Words and Mystery

This week's service comes to you from King's Daughters and Sons Home in Ashland. We take a look at the inadequacy of words to describe the mysteries of faith, something post-Enlightenment people sometimes have a hard time grasping. I also included a bit of the final carol, Away in a Manger, to show off Paul Beasley's singing, and the playing of our volunteer pianist, now aged 93! Join the congregation at King's Daughters and Sons for Words and Mysteries from Paul's letter to his church at Galatia and the Gospel we know as "John" by clicking the blue text HERE.

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us. Visit us at http://communitypresbyterian.org.

Christmas Signs

What really says "Christmas" to you? Is the birth of our Lord a part of that, or something that you have to be reminded of? We love the signs of Christmas so much that we sometimes value them over the real "reason for the season", and that's not just us...Matthew had the same problem. Finding a way to preach Isaiah 7 and Matthew 1 and still keep my integrity drove me to another meeting with the Sexton of the Chapel of St. Starbuck's for some clarity in the matter of Christmas Signs. Along the way, I brought my Autoharp. Come join the cleaning staff of the Chapel of St. Starbuck's, Community Presbyterian's confused fat preacher and the congregation for our sermon, Christmas Signs, by clicking any of the blue text.

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us. Visit us at http://communitypresbyterian.org.

Theotokas

Protestants, it seems to me, have disconnected themselves from an important piece of their faith foundation by relegating Mary to a marginal role as a small blue statue on top of the TV, behind the Ox and a little to the right of the donkey. Surely her role in Advent is more than that, and so the early church viewed her, naming her "God-bearer", or theotokas in Greek, at the council at Calcedon in 451 AD. That same counsel proclaimed Jesus to be both fully human and fully divine. The congregation of Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte Kentucky explores the connections between these decisions, and the lesson of Mary for Advent in our sermon from the Magnificat titled Theotokas. Join us by clicking any of the blue text.

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us. Visit us at http://communitypresbyterian.org.

What in the World Happened in Judea?

I suppose it takes a certain kind of mean-spirited preacher to find a way to make Advent into a problem, and I suppose I'm just that kind of a mean-spirited preacher. Be that as it may be, what in the world happened in Judea 2,000 years ago? If you're looking for an answer, you won't find it here, but you may find something to chew on. Join the congregation of Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte for our sermon from Matthew 3 titled What in the World Happened in Judea by clicking any of the blue text along here.

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us. Visit us at http://communitypresbyterian.org.

No One Knows

Ok...I'm going to get in trouble with at least one of my superiors with this one, but here it is anyway. How many times have you heard someone speak with great certainty about the Rapture, or the End Times? Did it set your teeth on edge, or is that just me? Why do people want to invest so much energy into creating scenarios about the end times when the truthful answer would be "No One Knows"? That was the answer Jesus gave in Matthew 24. Do these people who speak with such certainty think they are smarter than Jesus? Join the Congregation of Community Presbyterian Church for this week's sermon, No One Knows, by clicking here.

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us. Visit us at http://communitypresbyterian.org.

Christ the King

Community Presbyterian lost its beloved Sexton this week. It was a shock to all of us. He had been part of the church since he was a youngster, and it seems so strange to see his pew seat empty. As we planned a memorial service for him, we extended an offer to the community to join with us in our grief. To our great surprise, the church was filled to the balcony.

How could one so quiet and unassuming have touched so many lives? Don't you need to have been a community leader, a doer of great things, to be mourned by masses of people? How could quiet John Bell have made such a stir in the community?

Since today is Christ the King Sunday, it gives us a chance to think of another humble servant -- Jesus of Nazareth -- and to meditate on the power of the servant life. Come join the congregation of Community Presbyterian and the friends and family of John Bell Judd for this week's sermon, Christ the King, by clicking here.

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us. Visit us at http://communitypresbyterian.org.

Pie

You don't have to hang around this old world very long before coming up against religious arguments. That's why people advise youngsters not to talk about religion or politics. And yet, what a shame that God's word becomes just a venue for tiresome argument. St. Soupy offered some good advice about this. Join the congregations of St. Starbuck's the Jittery and Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte for this week's sermon from Luke 20 entitled "Pie" by clicking here.

