By Oconee Presbyterian Church

By Oconee Presbyterian Church

By Oconee Presbyterian Church

By Oconee Presbyterian Church

By Oconee Presbyterian Church

By Oconee Presbyterian Church

Parish Associate Rev. Decatur "De" Rodgers preaches this week about the odd, surprising family tree behind Jesus. Despite all those surprises, God brought into the world God's own self in Jesus through those broken people, and that broken family. Surely, that gives us a chuckle as we imagine what God might be doing even now through our broken famil…

Isaiah twas foretold it... but what? He imagined a time and place where enemies would be friends, and those once dangerous to one another would be family, and a little child as the leader of that community. He begged God's people to look among the stumps for the little shoot of new, healthy growth. Can we see it? Can we believe it? Will we wait and…

On this first Sunday of Advent, HOPE Sunday, we hear how a prophet and poet wrote words of hope. He or she imagined entering a new Jerusalem and all the tribes were reunited. They were one community... with justice, prosperity, security, and peace for all God's people, not just for some but for all. Isn't that still our hope? Its hard to see it, or…

What is the "Good News"? On this Christ the King/Regin of Christ Sunday, we remember the key message of Christ... that God's Kingdom is here, and is coming. That was the core of Jesus' message. His preaching it challenged the authorities and powers so much, they crucified him for it. But it is still here, is still coming, and is still good. Do we b…

John was on the run. Why? For preaching the Word of God, and talking about Jesus. He ran through seven different cities and ended up running to the end of the world, the Island of Patmos. Those who could see the Kingdom with him understood. They too suffered persecution, and patiently endured. Those who couldn't see Kingdom chased him from town to …

John the Baptist's sermon to the crowds began, "You brood of vipers..." They heard him, and felt convicted, and asked, "What then shall we do?" Peter's sermon to the crowds included, "God gave you the messiah, and you along with your leaders killed him." They were cut to the heart, and asked "What then shall we do?" On both occasions, there was fir…

In the scriptures, fire and water imagery are often used about God, or even by God. Fire can block or can purify, can melt or mold. Water can cover or cleanse, can drown or baptize. Fire and Water have a life-giving purpose and have a life-changing ability. In this three week sermon series, we are listening to some of the Fire and Water imagery use…

Lots of people come to Jesus because they (or we) need something from him... healing, hope, direction, unconditional love. In today's readings, a rich ruler, the disciples, and a blind beggar reach for Jesus. He responds to them all, but not with what they expected. Instead, he sends them out to give back MORE than what they received. Life with Jes…

(Note: This week's live recording was lost and not live-streamed to YouTube or recorded for the podcast. Rev. Joel re-recorded the message for us on Monday.) The second line of our Mission statement is "Build Up One Another." But what does that look like? Jesus tells his disciples three different parables to might challenge our expectations around …

People often came to Jesus with intentions. Some came wanting their faith increased. Others came to be helped and served. Some wanted healing or answers. Others wanted entrance into the Kingdom of heaven. Jesus pushes back against all these reasons for doing church. If not these things, then why do we do church? Why do we invite others to church? W…

When Jesus sat with his disciples in the upper room the night he would be betrayed and denied, he broke bread with them and offered them his peace. His peace is different than any peace the world tries to offer. It is wholeness, oneness, integrity of thought, feeling, word, and action... all in tune with the Spirit, the spark of God put in us all b…

As Ruth the Moabite immigrant bravely comes into Judah with her mother-in-law Naomi, how will she be treated? There were codes in the Torah, Deuteronomy, about how to treat immigrants. But not everyone in Judah and Bethlehem was remembering or honoring those codes. Thankfully, Boaz did, and through the family of Boaz and Ruth, God chose to bring fo…

The book of Judges is so hard to read. It has violence against the natives in a land, against foreigners into a land, and against women. Right after Judges is the book of Ruth. In it, women are treated with more dignity. Foreigners are treated with welcome, hospitality, and generosity. Of those two sides of the story, Jesus is born from the Ruth si…

Jesus has a special way of recognizing the humanity in those the culture considered less than human. He often left the "normal" people to intentionally give his attention to the least in the culture... the women, the children, the oppressed, and the dis/differently-abled. Today, as CHrist's body, the church is called to be radically inclusive of th…

Jesus started his public ministry by gathering people into crowds and groups. Yes, he would get everyone that could hear together at once, just like we do in worship each Sunday. Then, he also set aside time and space for a smaller group to sit, study, eat, and reflect with him. To be a student, follower, disciple of Jesus means we show up for the …

