‘Dreams and Visions’ Ever wonder why we have a Nativity Pageant at church and each year? We never get tired of them. And here at Riviera, we have had all sorts of pageants and I am sooooo looking forward to the one we are going to have in just a few moments. I want to
December 2019 Dear Riviera Family, Are you excited about the Christmas season? Many of you might have conflicting emotions about what is referred to as ‘The Most Wonderful Time of the Year’. I have shared with you that I used to feel blue during the holidays and was able to finally experience the joy of
These impeachment hearings these past weeks have been an emotional rollercoaster for me as I am sure they have for you as well. On one hand, I have been so impressed by the people who have been called to civil service. The introduction of each individual who testified was awe-inspiring. I thank God for their
This morning we are veering off the lectionary for a week to study a passage that is near and dear to my heart. It gives us an understanding of not just our missional obligation as followers of God but a key into how we might gain a more personal relationship with God and actually experience
WELL….its Stewardship Sunday so it would be odd if I did not preach on a text that dealt with money. After all, there is no shortage of them in the Gospels. Jesus talks about money more than any other subject except the kingdom or realm of God…. That’s right, even more than love. Eleven of
Oh man…. Another week and another parable where I don’t like the characters. What is it with Jesus! What about a nice widow, or a caring shepherd, or a good Samaritan, or a generous father…. These people this morning make me really uncomfortable. The parable for this morning is called ‘The Parable of the Pharisee
Then Jesus[a] told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart. 2 He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor had respect for people. 3 In that city there was a widow who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Grant me justice against my
As the 20th anniversary of my ordination approached, I decided that the way I wanted to celebrate it was to write 20 letters to 20 people who had helped me become who I was. Some were professors in college and seminary. Some were life mentors who offered me vision and direction in who I wanted
This morning’s lectionary reading from Luke is just weird. It definitely seems like two separate thoughts and at first do not seem to have anything in common. The passage is found in a section of Luke which we refer to as just ‘Some Sayings of Jesus’…. Seriously, it is kind of like the writers of
September 29, 2019 Luke 16:19-31 ‘How Hard It Is to Hear the Message’ The Rev. Martha M. Shiverick You know the joke…A hurricane has come and the waters are rising. The waters rise to the first floor of the house and a home owner prays to God to be saved from the flood. The police