Sermons by Rev. Mike Harrell
Being Awake to God
Jacob is desperately seeking to get far away from a family situation that has imploded. Seized by a mixture of guilt, shame, and fear he runs off trying to put as much distance between him and his family as possible. He lays down to sleep in the midst of a rocky wilderness feeling as desolate and lonely as his surroundings. While he sleeps, he dreams of a ladder stretching from heaven to earth and recognizes the abiding presence of God…
Alive In The World
Lent was originally a season for new converts to learn and prepare for their baptism on Easter. During that time, they would study what was central to Christianity. As we enter this new series, we study what is central to Jesus’ life and ministry: radical welcome, love for neighbor, care for the vulnerable, nourishment for the hungry, nonviolence in the face of injustice. At the heart of Jesus’ teachings, we find liberation, love, mercy, and grace—all of which are meant…
Inspiring Us To Act
This Sunday we will observe Palm Sunday. Palm Sunday marks the beginning of the final week of Jesus’ life, a span of time that Christian tradition has come to refer to as Holy Week. While the week culminates in the events of Good Friday and Easter, the movement through the entire week tells us of significant interactions with followers as well as definitive confrontations with adversaries, each of which brings greater clarity about how Jesus understood his mission, to incarnate…
Great Love for God & Neighbor
John’s Gospel doesn’t begin with a temptation story but instead opens Jesus’ ministry with a wedding miracle, a miracle Jesus enacted seemingly for the sole purpose of expanding joy by keeping the good vibes flowing (literally). It may feel a bit lavish to start the season of Lent with a wedding banquet, but the good news begins with joy. This week we focus on the subversive and playful nature of the good news. The kin-dom of heaven is so good…
JESUS NAMES HIS VALUES
This week we continue to ponder the question “Who is this?” as we encounter Jesus through the stories of some of his earliest ministry experiences in Matthew’s Gospel. As both Pastor Kelly and Pastor Jorge have already alluded to, this is a question that echoes around Jesus throughout his ministry and also directly impacts who we understand ourselves to be as a people who seek to follow in his way with passion and purpose today. Our scripture reading for this…
BAPTISM OF THE LORD
Matthew 3:13-3:17 (CEB) The story of Jesus’ baptism is very similar between Matthew, Mark, and Luke’s versions of the Gospel. John’s version of the Gospel alludes to it but doesn’t actually describe the event. In all the different versions, his baptism provides an opportunity for Jesus to be publicly identified as God’s beloved child. But baptism is never solely about the individual but rather it is a communal act that seeks to encompass all of us. Excerpts from Karri Alldredge’s…
From Wounds to Welcome: Healing from Religious Trauma
This week we continue a 3 week series at the Table called The Body Keeps the Score / The Body Rises – A trauma-informed journey into resurrection hope and welcome guest Rev. Mike Harrell to share today’s Message. Worship online with thetable.live. CCLI #805699 / CCLI Streaming #094804
Abide
This worship series is inspired by our community of faith’s Deep Commitments for 2025 and will celebrate the diverse ways God shows up in our lives and the world. A number of people expressed a longing to root their lives in grace by more intentionally deconstructing the toxic images of God which have shaped them. Many in our community are hoping to work this coming year on letting go of harmful images of God while opening up to the new…
Good trouble
Worship online with thetable.live. CCLI #805699 / CCLI Streaming #094804