Kingdom is coming! We try to remember that, hope for it, believe it. Kingdom is coming because of Jesus' faith, not ours, Jesus' faithfulness, not ours. Kingdom is coming for all God's people. There's nothing we could believe or do to make it come. There's nothing we could believe or do to stop it coming. Then, can we just sit back, relax, and wait…

We've heard it said God is like a parent. Today's scripture says that as well. But it also suggests God disciplines us, punishes us, makes us endure trials, and only does this to those who are GOd's children. Is that who this God is, as a parent? What if our English translation is misleading us? Rev. Joel shows us the Greek behind these four concep…

This week, Rev. Joel begins with a reflection on the political tensions in a "purple" church, and imagines how we as followers of Christ with diverse political opinions can somehow find our unity in pursuing the higher polis, city, kingdom of God. Then, Joel turns to Hebrews 11 and 12 to hear about the faith of Moses, and to wonder why that kind of…

After a three month sabbatical, from May through July, our pastor Rev. Joel returns to the pulpit. He comes back to us to share one of his goals for the Sabbatical... to focus on his own faith. Today, he begins a new sermon series on Faith, what faith is and what faith does in a community, using Hebrews 11-13. From Hebrews, faith is the "assurance …

The Pastoral sabbatical is over, and Rev. Joel is back among us. Joel isn't preaching today. Instead, Rev. Dr. Glenn Doak is our guest preacher today. Glenn preached Joel's first Sunday away and moderated Session all summer. On this weekend, there were two significant mass shootings in our country. Glenn decided to change all his plans, and preach …

Our pastor, Rev. Joel Tolbert, is away for a well-earned three-month sabbatical, from May through July. Meanwhile, this summer, we welcome guests to lead and preach. This week, we welcome Rev. Craig Topple. Craig helps us see the difference between work and rest, from the first story of creation, and from Mary and Martha. What does it look like for…

Our pastor, Rev. Joel Tolbert, is away for a well-earned three-month sabbatical, from May through July. Meanwhile, this summer, we welcome guests to lead and preach. This week, we welcome Rev. Hillary Shuford, the Executive Presbyter of Northeast Georgia Presbytery. She reads from the letters and gospels and invites us to know the peace, forgivenes…

Our pastor, Rev. Joel Tolbert, is away for a well-earned three-month sabbatical, from May through July. Meanwhile, this summer, we welcome guests to lead and preach. This week, we welcome Rev. Will Norman. The Revised Common Lectionary gave Will the tough text from Luke 10 on the good samaritan on the same weekend that immigration raids and childre…

Our pastor, Rev. Joel Tolbert, is away for a well-earned three-month sabbatical, from May through July. Meanwhile, this summer, we welcome guests to lead and preach. This week, we welcome Rev. Joan Stevens. Its Independence Day weekend in our nation, so Joan helps us hear God's wisdom and instruction in being a holy community. Rev. Joan Stevens pre…

Our pastor, Rev. Joel Tolbert, is away for a well-earned three-month sabbatical, from May through July. Meanwhile, this summer, we welcome guests to lead and preach. This week, we welcome Rev. Rindy Trouteaud. Why did Jesus have such an affinity for the youngest, and what did he mean by his lessons about children? Rindy invites us to include the ch…

Our pastor, Rev. Joel Tolbert, is away for a well-earned three-month sabbatical, from May through July. Meanwhile, this summer, we welcome guests to lead and preach. This week, we welcome our own Rev. Christin Norman, the Director of Children's Ministries. Christian along with many of the youth and children of the church will read and preach from t…

Our pastor, Rev. Joel Tolbert, is away for a well-earned three-month sabbatical, from May through July. Meanwhile, this summer, we welcome guests to lead and preach. This week, we welcome Rev. Craig Topple. Craig imagines with us how to hear and speak Wisdom all around us, and is preaching from Proverbs 8 and John 16.…

Our pastor, Rev. Joel Tolbert, is away for a well-earned three-month sabbatical, from May through July. Meanwhile, this summer, we welcome guests to lead and preach. This week, we welcome home our High Schoolers from Montreat Youth Conference (montreat.org). Different youth read and preach from Scriptures, and reflect on the theme of the week "Let …

Our pastor, Rev. Joel Tolbert, is away for a well-earned three-month sabbatical, from May through July. Meanwhile, this summer, we welcome guests to lead and preach. This week, we welcome Rev. Will Norman, the Presbyterian Campus Minister at the University of Georgia. Will helps us imagine the ways Jesus is Lord, Jesus is RISEN can and hopefully do…

