First Presbyterian Church Of San Anselmo

Lesson: Matthew 4:12-23: This sermon explores how we are called to "be" - to be beloved children of God and to understand the sacredness of all our fellow human beings and all of God's creation - before we are called to "do" - to act in response to this amazing love.

Lamentations 2:18-19; 3:22-24; Ecclesiastes 3:1-8. There is indeed a "time to weep." The Book of Lamentations shows us the pattern of healing from grief: Express the pain, move to hope.

Luke 2:1-20: On Christmas Day we celebrate that God is with us, "Emmanuel" - with folks like us, and in folks like us.

Continuing a sermon series on questions about the Christian faith, this sermon looks at forgiveness: God's, and ours. Might forgiveness help our nation heal from the stark divisions revealed by the recent political campaigns and the presidential election? The sermon explores what forgiveness is, and what it isn't. It isn't saying everything is OK; it isn't approval; it doesn't require that anyone put up with hurtful behavior. It is freedom to move into a different future. Like love, it cannot be quantified.

Continuing our sermon series on questions about our faith, this sermon explores the New Testament use of the term "God's will," using the Lord's Prayer in Matthew's gospel and Paul's letter to the Romans, Chapter 12. "God's will" does not mean that whatever happens is God's will, nor does it mean God has a secret plan for each of us, but rather, that God desires that all things on earth be united in God's plan for the healing and wholeness of the world.

Continuing our sermon series on questions about faith, this sermon explores whether churches should take positions on controversial or "political" issues affecting human rights, poverty, and human health and well-being.

Lesson Psalm 73. Why might we choose to worship God? Worship is a spiritual discipline, loving people is hard and we come to worship to practice and to be changed by God's love to live more fully.

As part of a sermon series about common questions concerning the Christian faith, this sermon takes a look at the way Christians have interpreted Scripture to assume some people are insiders with God while others are outsiders. Jesus practiced the neighborliness he preached, and shows us God loves the whole world, not just part of it; not just some people.

Lessons: John 1:1-14; Genesis 1:1-3. Today we welcome guest preacher Yolanda Norton, Assistant Professor of Old Testament at San Francisco Theological Seminary. Ordained in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Rev. Norton is completing her doctorate in the Graduate Department of Religion at Vanderbilt University.

We understand the Holy Spirit to be the way God inspires, fuels, encourages and challenges us, but where IS the Holy Spirit? In the third of our fall sermon series, "We All Have Questions," we explore the ways the Spirit works in, around, through and with us.

Lessons: 1 Thessalonians 5:12-26; Philippians 4:4-7. Given that praying "for something" raises so many philosophical, theological and logical questions, what is the purpose of prayer?

Lessons: Isaiah 55:8-13, 1 Corinthians 13:9-13: To kick off our fall sermon series on, "We All Have Questions," the two pastors of First Presbyterian Church of San Anselmo share a dialogue about their own big faith questions.

Lesson: Luke 21:25-36. "Life is Advent; life is recognizing the coming of the Lord. Stand up; raise your heads. May it be so for you, and for me. Amen."

Lessons: Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Mark 12:28-34. "We are all God’s beloved children. God created us to need each other. God created us to love our neighbors, as ourselves."

Lesson: Revelation 21:1-6. "All are one in Thee, for all are Thine.” Thanks be to God for all the saints, past, present and future. Amen."

Lesson: Mark 10:46-52. "We have a Lord who is always ready to hear and heal, but who leaves us free to name our longing."

Lesson: Mark 10:35-45. "But God is calling you to some need, some need of which you may or may not be aware this morning. Look for it, find it, answer that call. Your life will be richer, more meaningful, more joy-filled. And a small corner of the world will be healed."

Lesson: Job 23. "Thanks be to God for communities to help us walk through dark valleys and painful silence; who help us cry out, who pray kumbaya with us, and who fill the loving gap when God is silent."

Lesson: Proverbs 31:10-31. "This morning’s passage in Proverbs hints that even when people’s expectations of marriage were entirely different from ours today, there was still this problem of unrealistic expectations."