So I ate dinner with my shirt off tonight…
Lest you fear, it is not a frequent occurrence at my house. In fact I don’t think I have ever eaten dinner at the kitchen table without my shirt on before tonight. However in this case it kept the peace and allowed my son to believe that [...]
For the past two years we have taken the girls of our youth group on a girl’s retreat. One of our youth families has graciously offered a family beach house for us to use. It is located in Holden Beach which is close to South Carolina (Will be important later). We always arrive late Friday [...]
Just in case anyone has missed the news, SOOHI – the Saint Mark’s Stretching Out Our Hands Inititiative is operational! On Sunday, May 3rd, we were fed a wonderful meal and given excellent workshop advice. For a first day, the effort was a roaring success. For a pastor to see and be part of ministry [...]
Sunday, May 3rd was “Good Shepherd Sunday” – a day which comes around in churches that follow the Revised Common Lectionary (a 3 year, pre-set schedule of reading throughout the Bible, used by many denominations world-wide); the day in which we hear the much beloved Psalm 23, and the Gospel lesson where Jesus says, “I [...]
March 22, 2009 – 11:59 pm
“Enough already! The world is full of Bad News! Where can we turn for good news? For a small price, the world has some suggestions but we know the only real source of Good News is Jesus Christ. Pastor Ben works from a very familiar text John 3: 14-21 which of course includes John 3:16. [...]
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Pastor Ben’s Message for the First Sunday in Lent, “Journey to Jerusalem: Temptation” Mark 1:9-15
sermon-simply-irresistible
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February 22, 2009 – 5:46 pm
Wow! What a response! Some 80 plus people packed into Anderson Hall last Wednesday night to help figure out how St. Mark’s might respond to those in our community being impacted by our current economic reality. Our worshipful work agenda invited us to a time of individual reflection and then into small groups. In the [...]
February 15, 2009 – 2:34 pm
In our text for the morning, Mark 1:40-45, we witnessed Jesus’ direct and immediate response to terrible suffering. By law…by custom…Jesus should not have touched the leper and yet in the face of such terrible suffering Jesus dared to stretch out his hand. Jesus said, “I do choose, Be made clean.” It was daring! It [...]
February 11, 2009 – 12:54 pm
In a resource I occasionally draw upon for preaching inspiration – Pulpit Resource, I recently came across part of an article from The Wall Street Journal entitled “So it’s come to this? Religion is good for your health? Body and Spirit: Why Attending Religious Services May Benefit Health,” by Kevin Helliker.
The article reads, “A growing [...]
February 5, 2009 – 4:44 pm
A couple days a week I am met with the sound of “Hey Chicken Fat” coming from the hall outside my door. As I swing my chair around to look out I am always met with the huge smile that crosses my little sandy blond haired friend’s face. I can’t help but smile when I [...]
