Harvard Avenue Christian Church

text :: Matthew 1: 18 – 25 theme verse :: But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream … (Mt1:20) // It would have been so easy, perhaps even reasonable and likely, for Joseph to give a ‘hard pass’ to the massive assignment […]

text :: Matthew 1: 1 – 17 theme verse :: “An account of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham.” (Mt1:1) // It’s a text that we skip quite often because it’s hard to read, but it’s here that we see just what it meant for the Divine […]

text :: 1 Peter 4: 7-11 theme verse :: “Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received.” (1 Peter 4:10) // No sooner than we’ve cleared the Thanksgiving Day table, our attention turns to the irresistible deals of Black Friday. Looking for that […]

text :: Acts 9: 36 – 43 theme verse :: “Peter put all of them outside, and then he knelt down and prayed. He turned to the body and said, ‘Tabitha, get up.’” (Acts 9:40) // The people of Joppa cared for Tabitha – a woman of generosity and talent, and a model of faith. […]

text :: Luke 18: 9 – 14 theme verse :: “…for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted.” (Lk 18:14) // ‘There but for the grace of God go I.’ It’s a quick and easy saying, thrown out usually to remind us and others of how good […]

text :: Isaiah 65: 17 – 25 // It is easy to let uncertainty guide our thoughts. The prophets reminded the people of God’s constancy and faithfulness. Even in moments where we are unsure of our capacity to give, or even of the need to do so, remembering God’s presence and steadfastness shows us that […]

text :: Romans 10: 8 – 17 theme verse :: “The scripture says, ‘No one who believes in him will be put to shame.’” (Rom 10:11) // Having gathered in wider circles, heard the word from God in our midst, and been renewed and transformed because of God’s great love for us, all that’s left […]

text :: Exodus 34: 27 – 35 theme verse :: “When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, the skin of his face was shining, and they were afraid to come near him.” (Ex 34:30) // Once we make room and gather, and take time listen to God’s voice, we come to understand that we […]

text :: 1 Kings 19: 9 – 14 theme verse :: “He said, ‘Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.’” (1 Kgs 19:11) // As we were drawn to the table and invited to be part of all that God is doing in Christ […]

text : Luke 22: 14 – 27 theme verse : “When the hour came, he took his place at the table, and the apostles with him.” (Lk 22:14) // If we’re going to consider our place in the world – our role to play in life’s master work – as people of faith, as those […]

text :: John 12: 20-26 theme verse :: “Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” (John 12:24) // Is it a ‘circle of life,’ or is it something even more profound? We […]

text :: Ecclesiastes 3: 9-22 theme verse :: “He has made everything suitable for its time; moreover, he has put a sense of past and future into their minds, yet they cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.” (Eccl 3:11) // On Being is a public radio show and […]

text :: 1 Corinthians 12: 12 – 26 theme verse :: “For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.” (1 Cor. 12:12) // Our bodies are highly complex and intricate network of systems and features. […]

text :: Psalm 104:24-35 theme verse :: “O Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom you have made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. (Ps 104:24) // Who’s caring for what and how is it to be cared for? The Psalmist names creation’s utter dependence of God to be the provider. […]

text :: Proverbs 8: 22-36 theme verse :: “For whoever finds me finds life and obtains favor from the Lord;” (Pr 8:35) // In Proverbs, wisdom is personified (Sophia), sharing alongside God in the creation of the cosmos. Lady wisdom also makes it known that listening to her is a matter of life or death. […]

text :: Luke 9: 10 – 17 theme verse :: “And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd.” (Lk 9:16) // Our denomination’s General Minister and President, Rev Terri Hord Owens, recently said: […]

text :: Mark 1: 14 – 15 theme verse :: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.” (Mk 1:15) // What do you believe? When the question is asked, we are usually prepared to offer some sort of mental checklist of ideas that […]

text :: Matthew 22: 34 – 40 theme verse :: “’Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?’” (Mt 22:36) // Jesus says that those who follow him will love God and love their neighbor. Frederick Buechner reminds us that ‘Jesus doesn’t mean loving as primarily a feeling. Instead, he seems to mean {it} […]

text :: Acts 2: 42 – 47 theme verse :: “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” (Acts 2:42) // Writer Kathleen Norris (Amazing Grace: A Vocabulary of Faith) describes worship not as perfect performance, but calls the worshiping body ‘Christ’s ragged band of disciples… […]

text :: Philippians 1: 3 – 11 theme verse :: “I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ.” (Phil 1:6) // Barbara Brown Taylor says, “To pronounce a blessing on something, it is important to see it […]