Natalia Terfa - Not too long after escaping Egypt, the Israelites long for “the way it used to be.” Never mind the many ways the old way was not good, healthy, or safe; they just knew what to expect and sometimes it’s just easier to do what you know than to stay in what you don’t. Sound familiar? Turns out God has a solution for this, and it might …

Numbers 11:4-6, 10-16, 24-29 Now the rabble that was among them had a strong craving. And the people of Israel also wept again and said, “Oh that we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt that cost nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic. But now our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all …

Mark 9:30-37 They went on from there and passed through Galilee. And he did not want anyone to know, for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him. And when he is killed, after three days he will rise.” But they did not understand the saying, and were afraid…

Chad Brekke - The disciples prove along the way that they truly do not understand the radical nature of the kingdom now at hand. They argue and wonder about which of them is the most powerful and important but none of them dare to ask Jesus. Today we find out why. Support our podcast here Watch the Livestream Follow us on Instagram Visit our Websit…

Natalia Terfa - In today’s Gospel from Mark, we see Peter at both his highest and lowest points—first getting it right, and then so very wrong. It’s easy to judge Peter for his missteps, but if we look closely, we might see a reflection of ourselves in his actions. How is Peter’s journey a familiar pattern for all of us, especially in moments of do…

Mark 9:14-29 And when they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them, and scribes arguing with them. And immediately all the crowd, when they saw him, were greatly amazed and ran up to him and greeted him. And he asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?” And someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son t…

Chad Brekke - Have you ever gotten into someplace you really were not supposed to be? Maybe you moved down to better seats near the end of a ball game or found yourself up near the stage at a concert. People have always tried to limit access to Jesus to those with VIP status. Today we will take comfort in a couple people who found themselves in the…

Mark 7:24-37 And from there Jesus arose and went away to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And he entered a house and did not want anyone to know, yet he could not be hidden. But immediately a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit heard of him and came and fell down at his feet. Now the woman was a Gentile, a Syrophoenician by birth. And sh…

Natalia Terfa - Today’s Gospel may seem like a simple instructive, but it’s so much more. This story is a call for introspection and asking good questions, especially in the midst of things changing. Feels like maybe there might be a word for us right now in there too, doesn’t it? Support our podcast here Watch the Livestream Follow us on Instagram…

Mark 7:14-23 And he called the people to him again and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand: There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him.” And when he had entered the house and left the people, his disciples asked him about the parable. And he sa…

Katie Rykal - For some, the words Jesus speaks are simply too much and they turn back and no longer follow him. But not the 12. They knew what was in it for them. They knew the gift they received because they chose to stick with Jesus. Our young people have been on a similar journey this Summer. How have they lived out their calling as disciples of…

Jeremiah 29:1, 4-14 These are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the surviving elders of the exiles, and to the priests, the prophets, and all the people, whom Nebuchadnezzar had taken into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into …

Natalia Terfa - In these short verses from Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, Paul reminds the church how important it is to sing together - so that’s what we’re going to do today! Let’s sing! Support our podcast here Watch the Livestream Follow us on Instagram Visit our Website Song: Morning Has Broken by Cat Stevens Cover by Paul Koopman…

John 6:51-69 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the…

Chad Brekke - As we wade deeper into a presidential campaign season, the guidance offered in this passage sounds more than a little out of reach. “Put away all bitterness, speak the truth, share with the needy, no wrangling, slander, bitterness, anger or wrath!” It all sounds a bit naive and unrealistic. But maybe this rich passage is much more tha…

John 6:35-51 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own…

Natalia Terfa - Today’s Gospel story is a contrast in what the people want and what Jesus offers. But to understand it, we need to look at the entirety of John 6, especially what comes right before this. We want food and Jesus gives himself - what are we supposed to do with that? Support our podcast here Watch the Livestream Follow us on Instagram …

John 6:22-35 On the next day the crowd that remained on the other side of the sea saw that there had been only one boat there, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone away alone. Other boats from Tiberias came near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. So when t…

Chad Brekke - One was a lavish banquet held in the palace, filled with A-list celebrities and power brokers. This banquet ended in tragedy and despair. The other banquet was in a desolate place filled with hungry people searching for hope and healing. This banquet resulted in life-giving community. Invitations to these two very different banquets a…

Mark 6:45-52 Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. And after he had taken leave of them, he went up on the mountain to pray. And when evening came, the boat was out on the sea, and he was alone on the land. And he saw that they were making headway painful…

Natalia Terfa - This Gospel selection makes me tired just reading it. The reputation of Jesus and his disciples continues to grow and more and more people are seeking them out for care and healing. Over and over in this story we get images of the overwhelming crowds and work that is never done. AND over and over we are reminded that Jesus prioritiz…

Mark 6:30-44 The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves. Now many saw them going and recognized…

Natalia Terfa - Amos sees a vision and speaks a hard truth. Wooooeeee do people not love it. What does it mean that God sets us a plumb line? What is a plumb line? What do we do with this prophecy and what might it mean for us today? Support our podcast here Watch the Livestream Follow us on Instagram Visit our Website…

