Jan 18, 2021

The hymns we sing this morning come in pairs, each responding to a different aspect of Paul’s call for unity in the church in 1 Corinthians 1. We begin the service with a vision of the name of Jesus compelling “every heart and tongue” to “join the sacred song” (To Our Redeemer’s Glorious Name), and close...

Jan 10, 2021

In the opening of his letter to the Corinthians, Paul emphasizes the idea of “calling”: he identifies himself as “called by the will of God” (vs. 1) and refers to his readers as those who are “called to be saints together” (vs. 2). This reminder of our identity in Christ, a powerful appeal for Christians to...

Jan 3, 2021

God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all. —1 John 1:5

Light has been a consistent motive found in Christmas celebrations throughout history. From the legend of St. Lucy’s candle headdress which enlivens the winter solstice in Scandinavia, to the “star singer” processions of central Europe where children...

Dec 27, 2020

Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male
children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained
from the wise men. —Matthew 2:16

December 28 (or in our case, the Sunday...

Dec 21, 2020

One of the joyous difficulties of the Advent season is finding a way to include in the service all the wonderful hymns and carols that we only get to sing during this time of year—an impossible task, for sure. Today, we will get to sing one of the more obscure members of the Christmas carol tradition. Come All You...