I Must be a Guest in Your Home Today
November 13, 2016 — Nancy Bancroft Readings: Psalms 139:1-18, Luke 19: 1-10 What a week! Whether your candidate for president won or lost, there was shock on both sides. For many, shock about the outcome of the election. Perhaps for all, shock in the realization of the degree to which are broken as a society. […]
This Little Light of Mine
November 6, 2016 — Nancy Bancroft Readings: Genesis 1: 1-5, John 8:1, Matthew 5: 14-16 Since Daylight Saving Time ended this morning at 2:00 a.m. I thought it apt to reflect on light. We had three readings this morning and I could have selected many others about this topic because scripture, both Old and […]
The Quality of Mercy
October 23, 2016 — Nancy Bancroft Readings: Isaiah 58:5-8; Luke 10:25-37 From the 1940’s to the 1980’s, Englishman Gregory Bateson worked as an anthropologist, social scientist, linguist, and in many other fields including cybernetics. He spent the last decade of his life developing a “meta-science” to bring together the various early forms of systems theory […]
Change: Good News, Bad News
October 9, 2016 — Nancy Bancroft Readings: Isaiah 61:1-6; Romans 8: 35-39 Several weeks ago I made a list of themes for each service for the rest of the year. I then sent the list to Michelle, Gail and the library ladies, so I’m kind of committed to these themes. The bad news is […]
The Harvest is Great
October 2, 2016 — Nancy Bancroft Readings: Deuteronomy 16:13-15; Matthew 9:35-37 The feast of Tabernacles is a harvest celebration and one of the three holy days listed in the Old Testament that the Israelites are directed to observe. Each of these feast days, Passover, Tabernacles and Pentecost, are meant to be joyful occasions. Today’s […]
Facing Giants
September 25, 2016 — Nancy Bancroft Readings: 1 Samuel 17: 2-50; Matthew 11:28-29 The Story of David and Goliath is likely a historical event. Just as likely, some of the details, such as Goliath being nine feet tall, were increasingly exaggerated through multiple retellings until the story was put in writing. Tales about giants […]
Sing to Yahweh
September 11, 2016 — Nancy Bancroft Readings: Psalms 98: 1-8; Colossians 3:16-17 It occurred to me as I prepared this sermon that by the time the settled pastor is in place you will know an awful lot about me, as I share examples of my life experiences with you. Here’s yet another: From 1981 […]
My Way
September 4, 2016 — Nancy Bancroft Readings: Isaiah 55:2- 5, 8-9; Matthew 20:1-16 Our first reading from Isaiah has the words, “Listen, listen to me, Give ear and come to me; listen, my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts […]
We are More than the Sum of Our Parts
August 21, 2016 — Nancy Bancroft Last January, at my first service as your interim pastor I used a children’s book entitled, It will be Okay by Lysa TerKeurst. In that service and through the sermon I hoped to reassure you, that no matter how good Jan had been as a pastor, and no […]
Simply Being
August 7, 2016 — Nancy Bancroft Readings: Exodus 3:9-15 , Luke 10:38-42 Some years ago, The Archbishop of Canterbury was rushing to catch a train in London. In his haste, he accidentally jumped in the wrong passenger car and found himself in one that was full of patients from a psychiatric hospital. They were […]