Sermon by Reverend Dr. John W. Mann | September 1, 2024 Psalm 62 I was thinking about the readings for this week and how one line of poetry seemed to stand out from the rest: “For God alone my soul waits in silence…” (Psalm 62:5) What is it about our lives and our world today…
When You Can’t Sleep
Sermon by Reverend Dr. John W. Mann | August 25, 2024 Psalm 4 & 1st John 3:1-3 Twenty-five years ago I had a paper route. I would go out every morning at 3:00 A.M. and deliver the Star Tribune Newspaper in Minneapolis. I was usually home by 5:30 A.M. and I would sleep for a…
Desert Island Verses
Sermon by Reverend Dr. John W. Mann | August 18, 2024 1st John 4:7-21 One day a guy came to the door looking for work. I told him the work he was looking for was covered by another contractor. I said, “This house is a church manse.” He said, “Oh, are you a Christian? What’s…
Listening for Wisdom
Sermon by Reverend Dr. John W. Mann | August 11, 2024 Proverbs 8 During our trip to Japan in 2013 Lindsay and I observed some bad behavior from American tourists. The funny thing was that from their viewpoint they were acting normally. From the viewpoint of a different culture, they were being incredibly rude. We…
When There Are Leftovers
Sermon by Reverend Dr. John W. Mann | July 28, 2024 John 6:1-21 The Gospel of John provides an interesting balance to the story of Jesus in Mark. In Mark, the early followers of Jesus believed he was coming back soon. In Mark, the story of Jesus is quick. Get the word out because there’s…
A (Not So) Deserted Place
Sermon by Reverend Dr. John W. Mann | July 21, 2024 Mark 6:30-34 & 53-56 The story of Jesus in Mark reads like a travelogue. He is on the move; he is going places. And when he comes to what seems like an abrupt halt when he gets nailed to a cross, we may wonder,…
We Wonder Why
Sermon by Reverend Dr. John W. Mann | July 14, 2024 Mark 6:14-29 The reading from Mark’s portrait of Jesus is one that many preachers will avoid. There are more pleasant topics than someone getting their head chopped off – one of God’s prophets, no less. It’s difficult to come up with a spin on…
Dressed for Purpose
Sermon by Reverend Dr. John W. Mann | July 7, 2024 Mark 6:1-13 When I am out and about, I try to dress for the occasion. Whether working in the yard, going to the store, or leading a worship service, I try to dress in clothes that are fit for purpose. My wife Lindsay buys…
Divine Chance
Sermon by Reverend Dr. John W. Mann | June 30, 2024 Mark 5:21-43 In 2003 I was a commissioner to the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA). One day during lunch I sat down at a table with some other folks and introduced myself to the people around me. In the polite lunchtime conversation…
The Eye of the Storm
Sermon by Reverend Dr. John W. Mann | June 23, 2024 Mark 4:35-41 As we make our way through life, we live with history that serves as a reference point; a reference point to where we’ve been, where we are, and where we may be heading. We can’t always predict these reference points. If we…
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