Scripture: John 1: 1 – 5 – Rev. Sarah Averette-Phillips and Rev. Jill Kirchner-Rose — In the Gospel of John, the author proclaims, “The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.” In a Zoom call, Pastors Sarah Averette-Phillips and Jill Kirchner-Rose reflect on the year and question whether the light still shines… especially in 2020. After all,…
"That Church"
Sermons by Jill A. Kirchner-Rose, MDIV, DMIN (Page 5)
Fourth Sunday of Advent – This year join the RUCC Youth Group and Friends on a warm and often humorous journey through the Christmas Story. We have a large, delightful cast. Also: piano accompaniment by Sophia Ohanian!
Luke 1: 39 – 56 Jill A. Kirchner-Rose, MDIV, DMIN We continue with our sermon series entitled, “Those Who Dream.” Ultimately, dreams sow joy, even if that joy doesn’t immediately spring forth. Sowing seeds into the soil always feels risky and feeble. How can something so small become something so beautiful, so big, and so nourishing? Like Mary, we are called to…
Mark 1: 1 – 8 Jill A. Kirchner-Rose, MDIV, DMIN – Every year on our way to Christmas we confront this strange-looking man in the wilderness with his uncombed hair, uncut nails, wild honey dripping off his scraggly beard and the smell of insects on his breath. His diet consisted of locusts. John the Baptist clothes himself in camel’s hair. He wore…
Isaiah 9: 2 – 7; Isaiah 40: 1 – 5 Jill A. Kirchner-Rose, MDIV, DMIN Everything starts with a dream. The prophets, the psalmists, John the Baptist, Mary, Elizabeth, Joseph, Simeon, Anna, the shepherds and the Magi—they were all dreamers. They listened deeply to God’s dreams for the world. During this Advent season, we are encouraged to listen to God’s dreams, too.…
Phillipians 4: 4 – 9 Jill A. Kirchner-Rose, MDIV, DMIN – When Paul urged the Philipians to reflect on that which is pure, pleasing, commendable, and praiseworthy, I doubt that he was thinking about amusing puppy videos. I do believe that he was inviting us to turn our attention from cynical politics toward that which is good, endearing, sweet, and amusing. In…
Mark 1: 14 – 20 – Jill A. Kirchner-Rose, MDIV, DMIN On this Covenant Sunday, we hear Jesus’ call to “Follow me.” Just as Jesus called the fishermen, the first disciples – Simon, Andrew, James, and John – so, too, Jesus calls us to drop our nets and leave our old lives behind. It is time to cast a new kind of…
Joel 1: 2 – 14 – Jill A. Kirchner-Rose, MDIV, DMIN – On this All Saints Day, we take holy time to lament. There is much to lament this year. We not only grieve the loss of loved ones, but we grieve hurricanes, wildfires, a country working out its legacy of systemic racism, and a global pandemic. We grieve that people are…
Jeremiah 18: 1 – 6 – Jill A. Kirchner-Rose, MDIV, DMIN – On this Art Show Sunday, Pastor Jill teams up with Artist Dee Dee Seek to deliver a visual message. Just as Dee Dee, a potter, creates, shapes, and molds lumps of clay into beautiful masterpieces of art, so, too, our Creator shapes and molds us as individuals and as a…
Job 12: 7 – 8, Jill A. Kirchner-Rose, MDIV, DMIN – Blessing of the animals is a favorite worship service at Redlands United Church of Christ. We love our pets! As we honor the sacred bond between humans and pets, we honor the rights of animals. While pets do not have a Bill of Rights, most would agree that animals, specifically our…