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us. Visit us at http://communitypresbyterian.org.

The Pharisee, The Tax Collector -- and a Bear

A Pharisee and a Tax Collector walk into a bar and notice that the bartender is a bear...no, that's not right...there's something wrong with this. Check in with the congregation of Community Presbyterian Church for this week's sermon, The Pharisee, the Tax Collector, and -- a Bear? to hear about this story from Luke 18 by clicking on the title, or HERE.

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us. Visit us at http://communitypresbyterian.org.

Trial and Error

Bunch of cavemen sitting around the fire deciding what to eat. One had mushrooms. After they buried their dead, the tribe decided "Don't eat mushrooms. You'll die". Find out what happens next by joining the congregation of Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Ky for our sermon, Trial and Error, by clicking HERE.

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us. Visit us at http://communitypresbyterian.org.

Exile

This week, our part of the country was touched by a terrible fire. Five young people died in the flames. Another seven were injured. While trying to assist the victims to find clothes and other necessities, I read the letter to the exiles from Jeremiah. What had happened to the survivors of the flames was similar to the experience of the exiles to whom Jeremiah wrote -- they were exiled from their home, their clothing, everything that makes us feel secure. Where do you go to restart your life after that? Join the congregation of Community Presbyterian Church of Belllefonte, Ky for this week's sermon from Jeremiah 29:1,4-7, "Exile" by clicking HERE.

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us. Visit us at http://communitypresbyterian.org.

Rodney King

Rodney King, after getting his brains beat in by the LAPD, famously said, "Why can't we all just get along?"

Good question, that. But the efforts directed toward peace seem to be met with cries of "Our salvation lies in superior fire power." When have the peace makers done enough, that they may hear "Well done, good and faithful servant?" Our passage from Luke 17:1-10 suggests, "Never". Join the Congregation of Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, KY for Rodney King by clicking HERE.

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us. Visit us at http://communitypresbyterian.org.

Chasms

The Chapel of St. Starbuck's received another visit from the missionary atheist this week. He had read the story of Dives and Lazarus from Luke 16:19-31 and was all a quiver over the inequity of setting a chasm between the blessed and the tormented. It got the whole congregation thinking about who created the chasm? Join the congregations of the Chapel of St. Starbucks and Community Presbyterian Church for this week's sermon, Chasms, by clicking here.

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us. Visit us at http://communitypresbyterian.org.

Do This, Don't Do That

One of the most baffling of Jesus' parables is that of the Dishonest Manager. The guy has messed up his job, and is going to get fired. So, to keep from having to dig ditches or bed, he cooks the books in favor of his master's debtors so that they will accept him after he gets fired. How is embezzlement something to be commended? Yet that's just what the master does -- he commends the manager for his dishonesty. Join the congregations of the Chapel of St. Starbuck's and Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte for our sermon this week from Luke 16:1-13, Do This, Don't Do That by clicking HERE.

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us. Visit us at http://communitypresbyterian.org.

The Church Lady

Anyone who watched Saturday Night Live should remember the Church Lady -- the tight little lady who wished everyone could be as righteous as she was. Luke often divides Jesus' audience into two groups: the sinners and tax collectors on the one hand, and the Pharisees and teachers of the law on the other. This later group was the church ladies of their time. Join the congregations of the Chapel of St. Starbuck's and Community Presbyterian Church for this week's sermon from Luke 15, The Church Lady by clicking HERE.

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us. Visit us at http://communitypresbyterian.org.

A Coat of Blue Paint

Luke 14:25-33 contains some of the most discouraging words in the Gospel. "Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. So therefore, none of you can become my disciple if you do not give up all your possessions." Who among us today will give up his big screen TV, the tickets to the UK game, the comfy couch? And don't even get me started about hating wife and child. What is Jesus talking about here? Come join the congregations of the Chapel of St. Starbuck's and Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky as we try to puzzle out Jesus' words in our sermon this Sunday, "A Coat of Blue Paint", by clicking HERE.

