על ידי Chad Delaney

על ידי Chad Delaney

Sometimes the traditional dichotomies and dualisms just don't work! Pastor Sarah explores these chapters of Job using Queer Theology to explore suffering and hope in our time.על ידי Chad Delaney

Job's story is held up as the ultimate example of dealing with our grief. In Job 1-2 he takes all the suffering on the chin and doesn't have a complaint. This image is usually held up as the model of faithfulness...but is that Job's whole story? Job 7 gives us a little glimpse into Job's story and the anguish that he felt in his body, mind, and sou…

All around are voices of passion about the current events in our world. Are we listening and learning from those affected? Are we willing to hear a word we may not want to hear? Pastor Chad explores Paul's words to Timothy long ago, confirmation bias, and how we can start talking about Racism.על ידי Chad Delaney

The early and modern church struggles with elevating certain spiritual gifts over others. What happens though when we MINIMIZE our own gifts. Receive encouragement today to embrace your own gifts!על ידי Chad Delaney

Pastor Sarah Smith preaches a word on a familiar passage, but whose strength and challenge we don't fully tap into. What does love really look like?על ידי Chad Delaney

This is the audio recording of our Xplor Send-Off Zoom Worship service. Thanks to Rev. McCreight, Rev. Kluchar, Rev. Delaney, and Linda Idoine for their leadership and guidance through the program. We took time to hear from our wonderful residents - - Natalie, Heidi, and Jennifer and then sent them off with our love and prayers.…

We need Unity in Christ now more than ever...but still it eludes us. what is the basis for our unity as Christians? What should we look for in the world and within ourselves?על ידי Chad Delaney

What does it mean to offer a Labor of Love? Today we hear a bit of the context to which the Apostle Paul wrote to, but also bring the idea into the present. included in the sermon today are the perspectives of three nurses in our congregation. You will be blessed to hear what they have to say!על ידי Chad Delaney

What would make you jump for joy? What would make it last? A child of God is healed and raised up in the Name of Jesus Christ...what is to become of him? With a little help from Monty Python's Life of Brian we explore this great story from scripture.על ידי Chad Delaney

in this 40+ Day period of waiting and wandering, how are we spending it? How can we nurture the soul during this time? What would that look like for us?על ידי Chad Delaney

Happy Easter! God's blessing of peace and new life be with you and those you love! Today we are talking about what the story of Easter means to who we are as people of hope and resurrection! May the the Risen Christ meet with you wherever you are in this difficult time in our nation's history.על ידי Chad Delaney

Today is our Palms to the Upper Room Service. Today we will be listening to stories of Tables in Jesus’ life and ministry leading up to his Last Supper. Listen to and reflect on these powerful stories.על ידי Chad Delaney

Reflect with Pastor Sarah on the real grief we feel at this time and how we can respond with Holy Community.על ידי Chad Delaney

We explore today the wonderful passage in Mark where Jesus calms the storm. What strength can we draw from this story as we face the storm swirling around us?על ידי Chad Delaney

We live in a time of fear and uncertainty, yet we are also reminded that God is always with us and always beckoning us toward faithfulness. We are not worshipping in the church building this week but we are coming together united in God's Spirit. Be blessed, safe, and here the Good News in this passage today.…

על ידי Chad Delaney

על ידי Chad Delaney

על ידי Chad Delaney

על ידי Chad Delaney

על ידי Chad Delaney

על ידי Chad Delaney

על ידי Chad Delaney

על ידי Chad Delaney

על ידי Chad Delaney

על ידי Chad Delaney

על ידי Chad Delaney

על ידי Chad Delaney

This week we explore the story of Joseph in the Gospel of Matthew. The angel comes to him telling him "Do Not Be Afraid!"...do not be afraid of what? Joseph needs to come to terms with who he wants to be and who God is calling him to be. This story may have something to say about what it means to be friend to someone in need and an ally in the caus…

The theme for this Advent is "Do Not Be Afraid.". In this first installment we look at the story of the Annunciation. The response of Mary to the angel's pronouncement gives us food for thought as we navigate fear in our own lives. How can we be faithful in the midst of our fears?על ידי Chad Delaney

Homily on Thanksgiving Sunday. Is it possible to offer gratitude in everything?? A lesson from Brother David Steidl-Rast and the Apostle Paul.על ידי Chad Delaney

