1200 South Carbon Street · Marion, Illinois
Faith Development – 9:00 AM * Worship Service – 10:30 AM

Worship 2020

December 20, 2020 – The 4th Sunday of Advent – An Old Story, A New Story

Luke 1:26-45 [46-56]     Announcement of Jesus’ birth to Mary; he will receive the throne of David. Much of the Old Testament contains stories about women and children. We remember the stories of women who did not have children, and who could not have children, until God intervened. We remember Sarah, and Rachel, and Hannah. We remember that the promises of God…

December 6, 2020 – The 2nd Sunday of Advent – How Far Gone?

Joel 2:12-13, 28-29    Turn to a merciful God, promise of the Spirit. As we look at our world, as we have throughout this year, and even decade, or maybe century, we often wonder along with the Psalmist, “How long, O Lord?” At times, we wonder how long God will put up with us, or if not us, them. Joel, on the…

November 29, 2020 – The 1st Sunday of Advent – Into the Lion’s Den

Daniel 6:6-27     Daniel in the lions’ den; deliverance; God’s kingdom shall never be destroyed. Daniel is perhaps most famous for this passage. It is one we learn as children. It has drama, and excitement, and lions. We may also remember Daniel and the fiery furnace, or Daniel and his weird dreams/visions. These are the high points of the stories – the…

November 22, 2020 – Christ the King – Getting out of the Middle

Jeremiah 36:1-8, 21-23, 27-28 and Jeremiah 31:31-34 Jeremiah has a word from God for the king and the kingdom that the king doesn’t want to hear. Jeremiah is barred from the God’s house, so he sends a scroll with Baruch to the house of the Lord to read the scroll. The scroll makes its way to the king, and as the king…

November 15, 2020 – The 24th Sunday after Pentecost – Touched by Fire

Isaiah 6:1-8 Typically the call of Isaiah is preached at things like ordinations, sometimes at graduations, or at commissioning of missionaries. We end up focusing on the end lines, “Here I am, send me!” When we do that, we miss so much from this encounter. Isaiah has a vision that puts him in the presence of God, in God’s throne room. Isaiah’s…

November 1, 2020 – All Saints’ – At the Edges

1 Kings 17:1-16 [17-24] Elijah is one of the big names in the Bible. People this Jesus is him, and that should place him in the power and memory structure of the people of God. So it isn’t really surprising that God does some work to keep Elijah alive during a famine. The first way in which God keeps Elijah alive is…