Thoughts and Prayers

Third Sunday of Easter 2018
Scripture Lesson:  1 John 3:1-7

Whenever tragedy strikes, we offer up our "thoughts and prayers."  Lately, there's a pushback against that instinct.  "Do something," people say.  "We don't just want thoughts and prayers, we want action."

And while there's a truth to that response, it doesn't mean that we should be thoughtless.  Or, frankly, that we shouldn't pray when things feel like they are getting beyond us.

Sermon Audio/Podcast Here:

http://www.poolpres.com/wordpress/2018-april-15-message/

Broken Windows

Second Sunday in Easter
Scripture Lesson: 1 John 1:1 - 2:2

Life is busy, and we know we're not perfect.  So what possible harm can it do us to let that little resentment fester, or allow ourselves that one little bias?  Surely that can't do our souls any harm.  Right?

From the first letter of John, a reflection on how those little broken things in our lives can pile up, allowing us to tolerate more and more mess...until we look around, and realize that it's all fallen apart.

Listen to sermon Audio/Podcast here:

http://www.poolpres.com/wordpress/2018-april-8-message/

Easter Foolishness

Easter Sunday 2018
Scripture Lesson:  John 20:19-31

With Easter falling on April Fool's Day, this year's Easter message explores what it means to be a fool.  Not a gosh-isn't-that-person-silly fool.  But a full on fool in the Biblical sense, the kind of person whose actions both tear apart community and sabotage their own growth.

The resurrection message of Easter shatters the foolishness of our world, and replaces it with something very, very different.

Listen to the Audio/Podcast here:

http://www.poolpres.com/wordpress/2018-april-1-message/