Lent II 2020
Sermons
Sermon Date: Sun, 03/08/2020
Speaker: Dr. Gordon Mapes III
Bible Text: John 3:1-17
Sermon Date: Sun, 03/01/2020
Speaker: Dr. Gordon Mapes III
Bible Text: Matthew 4:1-11
Lent I, 2020
When was your last heart-to-heart conversation with someone? Perhaps it was with a spouse, trusted friend, a child. Today we begin a Lenten series, Heart-to-Heart Talks exploring conversations in the Gospels that prompt questions about our own relationship with Jesus. First up, Jesus and Satan.
Sermon Date: Sun, 02/23/2020
Speaker: Dr. Gordon Mapes III
Bible Text: Matthew 17:1-9
Transfiguration of the Lord 2020
I would not be surprised if at times the disciples looked at Jesus and said, “Seriously, Jesus, one more thing we have to get our heads around and understand?”
Sermon Date: Sun, 02/16/2020
Speaker: Dr. Gordon Mapes III
Bible Text: Matthew 5:21-37
Sixth Sunday After Epiphany
“So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that you brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift.” MT. 5:23-24
Sermon Date: Sun, 02/09/2020
Speaker: Dr. Gordon Mapes III
Bible Text: Matthew 5:13-20
Epiphany V, 2020
Sermon Date: Sun, 02/02/2020
Speaker: Dr. Gordon Mapes III
Bible Text: Matthew 5:1-12
Epiphany IV, 2020
Sermon Date: Sun, 01/26/2020
Speaker: Dr. Gordon Mapes III
Bible Text: Matthew 4:12-23
Third Sunday After Epiphany
“As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew, his brother, casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen. And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him.”
Sermon Date: Sun, 01/19/2020
Speaker: Dr. Gordon Mapes III
Bible Text: John 1:29-42
Second Sunday after Epiphany, 2020
One of the great truths of I’ve learned raising children is it is a two-sided coin, I love them with all my heart, mind, body and soul, and from infancy to adulthood they can be annoying to no end! I am sure they would say the same about their Dad. And note, I go down this road on a Sunday I know neither will be here! I am also chicken!
Sermon Date: Sun, 01/05/2020
Speaker: Dr. Gordon Mapes III
Bible Text: Matthew 2:1-12
Epiphany 2020
“When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy.”
Sermon Date: Sun, 12/22/2019
Speaker: Dr. Gordon Mapes III
Bible Text: Matthew 1:18-25
Advent IV, 2019
Sermon Date: Sun, 12/15/2019
Speaker: Dr. Gordon Mapes III
Bible Text: Isaiah 35:1-10; Luke 1:46b-55
Advent III, 2019
Sermon Date: Sun, 12/08/2019
Speaker: Dr. Gordon Mapes III
Bible Text: Matthew 3:1-12
Advent II, 2019
Sermon Date: Sun, 12/01/2019
Speaker: Dr. Gordon Mapes III
Bible Text: Isaiah 2:1-5; Romans 13:11-14
Advent I, 2019
Sermon Date: Sun, 10/27/2019
Speaker: Dr. Gordon Mapes III
Bible Text: Luke 18:9-14
This week, as our Journey to Generosity continues, commitment cards went out. If you have not received yours, please contact the office. Commitment Sunday is November 10, the day we are all asked to generously respond to God’s grace in our lives.
Sermon Date: Sun, 10/20/2019
Speaker: Dr. Gordon Mapes III
Bible Text: Luke 18:1-8
Sermon Date: Sun, 10/13/2019
Speaker: Dr. Gordon Mapes III
Bible Text: Luke 17:11-19
Sermon Date: Sun, 10/06/2019
Speaker: Dr. Gordon Mapes III
Bible Text: Luke 17:5-10
World Communion Sunday 2019
Sermon Date: Sun, 09/29/2019
Speaker: Dr. Gordon Mapes III
Bible Text: Luke 16:19-31
Sermon Date: Sun, 09/22/2019
Speaker: Dr. Gordon Mapes III
Bible Text: Luke 16:1-13
Sermon Date: Sun, 09/15/2019
Speaker: Dr. Gordon Mapes III
Bible Text: Luke 15:1-10
A friend once shared a prayer with me to be offered when something is lost: “Tony, Tony, Turn Around, somethings lost and must be found.”
I did some checking and discovered that the prayer comes from the Roman Catholic tradition. It is a prayer to St. Anthony of Padua, the patron saint of lost things.