Amos 7:7-9 This is what he showed me: behold, the Lord was standing beside a wall built with a plumb line, with a plumb line in his hand. And the Lord said to me, “Amos, what do you see?” And I said, “A plumb line.” Then the Lord said, “Behold, I am setting a plumb line in the midst of my people Israel; I will never again pass by them; the high pla…

Chad Brekke - Boy are the expectations high for Jesus! In today's gospel reading, he will lay hands on sick people and they will be made well but Mark seems to believe there should have been many more miracles during this trip. Jesus also has some unmet expectations of his own during this hometown visit. He is amazed by something he encounters ther…

Natalia Terfa - Jesus encounters a woman who has been sick for 12 years. 12. She reaches out and touches his cloak and he unintentionally heals her. When he asks the crowd what happened, she tells him the truth - the whole truth. Support our podcast here Watch the Livestream Follow us on Instagram Visit our Website…

Mark 5:21-43 And when Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered about him, and he was beside the sea. Then came one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, and seeing him, he fell at his feet and implored him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, …

Natalia Terfa - One of the oldest and longest running unanswered questions in all of history is why do bad things happen? Not just to good people, but at all? Why is there so much suffering? Why do I suffer? Why does anyone suffer? The book of Job is one tentative and unsatisfying step into answering the unanswerable. Support our podcast here Watch…

Mark 4:35-41 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. But he was in the stern, asle…

Chad Brekke - There is an old saying, “seeing is believing” but Paul seems to be describing the opposite, “believing is seeing!” We walk by faith and not by sight is the way he puts it. Well, this great passage has a lot of good stuff to unpack, so let’s get after it! Support our podcast here Watch the Livestream Follow us on Instagram Visit our We…

Mark 4:26-34 And he said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how. The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harve…

Natalia Terfa - So many of us have heard the story of the garden and Adam and Eve and the serpent and all the fallout that follows, but what do we really know about it? How do we keep believing the lie? And is our original state blessing, or sin? Support our podcast here Watch the Livestream Follow us on Instagram Visit our Website…

Genesis 3:8-15 And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, be…

Katie Rykal - As we gather to celebrate our graduating High School Seniors, we hear their words, their stories and bless them as they step out on their own. Whether they are heading to colleg e, tech school, directly into the workforce, or taking some time to figure things out, we will send them out with the reminder that we, as a Church, will alwa…

2nd Corinthians 4:5-12 5 For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants[a] for Jesus' sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay,…

Natalia Terfa - What does it really mean that we are called children of God? Why does it matter? Does it really change anything? Video: The danger of a single story - Chimamanda Adichie Support our podcast here Watch the Livestream Follow us on Instagram Visit our Websiteتوسط Prince of Peace

John 3:1-17 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the k…

Chad Brekke - I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy…Everybody gets to speak up for God; because the community of faith in Christ is the place where the power to speak belongs, not just to a few, but to all. Support our podcast here Watch the Livestream Follow us on Instagram Visit our Website…

Acts 2:1-21 When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to…

Natalia Terfa - We have a kind of poetic word salad from John’s Gospel in front of us today, where Jesus prays for people in the world when he is no longer in the world. But is “in the world” physical, or metaphorical, or both? How do we understand what it means to be “in” and “of” the world? Is it good or bad? Or Both? Support our podcast here Wat…

John 17:11-19 Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you, and t…

Chad Brekke - The church today exists in a culture defined by opposition and division. As we look at a fascinating encounter between Peter and folks he considered to be outsiders if not enemies, we may see a way forward for the church in our time. Support our podcast here Watch the Livestream Follow us on Instagram Visit our Website…

For Youth Sunday we focused on Daniel 6 2 Key Verses: Daniel 6:17 And a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet and with the signet of his lords, that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel. Revelation 5:5 And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Jud…

Natalia Terfa - In one of my favorite stories in Acts, Phillip is changed by an encounter with a eunuch from Ethiopia. What starts with a question ends in a baptism on the side of the road. Scandalous!! Or is it? Scripture: Acts 8:26-40 Support our podcast here Watch the Livestream Follow us on Instagram Visit our Website…

John 15:1-8 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless …

Chad Brekke - A couple of months ago, we heard Jesus say in Mark’s gospel that "whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and the gospel will save it.” What might these things look like in the real world? When Peter is dragged in front of the powers that be after the resurrection in today's reading, we get o…

1st John 3:16-24 16 By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. 17 But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? 18 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. 19 By…

Natalia Terfa The fear and astonishment of the disciples is made so clear in today’s Gospel. They haven’t come very far, have they? Notice how Jesus doesn’t talk at them or around them. He shows them his body. His hands and feet. To show that yes - that happened - and yet here he is. Scripture: Luke 24:36b-48 Support our podcast here Watch the Live…

Acts 3:11-2 While (the man who was lame and healed) clung to Peter and John, all the people, utterly astounded, ran together to them in the portico called Solomon's. And when Peter saw it he addressed the people: “Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk? The God …

Natalia Terfa & Chad Brekke Join us in this special podcast episode of Ask the Pastors as we set aside our usual preaching schedule to delve into public theology together. We addressed questions from our congregation around the theme of doubt and questioning. How does John 14:6, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father exc…