Prince of Peace

Chad Brekke (Final Sermon) - The great theologian, Gerhard Forde, would often pose this question that every believer faces after the gospel is proclaimed; what comes next? After you have been claimed and made righteous, in spite of your own efforts, what comes next? This question points us toward an uncertain future, even as it reminds us that we do not go alone. Support our podcast here Watch the Livestream Follow us on Instagram Visit our Website

(Katie Rykal) Today we will gather with a group of young people as they stand in front of us to affirm their baptisms. They will take the promises that were made for them and make them for themselves. We will hear their words and stories. We will hear how their faith has been tested, and who has helped to shape their faith. We will celebrate them and rejoice with them. Support our podcast here Watch the Livestream Follow us on Instagram Visit our Website

Chad Brekke - As Pastor Chad prepares to head off into the sunset, let's gather around for one last “ask the pastor” session before his retirement in a couple of weeks. Everything is fair game: the Bible, church, theology, retirement… Support our podcast here Watch the Livestream Follow us on Instagram Visit our Website

Chad Brekke - A wealthy boss was hoping that taking his religion seriously would get him in good with God. Even the disciples were shocked when they heard what it really takes. What hope do we have, they all wondered? What hope indeed.  Support our podcast here Watch the Livestream Follow us on Instagram Visit our Website

Natalia Terfa - Reflections on the end of nearly 20 years of ministry at Prince of Peace and how God leads us through moments of change. Drawing on Isaiah 43, we explore God's promise of hope, even in the wilderness, and the idea that God's new work is always unfolding. How do we hold on to the past while trusting in the future? What does it mean to embrace God's new things? Support our podcast here Watch the Livestream Follow us on Instagram Visit our Website

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 surprise you! Support our podcast here Watch the Livestream Follow us on Instagram Visit our Website

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 Website

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 doubt and growth? How do we handle it when following Jesus gets tough, and what does it mean to face both the highs and lows in faith? Support our podcast here Watch the Livestream Follow us on Instagram Visit our Website

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 front row! Support our podcast here Watch the Livestream Follow us on Instagram Visit our Website

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 Visit our Website

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 Jesus? How have they stuck with it, when it might have been easier to turn back? Support our podcast here Watch the Livestream Follow us on Instagram Visit our Website

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

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 than an advice column. Perhaps we are being welcomed into a new community, defined more by who we are than how we behave. Support our podcast here Watch the Livestream Follow us on Instagram Visit our Website

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 Visit our Website

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 are always in the mail. Support our podcast here Watch the Livestream Follow us on Instagram Visit our Website

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 prioritizes rest, and teaches his disciples to do the same.  Support our podcast here Watch the Livestream Follow us on Instagram Visit our Website

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

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 there, not in a good way. So he hits the road again to teach, heal, and restore and also sends out the disciples to see how they do. Amazing. Support our podcast here Watch the Livestream Follow us on Instagram Visit our Website

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

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 the Livestream Follow us on Instagram Visit our Website

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 Website

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

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 always be there for them. Seniors, let your lights shine so others may see your good works and glorify your heavenly Father. Support our podcast here Watch the Livestream Follow us on Instagram Visit our Website

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 Website

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

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 Watch the Livestream Follow us on Instagram Visit our Website

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

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

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 our answer. This is what a saved life looks like.  Support our podcast here Watch the Livestream Follow us on Instagram Visit our Website

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 Livestream Follow us on Instagram Visit our Website

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 except through me," impact those who do not believe in Jesus, such as those in the Jewish faith? Does this mean they are forgotten or excluded? Natalia & Chad dive deep into the nuances of faith, emphasizing that belief isn't a mere checklist but a journey of trust and understanding. They challenge the notion of turning grace into a set of rules and threats, emphasizing instead the inclusive nature of God's love and the richness of faith as a gift, not a demand. Exploring the story of Thomas and his doubts, we highlight the communal aspect of faith and the continuous invitation to experience God's presence in our lives. We encourage listeners to embrace a faith that transforms lives and inspires meaningful actions, grounded in the assurance of God's grace. Tune in to discover a refreshing perspective on faith, doubt, and the boundless love of God that transcends boundaries and welcomes all into the embrace of divine grace. Support our podcast here Watch the Livestream Visit our Website

