Prince Of Peace

Chad Brekke (Final Sermon) - The great theologian, Gerhard Forde, would often pose this question that every believer faces after the gospel is proclaimed; what comes next? After you have been claimed and made righteous, in spite of your own efforts, what comes next? This question points us toward an uncertain future, even as it reminds us that we do not go alone. Support our podcast here Watch the Livestream Follow us on Instagram Visit our Website

(Katie Rykal) Today we will gather with a group of young people as they stand in front of us to affirm their baptisms. They will take the promises that were made for them and make them for themselves. We will hear their words and stories. We will hear how their faith has been tested, and who has helped to shape their faith. We will celebrate them and rejoice with them. Support our podcast here Watch the Livestream Follow us on Instagram Visit our Website

Chad Brekke - As Pastor Chad prepares to head off into the sunset, let’s gather around for one last “ask the pastor” session before his retirement in a couple of weeks. Everything is fair game: the Bible, church, theology, retirement… Support our podcast here Watch the Livestream Follow us on Instagram Visit our Website

Chad Brekke - A wealthy boss was hoping that taking his religion seriously would get him in good with God. Even the disciples were shocked when they heard what it really takes. What hope do we have, they all wondered? What hope indeed.  Support our podcast here Watch the Livestream Follow us on Instagram Visit our Website

Natalia Terfa - Reflections on the end of nearly 20 years of ministry at Prince of Peace and how God leads us through moments of change. Drawing on Isaiah 43, we explore God's promise of hope, even in the wilderness, and the idea that God's new work is always unfolding. How do we hold on to the past while trusting in the future? What does it mean to embrace God's new things? Support our podcast here Watch the Livestream Follow us on Instagram Visit our Website

Natalia Terfa - Not too long after escaping Egypt, the Israelites long for “the way it used to be.” Never mind the many ways the old way was not good, healthy, or safe; they just knew what to expect and sometimes it’s just easier to do what you know than to stay in what you don’t. Sound familiar? Turns out God has a solution for this, and it might surprise you! Support our podcast here Watch the Livestream Follow us on Instagram Visit our Website

Chad Brekke - The disciples prove along the way that they truly do not understand the radical nature of the kingdom now at hand. They argue and wonder about which of them is the most powerful and important but none of them dare to ask Jesus. Today we find out why. Support our podcast here Watch the Livestream Follow us on Instagram Visit our Website

Natalia Terfa - In today’s Gospel from Mark, we see Peter at both his highest and lowest points—first getting it right, and then so very wrong. It’s easy to judge Peter for his missteps, but if we look closely, we might see a reflection of ourselves in his actions. How is Peter’s journey a familiar pattern for all of us, especially in moments of doubt and growth? How do we handle it when following Jesus gets tough, and what does it mean to face both the highs and lows in faith? Support our podcast here Watch the Livestream Follow us on Instagram Visit our Website

Chad Brekke - Have you ever gotten into someplace you really were not supposed to be? Maybe you moved down to better seats near the end of a ball game or found yourself up near the stage at a concert. People have always tried to limit access to Jesus to those with VIP status. Today we will take comfort in a couple people who found themselves in the front row! Support our podcast here Watch the Livestream Follow us on Instagram Visit our Website

Natalia Terfa - Today’s Gospel may seem like a simple instructive, but it’s so much more. This story is a call for introspection and asking good questions, especially in the midst of things changing. Feels like maybe there might be a word for us right now in there too, doesn’t it? Support our podcast here Watch the Livestream Follow us on Instagram Visit our Website

Katie Rykal - For some, the words Jesus speaks are simply too much and they turn back and no longer follow him. But not the 12. They knew what was in it for them. They knew the gift they received because they chose to stick with Jesus. Our young people have been on a similar journey this Summer. How have they lived out their calling as disciples of Jesus? How have they stuck with it, when it might have been easier to turn back? Support our podcast here Watch the Livestream Follow us on Instagram Visit our Website

Natalia Terfa - In these short verses from Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, Paul reminds the church how important it is to sing together - so that’s what we’re going to do today! Let’s sing! Support our podcast here Watch the Livestream Follow us on Instagram Visit our Website Song: Morning Has Broken by Cat Stevens Cover by Paul Koopman

Chad Brekke - As we wade deeper into a presidential campaign season, the guidance offered in this passage sounds more than a little out of reach. “Put away all bitterness, speak the truth, share with the needy, no wrangling, slander, bitterness, anger or wrath!” It all sounds a bit naive and unrealistic. But maybe this rich passage is much more than an advice column. Perhaps we are being welcomed into a new community, defined more by who we are than how we behave. Support our podcast here Watch the Livestream Follow us on Instagram Visit our Website

Natalia Terfa - Today’s Gospel story is a contrast in what the people want and what Jesus offers. But to understand it, we need to look at the entirety of John 6, especially what comes right before this. We want food and Jesus gives himself - what are we supposed to do with that?  Support our podcast here Watch the Livestream Follow us on Instagram Visit our Website

Chad Brekke - One was a lavish banquet held in the palace, filled with A-list celebrities and power brokers. This banquet ended in tragedy and despair. The other banquet was in a desolate place filled with hungry people searching for hope and healing. This banquet resulted in life-giving community. Invitations to these two very different banquets are always in the mail. Support our podcast here Watch the Livestream Follow us on Instagram Visit our Website

Natalia Terfa - This Gospel selection makes me tired just reading it. The reputation of Jesus and his disciples continues to grow and more and more people are seeking them out for care and healing. Over and over in this story we get images of the overwhelming crowds and work that is never done. AND over and over we are reminded that Jesus prioritizes rest, and teaches his disciples to do the same.  Support our podcast here Watch the Livestream Follow us on Instagram Visit our Website

Natalia Terfa - Amos sees a vision and speaks a hard truth. Wooooeeee do people not love it. What does it mean that God sets us a plumb line? What is a plumb line? What do we do with this prophecy and what might it mean for us today?  Support our podcast here Watch the Livestream Follow us on Instagram Visit our Website

Chad Brekke - Boy are the expectations high for Jesus! In today's gospel reading, he will lay hands on sick people and they will be made well but Mark seems to believe there should have been many more miracles during this trip. Jesus also has some unmet expectations of his own during this hometown visit. He is amazed by something he encounters there, not in a good way. So he hits the road again to teach, heal, and restore and also sends out the disciples to see how they do. Amazing. Support our podcast here Watch the Livestream Follow us on Instagram Visit our Website

Natalia Terfa - Jesus encounters a woman who has been sick for 12 years. 12. She reaches out and touches his cloak and he unintentionally heals her. When he asks the crowd what happened, she tells him the truth - the whole truth.  Support our podcast here Watch the Livestream Follow us on Instagram Visit our Website

Natalia Terfa - One of the oldest and longest running unanswered questions in all of history is why do bad things happen? Not just to good people, but at all? Why is there so much suffering? Why do I suffer? Why does anyone suffer? The book of Job is one tentative and unsatisfying step into answering the unanswerable.  Support our podcast here Watch the Livestream Follow us on Instagram Visit our Website