Petaluma First Presbyterian Church

The journey of faith is one of uncertainty and sometimes peril, and always it requires trust in God's promise to lead us in the way we should go. This Sunday we discover that wandering, and even getting lost, may be the exact thing we need to draw us closer to God.

Lent invites us to get to the root of our discipleship and identify with Jesus' journey to the cross. The early Sundays are a wilderness time, an opportunity to go deep into our hearts and the souls of our communities, to recognize the depth of our estrangement from God, and to begin to put things right. This Sunday we begin our Lenten journey with Jesus in the wilderness being tempted by the devil (Matthew 4:1-11).

Inspirational messages that are biblical, personal and relevant to everyday life.

Continuing in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5, Jesus makes a number of startling claims in verses 21-37. Jesus sounds extreme when he makes statements like we will be judged for our thoughts, not just our actions. But what might it mean for us to take seriously these statements, and take seriously the idea that it's not just our good deeds, but even our thoughts and emotions that contribute to the Kingdom of God?

From the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells his disciples to not hide their light but to put it out where everyone can see it. Pastor John expands on this image in his sermon, The Wattage is Up to You.

Inspirational messages that are biblical, personal and relevant to everyday life.

Pastor John asks the congregation to share how God has been present in our church and lives in the past year.

On this third Sunday in Epiphany - this season of light and revelation - we read the story of John the Baptist suddenly recognizing his cousin Jesus for who he really is and cries, "Behold, the Lamb of God." And John's final request to us is simple: tell the truth.

During Epiphany, this "season of light," we read the story of Jesus' baptism. The divine voice at Jesus' baptism identifies him as the Son of God. Whenever we read the story of Jesus' baptism, we all have an opportunity to remember our own baptisms and renew our decision to serve and follow Christ.

On Epiphany Sunday, the Magi follow a light - a star that guides them to the Christ child, revealing to the world that this small infant is Lord and King, worthy of praise.

In this holiday Sunday, Linda Dragoo reprises her reading of the Legend of the Three Trees.

Pastor John delivers his pre-Christmas sermon about Joseph and his reaction to the dream. Two of the four gospels narrate the birth of Jesus. The more familiar one, Luke's poetic version with Caesar Augustus, shepherds in their fields, and the babe in the manger, we will read on Christmas Eve. But before we get there, we have Matthew's account. And in Matthew's story Joseph the carpenter from Nazareth has a dream. And despite the fact that Joseph's part in the story is short, and he doesn't even have a single line of dialogue, we know that he's important, because Joseph spent his life near to Jesus. Through good times, and bad times, through the joys and sorrows of life, there was Joseph, near to Jesus. And isn't that what all of us should be striving for as well?

This Sunday in Advent continued with John the Baptist. This time John is not in the wilderness, but rather in prison. And much to our surprise, from there he sends messengers to Jesus, asking "Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?" John had been the outspoken forerunner of Jesus, and now he appears to be the chief questioner of Jesus. Perhaps Jesus did not match up with John's expectations for what the Messiah would be like. Perhaps a good Advent question is this: Will we receive the Messiah, Jesus, as he is rather than as we would have him to be? I mean, really, who is this guy?

A new world is coming, and the Scriptures for last Sunday's service carries a theme of promise and hope. In Isaiah 11:1-10 a healthy shoot emerges from the people who were seemingly cut dry by political upheaval, and there is hope of a new ruler to come. In Matthew 3:1-12, John the Baptist offers instruction on how to prepare during this season of Advent. We need to do more than decorate our trees, exchange presents, and go to church. We need to repent, experience a changed life, and prepare for the one who is coming. In both of these passages there is a claim that history is going somewhere, that the time is full, and that change is in the works.

This week in worship we celebrate the first Sunday of Advent. Advent is Latin for "coming." It celebrates the most important news about the past and the most important news about the future. Christ has come; and Christ is coming back. Just as the coming of Christ as a baby in Bethlehem took everyone by surprise, although it had long been predicted, so the future coming of Christ in glory will no doubt take everyone by surprise, although it too has long been predicted.

On Reign of Christ Sunday, Pastor John explained that all that we have, all that there is, belongs to God, who reigns over all. We celebrated Thanksgiving, offer our thanks to God for the many gifts that have blessed our lives.

In an attempt to trap Jesus, Sadducees use the law to try to ensnare him. His response basically says that God's plans are different than man's plans and that we can't always discern what God is planning.

In Pastor John's absence, we were fortunate to have the Synod Exec, Nancy Martin Vincent grace our pulpit. She spoke of serving people and God and used the example of the washing of the apostle's feet by Jesus before his trial and crucifixion.

Using the story of Zacchaeus, Pastor John speaks of Stewardship, a sermon delayed because of the Kincaide Fire impacts.

Inspirational messages that are biblical, personal and relevant to everyday life.

