Ask God a question.
Any question.
What would you ask?
- Why do bad things happen to good people?
- Why is humanity so violent?
- Why do natural disasters take so many lives?
- Is there a heaven, and will that jerk neighbor be there?
- Do all faiths lead to heaven?
Our new series beginning September 8 (on Rally Day) imagines that we have the opportunity to sit down and have a One on One with God or Jesus. As wild as that might be, those kinds of conversation are woven throughout scripture, from the Old Testament to the New. And you may be surprised that many revered figures of faith had complicated arguments and debates with the Creator of the Universe.
I was often raised with an idea that God, this Omnipotent, All-Powerful Force, was so holy and big and awesome that we just had to obey. But then I read scripture, and in scripture, people like Moses, Elijah, disciples, and Samaritan or Canaanite women do not hold back. They moan, they complain, they make demands, they push back. Sometimes, God changes God’s mind or at least shifts course.
What might this mean about how we understand our spirituality?
How could these kinds of intimate, fierce conversations guide us in our work as a church serving a diverse community?
Alongside our sermon series which will explore many of those stories, we will create opportunities for one-on-one conversations after church, a staple we learned from community organizing efforts. A wise leader in a labor movement once said that organizing happens at the speed of trust. We have to take time to know each other and our stories, specifically what makes us tick before we can move forward deeper into wholeness and justice.
I hope you come to worship open to learn something new about our faith stories and also about those in our church.
— Rev. Nathan Hill
Series Schedule
September 8 – Arguing with the Creator: Moses & God
Exodus 4:1-3, 10-17
Rev. Nathan Hill, preaching
September 15 – Shouting for the Messiah: Jesus & the Canaanite Woman
Scripture: Matthew 15:21-28
Rev. Nathan Hill, preaching
September 22 – Elijah Gets Fired
Scripture: 1 Kings 19:1-13
Rev. Nathan Hill, preaching
September 29 – Conversations at the Watering Hole: Jesus & the Samaritan Woman
Scripture: John 4:7-42
Rev. Nathan Hill, preaching
October 6 – World Communion Sunday: Jonah Complains to the Manager
Scripture: Jonah 4
Rev. Nathan Hill
October 13 – How to Impress a Disciple: Jesus & Nathaniel
Scripture: John 1:45-51
Rev. Nathan Hill, preaching
October 20 – Mom Says It, That Settles It: Wedding at Cana
Scripture: John 2:1-12