Chad Brekke - People come up with some frightening ways to prove their faith. From the power of positive thinking, to handling venomous snakes during worship, efforts to demonstrate personal faithfulness come in many forms. The Easter proclamation turns the tables on this endless quest. The risen Christ defeats sin and death to give us something far better in return. This good news is for you, whether or not you overcome your fear of snakes or are able to declare yourself blessed.  Support our podcast here Watch the Livestream Follow us on Instagram Visit our Website

Chad Brekke - Continuing with our tradition of settling in on Palm Sunday to listen to a live reading of the passion of Christ. Somehow, we always hear something new, something that transforms our current time and draws us in. Support our podcast here Watch the Livestream Follow us on Instagram Visit our Website

Natalia Terfa Jesus uses the word glorify a lot in this passage, so it's worth spending a little time thinking about what we think that word means, and what Jesus meant when he used it. The distance between those two answers gives us a hint of what is coming.  Scripture: John 12:20-33 Support our podcast here Watch the Livestream Follow us on Instagram Visit our Website

(Chad Brekke) Much of popular Christianity in the United States is packaged in the always-recurring theme of the power of positive thinking. If we can just focus on that “next level” that God surely has planned for us, we will find true happiness. How does this message sound to the single mother in the refugee camp or the prisoner on death row? Is there hope to be found in darkness? Scripture: John 3:14-21 Support our podcast here Watch the Livestream Follow us on Instagram Visit our Website

(Natalia Terfa) When Moses was given the Ten Commandments, things seemed pretty clear. But immediately the people began to do what people do and look for loopholes, exit strategies, and hierarchies. What if we took a little time, and went back to basics? Just the big 10.  Scripture: Exodus 20:1-17 Support our podcast here Watch the Livestream Follow us on Instagram Visit our Website

(Chad Brekke) Do you ever wonder why Jesus had to go the way of the cross, the way of rejection and suffering and dying? Wouldn't just being an amazing teacher, preacher, and healer have been enough? Great questions, let's get into it. Scripture: Mark 8:31-38 Support our podcast here Watch the Livestream Follow us on Instagram Visit our Website

(Chad Brekke) Many of us first heard the story of Noah and the ark in Sunday School as children. In our imaginations, we could see all the fun animals and the big boat. But a version of this ancient story has echoed throughout human history and for those who dare to step back into that ark and look around, there is still more to learn. Scripture: Genesis 9:8-17 Support our podcast here Watch the Livestream Follow us on Instagram Visit our Website

God, today my finitude is rubbed on my forehead. The reality of my limits, my fragile body, spoken over me like a curse:  From dust I was made, to dust I will return. Some days I need to be reminded that I am not the perfectibility project I set out to be I am full of bounce and brimming with hope. All woes, solvable. All problems, a distant whisper. When I don't feel like dust, bless me O God, in the ways I trick myself into believing that my life is something I've made, that all my accomplishments and successes and mastered mornings add up to something independent of you. But on days like today, when my head hangs low, sunk with the grief of my neediness, bless me o God.  When my joints don't work like they should, when I grow sick or turn gray too soon, when my body betrays me… or perhaps it is doing exactly what it is supposed to do. Tell me again exactly how you made me: from dust to dust. Blessed are we, a mess of contradictions, in our delusions and deep hopes, in our fragility and finitude. Sim Shalom

(Natalia Terfa) It's the Sunday before Lent, and of course, that means it's Transfiguration Sunday. What does it mean that we go from such a high place to such a low place in this short period? Especially since we, like the disciples, present with Jesus on that mountaintop, prefer the highs over the lows. Scripture: Mark 9:2-9 Support our podcast here Watch the Livestream Follow us on Instagram Visit our Website

(Natalia Terfa) “Everyone is searching for you” the disciples tell Jesus as his popularity and reputation grows. But Jesus doesn't let the lure of prestige keep him from what he was sent here to do. Where do we go when we're looking for Jesus? What are we hoping to get from him? Where is it that we will find him?  Scripture: Mark 1:29-39 Support our podcast here Watch the Livestream Follow us on Instagram Visit our Website

