Rev. Timothy J. Ensworth
That they may be one (Click on the sermon title for a .pdf copy)
John 17:1-11
May 28, 2017
Burma, Nicaragua, Liberia, Korea, and now Haiti. Why should we talk about Haiti? Because the people of Haiti need us? Yes. But that is only half of the story. We should talk about the people of Haiti because we need them.
Our group of travelers arrived in Port-au-Prince on a Friday night.… Continue reading ...
Seeing Jesus (Click on the sermon title for a .pdf copy)
John 14:15-21
May 21, 2017
WWJD. What would Jesus do? You’ve probably heard the expression. You may have worn the bracelet. WWJD. What would Jesus do?
It’s a cue, a reminder, to frame the decisions we make and the actions we take in the context of Jesus’ way of thinking and acting. … Continue reading ...
Life in all its fullness (Click on the sermon title for a .pdf copy)
John 10:1-10
May 7, 2017
Jonathan Yarngo has made his home among us. He was born in Liberia, but he has lived for twelve years now in the United States, in Minnesota and in Iowa. Four years ago, Jonathan became a naturalized citizen of this country.
Jonathan Yarngo has made his home among us, the members of the First Congregational United Church of Christ family. … Continue reading ...
That you may have life (Click on the sermon title for a .pdf copy)
John 20:30-31
April 23, 2017
That you may have life …
That through your faith in him, through your faith in Jesus, you may have life. Then or now? Someday or today? After you die or here and now?
The gospel makes no distinction: that you may have life, then and now, someday and today. … Continue reading ...
What is your name? (Click on the sermon title for a .pdf copy)
John 1:1-18
January 5, 2014
What is your name?
Two months ago, Dave Panicucci asked that question to the dozen or so children sitting on these steps at the front of the church. He wanted them to know that they matter to us, that they matter to us enough to want to call them each by name. … Continue reading ...
Open the doors! (Click on the sermon title for a .pdf copy)
Isaiah 49:1-6, John 1:29-42
January 19, 2014
Here we are. It’s a Sunday morning and we’re in church. I have chosen to come here this morning and you have chosen to come here this morning.
Do you come here because you want to feel safe? Because you want to come to a place where you can be yourself without fear of being judged or laughed at or belittled? … Continue reading ...
Fear not! (Click on the sermon title for a .pdf copy)
John 12:12-15
November 30, 2014
Last Monday evening, St. Louis County prosecutor Robert McCullough announced the decision of the grand jury: Officer Darren Wilson would not be indicted in the shooting death of Michael Brown. And then, on the streets of Ferguson, Missouri, all hell broke loose.
Now the story is about broken windows and burned-out buildings and National Guard troops. … Continue reading ...
Seeing is believing (Click on the sermon title for a .pdf copy)
John 1:1-18
January 3, 2016
Seeing is believing. But what if you can’t see?
Doubt, fear, depression, despair, anger, boredom overshadow our spirits. We are in the dark and we can’t see. And because we can’t see, we do not believe, and because we do not believe, we are not saved. … Continue reading ...
A woman’s gift (Click on the sermon title for a .pdf copy)
John 12:1-8
March 13, 2016
She made a gift to Jesus. Mary made a gift to Jesus, an extravagant gift. She took a whole pint of perfume, pure nard, and poured it out over Jesus’ feet. According to Judas, the perfume was worth about three hundred silver coins. Since one silver coin represented a day’s pay for a farm laborer, the value of the perfume was more than a year’s wages for a laborer working six days a week, or, in our money, about $18,000.… Continue reading ...
Loving God in a technology growing hectic lifestyle modern world (Click on the sermon title for a .pdf copy)
John 21:1-17
April 10, 2016
Loving God in a technology growing hectic lifestyle modern world
I will remind you that the sermon titles for the month of April were suggested by members of our current confirmation class. They submitted their lists anonymously, but I do know who wrote this one, one of our two confirmation mentors, Lauren Reisinger.… Continue reading ...