Trinity.B.24
Isaiah 6;1-8
The Rev. Melanie McCarley

5 Easter.B.24
John 15:1-8
The Rev. Melanie McCarley

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit.” I don’t know about you, but when I come across a passage such as this from the Gospel of John, speaking of pruning, I become nervous.

4 Easter.B.24
John 10:11-18
The Rev. Melanie McCarley

Imagine that it is the early reaches of dawn and you get up to get a drink of water or go to the bathroom and look out your window and there, in your yard, and in the street, and in your neighbor’s yards, is a massive flock of sheep. Like, 1,300 sheep. And, let’s face it, the sheep—they’re not particularly quiet. They are noisy, trampling flowerbeds and running around—being a general nuisance.

3 Easter.B.24(06)
Luke 24:36b-48
The Rev. Melanie McCarley

The Day of Resurrection.B.24
Mark 16:1-8
The Rev. Melanie McCarley

The Easter story is not easy to digest. If we’re honest, it is both appalling and astonishing. Just a few days ago, we witnessed the staggering betrayal of Jesus by Judas, one of his closest followers, the triple denial by his friend Peter, the gruesome crucifixion and the brutal end to the earthly life of our Savior.

- 5 Lent.B.24
John 12:20-33
The Rev. Melanie McCarley

4 Lent.B.24
Numbers 21:4-9
The Rev. Melanie McCarley

The Book of Numbers is comprised of a wide assortment of stories, laws, poetry, and ancient texts, including tales of talking donkeys, a surfeit of quails and a priestly blessing. Today we are gifted with one of the oddest stories of them all—what I like to refer to as “The Snake on a Stick”.

3 Lent.B.24
1 Corinthians 1:18-25
The Rev. Melanie McCarley

One of the dangerous things about spending so much time in church, is that it is easy to begin to think it all makes sense: the passion, death and resurrection of Christ. The cross.

2 Lent.B.24
Mark 8:31-38 (Annual Address)
The Rev. Melanie McCarley

This morning, following our 10:00 a.m. worship service, we will hold our Annual Meeting. The Annual Meeting is an opportunity to reflect on the past year, but also a chance look forward to where the Holy Spirit is guiding us in the months and years to come. You can read my report about 2023 in the Annual Report, available following the service. Therefore, today I would like to speak to you about the year ahead. But first, I’d like for us to take a look at the Gospel lesson appointed for this morning.

1 Lent.B.24
Genesis 9:8-17; Mark 1:9-15
The Rev. Melanie McCarley

In a strange sense, the lessons today remind me of the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. However, our theme this First Sunday of Lent, is not porridge, but water. Too Much, Not Enough and Just Right. The flood, the desert and the baptism of our Lord.