Sermons by Matt Smith (Page 23)
Bible
Matt’s message invites reflection on how we relate to the Bible. Some followers of Jesus argue “the bible says it, they believe it, that settles it.” Others reject Christianity for such simplistic worldviews. How might we relate to the Bible in our contemporary lives? Where do we start if we’re picking up the Bible again after many years away? How might we wrestle with the Bible as we make meaning of our lives? Matt’s message is rooted in Acts 17.10-12.…
Religion
Matt’s message is rooted in Mark 6.14-29. How might we respond to this text of terror? What might we learn from this Game of Thrones scene found in the midst of Mark? How might grappling with the complexities of scripture and tradition lead us to practice faithfully our spirituality AND religion? This is the first week in a five-week worship series on central concepts in Christianity.
Prayer for Charleston
We gathered with people of faith around the world in prayer & lament for the people of Charleston, South Carolina. Our prayer included sections of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Eulogy For The Young Victims Of The Sixteenth Street Baptist Church Bombing and Peace Stronger Than the Storm by Steve Garnaas-Holmes (Unfolding Light, June 20, 2015) read by Keith Dabney and Pastor Matt Smith.
Baptism at The Table
This is the final week in a three-week worship series on Godly Play and welcoming children at The Table. Matt’s message is rooted in the baptismal liturgy of our community (adapted from a liturgy by Marcia McFee), Godly Play’s story of baptism, and the baptism of Jesus in Luke’s Gospel. We will celebrate baptism on Sunday, October 25. We hope this message will help us in getting ready for the beauty and power of baptism.
Godly Play Brought Me to Faith as an Adult
This is the first week in a three-week worship series on Godly Play and welcoming children at The Table. Matt’s message is rooted in Isaiah 11.6 & Matthew 19.13-14. How do we welcome children? How might children lead us?
Birth Stories
Our worship series, This Christian Life, is based on the format of story telling curated by Ira Glass on This American Life. Our stories this morning are rooted in Acts 2 and invite reflection on church birth stories.
Waiting Sucks OR Forcing It
Our worship series, This Christian Life, is based on the format of story telling curated by Ira Glass on This American Life. Our stories this morning are rooted in Acts 1 and invite reflection on the tension between waiting and forcing.
All Means All
Our worship series, This Christian Life, is based on the format of story telling curated by Ira Glass on This American Life. Our stories this morning invite reflection on what it means to be a community that says, “All Means All.” We begin with the story of the gift of the Holy Spirit being poured out on “outsiders” in Acts 10.44-48. Act 2 is an original composition by Joe Kye called 11-8.
Unexpected Guides
Our worship series, This Christian Life, is based on the format of story telling curated by Ira Glass on This American Life. Our stories this morning focus on Unexpected Guides. How might the story of Philip and the eunuch from Acts 8.26-40 guide us to faithfully engage the complexities of gender identity and gender performance in the 21st century?
Crossover Tactics
This is the third week in our worship series, This Christian Life, based on the format of story telling curated by Ira Glass on This American Life. Our stories focus on Crossover Tactics.
Inside Job
Worship this morning is rooted in the Book of Esther. Esther’s Inside Job prevented the genocide of her people. Matt and Linda also share stories on the Inside Jobs of Robert McAfee & Sydney Thomson Brown and Bishop Mel Talbert. What Inside Job might God be calling you to?
Weighing What Matters
This is the first-week in our new worship series, This Christian Life, based on the format of story telling curated by Ira Glass on This American Life. Our stories focus on Weighing What Matters.