Elijah and Moses Appeared

Rev. Dr. David D. M. King Transfiguration Sunday2 Kings 2:1-12; Mark 9:2-9 Today is a very special day. I’m sure you know that already. I’m sure you all have it marked on your calendar. Today is the last Sunday before the Season of Lent, a season of fasting and reflection as we contemplate Jesus’s road … [Read more…]

Updated COVID Plan

Forest Grove UMC instituted a slightly revised COVID plan on February 5th, 2021. While we remain in “Phase 2” of Bishop Stanovsky’s reopening plan, this revised plan allows for Bell Choir and for occasional outdoor worship services. Find the new plan here.

All Things to All People

by Rev. Dr. David D. M. King The Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany1 Corinthians 9:16-23 The apostle Paul is a master of the humble-brag. He seems to be constantly promoting himself while simultaneously insisting that he is doing nothing of the kind. He’s doing it here in the beginning of our passage from First Corinthians. … [Read more…]

February Messenger

February begins with a continuation of a season of Ordinary Time. We will consider how the apostle Paul sublimates his own desires and preferences and opens himself up to the preferences and cultures of others for the sake of Christ. Then we see Jesus on the mountaintop with Moses and Elijah, his appearance changed before … [Read more…]

I Know Who You Are

Rev. Dr. David D. M. King The Fourth Sunday after the EpiphanyMark 1:21-28 This is Jesus’s first public appearance in the Gospel of Mark. He has just called his first disciples—fishers from the Lake of Galilee—and now he leads them back to Capernaum, a small fishing village along the lake, with about 1500 residents. It … [Read more…]

Follow Me

Rev. Dr. David D. M. King The Third Sunday after the EpiphanyMark 1:14-20 A stranger comes to town. No reputation. No name recognition. He walks along where the fishers are working. He points to a couple of them, and he simply says, “Follow me.” That’s all. No introduction. No explanation. Just, “Follow me.” And they … [Read more…]

Not Everything Is Helpful

Rev. Dr. David D. M. King The Second Sunday after the Epiphany1 Corinthians 6:12-20 The passage that we read this morning from Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians is all about sex. You could probably tell that even if I just read you two of the Greek words that are used over and over in … [Read more…]

Ripped Apart

Rev. Dr. David D. M. King Baptism of the LordMark 1:4-11 I wasn’t planning to preach at all today. Like last Sunday, our District Superintendent, the Rev. Wendy Woodworth, provided a sermon for those of us in the Cascadia District to use this Sunday. She preached and recorded it about three weeks ago. A lot … [Read more…]