Pastor John's sermon, Where Giving Starts, focused on financial stewardship and how we are called to support God's ministry in our community and in the larger world. Using Paul's letter to the Corinthians, he heard how even then giving with a happy heart was an important part of being a member of the family of Christ.

This week in worship we celebrate World Communion Sunday with Christians throughout the world, remembering our common faith. World Communion Sunday began in the 1930s in the United States as a way to reflect on our global communion with Christians near and far. To celebrate World Communion Sunday, our service will include liturgies from around the world. We'll pray for the global church community, sing songs of unity for God's people, and share in the Lord's Supper.

Prayer is a central concern of the Gospel of Luke. And last Sunday in Luke 18:1-8, Jesus tells a parable about a persistent woman who harasses an unjust judge until he finally gives in and gives her the just judgment she demands. This is a parable about how we ought to "pray always and not lose heart." It's also a parable about persistence.

In last Sunday's gospel lesson, Jesus is out on the boundary between his place of origin, Galilee, and that shadowy place known as Samaria. There he meets a group of people who are on the margins - ten lepers - and he heals them all; this despite the strict prohibitions against contact with such "unclean" people. Jesus then sends them on their way to the temple to give thanks, but one returns, and Jesus is amazed that this foreigner came back to show such gratitude (Luke 17:11-19). This is a wonderful story for us to consider, a story about the thanksgiving of an outsider, and the thanksgiving of an outsider.

Last week focused on another parable from Jesus from the Gospel of Luke (16:19-31). Luke has given us some strange and challenging scriptures lately, and this one is no exception. It's a parable of judgment, a disgusting description of the miserable plight of a poor man ("dogs would come and lick his sores") juxtaposed with a scathing picture of the extravagant, cushy lifestyle of an insensitive rich man who wears finery and feasts in luxury. When both men die, things get really interesting, and the whole thing becomes a dire warning about life here on earth and what comes next. It's a real honest-to-God "hellfire and damnation" story for sure.

Luke 16:1-13 (the so-called Parable of the Dishonest Manager) gives us what has to be one of Jesus' most outrageous parables in the Bible. In this one, Jesus appears to commend, or at least has the "master" in his story commend the thievery of a lazy, dishonest steward. It's a weird story. There's a lot of wheeling and dealing going on here, and I'm very curious to unpack it on Sunday and see what's going on inside.

It's a feast day in that we'll once again find Jesus defending himself against the scribes and Pharisees who criticize him for eating with tax collectors and sinners (Luke 15:1-10). If you've been paying attention through Luke's gospel, you know that Jesus was a real party person. He ate with anyone, anywhere, as often as he could. But some grumbled about it. They thought Jesus was sharing table fellowship with all the wrong people. So in typical Jesus fashion, he told them a couple of stories. One about a shepherd who went looking for his one lost sheep, and another about a woman who searched and searched for her one lost coin. It's a story about the lost and found, and all those who are welcome to dine at Jesus' table.

It's amazing that anyone reading through the Gospel of Luke for the first time makes it past chapter 14 without throwing in the towel. That's where Jesus gives a stump speech that's honestly a real turn off. You might say it was his worst sermon ever. Jesus, who is all about loving even your enemy, says to a large crowd following him, "Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple." Doesn't that sound inspiring? It's easy to skip right over these hard sayings of Jesus, and indeed, many preachers do! But I think it's important that we give it a look and consider how Luke 14:25-33 invites us to count the cost of following Jesus.

In last week's sermon, Jesus is sitting down for a meal in the home of a Pharisee. In Luke's Gospel, Jesus does some of his best teaching when he's sitting down for a meal with folks. And this time in Luke 14:1, 7-14, he's got quite a bit to say about table manners, how to put together a proper guest list, and even instruction about who should sit where. And what he has to say is...unexpected.

In Luke 12:49-52 Jesus really throws a curveball at us. He says, "I came to bring fire to the earth...Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division!" And that includes division between family members! Oh, great. I thought the Gospel was supposed to be Good News about peace, love and unity. All this talk about fire and division sounds terrible.

The Gospel lesson from last week focused on the Rich Fool, a parable that focused on building wealth here on earth but failing to build wealth with God.

Prayer is one of the most important and central Christian practices. And the Lord's Prayer is one of the oldest and most well-known of Christian prayers. Last week in worship we're taking a look at the Lord's Prayer as Jesus teaches it in Luke 11:1-13. Through this prayer, Jesus encourages us to be persistent in prayer. We must keep at it. And we can keep at it because our God keeps at it with us.

Last Sunday's sermon focused on the story of Martha, who becomes irritated with her sister Mary for spending time with Jesus instead of helping around the house (Luke 10:38-42). Jesus responds that Mary has chosen the better part, sitting at his feet. How might we see, in these two sisters, the diverse nature of Christian discipleship? And who do you most relate to, Mary or Martha, in your own discipleship?

