Pastor Percipia

     For full message, see link  at bottom   For several years in the early 2000’s, my husband and I didn’t ‘go to church.’ We were two of many, many people, particularly in North America, whose imaginations and whose hearts were caught up by the ‘Missional Church’ movement.  That movement was fueled by an increase in Christian bloggers, which provided people like us, living in a smaller town with not a lot of internet access up to that point, with a greater awareness of other opinions, traditions, and perspectives. It gave us some insight into ancient writers like St. Ambrose, John Chrysostom, Ignatius of Loyola, and Hildegard Von Bingen. These writers had a passion for Jesus, as well as insights and ideas that we found inspiring.   Alongside that growing awareness of other Church traditions, seeing what was happening in our world (watching TV and reading the newspaper (back when that was a thing) and seeing the impact of our culture’s shift into...

       For full message, see link  at bottom   Of all the theories that seek to explain the identities of the two disciples on the Emmaus road, it makes the most sense to me that it was Cleopas and Mary, a married couple who apparently had kids old enough to have been finding their own way home after Passover. Mary and Cleopas were empty nesters, mature adults, who’ve lived their lives together for decades. They’ve raised their kids. They've discovered Jesus. They’ve been following Him closely enough to be present with Him in Jerusalem on that final Passover. They may have been present at the Last Supper. They may have been present in those days of waiting between Jesus’ death and resurrection. But now it’s over and it's time for them to head back home. These are just two ordinary people, among the crowds and clusters of pilgrims streaming out of Jerusalem in every direction after Passover. Cleopas and Mary would have been heading westward, towards their o...

     For full message, see link  at bottom   T he seven last words of Christ , spoken as He hung on the cross :   F ather forgive them, for they do not know what they do.   Today, you  will be with me in paradise.   Woman, behold your son. Behold your mother.   My God . My God , why have you forsaken me?   I th irst.   It is finished .   Into your hands I commit my spirit.   Those are the S even L ast W ords of Christ .   Except they're really, really not . Jesus had more to say :   But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; He has risen, just as He said! Come, see the place where He lay. Then go quickly and tell His disciples, ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see Him.’ See, I have told you. Message delivered. Tag, you're it.   So they hurried away from...