Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18 It is the first Sunday of Lent. I have been through a lifetime of first Sundays of Lent. And each one is different. Today, we did something I have never done before, nor have I seen it done before – we acknowledged the ashes of grief and repentance on the first Sunday […]
Seeing Us As We Are
Matthew 17:1-9 Today’s reading should make us feel right at home. The traditional site of the transfiguration of Jesus is Mt. Tabor, the mountain rising out of the plains in northern Palestine. Portlander, Plympton Kelly is thought to have given our Mt. Tabor its name, after the one in Palestine. Perhaps his view from the […]
Bell Tower Concert
Wednesday, March 4, 7 pm Kristen and Maggie of Earthtones Northwest will lead our concert and “musicking.” Earthtones is a long-time Parish House Partner with the church and Taborspace, who do healing work through music and gardening. Come and join this evening of fun and smiles. See what it feels like to be made whole […]
Light for the Path
Deuteronomy 30:15-20; Psalm 119:1-8, 97-105; Matthew 5:17-20 Picture in your mind a fresh-faced, playful young boy named Joey. He is all of about 8 years old and has been taking piano lessons for about a year. Joey has gotten reasonably proficient at playing “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” and is slowly moving on to slightly more […]
Light of the World
Matthew 5:13-16 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth…. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. (Genesis 1:1-2). So begins the light we find throughout the Bible. The very first thing God does is to create light. In the Kabbalah, a mystic tradition within Judaism, the ancient myth […]
Upside-Down Blessings
Matthew 5:1-12 Jesus has been teaching and healing long enough to have built a reputation. Jesus was amazing! He seemed to be able to cure every kind of disease. And he didn’t charge for this gift. He was also teaching and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God, but it was the healing […]
Souper Bowl of Caring begins now
In 1990, Souper Bowl of Caring began with a simple prayer from a single youth group: “Lord, even as we enjoy the Super Bowl football game, help us be mindful of those without a bowl of soup to eat.” Since then, more than $150 million has been generated for local charities across the country through […]
The Prairie Blossoms in concert February 5
Bell Tower Concerts presents… The Prairie Blossoms – Karen Kitchen & Mel Kubik Wednesday, February 5, 7pm in Copeland Commons …performing a program of contemporary and traditional Native American music, drawing from an engaging repertoire of tribally-specific American Indian songs: Lullabies, stomp dances, round dances, stick-game songs, planting songs, and more. Using their voices, a variety […]
Light Dawns
Matthew 4:12-25 It is the season of epiphany. Most preachers seem to offer from this text a call to discipleship, just like the one offered Simon and Andrew, James and John. Yes, of course, we are all called to be disciples of Jesus and to go into the world with him to welcome, inaugurate and […]
Come and See
John 1:35-42 After worship today, I will need to leave quickly. I am part of the installation commission for the Rev. Joshua Dunham, being installed as the new pastor at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Gresham – and it begins a 1pm. Covenant Presbyterian Church has called a new pastor, to lead them into a new […]