The sermon centers around one of Jesus' most familiar and loved parables. In Luke 10:25-37 a man walks up to Jesus and asks him what he must do to inherit eternal life. In response, Jesus tells the story of the Samaritan who showed active mercy for a man in desperate need. As with all of Jesus' parables, it's meaning is open to interpretation and invites questions. Who, in our day would be the two passing by? Who would be the one who stopped? And who would be the person in the ditch? And where do we see this "Good Samaritan" story lived out in our world today?

Only Luke (10:1-20) tells the story of the sending of the 70, and it's there that we see how Jesus refuses to work alone. Jesus enlists ordinary women and men like you and me. He calls us, instructs us, and gives us what we need to do his work in the world.

In Luke 9:51-62, a text that speaks of the stark demands of discipleship. Jesus is on the way to Jerusalem, when he walks into a Samaritan village and encounters rejection, a clear sign of the ominous fate that awaits him in Jerusalem. The way of discipleship can be hard, dangerous, and full of suffering. But despite all that, God gives us what we need to follow Jesus.

Have you ever felt, or known someone who felt alone? Isolated? In need of healing? Tormented by a force outside of your control? If so, this story of the Gerasene man is for you. The good news is that Jesus has power to heal and to save, and the power to control that which is out of our control.

Rev. Linda Powers (with her companion, Beta) provided our sermon, The Trinity - Covering All the Bases. During Discovery Time she helped the children understand the image used to illustrate our cover.

On Pentecost Sunday we celebrated the gift of the Holy Spirit descending in a mighty rush of wind and flame. That Spirit inspired the church's proclamation of Christ's rising, and empowered its mission and ministry in the world. Pentecost invites us to consider the mysterious on-going work of God in our churches, in our lives, and in the world.

Ascension Day, the fortieth day after Easter, marks the day on which Jesus went to the Mount of Olives with his disciples and ascended to heaven before their eyes. Just before his ascension, he called his followers "witnesses" and predicted that they would take his good news throughout the world. Though we still wait for his return, we continue to be witnesses to the reality and the fact of Jesus' reign. We continue proclaiming the good news of the gospel.

We look forward asking a simple question: How then should we live?This Sunday, as Jesus prepares to leave his disciples, his simple answer in John 13 is that we "love one another."

On Gaelic Heritage Sunday we celebrated our heritage, as well as the diversity of God's people all around the world. The service included liturgical elements from the Gaelic tradition, including the Kirkin' o' the Tartans, a bagpiper, and a time to present family mementos in honor of those no longer with us.

In Pastor John's absence (his study leave), Rev. Linda Powers delivered a message centered on the forgiveness of Peter after his denial at Jesus's trial and ultimate crucification.

On the third Sunday of Easter, the story of the risen Christ appearing to his disciples after they had a disappointing night of fishing failure. In this story, Jesus speaks to them and specifically calls Peter to "Feed my sheep," and "Follow me." In this wonderful story from John 21, failure at fishing is followed by encouragement and direction and commissioning from Jesus. Who would have thought that Jesus would choose ordinary people like us to carry on his kingdom-building work in the world? But he did!

Last Week's Sermon 2nd Sunday of Easter The Missing Disciple On the Sunday after Easter we often read the story of Thomas - Jesus' disciple who refused to believe the other disciples' account of Jesus' resurrection without seeing it for himself (John 20:19-31). Reading this story right after the joy of Easter Sunday acknowledges the complexity of belief. This Sunday, the risen Christ returns to his disheartened disciples, appears to them, breathes upon them, and gives them his peace.

Hopefully, You're Close tells about the women who visited the tomb of Christ and found it empty and Peter's rush to see for himself.

Our service began with a procession of the palms, which recalls the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem (Luke 19:28-40). The palms we waved reflected the fragility of the celebration-since a mere five days later the crowd's adulation turned to hatred.

Rev. Linda Powers delivers a message of love and hope on this Sunday in Lent. As usual, she was accompanied by her companion, Bela.

Jeremiah prophesied during a period of national despair. He's known for his fierce condemnation and judgments of Israel. But he's also known, as we read in Jeremiah 31, as a prophet of daring hope. As we move closer to Holy Week, Jeremiah instructs us in God's creation of a new covenant. When the covenant is written on tablets of stone, it's easy to forget. But if the covenant could be written upon our very hearts, then it is deep within each of us, and gives us what we need to be a more faithful Easter people.

In Lent we admit our sin and shortcomings, that we're not yet the people God desires us to be. Yet even in our sin, by the grace of God there's still time. A merciful God gives us time to turn, to repent, to change our ways and bear fruit for God's Kingdom. The forty days of Lent is a graciously long time to turn from our sinful ways and toward God. This is the good news we hear in Luke 13:1-9. This is the good news of Lent.

Lent is a season that reflects the tension between faith and frailty, hope and doubt. In Genesis 15:1-12, God comes to Abraham and tells this very old, childless man that God is going to make a great people out of him, a family as numerous as the stars in the sky. And what is Abraham's reaction? Doubt. This Sunday, Abraham embodies the Lenten season as a journey (our journey) from doubt to faith.