Sermon prep during a pandemic looks like Zoom discussions in our PJ’s (sometimes there’s coffee, sometimes there’s beer, depends on the day)
Pastor Jesse Christopherson (Milwaukie Lutheran) and Pastor Sara Gross-Samuelson (Storyline Community) explore both the call of Samuel and the call of Nathaniel and Phillip, and how the way we perceive the world, the way we see, listen, and know the world around us, impacts our perception of the Divine both in the world and in those around us.
Stori Long (Storyline Community) and Rev. Jesse Christopherson recorded this on Jan. 6th- a day where the factions and divisions in our country were brought to light in a stark and dangerous way. They discuss the day's events in light of Jesus' baptism, what it tells us about our own belovedness, and the hard work of reckoning with all that it means to live in our shared humanity.
Rev. Sara Gross-Samuelson (Storyline Community) and Rev. Jesse Christopherson take a deep dive into the mystery of Epiphany Sunday, the expansive invitation illustrated by these characters from the East, and the disarming message of their presence for us today.
Also, to make your experience better, bring a bingo card for every time we make a movie/literature reference! :)
We also have a very special episode of the Nake Sermon Podcast featuring so many people from our beloved communities that we partner with! On this episode Rev. Jesse Christopherson (Milwaukie Lutheran), Rev. Heather Riggs (Oak Grove UMC), Rev. Sara Gross Samuelson (Storyline Community), Pastor Anna Hoesly (Storyline), and Stori Long (Storyline Community) share some of their songs, literature, and Christmas memories that have shaped their understanding of the season, as well as reflect on the significance of the Christmas Story, both then and now.
We also have a special musical offering from local singer/songwriter Kit Taylor.
Rev. Jesse Christopherson of Milwaukie Lutheran Church and Pastor Anna Hoesly (Storyline Community) talk Isaiah 61:1-11 and the picture of shalom we find there. It's a picture that might look different than we would have first imagined, but with that comes the challenge to look for God and abundance not only in the places that we are used to. But don't worry, beloved, you're more prepared for that than you think.
Rev. Jesse Christopherson of Milwaukie Lutheran Church and Stori Long, Storytelling and Marketing Coordinator of Storyline Community, talk Isaiah 40:1-11 and the strange comfort offered there that calls us to wrestle with our mortality, our smallness, and our place in the forward movement of justice and mercy.
Forgive our brief giggle fit- Stori's cat (Bobby) makes an appearance on the video (more specifically Bobby's bottom and swishy tail- sermon prep is more fun with a cat)
Through the lens of the first week of Advent, Rev. Sara Gross-Samuelson of Storyline and Rev. Jesse Christopherson of Milwaukie Lutheran church wade through the hope of a post-exile world. What kind of people will we be after COVID? What kind of truths and realities will we no longer be able to ignore? Where are we heading? And how do we get there?
Rev. Sara Gross-Samuelson (Storyline Community) and Rev. Jesse Christopherson (Milwaukie Lutheran) dig into the parable of the talents, each sharing different and powerful interpretations. Is it an invitation to take risks and multiply our abundance? Is it an indictment of a system designed to protect the powerful and punish the marginalized? Have a listen and see what you think! Parables, like eggs, can be served in more ways than one.
Rev. Sara Gross-Samuelson and Stori Long dig into this week's lectionary text, Amos 5:18-24. They talk the Day of the Lord, the uncomfortable work of communal justice, and how we get to that "ever flowing stream" of justice.