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us. Visit us at http://communitypresbyterian.org.

Which Table?

"Whenever religion holds hands with empire, religion loses", said a colleague of mine, and she has said it exactly right. When I hear calls for God to bless America, I'm never sure if I'm hearing calls for us to follow in the way God would have us go, or if I'm hearing a prayer for God to affirm the decisions we have already made. In the parable of the table, in Luke 14, Jesus gives advice about not exalting yourself when seating yourself at your host's table. If we are trying to put the church at the place of honor around the American cultural table, who is the host and who is the guest? Is it not more appropriate for the American culture to find its place around God's table?

Come, join the congregations of the Chapel of St. Starbuck and Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky for this week's sermon from Luke 14, "Which Table?", by clicking HERE.

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us. Visit us at http://communitypresbyterian.org.

The Hope Diamond

What a piece of work are you! Three and a half million years ago, give or take a hundred thousand, two Australopithecines came together to produce a baby Australopithecus. If the leopard had gotten either one of them, you wouldn't be here today. The fact that you are here is such an improbable event that I have trouble believing in you, even though I see you. God's words to Jeremiah were "I knew you before you were in the womb". God has consecrated a purpose for each of us, and to accomplish that purpose He has shepherded uncounted loving embraces to assure that you would be here to add your unique contribution to the mix. Really...you're a diamond of great rarity, living in a world of purpose. Join us for this week's sermon, The Hope Diamond by clicking HERE.

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us. Visit us at http://communitypresbyterian.org.

The Yardstick of DOOM

A lot of the "unchurched" come by the Chapel of St. Starbuck's and before long, they feel compelled to tell me why they have not associated themselves with a church. Usually, the reason is that churches are full of holier-than-thou hypocrites. This is rather like a drunk refusing to attend Alcoholics Anonymous because it's all full of alcoholics. Jesus cannot be your savior until you first admit to yourself that you need one. The church teaches that we are all sinners, and that we cannot better that condition by ourselves. Yet a lot of people feel they can "do it on their own", leading inevitably to calamities of one sort or another. Join the congregations of the Chapel of St. Starbucks and Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, KY for this week's sermon, THE YARDSTICK OF DOOM by clicking HERE.

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us. Visit us at http://communitypresbyterian.org.

Sheeple and the Snoopy Dance

It's been a big week at the Chapel of St. Starbuck's the Jittery. We had a visit from a missionary atheist, someone who is spreading the good news that there is no good news. His visit caused nearly everyone present to proclaim their faith, and it was remarkable how varied the responses were. Since St. Starbuck's welcomes people from outside the church as well as in, we had some responses from them as well, and it was shocking how hostile they were to the church. Of course, that gave us an excuse to talk about our beliefs and how we might relate to them. Join the congregations of the Chapel of St. Starbuck's and Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte for this week's sermon, "Sheeple and the Snoopy Dance" by clicking HERE.

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us. Visit us at http://communitypresbyterian.org.

Heart and Head

Interest in the mainline churches has been on the wane for some time. Many people just don't see how the church is relevant to their way of life. Well, I'm not surprised. We've marketed the church as the wholesome place to drop your kids, and completely forgotten that the church is the place where we worship God for the music of our hearts. We've forgotten an awful lot, and we're the poorer for it.

This Sunday, the joint congregations of the Chapel of St. Starbuck's and Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte look at two words, "mystery" and "believe" for clues to the treasure we have left behind and forgotten. Join us for our sermon, Head and Heart, this week, by clicking HERE.

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us. Visit us at http://communitypresbyterian.org.

Missio Dei

Today's sermon is from Luke 11:1-13, one of the versions of the Lord's Prayer. The thing that struck me as I was reading it is that it started with a disciple asking Jesus to teach him how to pray. I've prayed for a lot of things in my life, but I never thought to pray to be taught how to pray.

