North Decatur Presbyterian Church

1.10.21. This week, we read the story of Jesus’ baptism. Jesus was a grown man when he stood in a line of strangers, waiting his turn to wade into the muddy river to let Wild John plunge his head under the surface. In the years after Jesus’ death, his disciples did something peculiar. They kept dunking people under water as a sign of being joined into the life of Christ. We still do it. And we will remember our baptisms this Sunday. We welcome our interim virtual music director Paul Vasile. Rev. Lewicki, preaching.

Join us as the Epiphany season begins. 1.3.21.

12.27.20. Rob Schoonover preaching from Luke 2:22-40. The new year offers new beginnings, and this Sunday’s text shows us how even folks in ancient Israel were looking for new beginnings. The text gives us a tiny glimpse of what kind of new beginnings those in ancient Israel were looking for. You may find they aren’t so different from what many of us are looking for in 2020. So tune in as Rob Schoonover attempts to tackle this interesting text. The image is is from Star Wars, but it captures the essence of what the sermon will be about. 

12.20.20. Mary's song is a fixture of the Advent season. We've come to pin our hope on this young woman's voice glorifying God in the midst of uncertainty. Her song offers a vision of our bodies and souls magnifying the essential will of the divine. But every mother knows there is grief amidst the glory. As we read Luke 1:46-55 and listen to choral interpretations of the Magnificat let us consider the minor notes of Mary's life marked by motherhood and servanthood in the shadow of an extraordinary son. Rev. Beth Waltemath preaches on The Glorifying Soul.

12.13.20. It is the third Sunday of Advent -- we light the candle of joy. This Sunday's scripture reading is from the oldest book in the New Testament, First Thessalonians. The reading begins, "Rejoice always." Always? Even this year? Even when life feels heavy and strange? We spend time naming the sources of our joy as we draw closer to Christmas. Rev. Lewicki, preaching.

12.6.20. The greatest kiss in literature is from a surprising source: the Psalms. This Sunday, the 2nd in Advent, we read Psalm 85. There, the kiss of justice and peace gives us an image of the Beloved Community that we all long to share. We light the candle of Peace. Rev. David Lewicki preaching.

11.29.20. This Sunday's preacher is our newest Ministry Fellow, Kendra Peebles. Please welcome Kendra to her first experience in NDPC's virtual pulpit!  The sermon will come from Isaiah 64:1-9. We often find ourselves longing like the Israelites, desiring and waiting for God to perform wonderful deeds as in the past. During this Advent season, God is desiring for us to do more than simply wait.

11.22.20.

11.22.20. Matthew 25 is the mantra of "social justice" Christians. But it is much more than a call to feed the hungry and house the homeless. It is an  invitation to see all people as bearers of the image of God, to see the incarnate Christ in the most offensive places. Rev. David Lewicki, preaching.

11.8.20. "Stay awake." "Stay awake." "Stay awake." Jesus tells a parable about ten young people waiting for a party to begin. The wait is long. Too long. Some were ready. Some were not. "Stay awake," Jesus says. Rev. David Lewicki, preaching.

11.1.20. Matthew 5:1-12. 2020 is supposed to be the symbol of perfect vision. Instead, it is the year of collapse on multiple fronts. What do we make of all the ways we have fallen as a society and a culture? The scales may be falling from our supremacist lenses but the scales of justice continue to tip in favor of the oppressors. As we look back this All Saints' Day in 2020, we grieve all the lives we have lost as a nation, a world, and a church.  We ask ourselves how far have we fallen. How do we get back up again?  As the gospel singer says, "Is a saint really just a sinner who fell down and got up?" In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells us to look for the blessed in very unexpected places. We hear from some of our own members about the ordinary people who impacted their life and faith in unexpected ways.  Who is the saint leaving their mark on your life? And whose life are you blessing unawares? Rev. Beth Waltemath preaching.

10.25.20. When the world feels like it’s going to hell in a handbasket, what word helps you keep your balance, keep going, keep believing? This week, we hear someone ask Jesus the same question: “what is the greatest commandment?” Jesus’ answer is still a word that nourishes our faith, even in the most chaotic of times. Rev. David Lewicki, preaching.

10.18.20. Taxes (and Other Matters of Life & Death). Mathew 22:15-22. The question to Jesus begins as a trap: "Should we pay taxes to the emperor, or not?" Jesus responds by asking his questioner to pull out a Roman coin and look at it. So begins one of Jesus's most curious, powerful, and persistent lessons. Whose are you? To whom do you belong? And, by virtue of this belonging, what do you owe? Rev. David Lewicki, preaching.

