Worship Preview: Sunday, February 1

The Sermon Title: “Speak, God, for I Am Listening”

Sermon Theme: "Discerning God’s Call"
To prepare for worship, consider, what structure in your life resonates with you most strongly?
Gently sift through the many different structures in your life (“committees, boards, corporations, towns, congregations, social organizations, etc.”) and allow one to emerge on which God may be calling you to do some discernment. Where are you in this structure? What about this structure could bear improvement?


The Scripture Lesson: 1 Samuel 3
1 Now the boy Samuel was ministering to God under Eli. The word of God was rare in those days; visions were not widespread. 2 At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his room; 3 the lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of God, where the ark of God was. 4 Then God called, "Samuel! Samuel!" and he said, "Here I am!" 5 and ran to Eli, and said, "Here I am, for you called me." But he said, "I did not call; lie down again." So he went and lay down. 6 God called again, "Samuel!" Samuel got up and went to Eli, and said, "Here I am, for you called me." But he said, "I did not call, my son; lie down again." 7 Now Samuel did not yet know God, and the word of God had not yet been revealed to him. 8 God called Samuel again, a third time. And he got up and went to Eli, and said, "Here I am, for you called me." Then Eli perceived God was calling the boy. 9 Therefore Eli said to Samuel, "Go, lie down; and if God calls you, you shall say, "Speak, God, for your servant is listening.' " So Samuel went and lay down in his place. 10 Now God came, calling as before, "Samuel! Samuel!" And Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant is listening." 11 Then the Lord said to Samuel, "See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make both ears of anyone who hears of it tingle. 12 On that day I will fulfill against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. 13 For I have told him that I am about to punish his house forever, for the iniquity that he knew, because his sons were blaspheming God, and he did not restrain them. 14 Therefore I swear to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be expiated by sacrifice or offering forever." 15 Samuel lay there until morning; then he opened the doors of the house of the Lord. Samuel was afraid to tell the vision to Eli. 16 But Eli called Samuel and said, "Samuel, my son." He said, "Here I am." 17 Eli said, "What was it that he told you? Do not hide it from me. May God do so to you and more also, if you hide anything from me of all that he told you." 18 So Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him. Then he said, "It is the Lord; let him do what seems good to him." 19 As Samuel grew up, the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. 20 And all Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba knew that Samuel was a trustworthy prophet of the Lord. 21 The Lord continued to appear at Shiloh, for the Lord revealed himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the word of the Lord.

Sermon Preview: Sunday, January 25

Scripture Lesson: Jonah 3:1-5, 10

Sermon Title: "Jonah and Us: Schadenfreude and Grace"

Note: Schadenfreude is a German word for "pleasure taken from observing the misery of another."

Sermon Preview: Sunday, January 18

Sermon Title: "Changing Leaders and Enduring Values"

A Reading from 1 Samuel:
1 The boy Samuel ministered before the Lord under Eli. In those days the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions. 2 One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place. 3 The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was. 4 Then the Lord called Samuel. Samuel answered, "Here I am." 5 And he ran to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me." But Eli said, "I did not call; go back and lie down." So he went and lay down.

A Reading from 1 Corinthians:
12 "Everything is permissible for me"--but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible for me"--but I will not be mastered by anything.

A Reading from Galatians:
13 You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.

Sermon Preview: Sunday, January 11

The 1st Sunday after Epiphany

Scripture Readings

Isaiah 60:1-5

Matthew 2:1-12

Sermon Title

The Question of the Wise Men

Sermon Preview: Sunday, January 4

Sermon Title: "Another Year with God, Another Opportunity for Salvation"