Since I'm just back from retreat at the Archabbey of St. Meinrad, I was thinking in Latin, and the phrase Missio Dei, the Mission of God, came to my mind while thinking about this. Ordinarily, I pray for God to do something. Praying how to pray is a prayer to be included in God's mission -- a prayer that I might do something for God. Of course, that made me think of China. Join the joint congregations of the Chapel of St. Starbuck's and Community Presbyterian of Bellefonte, Kentucky and find out how I made THAT leap of logic in this week's sermon, Missio Dei by clicking HERE.

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us. Visit us at http://communitypresbyterian.org.

Can You See Me Now

The Congregation of the Chapel of St. Starbuck's the Jittery became polarised over the salary of Walmart's CEO this week. A Chicago alderman calculated that he makes more in an hour than the workers make in a year. Many thought this was a bad situation. Others thought it was free enterprise. Today, the joint congregations of the Chapel of St. Starbuck's and Community Presbyterian examine the question of wealth from the perspective of the parable of the Good Samaritan. Join us by clicking HERE.

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us. Visit us at http://communitypresbyterian.org.

The Devil Made Me Do It

Every Sunday, we confess the reality of sin in personal and common life. What does sin in common life look like? If the devil made you do it, is it possible that "the devil" refers not to a character in a red union suit who we imagine to be God's opponent, but rather to the society and culture in which we live which is broken in the same way we are individually broken? And what of the devil as God's chief opponent? Is that the teaching of the Presbyterian Church? Join the joint congregations of St. Starbuck's the Jittery and Community Presbyterian Church for this week's sermon from Genesis 3, The Devil Made Me Do It by clicking HERE.

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us. Visit us at http://communitypresbyterian.org.

Blowing the Siren

Nearly half a century ago, I spent two years as a policeman. Being a policeman is the oddest thing in the world, and, oddly enough, it gave me an opportunity, while blowing the siren, to understand the words of Paul in his Epistle to the church at Galacia, "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery."

Come blow the siren with the joint congregations of the Chapel of St. Starbuck's the Jittery and Community Presbyterian Church for this week's sermon, Blowing the Siren, by clicking HERE.

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us. Visit us at http://communitypresbyterian.org.

Wise Guy

While thinking on the recent disasters in the West Virginia coal mine and the BP well in the Gulf, Rev. Dr. Lon Oliver said:

“We rightfully celebrate being made in the image of God, but the Biblical witness also reminds us that God is the Creator and that we are not. While I am thankful for our technology, I fear that we are forgetting that there are mysteries that are not within our reach."

I don't speak that elegantly, but I did remind the congregation of the first corollary to Murphy's Law, which is "Murphy was an optimist". Being aware of the difference between what we think we know and what Murphy's Law predicts will happen is the measure of wisdom. Join the congregations of St. Starbuck's the Jittery and Community Presbyterian Church for our sermon this week exploring wisdom by clicking HERE.

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us. Visit us at http://communitypresbyterian.org.

Skating the Gospel

The Incident at Antioch was a dispute between Peter and Paul about a mysterious concept called "justification". How do we become justified in the eyes of God? By what we do? By what we believe? Join the Congregation of Community Presbyterian Church for our sermon, Skating the Gospel, by clicking HERE.


Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us. Visit us at http://communitypresbyterian.org.

Clouds

MAN! It's noisy in our world. There is so much going on that sometimes you can't hear yourself think, and we're so good at blocking it out, we can't hear God sometimes. Today's sermon is more of a homily than a sermon; more of a reflection than a teaching. Come join the joint congregations of St. Starbuck's the Jittery and Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky by clicking HERE for our sermon, Clouds.

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us. Visit us at http://communitypresbyterian.org.

Schadenfreude

"I'll tell you what the problem is. We have all these criminals because the judges are soft on crime. Throw them UNDER the jail and see what happens."

That little thrill you feel as you say this to your friends at McDonald’s, or wherever you hang out, is called schadenfreude. You are justifying yourself by wishing evil upon another, and you are deriving pleasure from imagining that outcome.

Paul reminds us in Romans that we are justified by faith, not by schadenfreude. We are justified by our faith in God, and we then have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace. If we look to the misery of others for our justification, we have turned our back upon God's offer of grace.

