Peace is in the Now
June 12, 2016 — Nancy Bancroft Readings: Psalms 90:1-4; 12-17, John 14:25-27, 2 Thessalonians 3:16 The three readings today have two things in common; time and peace. Tough both are gifts from God, time and peace are often in conflict with each other. What is time? Time has long been a major subject of […]
We Are the Hands of God
June 5, 2016 — Nancy Bancroft Readings: Psalm 4; John 7: 33-36; 2 Corinthians 4:6-12 You’ve probably all heard this one, but it fits today’s theme, so I’ll share it. A small town was experiencing a terrible storm and local officials sent out an emergency warning that the riverbanks would soon overflow and flood […]
Mi Casa es Su Casa
May 29, 2016 — Nancy Bancroft Readings: Ecclesiastes 3: 1-13; Mt 10: 40-42 Memorial Day is a holiday that has evolved to incorporate a number of celebrations The holiday, originated as Decoration Day in 1868, after the American Civil War, when the Grand Army of the Republic, an organization of Union veterans, established it […]
Delighting in the Human Journey
May 22, 2016 — Nancy Bancroft Readings: John 1: 1-5; John 16:12-15 In Time magazine’s May 2 issue in which they list who they consider to be today’s 100 most influential people, there is a story about Nadia Murad, age 23. The article reads: “Nadia Murad stands in a long, invisible history of fierce, indomitable […]
One in the Spirit
May 15, 2016 — Nancy Bancroft Readings: Genesis 11:1-9; Acts 2:1-13 I think that the Bible is a beautiful and apt symbol for Union Church. As a unity in diversity, the Bible expresses its message in a rich variety of literary forms. The literature of the Bible is an aesthetically beautiful interpretation of divine […]
On Being Church
May 1, 2016 — Nancy Bancroft Readings: Leviticus 26: 9-13; Acts 2:41-47 As you know, we are awaiting the birth of our third grandson. Rachel and Christopher have been preparing their other two boys for Beau’s arrival. Kane was just 2 ½ when Mace was born, so he doesn’t remember the adjustment of not having […]
Do We Really Love Our Earth?
April 24, 2016 — Nancy Bancroft Anniversaries are important. In most cultures people celebrate the anniversary of their birth. It’s a time to be grateful for our lives, and for people who love us to also show that they appreciate us. Wedding anniversaries are also important celebrations. They are opportunities for a couple to show […]
Thoughts on Courage
April 10, 2016 — Nancy Bancroft Scripture Readings: Deut. 31 5-8; John 20:19-20 & Luke 24:37-49 From time to time I like to imagine myself in a gospel story. Doing so often gives me insights that I might not otherwise have. The gospels were written after about one hundred years of passing the stories […]
Show Me
March 27,2016 (10:00 a.m. Service) — Nancy Bancroft Readings: Psalm 96, Mark 16:9-14 May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be found pleasing to you, Oh God. Show Me A long, long time ago I attended college in Missouri. It’s known as the Show Me state, and Missourians are […]
The Rest of the Story
March 27, 2016 (Sunrise Service) — Nancy Bancroft Paul Harvey Aurandt better known as Paul Harvey was a conservative American radio broadcaster for the ABC Radio Networks. Paul Harvey, for any of you who may remember, had a distinctive style. His on-air persona was influenced by sportscaster Bill Stern, who had an emphatic manner […]