Trinity UCC Millersburg

Sermon 6/30 A Recipe for Ministry . I don’t know which is better....Continue reading

Sermon 6/13 Limiting the ‘Buts’ of Discipleship . It’s a very short word! Only 3 letters! Yet it is one of the greatest hurdles to being a faithful follower....Continue reading

Readings for 6/13 First reading 2 Kings 2: 1-2, 6-14... 1 Now when the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. 2 Elijah said to Elisha, Stay here; for the Lord has sent me as far as Bethel. But Elisha said, As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you. So they went down to Bethel. 6 Then Elijah said to him, Stay here; for the Lord has sent me to the Jordan. But he said, As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you. So the two of them went on. 7 Fifty men of the company of prophets[a] also went, and stood at some distance from them, as they both were standing by the Jordan. 8 Then Elijah took his mantle and rolled it up, and struck the water; the water was parted to the one side and to the other, until the two of them crossed on dry ground. 9 When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, Tell me what I may do for you, before I am taken from you. Elisha said, Please let me inherit a double share of your spirit. 10 He responded, You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it will be granted you; if not, it will not. 11 As they continued walking and talking, a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them, and Elijah ascended in a whirlwind into heaven. 12 Elisha kept watching and crying out, Father, father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen! But when he could no longer see him, he grasped his own clothes and tore them in two pieces. Second reading Luke 9: 57-62 57 As they were going along the road, someone said to him, I will follow you wherever you go. 58 And Jesus said to him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head. 59 To another he said, Follow me. But he said, Lord, first let me go and bury my father. 60 But Jesus[a] said to him, Let the dead bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God. 61 Another said, I will follow you, Lord; but let me first say farewell to those at my home. 62 Jesus said to him, No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.

Sermon 6/6 The Voices Are Calling! . We live in a noisy world. Voices calling from every direction!...Continue reading

Reading for 6/6 Sermon The Reading: Mark 6: 14-29 14 King Herod heard of it, for Jesus’[a] name had become known. Some were[b] saying, John the baptizer has been raised from the dead; and for this reason these powers are at work in him. 15 But others said, It is Elijah. And others said, It is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old. 16 But when Herod heard of it, he said, John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.... 17 For Herod himself had sent men who arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because Herod[c] had married her. 18 For John had been telling Herod, It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife. 19 And Herodias had a grudge against him, and wanted to kill him. But she could not, 20 for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he protected him. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed;[d] and yet he liked to listen to him. 21 But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his courtiers and officers and for the leaders of Galilee. 22 When his daughter Herodias[e] came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests; and the king said to the girl, Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it. 23 And he solemnly swore to her, Whatever you ask me, I will give you, even half of my kingdom. 24 She went out and said to her mother, What should I ask for? She replied, The head of John the baptizer. 25 Immediately she rushed back to the king and requested, I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter. 26 The king was deeply grieved; yet out of regard for his oaths and for the guests, he did not want to refuse her. 27 Immediately the king sent a soldier of the guard with orders to bring John’s[f] head. He went and beheaded him in the prison, 28 brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl. Then the girl gave it to her mother. 29 When his disciples heard about it, they came and took his body, and laid it in a tomb.

Sermon 5/30 Glimpses of Truth . Some stories begin with catchy words....Continue reading