Click here to join the congregations of Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte Kentucky and the Chapel of St. Starbuck's the Jittery for this week's sermon on how we turn from God's grace in our sermon called Schadenfreude.

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us. Visit us at http://communitypresbyterian.org.

Cheap Grace, Lazy Faith

What do the words "saved" and "salvation" mean to you? What do you suppose these words meant to a mentally challenged slave girl or a minimum wage jailer in Europe during the first century? Today the joint congregations of the Chapel of St. Starbuck the Jittery and Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky talk about these words and others within the context of the three-fold relationship described by Jesus in John 17 and the stories of the slave girl and the jailer from Acts 16. Click here to join us for this week's sermon, Cheap Grace, Lazy Faith.

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us. Visit us at http://communitypresbyterian.org.

Leading Ladies

The Second Testament was written by men about the men's activities in the new church. The activities of the women didn't get nearly enough attention. Mother's Day is a good time to balance the scales a bit by talking about Lydia, the first convert to Christianity in Europe. Lydia was an important person in her community -- a dealer in purple. Her influence in spreading the Gospel isn't documented, but it's unthinkable that someone of her standing would not influence the course of her community, and the church at Philippi which became one of Paul's proudest accomplishments.

Today's service is special in another regard -- a gentleman who rejoices in the name Terwilliger Jones came by and offered to play the Offertory on his Zither.

Click here to join the joint congregations of the Chapel of St. Starbuck's and Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky for this week's sermon, Leading Ladies.

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us. Visit us at http://communitypresbyterian.org.

Getting Above Your Raisin's

I heard once of a child abuse case in which the child was beaten severely. The defense was that the grandmother was trying to "flop the child's liver" as she had been raised to do. The Lord only knows where this family got the idea that an infant's liver needed to be "flopped" or what that meant, but in practice it injured the child. Here in the hills, we have a saying, "Don't get above your raisin's" meaning not to act above your station in life or deviate from the way you were raised. I'd suggest that there's a better meaning: sometimes the way we were raised gets in the way of our hearing the voice of God. If we are to hear God's sometimes radical message, we must get above our raisin's.

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us. Visit us at http://communitypresbyterian.org.

Knock Knock

Sometimes it seems that the Gospel of Jesus Christ goes out into the world, and all you get back are the sounds of crickets. The world is such a consuming, dangerous, interesting, distracting place that it's hard to devote the time necessary to actually hear and react to the Gospel. Yet, in any time and place, there seem always to be a group of people, a remnant, whose involvement with the world gets interrupted by the Gospel -- who do really crazy things because they can conceive of no alternative. They're sort of the remnant. This week, we read from Revelation and John about the "flock" of Jesus. Spend some time with the joint congregations of the Chapel of St. Starbuck's and Community Presbyterian Church for this week's sermon, Knock Knock.

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us. Visit us at http://communitypresbyterian.org.

Rear View Mirror

Several things converged this week to create a vortex of "things to think about" so compelling that before I knew it, a sermon appeared of its own volition. The Pope spoke to the child abuse scandals and said that the church needed to repent. The Christian Science Monitor wrote a piece on a resurgence of interest in Calvinist theology. Most importantly, I was annoyed by a tailgater and complained to the Sexton at the Chapel of St. Starbuck's, (since the Archbishop is a silly sort of man no one pays any attention to), and received some good advice about where to put your eyes when you're driving. Come and join the joint congregations of the Chapel of St. Starbuck's and Community Presbyterian Church for this week's sermon on John 21, "Rear View Mirror".

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us. Visit us at http://communitypresbyterian.org

Mind Over Matter

Ah...the best-laid plans of mice and men. I forgot to turn on the mic this morning, so the sermon wasn't recorded. I had a graveside service right after church, but went back after we left the cemetery and re-recorded the sermon to an empty church. You'll have to provide your own laugh track.

The question is: what is the difference between faith, doubt and belief? How badly are we Christians supposed to beat ourselves up if we find doubt creeping into our minds as we read of the Resurrection? Is it necessary to rub salt into the wounds after we beat ourselves up, or is it enough to just let the blood dry?