10.11.20. Freedom through Consecration: Exodus 35: 1- 29. Decorating for the seasons, making a meditation space, setting aside quiet time in the morning, taking daily walks to ruminate, observing a day of rest? What rituals do you do to mark time or space as sacred? How do you tame the chaos with the hope of order? After a long list of fatalities, frustrations and failures in the wilderness, the people of God pool their resources and offer their skills to build a tabernacle as a tent for holiness to dwell temporarily. The building of the tabernacle and all its precious objects like the seat of Mercy and the bread of Presence remind them that even in times of prolonged confusion, the presence of God is as close as the most precious hour or sacred object we set aside to draw divine wonder to us. Rev. Beth Waltemath, preaching. 

10.4.20. Freedom is Found in Relationship: Exodus 20:1-17: Our study of the book of Exodus turns this week as Moses receives the 10 Commandments on Mount Sinai.  We discover how the freedom which we have sought through liberation from oppression, from hunger, from quarrel and doubt is broader, richer, and more intimate than we imagined. God reveals to Moses how freedom is found in relationship, through the assurance of eternal love and through the articulation of moral laws.  What we see as the story unfolds is that freedom is not just an escape from a former prison, it is a process of empowerment, one that is not always easy, but is never lonely. Rev. Beth Waltemath preaching.

9.27.20. We are all going through a "wilderness experience" during the pandemic. We are forced to journey through a new, difficult territory. For many of us, we are short on patience and quick to anger or despair. Our relationships feel tense. In this week's story from Exodus 17, the people of God are stressed and angry about the lack of water. God hears them and provides for them, sending water flowing from a rock. God provides. But what a curious name they give to this place: "Massah" and "Meribah." Testing and arguing. They remember not just the miracle, but they remember their stress and hardship. What if we remembered the places of our deepest struggle, too? How would that shape our life in and with God? Rev. Lewicki, preaching. 

9.20.20. Sometimes the world of the Bible seems very far away--another time, another culture, another world. But sometimes, the world of the Bible comes very, very close. For the next four weeks, we will be reading stories from Exodus about the journey of God's people in the "wilderness." Wilderness, in scripture, is a place of deprivation, danger, and the nearness of death. In the wilderness, the people grumble about their leaders, and wish they could go back to the past. In the wilderness, nothing about life is guaranteed--except the presence and provision of God. Rev. Lewicki preaches on Exodus 16 and manna in the wilderness. 

9.13.20.  Rev. Lewicki offers this Sunday's sermon, using Romans 14:1-12 as our focus text. It is a text that explores a question that is both perennial and also timely: what do we make of our human differences? Differences are the source of so much conflict in the world. Do we ever know when to focus on differences and when to overlook them and prioritize the ties that bind us all? Join us for a deep dive into these questions.

9.6.20. We don't have the usual sermon this week. This Sunday’s worship service is full of music. We will be back next week!

8.30.20. The Ending. On Sunday, August 30, we close our summer preaching series, The Best. Story. Ever!, in which we have revisited familiar Biblical stores to discover how their meaning has deepened as we age.  Using the Gospel reading from the Lectionary for this Sunday, Matthew 16:21-28, Rev. Mary Anona Stoops will look at the ending to the story that Jesus proposes to Peter and the disciples. Spoiler alert:  Peter does not like it, and Jesus tells him to “talk to the hand." Join us as we consider if the ending that Jesus foreshadows really is the best ending to "The Story."  

8.23.20. Two-Thousand-Year-Old Mail Fraud. Rev. Erin Reed Cooper preaching. The Apostle Paul is a complicated character. He was a church planter, consultant, prisoner, tent-maker, and ex-Christian persecutor. Seven of the new testament books are actually letters from Paul to various churches and individuals. Another seven books are mimicking his style and tone. But who was Paul and why are his ideas about Jesus so popular? Who do I need to write a letter to in order to get myself published in the Bible? This Sunday, we will join Rev. Erin Reed Cooper to take a look at the fourth chapter of Paul's letter to the church in Galatia, and see if we can find out how this letter became a part of the Best Story Ever.  

8.16.20. "The Mustard Seed," Rev. Beth Waltemath preaching.  Human beings love a good story. Some argue telling a story is the best way to teach us. But narratives have a shadow side too. They can be predictable and prescriptive. Even the beloved stories and myths we've already heard this summer have been used (sometimes unintentionally) as oppressive propaganda. Jesus taught by telling a narrative form that broke open our most prevailing and problematic narratives. Join Rev. Beth Waltemath as she considers the parable of the Mustard Seed in Matthew 13:31-33 and considers how parables expand the possibilities for abundant and inclusive living. 

8.9.20. "Called Together," Rob Schoonover preaching. Text: Luke 5:1-11. I love a good call story. It's always fun to read or listen to the story of the moment somebody was called into their greater purpose. The Bible contains a long list of epic call stories. Sometimes these stories involve burning bushes or blinding lights. Other times, they are seemingly mundane. Sometimes a calling is nothing more than a chance encounter and a net full of fish. This Sunday's text tells the story of the call of the disciples and shows us how strange and mundane call stories teach us just as much as the epic and cinematic stories found elsewhere in scripture.

