Rev. Liz Goodman, Lenox & Monterey UCC

Christmas isn't a holiday for nostalgia, it's a holiday to press us more deeply into today and the future that how live now will bring.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Direct download: Its_Coming.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:25am EDT

John was great at being a herald. He fell short of being the messiah.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Direct download: Unquenchable_Fire.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:31am EDT

Remember to hope.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Direct download: Ready_or_Not.m4a
Category:general -- posted at: 2:51pm EDT

The coming of the son of man coincides with a lot of trouble. So, is it good news that we've got a lot of trouble these days?

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Direct download: Good_Trouble.m4a
Category:general -- posted at: 8:11am EDT

The last Sunday of the church year is a good time to wonder whether we're up for another trip around the calendar.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Direct download: A_Few_Options.m4a
Category:general -- posted at: 1:26pm EDT

Numbers are down in congregations across the county, maybe across the country. Endurance is the name of the game for the faithful. So, who's with me?

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Direct download: The_Skin_of_Our_Teeth.m4a
Category:general -- posted at: 8:10am EDT

The widow might have been happy to give her last penny to the Temple. Jesus wasn't happy for her.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Direct download: Tide_Up.m4a
Category:general -- posted at: 7:53am EDT

Jesus urges us to be as children. So what's stopping us from doing that?

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Monterey Church, UCC

Direct download: Hey_Kiddo.m4a
Category:general -- posted at: 7:37am EDT

Revolution? Resignation? Some mysterious third way?

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Direct download: You_Say_You_Want_a_Revolution.m4a
Category:general -- posted at: 8:39am EDT

Hell is other people--or maybe that's the kingdom of heaven. 

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Direct download: Enter_At_Your_Own_Risk.m4a
Category:general -- posted at: 8:08am EDT

Pay attention to the things that make your stumble on your way to God, and the things that help you get close.

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Monterey Church, UCC

Direct download: Hot_and_Cold.m4a
Category:general -- posted at: 7:30am EDT

The church isn't designed for efficiency. That said, there's no better time for manifesting the reign of God than now.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Direct download: Asking_for_Trouble.m4a
Category:general -- posted at: 7:37am EDT

Power is meant to serve the good.

Beware when power is put to serving power.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Direct download: Power.m4a
Category:general -- posted at: 7:33am EDT

Repentance, which is a change of mind, comes with repetition. 

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Direct download: To_Change_Your_Mind.m4a
Category:general -- posted at: 7:58am EDT

The moment when Jesus learned he was Christ for the world is an ugly one. Brace yourself for a moment when Jesus was't "the good guy."

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Monterey Church, UCC

Direct download: Far_Away.m4a
Category:general -- posted at: 8:00am EDT

Empires rise and fall, but the word of the Lord speaks as ever.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Direct download: Bare_Necessities.m4a
Category:general -- posted at: 8:18am EDT

Jesus invites us to bring our worst--and our worst is pretty bad.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Direct download: Sorry_About_This.m4a
Category:general -- posted at: 8:01am EDT

Remember that old summer camp song, "They'll Know We Are Christians By Our Love (by our Love)"? Turns out that was pretty good stuff.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Direct download: What_Do_We_Do_Now.m4a
Category:general -- posted at: 2:59pm EDT

In this age of kitsch, where can we can find what's true, authentic, bearing an aura as almost halo?

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Direct download: Mechanical_Reproduction.m4a
Category:general -- posted at: 7:57am EDT

Which will it be, couch or cross? 

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Direct download: Couch_Potato.m4a
Category:general -- posted at: 7:57am EDT

In Jesus we meet someone worthy of our essential followership.

Monterey Church (UCC)

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Direct download: Following_Up.m4a
Category:general -- posted at: 8:32am EDT

It is in any vent final word on the subject.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Direct download: Be_Cause.m4a
Category:general -- posted at: 8:22am EDT

Langston Hughes got it right. Nearly a century ago, he knew America is aim and aspiration. He was right: it was then, and is still.  America dies when our aspiration to be America dies.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Direct download: Interdependence_Day.m4a
Category:general -- posted at: 8:05am EDT

To have and to hold: the church asks a lot.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Direct download: Holding_Pattern.m4a
Category:general -- posted at: 8:22am EDT

Course correction: we've gotten God wrong.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Direct download: Together_We_Sail.m4a
Category:general -- posted at: 7:21am EDT

What if God really is at work in all things for good?