Come and join the joint congregations of Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte and the Chapel of St. Starbuck's the Jittery as we talk about the story of "Doubting Thomas" in this week's sermon, "Mind Over Matter".

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us. Visit us at http://communitypresbyterian.org.

Confronting A Grave

The Resurrection isn't a rational event. Isn't that an odd thing for a preacher to say? But it's true. No amount of scientific study will ever explain the Resurrection. The Resurrection isn't a historical event. Historical events have witnesses. There are no witnesses to the Resurrection -- only the people who encountered the results of the Resurrection. Today, we have the evidence before us -- two pieces of cloth, two men who saw, one woman who encountered both grave and the risen Lord. This is the place where only faith will carry us, for logic, science, and rational thinking isn't up to the task. But where faith carries us is to the only place from which the Resurrection can be viewed -- the empty tomb.

Join the congregation of Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky for our Easter sermon, Confronting a Grave.

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us. Visit us at http://communitypresbyterian.org.

Confronting Your Faith

Jesus entered Jerusalem with issues. What played out so long ago, was an assault on the political compromises that had allowed Judea what little peace it had known over the last 100 years. As we begin Holy Week, the story of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem to confront the decisions which had made Roman occupation tolerable at the cost of the relationship between God and His people challenges us to confront the compromises we have made over the last year. Join the congregation of Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky for this week's sermon, Confronting your Faith.

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us. Visit us at http://communitypresbyterian.org.

Lizard Brains

When we're hurt by someone else's malice, we tend to think we are empowered to "Get Even" by doing whatever it takes to hurt them back. That's the limbic system of our brains -- the so-called 'lizard brain' speaking. Our role as Christians is to show the world that it is possible to put the lizard brain to sleep and to show to the world our true colors as the holders of God's Divine breath, for Genesis tells us we are composed only of dirt and the breath of God. Join the congregation of Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte as we talk about a recent kerfuffle at the Chapel of St. Starbuck's over America's use of civilians to pilot unmanned drones in Afghanistan in our sermon this week, Lizard Brains.

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us. Visit us at http://communitypresbyterian.org.

Let's Put on a Play

One of Jesus' most famous parables is the parable of the Prodigal Son, or, as Jesus actually named it, "The parable of a man with two sons". If we were to put on a play based on that parable, which roles would your life experience and character best fit you to play? Join us for this Sunday's sermon, Let's Put on a Play.

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us. Visit us at http://communitypresbyterian.org.

Wilderness Vision

How long would you have to watch a burning bush to notice that it is not being consumed? Would you invest that much time in it?

These are the two questions posed by the text from Exodus that describes Moses' encounter with the burning bush, and they are the questions posed to each of us during Lent, for Lent is the time in the church calendar when we are encouraged to leave the ordinary behind and to walk with Jesus through the extraordinary place called the wilderness. Join the congregation of Community Presbyterian Church for this week's sermon, Wilderness Vision.

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us. Visit us at http://communitypresbyterian.org.

Cutting a Covenant

In 1995 the Hubble Space Telescope took a picture called "the Hubble Deep Field". What it photographed was an apparently empty portion of space the size of a tennis ball held at a length of a football field. Hubble found 3,000 GALAXIES, each composed of hundreds of billions of individual stars. God is God of all creation. It seems He would have His hands full just dealing with the stars, but somehow, He loves us. Dust. Insignificant dust, on the scale of the universe, but special to God. How special? Join the congregation of Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky for this week's sermon, Cutting a Covenant.

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us. Visit us at http://communitypresbyterian.org.

The Wilderness Trail

We begin Lent by walking with Jesus into the Wilderness to define what His ministry will be. Along the way, we hear of three temptations -- alternate forms of Jesus' time on earth, if you like. Jesus rejects all three. In the course of it, we learn a bit about two "ministers" from the western United States who have recently begun praying that the President's wife should be made a widow and his children fatherless. Evil comes in many forms. This is one of them. Join the congregation of Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky for "The Wilderness Trail".

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us. Visit us at http://communitypresbyterian.org.

