It's the first Sunday in Advent -- the beginning of the church's year. Happy New Year! Entering into Advent, though, is more than Christmas presents, holly and ivy. The church teaches that it is a time for repentance and reflection, which doesn't sound half so much fun as presents.
To see why, join the congregation of Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Ky. for this week's sermon, And, So It Begins 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.
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Sunday, November 27, 2016
Sunday, November 20, 2016
A New Beginning
Some endings mark the secession of effort. Some endings mark the beginnings of effort, or a re-engaging of a commitment. On Christ the King Sunday, the liturgical year comes to completion. Join the congregation of Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Ky. for this week's sermon, A New Beginning 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.
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 New Beginning
Some endings mark the secession of effort. Some endings mark the beginnings of effort, or a re-engaging of a commitment. On Christ the King Sunday, the liturgical year comes to completion. Join the congregation of Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Ky. for this week's sermon, A New Beginning 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.
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.
Sunday, November 13, 2016
Let's Not Do This Again
We have completed the most toxic Presidential campaign of recent memory, and the population is still miles apart. It is a time of great testing, and an opportunity to testify, as Luke reports in our passage. I cannot get my arms around a faith which requires only that a believer confess Jesus as Lord and is baptised, then has no further responsibility, beyond going to church when convenient, until death. We are called to testify, not in the orchards where the living is easy and the fruit plentiful, but in the desert, where we huddle divided one against the other.
Join the congregation of Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Ky. for this week's sermon, Let's Not Do This Again 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.
Join the congregation of Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Ky. for this week's sermon, Let's Not Do This Again 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.
Sunday, November 6, 2016
Going from Hearing to Listening
Our current toxic political season has taught us much about how to bait and villainize our opponents, characterizing them as evil or apostate. We did not think this up in 21st Century America, but we may well have perfected it. In Jesus' time, His opponents lay in wait for him, hoping to ambush him in the same way we do on Facebook. How are we to relate to those who hold views different from our own?
Join the congregation of Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Ky. for this week's sermon, Going from Hearing to Listening 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.
Join the congregation of Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Ky. for this week's sermon, Going from Hearing to Listening 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.
Sunday, October 30, 2016
Lost in the Woods
If you think of "lost" in terms of future damnation, you will understand salvation one way. If you think of it as a present-tense condition, you will understand the movement of the Holy Spirit in a different way.
Join the congregation of Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Ky. for this week's sermon, Lost in the Woods 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.
Join the congregation of Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Ky. for this week's sermon, Lost in the Woods 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.
Sunday, October 23, 2016
Pretty Balloons
An old friend of mine is studying Buddhism. He told me of a fascinating conversation he had with his teacher, begun when he asked, "If attaining enlightenment is the goal of living, isn't that pursuit an attachment which can only block the path forward?"
His teacher thought a moment and replied, "There is a difference between attachment and focus." It made me think of the parable of the Pharisee and the Publican in this week's Gospel passage from Luke. Listen in and see if I have a screw loose, or if I stumbled on to something.
Oh, and prepare yourself. I forgot myself and began singing a Leonard Cohen song during the benediction. There were howls of outrage from musicians everywhere.
Join the congregation of Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Ky. for this week's sermon, Pretty Balloons 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.
His teacher thought a moment and replied, "There is a difference between attachment and focus." It made me think of the parable of the Pharisee and the Publican in this week's Gospel passage from Luke. Listen in and see if I have a screw loose, or if I stumbled on to something.
Oh, and prepare yourself. I forgot myself and began singing a Leonard Cohen song during the benediction. There were howls of outrage from musicians everywhere.
Join the congregation of Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Ky. for this week's sermon, Pretty Balloons 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.
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