Sermon Date: Sun, 09/08/2019
Speaker: Dr. Gordon Mapes III
Bible Text: Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18
“How weighty to me are your thoughts, O God!
Sermon Date: Sun, 09/01/2019
Speaker: Dr. Gordon Mapes III
Bible Text: Luke 14:1, 7-14
A Christmas or so ago, Susan gave me a smoker. Never having cooked with the “low and slow” method of smoking various meats, I read a few books, talked to a couple of people, but more than anything, I became a devotee of the “Do It Yourself” video.
Sermon Date: Sun, 08/25/2019
Speaker: Dr. Gordon Mapes III
Bible Text: Luke 13:10-17
Poet Thomas John Carlisle describes, in her words, the plight of the woman at the center of our text this morning:
Sermon Date: Sun, 08/18/2019
Speaker: Dr. Gordon Mapes III
Bible Text: Luke 12:49-56
Cantor Jennifer Rueben was recently in El Paso. On the trip she used $2,000 from her Norfolk, VA Synagogue to purchase $50 gift cards for Walmart. She donated them to an El Paso shelter that serves immigrant families. Her congregation wanted them to know they were glad they were here and that they were cared for from afar.
Sermon Date: Sun, 08/11/2019
Speaker: Dr. Gordon Mapes III
Bible Text: Luke 12:32-40
The flight was delayed because another flight had been canceled. The passengers at the gate became increasingly impatient as the wait dragged through the afternoon.
Sermon Date: Sun, 08/04/2019
Speaker: Dr. Gordon Mapes III
Bible Text: Luke 12:13-21
Well, we got back from vacation yesterday. We rented a small place down in Nags Head. It was a great week, good weather, a few adventures and time to relax, read and reconnect.
Sermon Date: Sun, 07/21/2019
Speaker: Dr. Gordon Mapes III
Bible Text: Luke 10:38-42
This story of Mary & Martha’s dinner party is guaranteed to stir up an argument. The story itself contains an argument. On top of that, down through the centuries, there have been countless arguments about the story.
Sermon Date: Sun, 07/14/2019
Speaker: Dr. Gordon Mapes III
Bible Text: Luke 10:25-37
We come to one of Jesus’ most famous parables, the good Samaritan. So familiar is the story, even non-Christians are likely to know this tale. Yet familiarity can also make it easy to lose sight of the message.
Sermon Date: Sun, 07/07/2019
Speaker: Dr. Gordon Mapes III
Bible Text: Luke 10:1-11, 16-20
Sermon Date: Sun, 06/30/2019
Speaker: Dr. Gordon Mapes III
Bible Text: Galatians 5:1, 13-25
Sermon Date: Sun, 06/23/2019
Speaker: Dr. Gordon Mapes III
Bible Text: I Kings 19:1-15a; Luke 8:26-39
He is afraid. He is exhausted. He has done all he can, so he throws in the towel, prays to God for death then does the one thing that gives him peace, he takes a nap.
Sermon Date: Sun, 06/16/2019
Speaker: Dr. Gordon Mapes III
Bible Text: Romans 5:1-5
Trinity Sunday 2019
Sermon Date: Sun, 06/09/2019
Speaker: Dr. Gordon Mapes III
Bible Text: John 14: 8-17, 25-27
Pentecost 2019
Sermon Date: Sun, 06/02/2019
Speaker: Dr. Gordon Mapes III
Bible Text: Revelation 22:12-21
Easter VII, 2019
Sermon Date: Sun, 05/26/2019
Speaker: Dr. Gordon Mapes III
Bible Text: Revelation 21:10; 21:22-22:5
Easter VI, 2019
Sermon Date: Sun, 05/19/2019
Speaker: Dr. Gordon Mapes III
Bible Text: John 13:31-35
Confirmation 2019
Sermon Date: Sun, 05/05/2019
Bible Text: Hebrews 11:1-3; 12:1-2 Psalm 145:1-5, 17-21
Easter III, 2019
Sermon Date: Sun, 04/28/2019
Speaker: Dr. Gordon Mapes III
Bible Text: John 20:19-31
Easter II, 2019
Sermon Date: Sun, 04/21/2019
Speaker: Dr. Gordon Mapes III
Bible Text: John 20:1-18
Easter 2019
Alleluia, Christ is Risen! The Lord is risen indeed, Alleluia!
Sermon Date: Thu, 04/18/2019
Speaker: Dr. Gordon Mapes III
Bible Text: John 13:1-2, 20-32
Maundy Thursday, 2019