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“Joyful Disbelief and Still Wondering”

By | 2018-04-15T15:49:22+00:00 April 15th, 2018|Sermons|

Sermon by Rev. Todd Weir April 15, 2017 Easter 3B  Luke 24:36-48 (In Eastertide, we have 40 days to reflect on the challenges of understanding the resurrection, and the whatever doubts and complications arrive theologically as we think about if we believe in miracles, are open to mystery, and want to have faith along with our questions.  Consider this part to of dealing with doubt, while living in faith. I believe, help me with my unbelief!)   The first Easter did not have any good music yet, no trumpets or handbells or “Hallelujah Chorus.”  Jesus arose without a sound track, no “selfies,” no PR firm coordinating Youtube videos, showing Jesus smiling with the common people of demographic significance.  (Also no Cambridge Analytica or Facebook fake news add placement to give you the Pro-Pilate point of view!)  So obviously there would be [...]

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What Are You Waiting For?

By | 2018-04-09T08:43:26+00:00 April 9th, 2018|Sermons|

Sermon from April 8, 2018 Rev. Todd Weir Scripture:  John 20:19-31 Jesus Appears to the Disciples and Doubting Thomas                                                            “I will believe it when I see it.”  How often have you spoken these words?  When I was a supervisor for housing case managers, my job was to check up on their work through their case notes.  My constant refrain was “If you did not write it down, it did not happen.”  I’m at the age where I trust paper trails more than my memory!  People often promise things, but when we have been through several disappointments, we might say, “We will see.”   When the disciple Thomas hears the other disciples [...]

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“Who’s Afraid of the Resurrection?”

By | 2018-04-02T08:50:07+00:00 April 2nd, 2018|Sermons, Worship|

Rev. Sarah Buteux Mark 16:1-8, Easter Sunday, Year B   This story I am about to share with you is a mystery. Year’s ago, I worked as a dorm parent in a girl’s private high school in Connecticut. Andrew and I had an apartment on the third floor where we lived with the juniors and seniors. My primary job was to be around in the evenings: to be a presence on the corridor between dinner and bedtime, oversee 2 hours of quiet study, and then relax and catch up with the girls before putting them to bed at a reasonable hour. Well one night, between dinner and study hall, while my door was open and girls were flitting in and out of my apartment, the phone rang. It was the school nurse calling to tell me that a [...]

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Palm Sunday: How Do You Enter Jerusalem?

By | 2018-03-26T06:53:07+00:00 March 26th, 2018|Sermons|

Sermon by Rev. Todd Weir March 25, 2018 Scripture:  Mark 11:1-11 What was it like in Jerusalem on that day we now call Palm Sunday?  Imagine -The energy level is intense as spiritual pilgrims flood into the city for the most holy Passover Festival.  People jostle in packed markets hoping to get a sufficiently large and tender lamb.  A vendor haggles with three customers to the get the best inflated price for his stock.  The Temple bustles with last minute cleaning and decorating, clinking coins are carefully counted, a cacophony of cattle, lambs and dove calls.  Roman Guards are posted, alert for pick-pockets and trouble-makers.  Scribes and rabbis are rehearsing their teachings, ready for arguments and debate on hot-button issues and the questions of pilgrims.  Both sides are aware that Jesus of Nazareth is rumored to be on his way.  [...]

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Look And Live

By | 2018-03-12T09:34:13+00:00 March 12th, 2018|Sermons, Worship|

Rev. Sarah Buteux Look and Live Numbers 21:4-9 John 3:14-21 Fourth Sunday of Lent, Year B I don’t know why, but we New Englanders are an intensely private sort of people. We don’t really like to talk to people we don’t know, and if we must make small talk we typically keep it as small as possible. However, there is one thing we will talk about, with pretty much anybody, and that’s…. (anyone want to take a guess?)… the weather. Seriously, how many of you have talked about the weather this week with people you don’t know? Yeah, me too. And man, has this been a week of weather. On Tuesday I went for my morning walk in the woods and it was just beautiful out. The sky was clear. The sun was warm. It was a gorgeous day from [...]