As we consider how we might honor the future, we consider the the cultural greeting of the Maasai in Kenya and Tanzania - - "And how are the children?" within this question and our text this morning we hear a call to generosity and where we might put our faith and action to work.על ידי Chad Delaney

With a wonderful passage of scripture and a beautiful poem by Catherine Pierce called Planet, we take time to reflect on what it means to Honor the Creation. There are many practices of sustainability we can try...but what about a very simple one we don't think of often enough....?על ידי Chad Delaney

All Saints Day sermon - - When was the first time you remember being generous? Who inspired you to be generous? Pastor Chad tells a story about one of the Saints in his life and invites us to reflect on the same.על ידי Chad Delaney

Revelation usually brings a lot of images to our minds - - beasts and demons and dragons, oh my! Yet, this mysterious book and its rich, apocalyptic language can share a message about faithfulness, endurance, and hope even today. Learn a little about Revelation and hear an encouraging word!על ידי Chad Delaney

How are ready are we to change and transform into better people? Some brain science is being done to try to figure out what is going on inside the brain when it comes to shifting out cherished ideas and beliefs...there's lots of work to be done in that area. In the meantime, many religious people hold on fiercely to some beliefs...what would it tak…

A great privilege to preach with Rev. Dr. Ben Bohren--our NBA Xplor Mission Specialist and an extraordinary pastor in the DOC for over 50 years. Together we share stories of Light reflecting on John 1:1-5.על ידי Chad Delaney

Isaac Ackerman (Xplor '18-'19) delivers a powerful sermon on what it means to be a prophetic movement in a fragmented world. Can I get an "Amen"?!על ידי Chad Delaney

Relationships in our lives, including the church, can be complicated and challenging. What lays the foundation for an enduring relationship? The early church found ways to nurture that kind of community that would make a difference in people's lives and create a genuine spiritual partnership...can we do it too?…

The story of Jesus' Ascension has an interesting feature to it...the angels in the story pointed them away from the supernatural event...what is going here? The Disciples look up in excitement but are called to shift their gaze to where Jesus called them. We also take some time to celebrate the ways our church is reaching out from our doorsteps to …

This service celebrates Len's 8 years of ministry as the Associate Minister at Mantua Center Christian Church. Therebie wonderful music by Adam Petrosino and Jan Green. Pastor Len shares a good word from Colossians 3 and helps us see how we aren't a "normal" church!על ידי Chad Delaney

We all love the Disney film story-arc of character transformation...Ariel, the Beast, Mad Madam Mim...fun, romantic, and inspiring! How does the story of Jesus' transfiguration compare? What is transfiguration for?על ידי Chad Delaney

We were blessed in worship Sunday to baptized someone in the river! The scripture and the occasion remind us that we are precious in God's sight.על ידי Chad Delaney

This week in our nation there was quite the conversation around Emma Lazarus' poem emblazoned on the Statue of Liberty. An immigration official added some edits to it and it gathered lots of controversy. When we encounter a difficult passage in the Bible, do we want to send it to the editors room too?…

Who was the Lost Son in the story? Were there Lost Sons (plural?) or just the prodigal? These are legitimate questions after a re-reading of the story with the amazing insights of Dr. Amy-Jill Levine from her book "Short Stories by Jesus.". Phenomenal, deep insights are considered to think about hard, family dynamics and what it might mean to hold …

Zacchaeus was ready and willing to hear a tough word....would you? Would the church? Oftentimes when we're confronted with a uncomfortable truth we get in fight or flight mode. How can we learn from the example of Zacchaeus?על ידי Chad Delaney

Our scripture today takes a look at the story of the unique healing of the blind man at Bethsaida. Jesus uses saliva and he has to do it twice to help make the man see clearly! What is happening here? As we study the story in context, we see that this story is told amongst other stories where the disciples clearly have spiritual blind spots. What s…

The scripture story today is full of strange things that inspire and challenge us as people of faith. Jesus the healer, friends making holes in the roof, and the strangeness doesn't end there.על ידי Chad Delaney

The Holy Spirit can move and inspire in ways that we might not recognize or expect...and people of faith have responded in different ways to that. Some respond by refusing to believe it, trying to stop it, or ridiculing it (see Numbers 11 & Acts 2). Others are more willing and open to receive and recognize the Spirit's movement. Which are we? I als…