Tag: environment

The Simple Life

From our service on September 5, 2021, a sermon by Pastor Eric Stetson. Watch video below.


Many of us have heard the famous Shaker song, “Simple Gifts.” It begins,

’Tis the gift to be simple, ’tis the gift to be free
’Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be …

And so on, about the importance and joy of turning away from worldly pride and living the simple life.

In the Gospel, Jesus said, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” [Luke 12:15]. This was the preface to an extended soliloquy we heard in our Scripture reading today, on the topic of simple living and relinquishing our anxious grasping for more and more stuff [vss. 16-34]. Jesus made it clear that if we wish to live according to his faith, we should live for God and our fellow man, rather than the things of this world.

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September 5, 2021 Service: “The Simple Life”

Many great philosophers and religious teachers throughout history have taught that people should live simply. What does this mean, and why is it so important? In our fast-paced and materialistic modern world, it’s especially easy to get caught up in the desire for worldly things. But Jesus warns of the spiritual danger of accumulating more and more stuff. In today’s service, we explore the theme of the simple life.

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Technology and the Apocalypse

From our service on May 2, 2021, a sermon by Pastor Eric Stetson. Watch video below.


Most Christians can agree on basic teachings such as “love your neighbor” and “Jesus is Lord,” even though we might disagree about what those things mean. But there’s one teaching that was central to the belief system of the earliest disciples of Jesus that is very controversial today — so controversial that some Christians embrace it with relish while others avoid talking about it at all. That teaching is the prophecy of the coming apocalypse — the end of the age, perhaps even the end of the world.

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May 2, 2021 Service: “Technology and the Apocalypse”

In the past few hundred years, technology has profoundly changed the world. From heavy industry to nuclear weapons and the rise of artificial intelligence, what are the spiritual implications of these developments? Christians have long expected the end of the world. In this week’s service we ask: Will modern technology bring heaven on earth or the apocalypse? We also tell the story of Dorothy Day, a Catholic activist for peace and social justice, who opposed the dehumanizing extremes of capitalism and the threat of nuclear war.

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This Beautiful Planet We Share

From our service on April 18, 2021, a sermon by Pastor Eric Stetson. Watch video below.


This Thursday, April 22, is Earth Day, a global holiday for celebrating the Earth and the importance of environmental protection. Earth Day was first proposed in 1969 by peace activist John McConnell, who was the son of a Pentecostal preacher. Since then, it has grown to be observed each year by more than one billion people in nearly 200 countries.

In the Gospel of Thomas, an ancient collection of saying of Jesus that many people believe should have been included in the Bible, Jesus describes the mystical presence of God in nature: “Split wood, I am there. Lift up a rock, you will find me there.” [Thomas 77b]

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John Muir

From our service on April 18, 2021, a story of the inspiring life of John Muir, as recounted by Colin Mills.

TEXT & VIDEO “John Muir”

April 18, 2021 Service: “This Beautiful Planet We Share”

The coming of spring brings joyful reminders of new life, but science tells us our modern lifestyle is risking the future of our planet. As Christians, how should we see the natural world and our place in it? This Thursday we celebrate Earth Day — a time to reflect on the beauty of nature and the importance of protecting the environment. In this week’s service we also tell the story of John Muir, who felt called to explore the wilderness and became an influential conservationist.

WATCH VIDEO “April 18, 2021 Service: “This Beautiful Planet We Share””