NOTE FROM PASTOR J R FOR SUNDAY, MAY 8TH, 2022            Today is the Fourth Sunday of Easter; but it’s also known as Good Shepherd Sunday.  On this Sunday following Easter, a portion of Jesus’ proclamation from John 10, “I am the Good Shepherd,” is assigned.  This year, Good Shepherd Sunday falls...

NOTE FROM PASTOR J R FOR SUNDAY, MARCH 13, 2022           This week is the Second Sunday IN Lent.  In the assigned gospel text, Jesus was being encouraged to flee from where He was at the time because of a threat to His life from King Herod. Jesus doesn’t flee.  Instead, He sends...

NOTE FROM PASTOR JR FOR SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2022  This Sunday is the Sixth Sunday after Epiphany and the day before Valentine’s Day.  My commitment to utilize the assigned lectionary texts whatever they are during this series was challenged this week as I sought to tie them to “The Ways of Steadfast Love,” or for...

NOTE FROM PASTOR J R FOR WORLD COMMUNION SUNDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2021  This Sunday will be the 7th Sunday of Kingdomtide.  It will also be World Communion Sunday, started in 1933 by Rev. Dr. Hugh Thomson Kerr.  It is intended to be a celebration designated by many Churches & Christian denominations, taking place...

NOTE FROM PASTOR JR RETURNS   FOR SUNDAY, JULY 11, 2021  After 11 years of writing the Note from Pastor JR weekly with a few exceptions, I took a break this year.  However, I think now is the time to begin again.  The weekly Note from Pastor J R is intended to be a sermon...

This Sunday is the 4th Sunday of Advent, the Sunday right before Christmas. The theme is love. SURPRISE! LOVE IS BORN! Much of the preparation for the Feast of Christmas in this pandemic will be modified, changed, or all together cancelled this year. However, many will still decorate their homes,...

This Sunday is the 10th Sunday of Kingdomtide. This Sunday I will also conclude the October sermon series on Covenant’s mission statement which says, “We exist to: Communicate Christ to all people.” The sermon will feature the voice of David from the Hebrew text and Jesus from the Christian text....

This Sunday is the 8th Sunday of Kingdomtide. Our theme for this liturgical season is seeking to make “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.” October sermons are a series on our Covenant Mission Statement. The United Church of Christ proclaims, “God is...

This Sunday is the 4th Sunday of Kingdomtide. Our theme this year for this season is making “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.” We are looking at how to make this happen by living out our Covenant Vision of “Being an inclusive...

This weekend is Independence Weekend. We are celebrating the 244th anniversary of our nation’s independence and freedom. The COVID-19 pandemic will alter the manner we celebrate from large gatherings of picnics and fireworks to smaller intimate gatherings that include mask wearing and social distancing, Since we will be commemorating this...