Our pastor, Rev. Joel Tolbert, is away for a well-earned three-month sabbatical, from May through July. Meanwhile, this summer, we welcome guests to lead and preach. This Memorial Day weekend, we welcome Rev. Joan Stevens. Joan helps us imagine what it means to abide in Christ, be pruned, and bear fruit. Rev. Joan Stevens preaching John 15…

Our pastor, Rev. Joel Tolbert, is away for a well-earned three-month sabbatical, from May through July. Meanwhile, this summer, we welcome guests to lead and preach. This week, we welcome Rev. Hilary Shuford, the Presbytery Executive for Northeast Georgia Presbytery. Hilary invites us to find the Word of God alive and around us always, in all thing…

Our pastor, Rev. Joel Tolbert, is away for a well-earned three-month sabbatical, from May through July. Meanwhile, this summer, we welcome guests to lead and preach. This week, we welcome our own Director of Children's Ministries, Rev. Christin Norman. Listen as she guides us into seeing the motherly images of God, and reminds us of the fierce mama…

Our pastor, Rev. Joel Tolbert, is away for a well-earned three-month sabbatical, from May through July. Meanwhile, this summer, we welcome guests to lead and preach. This week, we welcome Rev. Joan Stevens, preaching Isaiah 42 and Luke 4, calling us to be the light of Christ and to continue Christ's mission into the world.…

Our pastor, Rev. Joel Tolbert, is away for a week of vacation, and then a well-earned three-month sabbatical. Meanwhile, this summer, guests will be leading and preaching. This week, we welcome Rev. Dr. Glenn Doak, retired pastor of First Presbyterian Athens. Not only is Glenn a guest preacher this summer, but he is also moderating the meetings of …

This Easter Sunday is Rev. Joel's last Sunday with us for a while, before he heads our for a well earned three month Sabbatical. Come celebrate the empty tomb, and let's listen for God's empowering call. Rev. Joel L. Tolbert preaching Luke 24By Oconee Presbyterian Church

We celebrate the party that was and is Palm Sunday. But why are there no palms in Luke's version? Why does he talk more about cloaks than palms? Would we still show and celebrate, and lay our cloaks, as gladly and boldly as we might wave palms? Rev. Joel L. Tolbert preaching Luke 19By Oconee Presbyterian Church

We've been studying and learning about 12 disciplines since the beginning of the year. Some were internal, some were external, some were communal. Now what? So what? How do we live into these disciplines? What happens to us, our family, community, and church when we practice these? Which ones do we pick to do first? Jesus carefully warns the discip…

When the younger brother is welcomed home and celebrated, the older brother refuses to join the celebration. What would it take for there to be no older and younger, no lost and found, no in-crowd and no out-crowd, but ALL to be together with the father celebrating? They kingdom come... Rev. Joel L. Tolbert preaching Luke 15…

After Jesus, the early church had many conflicts with those OUTSIDE the church. But eventually, the conflicts and disagreements arose from INSIDE the church. How would they respond when they disagreed with one another over something very important, like the Torah, the Commandments of God through Moses? They came together, spoke honestly and humbly,…

The gospel according to Luke ends differently than the other three gospels. In his telling, Jesus appears to the disciples, tells them the old stories of scripture again, then OPENS their minds to see all those old stories all over again in a new way. All the stories were always about Jesus. That means all the demand for obedience or faith, all the…

When the young man was given a share of the Father's property, and lost it all, the pathway home was wide open. But it was so hard, because it included confession. Confession is not the hard part. The failure is the hard part. Confession is simply the honesty with one's self and God and others about the failures already behind us. Confession is the…

Jesus stood up from the Passover table and became a servant. He could have kept his seat, and been served. But he wanted to show them, and us, what it really looks like to love in the kingdom... to be a servant to others. Let's listen to him, and remember how he served, and go and do likewise. Rev. Joel L. Tolbert preaching Luke 22…

No discipline has been more misunderstood and misused... Even the church and religion have misused it and abused others with it. Submission. What does it really mean to submit? Submit to whom? What do we lay down when we submit? What did he mean when he dared us to deny ourselves and pick up a cross, or when he asked us to love our enemies? These h…

Warning! The Audio from this podcast is not direct from the soundboard but indirect through a second microphone at the back of the sanctuary. Therefore, you will hear some other noises, like a baby cough, or a conversation. Do your best to focus and let those "tempting" voices fade away and stay with the Scripture and Sermon! This week, we learn ab…