Category: Readings

We Journey by Stages Second Sunday of Lent Pastor Mitch Coggin March 05, 2023 Lent In her book, Speaking Of Sin, Barbara Brown Taylor wrestles with the difficult language used by the church, words like “sin,” “salvation,” and in today’s reading “born again.” I grew up in a community that used and thought we knew… Continue reading We Journey by Stages

The Land I Will Show You First Sunday of Lent Pastor Mitch Coggin February 26, 2023 Lent Last Sunday, 32 of us gathered after worship for discovery and discernment. We met to be motivated and energized as a community of faith. We didn’t begin by identifying problems, we identified assets with greater clarity. For example,… Continue reading The Land I will Show You

What Happens Next… Transfiguration Sunday Pastor Mitch Coggin February 19, 2023 Transfiguration Sunday There are many stories in the Bible to which we can relate despite the fact that they were written long ago. However, the story of the Transfiguration of Jesus, even by Biblical standards, is strange. Because it is so difficult to understand,… Continue reading What Happens Next…

Choose Life Epiphany Pastor Mitch Coggin February 12, 2023 Epiphany 6A Deuteronomy 30 is the end of Moses’s farewell address to the Hebrew people whom he led from captivity to the land they were promised in Canaan. He has been with them through thick and thin. He knows he will not go with them into… Continue reading Choose Life

Authentic Worship, Not Yours or Mine but Ours! Epiphany Pastor Mitch Coggin February 5, 2023 Epiphany 5A This week our worship committee met to discuss many of the elements of our worship together. We wrestled with the order of our worship, how we can enhance our singing together, and how we celebrate communion. Christine and… Continue reading Authentic Worship, Not Yours or Mine but Ours!

The Grace of Blessing Received and Blessing Shared Epiphany Pastor Mitch Coggin January 29, 2023 Epiphany 4A I felt extremely blessed this week by significant conversations with members in homes, care facilities and even in meetings with those who shared their stories of faith. They told of their connection to St. Andrew’s, past and present… Continue reading The Grace of Blessing Received and Blessing Shared

A Higher Calling Epiphany Pastor Mitch Coggin January 22, 2023 Epiphany 3A In the gospel story, Jesus comes upon Peter, Andrew, James, and John as they prepared their nets and fished, going about the routine of their daily job that was comfortable and familiar. We, too, get caught up in routines that are comfortable and… Continue reading A Higher Calling

The Basics of Service Epiphany 2A Pastor Mitch Coggin January 15, 2023 Epiphany Psalm 40 begins: “I waited patiently for the Lord.” Don’t you hate it when a scripture, a boss, a parent, or a teacher asks you to be patient? I know that being patient is difficult for me. Just be patient. Just wait… Continue reading The Basics of Service

The Benefit of Baptism Baptism of Christ Pastor Mitch Coggin January 8, 2023 Baptism of Christ This Sunday, referred to as Baptism of the Lord, is one of my favourites because we commemorate our own baptism when we were sealed with the name of Beloved and we mark our belonging to the family of faith.… Continue reading The Benefit of Baptism

Removing the Training Wheels from Epiphany Epiphany Pastor Mitch Coggin January 1, 2023 Epiphany A For me, it was a sudden moment of understanding. I remember the day I announced to my dad that I was ready for him to remove the training wheels from my bike. I was convinced that I no longer needed… Continue reading Removing the Training Wheels from Epiphany