Seattle Mennonite Church Sermons

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A Psalm that is an acrostic poem (each line begins with each of the 22 Hebrew letters, in alphabetical order) was surely written by a poet, a writer, a creative someone engaging in a writing exercise. And therefore: paradox belongs. Poetry is not systematic theology, nor is prayer. So the Psalmist …

Jesus tells a story about day-laborers; a story in which day-laborers all receive a living wage and return home with both dignity and provision for the thriving of their families and communities. And Jesus says this is what God’s kin-dom is like. This is good news.  Matthew 20: 1-16 Series: Fall Se…

Joseph and his brothers are at an inflection point. Their father has died — maybe their only glue given the immense harm and hurt between them — and now they stand at a threshold, about to cross over into the rest of their lives. There was a “before,” and now begins an “after.” What comes next for …

What if everything really comes down to love? What if the only thing we are meant to do is to love, then love again, then love some more? Can it actually be that simple? (Albeit, not necessarily easy!) We aren’t meant to love in the precise way that Dolly or Wendell loved, and it isn’t ours to have…

The kingdom of God - it should first be said - is NOT a kingdom. Jesus makes that pretty clear with his many dozens of “kingdom” parables eschewing crowns and rulers for seeds and bread. It was always a cheeky and politically provocative move for Jesus to use the language of “kingdom.” Some days we…

Are we the soil, the seed or the sower? Traditional teachings of this parable often cast people as the soil and Christ as the seed. What if we are being called to be sowers? Extravagant sowers who do not need to be concerned with the quality of the soil. Join Beth Miller Kraybill as she reflects on…

Join us as Tyler, Beth, Melissa, Ken and Deren share what happened at the annual PNMC meeting in Albany, Oregon. There was humor, financial reports, connections between generations and with Mennonites we only see once a year or so. There were workshops and inspiring services, shared meals and servi…

Jesus says we shouldn’t store up earthly treasures. In the same breath, Jesus instructs us to store up heavenly treasures, and some of those heavenly treasures are also defiantly earthly. So go ahead and get yourselves the best treasures that earth and heaven can offer: treasures that may be truly …

Conference Pastor, Eric Massanari, calls us to examine how we define what it means to be human and how that affects our interpretation of the Sermon on the Mount. If we are by definition fundamentally fallen and flawed, the call of the Sermon seems impossible. What if we view humanity as potentiall…