Sifting the Wind

You can hardly go around the block without running into a bumper sticker reading "God is good". Well, I suppose you could make that statement if you were as smart as God, but you're not, so you can't. When we attribute qualities to God, like being "good", we're saying that we have judged God's actions and in our wisdom concluded that God is OK with us.That can't be right.

That was the thinking, at any rate, of a monk who rejoiced in the name "Dionysius the Areopagite", or "Pseudo Denys"  as we know him. Come join the congregation of Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte (and Pseudo-Denys, or what's left of him) by clicking HERE for audio or HERE for 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.

Christmas Eve Candlelight Service

We invite all who wish to join us in this recording of our Candlelight Service on Christmas Eve to do so by clicking HERE.

 
⁸ And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. ⁹ An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰ But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. ¹¹ Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. ¹² This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

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.

Up in Smoke

So a remarkably common set of experiences this week encouraged me to ask, "Do we really live in a random universe which only has meaning if we choose to give it meaning?" That and the text today from the Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth made me wonder how we go about answering that question. Join the congregation of Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, KY for our sermon, "Up in Smoke" (which is not really the hellfire and damnation sermon you are imagining) by clicking HERE for audio or HERE for 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.

Fragile Glass

On a Sunday in Advent on which we should celebrate Joy, we find ourselves instead weeping for our brothers and sisters in Connecticut; fathers and mothers who must somehow look at toys, lovingly purchased for children who will never open them, husbands who must face the Christmas without their hero wives who laid down their lives for the children entrusted to them, first responders who must somehow process the grief they have witnessed.

During our prayer time for those who grieve my attention was drawn to our candles on the table. Wonderfully old-fashioned things, candles. Our modern world is no longer illuminated by candlelight. Instead, bright electric lights banish darkness into oblivion, allowing us to pretend that darkness does not exist. Although the smallest, most feeble candle can pierce the darkest night, it does not obliterate darkness. Instead, it drives it into the corners where, nevertheless, it can still be seen, always with us, always ready to close in upon a heart in which the light of Christ does not burn. Join us as we join the grieving parents of Connecticut by clicking HERE for audio or HERE for 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.

Something Remarkable

We are all children of our times. We see the world through the eyes of our culture. Seeing the birth of the Child takes better glasses and better language than our culture provides us, so it's no wonder we are often misunderstood. Christians are like visitors to a country in which there is no snow trying to explain snow to the inhabitants in their own language, a language which has no word for snow.

Join us for this week's sermon, "Something Remarkable" by clicking HERE for audio or HERE for 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.

Advent

It's the first Sunday in Advent, and a time to be joyous. I could, personally, be more joyful if Iran wasn't spinning Uranium into Armageddon. I'd be more joyous if Syria hadn't bombed a playground killing ten children. I'd be a lot more joyous if the Taliban didn't think that shooting a 14 year old girl in the head was something to take credit for. How are we supposed to approach Advent in a world so clearly gone mad? Well, I'm glad you asked. We're going to tell you. Join us for this week's sermon, "Advent" by clicking HERE for audio or HERE for 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.