CMC Worship Service 02/06/2022.mov from Gwen Reiser on Vimeo.

The video above includes the full service, except for the time for sharing.

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Sermon | Here I am.  (Don’t) send me. 

Texts: Isaiah 6:1-8; Luke 5:1-11

Speaker: Joel Miller

There’s something compelling about call stories.  These are the experiences that move us to go on and do things we feel we must do, in service to the world. 

I learned early on that pastors are frequently asked to tell their call story.  So when did you feel called to be a pastor?  This is perhaps because, of all people, pastors are expected to know why we’re doing what we’re doing.  Or maybe it’s because most people assume nobody would actually want to be a pastor unless they’re really called.  You know, unless God made them do it. 

My typical answer to this question starts with the time around sixth grade when I was asked to preach a sermon at our little church. Not quite knowing what I was getting myself into, I decided to tackle the entire book of Job.  I had a growing interest in the Bible and spirituality in high school and was encouraged by people I admired to consider being a pastor.  There’s a lot more to it than that, but those were the early seeds.  It’s always meant a lot to me that calling, if we’re going to stick with that term, comes from community and not just something I decided I wanted to do.  Or maybe I’m still just trying to figure out the meaning of Job.   

With Desmond Tutu’s recent death there have been a number of replays of interviews he had…

The video above includes the full service, except for the time for sharing.

Permission to podcast/stream the music in this service obtained through One License with license A-727859.

Sermon Notes “Called for Such a time as this…”
Speaker: Rev. Dr. Renée P Wormack-Keels
 

Good morning and I am so grateful for this opportunity to share with you.
Your Pastor is indeed “gracious” to offer a chance to speak with you.

The primary text that is found in Jeremiah – is often referred to as a “call
narrative.” The second text from Esther is also a familiar text that reports an
explanation for being “chosen” for service. Numerous call narratives throughout
the biblical story.

I am sure that you have had opportunities to study and examine both passages
for their historical and biblical context.

But for our time together, I would like to share some of my reflection on what it
means to be called into service in times like these. These are, indeed, challenging
times. There will always be challenging times.

God is always calling people of faith to specific action, to special work to bring
about the kingdom of God. It can be scary. We can feel that we are not qualified
for the task….God equips those who are called…

The Baptist preacher in me calls me to offer three points and a closing…

1. Hearing the call – I am deeply convinced that the people of God, when open
to the spirit, hear God calling us forth in all seasons of time. I am often in
awe, and at times, amazed when we are placed in a situation, or an
opportunity is provided to optimize the kingdom purposes of God. Wayside
opportunities to make the difference in another person’s life.

a. To hear the call, one of my friends reminds us that to hear, that being
“woke” or awakened being aware is an…

The video above includes the full service, except for the time for sharing.

Permission to podcast/stream the music in this service obtained through One License with license A-727859.

Sermon manuscript

Texts: Nehemiah 8:1-10; Luke 4:14-21

Speaker: Joel Miller

“What season are we in now?”  It was an earnest question from the administrative side of the church office, directed at me.

The intent was to discern whether we need a new icon for worship slides, a new word or phrase declaring a theme.  Something to give order to these disordered days. 

“Depends who you ask,” I reply.  “Some liturgical calendars call the whole season between Christmas and Lent Epiphany.  Others just call it Ordinary Time, same as the long stretch in the summer.”   

After further discussion during which we voiced our personal preferences whether to think of this as Epiphany or Ordinary Time, I mentioned that it kind of doesn’t matter since we’ll be going with the lectionary readings week to week without an overall theme. 

It’s one of the perks of being Mennonite.  We get to pick and choose when to emphasize the liturgical season, when to just stick with the assigned readings, and when to do our own thing entirely like a multi-week series on racism, creation care, or learning our new hymnal.

But it is the kind of question that lingers in the mind: “What season are we in now?” 

Well, it’s certainly winter.  This past week’s snowfall coincided with extra days off school between quarters for Columbus City Schools.  The first snow fort of the year was constructed in our backyard and survived the midweek warmish spell.   

The month of January always invites a season of looking back on the past year and looking ahead.  While I was with the youth up at Camp Friedenswald enjoying an even more…

CMC Service 1-16-22.mp4 from Gwen Reiser on Vimeo.

The video above includes the full service, except for the time for sharing.

Permission to podcast/stream the music in this service obtained through One License with license A-727859.

Sermon | Wine and a whip 

Text: John 2:1-12: 13-22

Speaker: Joel Miller

In the second chapter of his gospel, John puts two stories back to back that seemingly don’t have much to do with each other.   

The first is when Jesus turns water into wine at a wedding in Cana.  The second is when Jesus clears, or cleanses, the temple in Jerusalem.

None of the other gospels record the water into wine story.  All three of the other gospels, Matthew, Mark, and Luke include the clearing of the temple.  But they each put it toward the end rather than beginning of the story, right after Jesus enters Jerusalem in his triumphal entry during the final week of his life.  In their telling, this dramatic public act of temple disruption serves to convince the powers that be that Jesus has finally gone too far and must be dealt with forcefully. 

So John includes a unique story, then puts a pivotal commonly told story at the front, rather than back end, of Jesus’ ministry.

Looking at these two stories together would make for a good elementary school compare-and-contrast assignment.  So let’s all get in touch with our fifth grade selves for a bit and give it a whirl.

One takes place in the small Galilean village of Cana.  The other is in the holy city of Jerusalem.

One is a wedding celebration.  One is an annual pilgrimage festival.

One is about the creation of something new – wine from water.  The other is about the potential destruction of a long standing institution.

In one,…

The video above includes the full service, except for the time for sharing.

Permission to podcast/stream the music in this service obtained through One License with license A-727859.

Sermon: Is it really that simple?

Speaker: Gretchen Geyer

Texts: Luke 3:15-17, 21-22; Matthew 5:44, 6:34, 16:24

Good morning everyone – Throughout this sermon, I am occasionally going to say the phrase
‘reflect and meditate on the word blank’ and in the place of blank, I’ll insert a specific word. Then I’ll
leave about 10 seconds for you all to think of whatever images, ideas, or other words come to mind
when I say that word. So let’s begin. Reflect and meditate on the word water. [Count to 10]

On June 13, 2008, while I was living with my parents in Iowa, a massive rain storm headed
towards our area. We watched as the storm clouds moved in and the rains started to pour down. While
my parent’s home was safe, a mere 30 minutes away, the city of Cedar Rapids was not so fortunate. The
water from the rains wreaked havoc on the city. The Cedar River, the river that runs through the city
crested at 31 feet which is an incredible 11 feet higher than was ever previously recorded. The waters
reached 10 square miles throughout the city. These waters impacted 5400 homes and dislocated 18,000
residents.

On that same day, my parents and I used water in our home on numerous occasions without
giving it a second thought, as I’m sure many of you do as well in your daily lives. We drank water from
our faucet, we used water to clean up the dishes after our meals, we used water to flush the toilet and
to wash our hands. How can it be that water, an element of life, that seems so simple at the outset and
one that is…