Santa Claus Glasses

Today is the last Sunday after Epiphany -- the Sunday we celebrate the Transfiguration of the Lord. This event, reported in all three synoptic Gospels, is one of the BIG stories of the Gospels. Like the Resurrection which it foreshadows, the Transfiguration is an event outside common experience. In day-to-day experience, dead Jews don't materialize and clouds don't speak to us. How does a 21st Century congregation receive these BIG stories of the Gospel? Could it be that our commitment to an objective understanding of the world about us has robbed us of the humility we need to confess that there is transcendent truth which is always beyond our understanding? Join the congregation of Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte for this week's sermon, Santa Claus Glasses.

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us. Visit us at http://communitypresbyterian.org.

Chasing Shiny Things

It was Boy Scout Sunday at Community Presbyterian and we had a great turnout. The text was from I Corinthians and we talked about a dispute that arose at the Chapel of St. Starbuck's the Jittery the preceding week. The Chapel is very ecumenical, so there are bound to be doctrinal differences from time to time. It's unsettling to realize that even different Protestant churches teach different doctrines, but it points up how important it is which church you associate yourself with. There's a lot more to choosing a church beyond asking if they have a youth program. Each church brings with it centuries of understanding and a unique teaching. Join us for our sermon, Chasing Shiny Things.

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us. Visit us at http://communitypresbyterian.org.

The Archbishop's Coffee

Capitalism is based on the sanctity of property ownership. And the more you own, the better you are seen to be doing. Sometimes, however, our emotional relationship to our property leads us into irrational actions. Just this week, for instance, there was a right kerfuffle between the Sexton and the Archbishop at the Chapel of St. Starbuck's over a trivial misunderstanding about the Archbishop's coffee. Join us to continue our study of Jesus' first haftarah at the Synagogue in Nazareth in this week's sermon, The Archbishop's Coffee

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us. Visit us at http://communitypresbyterian.org.

A Job of Work

Don McLean recorded a song titled "The More You Pay, the More It's Worth". Or maybe that was just the chorus. I'm old -- I can't remember anything anymore. The idea behind the song was that we value things by what they cost, rather than what they are worth. God's grace is free, but that doesn't mean that it doesn't call for a response from us. If we don't respond to God's grace, we are in jeopardy of devaluing God's grace in our minds! Christians have a job of work to do, and this week's sermon, A Job of Work, looks at Jesus' first sermon in his home town for clues about how Christians must go about gaining credibility.

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us. Visit us at http://communitypresbyterian.org.

Thumping Jimmy

Reading Scripture may be a lost art. More often than not, when the Bible is actually cracked open in the modern world, it's read in a scholarly fashion, or by someone looking to proof-text something they want to add authority to, or read with Enlightenment Eyes -- Eyes looking for explanations of physical events. Unless the Bible is read prayerfully, though, some very peculiar conclusions get reached. Join the congregation of Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, KY for the story of the Gospel of John in our sermon, Thumping Jimmy.

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us. Visit us at http://communitypresbyterian.org.

Looking for Goats

I pastor a Presbyterian Church, but my home church is the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). One of my congregation asked me this week how difficult it was for me to preach in a Presbyterian Church which understands the Sacraments differently than my home church. Baptism is one place where there's a big difference, and my impression of the understanding of Baptism among the laity made me think about my dad's initiation into the Order of DeMolay many years ago. Join the congregation of Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky for our sermon on Baptism from Luke 3:15-17, 21-22 and Acts 8:14-17, called "Looking for Goats".

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us. Visit us at http://communitypresbyterian.org.

Mr. Dumpty's Dilemma

If a player on a basketball team forgets his responsibilities to the team to draw attention to himself, we call him a hot dog, and the team suffers. If a cell in the body forgets its function and instead pursues its own aggrandizement, we call it cancer and the body may die. If we, perhaps overwhelmed by the conditions of life, forget that we are part of something greater, and pursue our own ends, we call that sin, and the Body of Christ suffers. Come join the congregation of Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky for this week's sermon, "Mr. Dumpty's Dilemma".

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us. Visit us at http://communitypresbyterian.org.