1 Kings 5:1-5; 8:1-13     Solomon’s temple – a place of sacrifice and divine presence. David says his plan out loud, and Nathan agrees. The God speaks, and David’s plans are undone. David will not get to build God’s house. Solomon will build God’s temple. And that is where we pick up the story. Hiram of Tyre hears the news of Solomon’s…

Worship at First Presbyterian Church of Marion, Illinois

October 31, 2021 – Foundational Words – Twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost (or Reformation Sunday)

Isaiah 58:3-10, 2 Timothy 2:23-25a, 1 John 3:16-18, 23, 2 John 1:5-6 This week we hear from Isaiah, Timothy, and 1 and 2 John on The Best Defense Against War and Terror Come and hear how one of the most well known prophets interacts with three of the shortest books in the Bible. Tom will…

October 24, 2021 – The Best Defense Against War and Terror – Twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost

Exodus 16:1-18            People complain, God provides manna.Manna requires faith in what God gives. This passage starts with words from us, from the people of God, in the middle of being delivered from slavery and death, in the wilderness, on their way to land of promise. Their words are not words of praise or worship or thanksgiving. They aren’t even words of…

October 10, 2021 – Words of Mistrust – Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost

Exodus 2:23-25; 3:1-15; 4:10-17           God’s name is revealed: “I Am.” Moses is a reluctant messenger, but God uses him to deliver Israel. Moses, like Jacob, sees something that he doesn’t see all the time. Moses is awake, while Jacob is asleep, and so Moses walks over to the burning bush, and responds to the voice that speaks from the bush. God reveals…

October 3, 2021 – The Words God Gives – Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Genesis 27:1-4, 15-23; 28:10-17   Jacob gets a blessing by trickery, flees,dreams of a ladder with angels ascending and descending. Receives God’s promise. It would be tough (impossible?) to tell then entire Jacob story in one Sunday, yet that’s almost what we’re going to do today. Hold on, here we go! The passages start with Isaac at the end of his life,…

September 26, 2021 – Words of Identity – Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Genesis 21:1-3; 22:1-14 God gives Abraham and Sarah a son in their old age. Abraham is told to sacrifice his son, but God provides the ram. I don’t think this is anyone’s favorite passage. It brings up far more questions than answers, and the ‘happy’ ending probably showed up on the 3500BC Jerry Springer show. Abraham and Sarah have received a blessing,…

September 19, 2021 – Word of Promise- Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost

Genesis 1:1—2:4a Creation by word; light, life; it was good. They say that the beginning is a very fine place to start, and that is where we find ourselves at the start of this narrative lectionary year. We probably know this passage. We may know that this passage and its content have been and are at the center of debates that have…

September 12, 2021 – Word of Creation – Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Hebrews 11:1-12:12, Often we use language without understanding where it comes from. Sometimes, we’ve lost the original meaning of the phrase. Catherine has heard about a great cloud of witnesses, and wanted to know where it came from. As she puts it, “the rest is context.”  So what is the context of the great cloud of witnesses? A first reading would indicate…

September 5, 2021 – A Great Cloud of Witnesses -The 15th Sunday After Pentecost

Luke 8:3, Luke 24:10 Joanna There are so many names mentioned in passing in Scripture. Part of our growing in faith is learning many of the names beyond the top line, and after learning the names, learning the stories behind the names.  Joanna is one of those. She’s healed by Jesus, she is married to power, and in passing it is mentioned…

August 29, 2021 – Say Her Name – The 14th Sunday After Pentecost

Matthew 17:24-27 This passage is nestled in between the second prediction of Jesus’s death and resurrection and the passage where the disciples ask who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. As such, it probably isn’t a passage that we’re exceptionally familiar with, which is part of why Wils picked it. (The fishing may also play a role.) There is a…

August 22, 2021 – Fishing for Taxes – The 13th Sunday After Pentecost

Mark 11:12-14, 20-25 This passage occurs around in intertwined with the triumphal entry into Jerusalem, the Palm Sunday passage, in Mark. Matthew also has a version of this story. Jesus enters, looks for figs out of season, doesn’t get any, curses the fig tree, goes in to the temple, chases out the money changes, and comes back the next day to a…

August 15, 2021 – Cursed Figs – The 12th Sunday After Pentecost

Ephesians 4:25-5:2 and John 6:35, 41-51 This week Dan Selock will present Ephesians 4:25-5:2 and John 6:35, 41-51.  “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” And, “I am the bread of life.  Whoever comes to me will never…

August 8, 2021 – Vital Congregations – The 11th Sunday After Pentecost

Exodus 16:2-4, 9-15, Ephesians 4:1-16, John 6:24-35 Granger brings a word.

August 1, 2021 – Picky Eaters! -The 10th Sunday After Pentecost

Benjamin and Tricia reflect on and share  about their service and ministry at LCC International in Klaipeda, Lithuania.  This is a great opportunity to hear about ministry in another place that we support.

July 25, 2021 – I Will Not Leave You as Orphans – The 9th Sunday After Pentecost

Titus 1:5-2:8, The elders of the church that are described in Titus sound great, don’t they? Trilby wants to know if they actually exist. I will remind you at this point that in 1915 (as recorded in the minutes) there were no suitable elders to elect in this congregation. The language here is important. Elders should. And yes, they should. Are they?…

July 18, 2021 – Should and Must – The 7th Sunday After Pentecost

As Christ's body we gather to worship throughout the year. These recordings include our Sunday worship, and worship on holy days. Our worship typically follows the PC(USA) Book of Common worship, and we worship in a traditional and informal style.

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Worship at First Presbyterian Church of Marion, Illinois

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