(Chad Brekke) We are still in the first chapter of Mark, so many voices are vying for attention. The one crying out in the wilderness, the crowds, religious leaders, worshippers, and even unclean spirits. In this passage, Jesus says, “be silent!” When Jesus speaks, something new happens. Healing, restoration, and hope begin to emerge. Let's listen in. Scripture: Mark 1:14-28 Support our podcast here Watch the Livestream Follow us on Instagram Visit our Website

(Natalia Terfa) Pastor Natalia's favorite story in the Hebrew scripture is in front of us again and of course, she isn't going to skip it! What do we do when God keeps Their promises? That's the part of Jonah's story in front of us today - let's see what he does. Scripture: Jonah 3:1-5, 10 Support our podcast here Watch the Livestream Follow us on Instagram Visit our Website

(Natalia Terfa) On this Martin Luther King Jr holiday, we're going to take time to hear the words of Dr King - a sermon not of quotes or cherry-picked but in its entirety. Dr King was a preacher first, and this sermon reminds us that his words have held the test of time, even when the world keeps changing.  Scripture: Amos 5:18-24 Support our podcast here Watch the Livestream Follow us on Instagram Visit our Website

(Chad Brekke) Today we wrap up our Advent/Christmas theme, How Does A Weary World Rejoice? From the Jordan River to Mt. Kilimanjaro, we will stand in awe together of God's declaration that we are beloved. Video Clip: (1:29:36) https://youtu.be/kosPUYq19lQ?si=lIJ5DG9BDDZyi5TS&t=5376 Scripture: Mark 1:4-11 Support our podcast here Watch the Livestream Follow us on Instagram Visit our Website

(Chad Brekke) Here, on the other side of Christmas, we find ourselves living in the same old world with the same old people and struggling with the same old demons as always. On the other side of Christmas, we can't help but wonder: "Now what?” If we are honest with ourselves, many of us still haven't found what we're looking for. And then joy finds us again! Scripture: Luke 2:21-38 Support our podcast here Watch the Livestream Follow us on Instagram Visit our Website

(Chad Brekke & Natalia Terfa) On an unusually warm and rainy Christmas Eve, hundreds gathered in our candle-lit worship center to hear the Christmas gospel. We continued to contemplate our theme, how does a weary world rejoice? We find hope and inspiration in the awe surrounding us, often in simple, even ordinary ways. We experienced God's presence, not in the booming voice from heaven or the burning bush, but in the babe in swaddling clothes, held out for each of us… the God we hold. Scripture: Luke 2:1-20 Support our podcast here Watch the Livestream Follow us on Instagram Visit our Website

(Chad Brekke) The angel comes to Zechariah with a promise of good news, but Zechariah can't fully receive it, and he is cast into silence for the duration of Elizabeth's pregnancy. Sometimes, weariness can prevent us from leaving room for joy. We've had hard journeys. Grief has left a scar on us. And yet, we are surprised by joy which does not come necessarily to replace the weariness.  Rather,  joy simply chooses to squeeze in right next to us… in a manger, in the wilderness keeping watch by night, in our old age, a thrill of hope the weary world rejoices, for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn. Scripture: Luke 1:1-23 Support our podcast here Watch the Livestream Follow us on Instagram Visit our Website

(Natalia Terfa) It's Christ the King/Reign of Christ Sunday. This day was created as an answer to nationalism, so it feels even more important to create space for this day now, as Christian nationalism is again on the rise. When algorithms and broken systems feel like they are running everything, what does it mean to take one day and push back?  Scripture: Matthew 25: 31-46 Support our podcast here Watch the Livestream Follow us on Instagram Visit our Website

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(Natalia Terfa & Chad Brekke) As we do from time to time, we put the usual preaching schedule on hold while we explore public theology together. We will again field questions from the congregation around the theme of things that cause us to doubt or question. Support our podcast here Watch the Livestream Visit our Website