange County and Pastor Jacob as they share texts about Abraham and Ishmael found both in the Bible and the Quran.
After his burning bush experience, Moses goes to Egypt with God's help to liberate the Hebrew people, but along the way at a lodging place, God attempts to kill Moses! Moses is only saved at the last second when his wife circumcises their son. What in the world is going on here?! Have you ever felt like God was trying to kill YOU? Listen to Pastor Jen to find out more.
Deuteronomy 23 contains a list of people who are excluded from worship in God's temple. How can the Bible contain such division?
And then Isaiah 56 directly contradicts Deuteronomy 23. How can the Bible correct itself?
Listen to find out more!
Join Pastors Jen and Jacob for their candidating sermon as they explore the words we use when we talk about God. Listen and learn why the words Black Lives Matter are important, why using only masculine images for God can be dangerous, and why we should be describing God as transgender.