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Direct download: All_Shall_Be_Well.m4a
Category:general -- posted at: 7:35am EDT

As we set off into ordinary time, we've got quite a challenge to live out.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Direct download: Let_Loose_2.m4a
Category:general -- posted at: 5:58pm EDT

Pentecost, the event, comes after a protracted period of waiting for apostles. Sound familiar?

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Direct download: Pandemic_Pentecost.m4a
Category:general -- posted at: 7:40am EDT

This is a weird Sunday for celebrating. On the other hand, it might really speak to our moment.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

With thanks to Nappy Roots' for their song, Good Day.

Direct download: Bated_Breath.m4a
Category:general -- posted at: 8:26am EDT

Pull up a chair, it's story time.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Direct download: Story_Time_2.m4a
Category:general -- posted at: 6:02pm EDT

The church is a humanizing project. 

Monterey Church,  UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Direct download: Re-Centering.m4a
Category:Christianity -- posted at: 8:02am EDT

When you lay down your life for your friends, you're dangerous to the status quo, but you're close to the kingdom of God.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Thanks to Nahkane's "New Brighton" for inspiring the mantra that is the title of this sermon. 

Direct download: Never_Live_in_Fear_Again.m4a
Category:general -- posted at: 7:31am EDT

When astonishing truth claims is all you've got--that and a Resurrecting God.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Direct download: Durable_Good.m4a
Category:general -- posted at: 8:09am EDT

Are we hoping God will turn back time, or are we good with God redeeming time?

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Shout out to The Call for use of their song, "I Still Believe."

Direct download: I_Still_Believe.m4a
Category:general -- posted at: 8:14am EDT

Resurrection Day! Or might we prefer Insurrection? There's a lot these days to rise up against...

Alleluia!

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Direct download: Easter_Sunday_2021.m4a
Category:general -- posted at: 7:32am EDT

Palm Sunday reminds us of the two choices we grace, and encourages us to take the way of Jesus.

Thanks to Thievery Corporation for their terrific song Forgotten People.


Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Direct download: Which_Way.m4a
Category:general -- posted at: 7:28am EDT

Considering last week's Godly Play story in the light of this week's terrible events.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Direct download: Christian_Mass_Murder.m4a
Category:general -- posted at: 2:26pm EDT

What the ancient way of sanctifying time might mean for us in the age of Zoom worship.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Direct download: For_Now.m4a
Category:general -- posted at: 11:18am EDT

The rainbow signals a shift, if not in God then at least our perception of God. Jesus' coming confirms it.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

This features Guster's great song Two At a Time.

Direct download: Ruin__Repair.m4a
Category:general -- posted at: 7:56am EDT

Here we take a big breath before diving into the depths of Lent.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

This episode features Regina Spektor's great song "Laughing With."

Direct download: Skip_to_the_End.m4a
Category:general -- posted at: 8:24am EDT

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Direct download: Pandemic_and_Pandemonium.m4a
Category:general -- posted at: 12:34pm EDT

Ours isn't to fight. It's to wirthstand. We're not amidst a battle. We're amidst an arrival and an occupation of good and true.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Direct download: With_Stand.m4a
Category:general -- posted at: 8:18am EDT

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Direct download: Show_Up.m4a
Category:general -- posted at: 9:50am EDT

Storming the Capitol is a bad idea. Can we say that? Can we say there are bad ideas?

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Direct download: Symbolic__Diabolic.m4a
Category:general -- posted at: 4:26pm EDT

Words describe and create, so be let's be careful with them--careful with what you say, careful about to whom you listen.

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Monterey Church (UCC)

Direct download: Speech-Act.m4a
Category:general -- posted at: 11:03am EDT

Logos became flesh and lived among us? Really? Why?

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Direct download: Merry_Christmas.m4a
Category:general -- posted at: 12:38pm EDT

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