Rev. Dr. David D. M. King The First Sunday of AdventIsaiah 64:1-9 This is the first day of the church year. We, like millions of other Christians around the world, follow the liturgical calendar, a progression of seasons and holy days. We just finished the long season of ordinary time, that stretched from Pentecost until … [Read more…]
Rev. Dr. David D. M. King Christ the King SundayEzekiel 34:11-24, Matthew 25:31-46 We’ve read two bible texts this morning that share many of the same themes. On of them is quite familiar and has impacted the broader culture outside the church. The other is fairly obscure. Both are written in the wake of tragedy. … [Read more…]
Dear FGUMC Family, This is the time of year that I would normally stand up in church during announcements, use my “teacher voice” and say something like: Good morning everyone. It is time again to color for Christmas. I want to cover these windows with more pictures than I ever have before. So PLEASE choose at least one … [Read more…]
Rev. Dr. David D. M. King Sunday Twenty-fourth Sunday after Pentecost1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 In the last few years, many of us have learned a new word: “woke.” It’s gained popularity and usage through the power of the Black Lives Matter movement. As it is commonly used today, to be woke means to be enlightened. According … [Read more…]
Rev. Dr. David D. M. King The Twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 27A1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 In the section of the first letter to the Thessalonians that Janet read for us this morning, the three authors—the apostle Paul and his associates, Silas and Timothy—respond directly to a specific concern of the Christians in Thessalonica. And it … [Read more…]
The month starts with a continuation of our focus on Paul’s first letter to the Thessalo- nians. Having heard Paul in October describe himself as a mother to the Thessalonian Chris- tians, we now hear him describe himself as their father. We get a glimpse of Paul’s vision of life beyond death, and we hear … [Read more…]
Rev. Dr. David D. M. King All Saints SundayMatthew 5:1-12 I know that I am supposed to be in the middle of sermon series on First Thessalonians, but I couldn’t find much to say about the passage assigned for this week. So we’re taking a quick break from Paul’s first letter and turning instead to … [Read more…]