Starting with the most recent, below are Adult Sunday School lessons:
The Twenty-fourth Sunday After Pentecost 2020 (Lectionary 33 A)
The Twentieth Sunday After Pentecost 2020 (Lectionary 29 A)
The Nineteenth Sunday After Pentecost 2020 (Lectionary 28 A)
Dear Church,
When we are young, it is common for us to be scared of the dark. The unlit parts of our bedrooms, the dark corners of our basements, and the deep interiors of our closets are oftentimes spaces we care to leave unexplored. When we are unable to perceive our surroundings and visualize ourselves in safety, it is easy for us to become overwhelmed in fear. Perhaps this is why the metaphor of light in the darkness is such an enduring one, especially in our tradition of faith.
Each year, January marks the festival of the Epiphany of Our Lord. This ancient Christian observance finds us telling Matthew’s Gospel story of Magi following a star to visit young Jesus with gifts in tow. It’s a story of wonder, of journeying, of political powers and of a narrow escape from a tyrant king. The light of that star didn’t just lead these travelers to Jesus, but it also illuminated the threats of the world in scary ways. Perhaps the light shining in the darkness is a two-edged sword. Even so, shedding light on the scary parts of life helps us to navigate them and move through them, and reminds us that we are not alone.
May the ever-increasing light of January illuminate your lives, beloveds. May it shine and lead to you Christ, may it shine and illuminate our rough spots, and may it shine and remind us that as we step forward in life, one day at a time, we do so together.
Christ’s peace be with you,
Pastor Paul
Here you will find his message from the monthly Grace Note,
along with sermons from various Sundays and Adult Bible Study. Click for full Grace Note
A Special Message from Pastor Paul & Follow-up:
"Repentance and Racial Justice"
Commemoration of the Emanuel 9:
Special service from 6/17/20
Five years ago today a stranger was welcomed into Bible Study at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, SC. After the study ended, he opened fire, killing 9 of the people present in the name of white supremacy. The gunman grew up and was confirmed in an ELCA congregation, and is indicative of the continued, required work needed for us to repent of the sins of racism and white supremacy.
Today, along with our entire denomination, we commemorate the martyrdom of The Emanuel Nine. We give thanks for their faithful witness, grieve their deaths, and confess our own complicity in these systems of sin and death.
Take a few moments this evening to light a candle, participate in the brief liturgy (CLICK HERE FOR BULLETIN), and remember the lives of these siblings in faith. The video is below.
~Pastor Paul
Welcome to Pastor Paul's page!
5200 MAYFIELD RD, LYNDHURST, OH 44124
Installation of Pastor Paul on August 12, 2018
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