Filtering by Category: July 2024
Simply the Sermon for July 28, 2024: "137th Anniversary of Bethel's Founding"
On the 137th anniversary of Bethel's founding, hear Pastor Amy describe the features of faith in the American West. All those cowboys and renegades and explorers left their mark on churches like ours.
Simply the Sermon for July 21, 2024: "God Kneels at Our Needs”
Just like our very busy lives at times, the disciples were no doubt overwhelmed with the demands of the crowds who flocked to Jesus. We can read into Jesus' invitation to the disciples to "get away", our need for rest as well. But Jesus also didn't turn his back on the needs of the crowds. Even though exhausted, Jesus continued to heal and teach. And so, we too are called to focus on the needs of our neighbors.
Photo by Ashlee Brown on Unsplash
Simply the Sermon for July 14, 2024: "If Truth Be Told..."
Are we willing to stand up for the truth and for what is right even if it comes at a cost? Where do we find the courage to do so? John the Baptist and many others throughout history have provided examples for us of being faithful in the face of injustice. Pastor Russ' sermon is based on the rather gruesome story of John's beheading by King Herod in Mark 6:14-29 and is entitled "If Truth Be Told..."
Photo by Andreas Weilguny on Unsplash
Simply the Sermon for July 7, 2024: "Olympic Weakness; Sufficient Grace"
We may think of our weaknesses as just that...deficiencies, burdens, hinderances, embarrassments. St. Paul certainly could have thought that with his "thorn in the flesh." But instead, he realized that God could, by God's grace, turn his weaknesses into strengths...for the sake of the Gospel. Read II Corinthians 12:2-10 and then listen to Pastor Russ' sermon entitled, "Olympic Weakness; Sufficient Grace."
Photo by Heather Ford on Unsplash