You Are Welcome
Sabbath Day Thoughts — “You Are Welcome” Acts 8:26-38 Not everyone feels welcome in church. Visitors or newcomers to churches can feel uncomfortable. On Sunday mornings as the church fills and old friends turn to one another in the pews to chat and catch up on the latest news, visitors may feel like socially awkward…
The Rock of Refuge
Sabbath Day Thoughts — “The Rock of Refuge” Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16 There are 120 million people worldwide in need of refuge this morning. Some are refugees, forced to leave their homeland to seek the safety of another nation. Some are internally displaced people, still within their homeland but driven from their homes. Persecution, war, ethnic…
With Glad and Generous Hearts
Sabbath Day Thoughts — “With Glad and Generous Hearts” Acts 2:42-47 She was just so darned cute. Strawberry-blonde curls, big blue eyes in a rounded heart-shaped face, a smattering of freckles strewn across her cheeks—what my Grandmommie referred to as the “Angel’s Kisses.” Strangers stopped in the grocery to pinch her cheeks. The batting of…
Songs and Stories for Eastertide
Sabbath Day Thoughts (and songs) — “Songs and Stories for Eastertide” John 20:19-29 This message includes hotlinks for each of the hymns. Click and sing along, if you wish! Our first hymn features words originally written in Latin in the fifth century. These lyrics have been sung by Christians to celebrate the resurrection for more…
Roll Back the Stone
Sabbath Day Thoughts — “Roll Back the Stone” Matthew 28:1-10 We all carry stones. Almaza a-Sultan shoulders the stone of injustice in her life in a Gaza refugee camp. Although her family has no connection to Hamas, their home was destroyed by bombs early in the Israel-Hamas War. Life in the camp is tough. Almaza…
What the Lord Needs
Sabbath Day Thoughts — “What the Lord Needs” Matthew 21:1-11 Disciples have been seeking to discern what the Lord needs for centuries. It started with those four fishermen—Peter, Andrew, James, and John. There they were, tending their nets on the shore of Galilee when Jesus came along with his invitation, “Follow me.” According to Matthew’s…
The Kingdom of Mercy and Grace
Sabbath Day Thoughts — “The Kingdom of Mercy and Grace” Luke 23:39-43 Jubilee is a Christian community and working farm set in the beautiful, rolling countryside of Comer, Georgia. For many years, until recent changes in our national immigration policy, the Jubilee partners welcomed refugees to their farm, offering a safe place to land for…
The New Commandment
Sabbath Day Thoughts — “The New Commandment” John 13:1-9, 31-35 Andrew Rice’s best friend when growing up was his brother David. Although the two shared a rebellious spirit as kids, with age they settled down to careers in journalism and finance. On September 11, 2001, Andrew was covering the Toronto Film Festival when their mother…
In the Midst of Chaos
Sabbath Day Thoughts — “In the Midst of Chaos” Matthew 24:1-14 Our world is feeling especially chaotic these days. It’s been a week since the United States and Israel launched a war against Iran. The images have been alarming: Tehran’s Mehrabad airport on fire, plumes of black smoke rising from the city, rescuers digging through…
Truth to Power
Sabbath Day Thoughts — “Truth to Power” Mark 12:1-12 Rachel spoke truth to power. For her senior year at Evergreen State College, Rachel proposed a special independent study. She would travel to Gaza with the International Solidarity Movement. There, she would live in community with Palestinian families, initiate a “sister city” project between Olympia and…
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Joann White 