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Window Celebration

By | 2018-03-08T11:01:51+00:00 March 8th, 2018|Uncategorized|

The sanctuary of First Churches has been enriched by the spectrum of light streaming through the newly restored Rose Window and the Louis Comfort Tiffany “Stream of Life” window. The restoration of these two windows was financed by the awarding of a generous grant from the Northampton Community Preservation Committee. Funding for the restoration of the Tiffany window was made possible through the sponsorship of the Northampton Betty Allen Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution. This has been an exciting event for First Churches. The community’s willingness to support this project has made the restoration possible. Please join us on Saturday, March 24, 2018 at 11:00 am as we celebrate the reinstallation of these two windows. Reception to follow the program. R.S.V.P. appreciated (but not required) 584-9392 or admin@firstchurches.org Sincerely, Peg Whitham, Sue Stone, Marcia Kennick Window Celebration [...]

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Sermon: Time to Rearrange the Furniture

By | 2018-03-04T18:49:16+00:00 March 4th, 2018|Sermons|

Sermon by Rev. Todd Weir Text: John 2:13-22 (Unfortunately I felt sick and went home, but you might as well share the sermon since it has several current references.  Be sure to scroll down and watch the NRA video.)   Here’s a great trick question to stump your Fundamentalist/Biblical literalist friends.  When did Jesus go to the Temple and turn over the tables of the money changers?  Most people will say “Palm Sunday” because three Gospels place the story there, but not John’s Gospel.  He has Jesus in the Temple right here in the beginning of Chapter 2.  Jesus is baptized, calls some disciples, changes water into wine at the wedding in Cana, and goes right to Jerusalem and starts knocking over tables.  Mark’s Gospel, written first around 70 CE places the Temple episode at the end of Jesus ministry [...]

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Sermon: “Great Suffering”

By | 2018-02-27T07:37:22+00:00 February 27th, 2018|Sermons|

Sermon by Rev. Todd Weir February 24, 2018 Scripture:  Mark 8:31-38 I do not like this story, but it must be told.  It is the story of turning point in the ministry of Jesus, and it has great effect on any disciple who follows him.  It is a crossroads moment, and something that we all face, often more than once in a lifetime.  Suffering brings us to this moment, and we must choose wisely what to do with it.  Pain and suffering often mean- stop doing whatever you are doing.  It is hurting you!  But other times suffering comes because we are doing something hard, yet it must still be done.  Almost any life change brings a measure of suffering with it.  So how do we know the difference between unnecessary suffering which is best to avoid, and suffering which [...]

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Sermon: “Great Suffering”

By | 2018-02-26T10:52:00+00:00 February 26th, 2018|Sermons|

Sermon by Rev. Todd Weir February 24, 2018 Scripture:  Mark 8:31-38 I do not like this story, but it must be told.  It is the story of turning point in the ministry of Jesus, and it has great effect on any disciple who follows him.  It is a crossroads moment, and something that we all face, often more than once in a lifetime.  Suffering brings us to this moment, and we must choose wisely what to do with it.  Pain and suffering often mean- stop doing whatever you are doing.  It is hurting you!  But other times suffering comes because we are doing something hard, yet it must still be done.  Almost any life change brings a measure of suffering with it.  So how do we know the difference between unnecessary suffering which is best to avoid, and suffering which [...]

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It’s Not About You, But it Begins With You

By | 2018-02-18T14:27:20+00:00 February 18th, 2018|Sermons, Worship|

The Rev. Sarah Buteux February 18, 2018 Lent 1, Year B, Mark 1:9-15   How many of you here this morning grew up Protestant? And how many of you grew up Catholic? Of those of you who grew up Catholic, how many of you observed Lent? And Protestants, how many of you grew up observing Lent? That’s what I thought. When I was growing up “Lent” was simply as one more reason to loathe the late winter if you were Catholic and give thanks for the fact you weren’t Catholic if you were Protestant. Lent was all about doing without. It was a time to eat fish on Fridays rather than meat; a time to give up chocolate or caffeine or some other guilty pleasure because pleasure is sinful and sin led Jesus to the cross. So basically going without [...]

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