Blog of FPC Lebanon

Bible Reference(s): Matthew 17:1-9 / Exodus 24:12-18 Sermon by Rev. Terri Thorn Every year, this final Sunday before Lent is designated as the Transfiguration of the Lord Sunday.  Every year the lectionary gives us some version of the same stories to use in worship:   Moses on the mountain, Jesus being transfigured on the mountain, and an epistle reading related to the acknowledgment of Jesus as the Messiah.  And every year, preachers are puzzled by how to interpret this very strange story.  Each year it is fraught with more questions than answers.  Take for example, the appearance of Moses and Elijah?  Is it symbolic of Law and Prophecy coming together in Jesus – is it God’s way of saying Jesus fulfills both of these?  Or, is it that Moses and Elijah are there to coach and encourage Jesus for the road ahead?  After all, they know first-hand how difficult it is going to be.  Could it be that they represent the "living and the dead" all u...

Bible Reference(s): Matthew 5:38-48 / Leviticus 18:1-2, 9-18 Sermon by Rev. Terri Thorn You shall be holy, for I, the Lord your God, am holy.  Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Personally, as soon as I hear the words “be holy” or “be perfect”, I am drawn back toward a time in my life that I've tried really hard to put behind me.  A time when being perfect meant fear of not being good enough...a fear of making mistakes. It takes me to a time of relationship-damaging driven-ness aimed toward what I know was an impossible goal.  Still, I thought that's what it meant to be a good Christian.  So when I hear God say, you shall be holy...or be perfect...I want to just say, "Really, God?  Do we really have to go down this road again?" This week the answer came to me loud and clear..."Why yes, Terri, we do.  I meant it then, and I mean it now...you shall be holy. My beloved church shall be holy." Still, it is intimidating to preach on the ho...

Bible Reference(s): Matthew 5:21-37 Sermon by Rev. Terri Thorn It is good to be back in worship with my tribe today, but I do have to thank you for the time away.  Gathering with nearly 60 other female clergy from all over the world for a week of learning and fellowship is always good for my soul; and having an opportunity to spend the week with Rev. Carol McDonald, who sends her love to all of you, was also a tremendous blessing.   However, the most surprising and best thing about the conference was the keynote speaker, Rev. Casey Fitzgerald who led us in a series of workshops on Biblical Storytelling.  During our time together, we were challenged to embrace the stories of scripture...to take them into our hearts...and to tell them to a world that seems to have lost touch with them.  We learned techniques for internalizing the scripture and for communicating them to others.  I can't begin to describe how inspiring this was, but suffice to say that I have p...