8.2.20. What would you do if you came face-to-face with a lion? We find out what happened to the hero Daniel in this week's Best. Story. Ever! But what if the lion is more than "just" a lion? What if the lion is also a metaphor for what it's like when we find ourselves facing an enemy that is ready, willing, and able to destroy us? Take this metaphor one more step: what if I told you this story is a story about surviving in the face of cultural forces that want to destroy your identity -- your history, your faith, your language, your dreams? What do you do when you find yourself alone in the lion's den? David Lewicki preaching.

7.26.20. The very first Biblical story I ever learned was the story of David and Goliath. Of course, I was fascinated by the idea that another "David" was a biblical hero. And what's not to like about the story? A handsome (but scrawny) farm boy comes out of nowhere to topple the nasty foreign warrior with his courage and a slingshot. It didn't hurt that the story mirrored the plotline of my favorite movie, Star Wars, with farmboy Luke Skywalker standing in as "the chosen one" to defeat the Empire. Even today, I'm partial to the justice of "David and Goliath" stories, when an underdog rises up to defeat a more powerful adversary. But if you start poking around in the story of David, you will find much more than a rags to riches underdog story. You will find a sobering depiction of how hard it is to be a leader -- and how leaders are no better or worse than their followers. This week in our summer series, we read about David & Goliath. It is the Best. Story. Ever.  Rev. David Lewicki preaching.

6.19.20. "Joshua fit the battle of Jericho and the walls came a-tumblin' down!" I remember singing that in Sunday School more than 40 years ago as we learned about Joshua taking over from Moses, his great military victory, and his leadership of God's people into the Promised Land. It was a story of courage and bravery and faith. No one told me it was also a story about genocide. And I'm quite sure that no one told me that it's all made up--Joshua and the Israelites never even fought at Jericho, let alone caused the walls to come a-tumblin' down. So what do we do with a story like this one that gets WORSE (not better) as we grow up and learn more about it? There's still a message from God here about the ways we all get confused about who and where God is when we are scared for our safety. We read the story of Joshua this Sunday in our summer series "The Best. Story. Ever." Rev. Lewicki, preaching

7.12.20. The Joseph story. Genesis chapters 37-50. Rev. David Lewicki preaching.

7.5.20. Notes from Goat Island, Matthew 25:31-46 (the parable of the sheep and the goats). Located approximately an hour east from our church on Georgia’s Jackson Lake, you can arrive by boat to an island that is totally inhabited by goats. Locals creatively refer to this island as “goat island.” Our text this Sunday details a strange and powerful story that Jesus tells about sheep and goats. Tune in as we examine this odd parable and its implications for our present world. Rob Schoonover preaching. 

6.28.20. David Roth, the one who leads Memorial Drive Ministries (not the rock icon of the 80's), preaches from Ruth 2:1-13.

6.21.20. Rev. Lewicki, preaching. In June, we began a fun summer preaching series: The Best. Story. Ever!  When  we are children, we learn about the Bible through its biggest,  brightest, most wonderful stories: wild animals, miraculous deeds, and  s/heroes of every shape and size. This summer, NDPC is going back to  re-visit the Biblical stories that captured our imaginations as children  to discover how their meaning deepens as we “grow up” and how they  speak into the social crises of this age. Strange things happen to us in the middle of the night. Something  truly strange happened to Jacob. On the eve before Jacob was to meet his  estranged brother, Esau, Jacob finds himself in a wrestling match with a  mysterious stranger. All night long they struggle in the dirt. Finally, as dawn breaks, the stranger demands that Jacob let him go. Jacob will,  on one condition: That the man bless him. The stranger blesses Jacob and gives him a new name: Israel–“the one who struggles with God.” Who  is this stranger–Esau? An angel? God? What does this story tell you about your own existential wrestling?

6.4.20. On Sunday, June 7th, we began a fun summer preaching series: The Best. Story. Ever!  When we are children, we learn about the Bible through its biggest, brightest, most wonderful stories: wild animals, miraculous deeds, and s/heroes of every shape and size. This summer, NDPC is going back to re-visit the Biblical stories that captured our imaginations as children to discover how their meaning deepens as we “grow up” and how they speak into the social crises of this age. Anger. Violence. We know how deeply these two are embedded in our world. We have felt the sting of both of them. But anger alone appears to be “natural.” Violence is not. In this Sunday’s worship, we read the story from Genesis 4 about Cain and his brother Abel: how anger–and then violence–enters, consumes them both, and destroys their lives. This is a hard story to read. But we dare not skip over it. It is our story. Rev. David Lewicki, preaching. 

6.7.20. Adam and Eve. Genesis chapters 2-3. Rev. David Lewicki preaching.

Rev. Beth Waltemath brings you a special episode using the testimonies of members of North Decatur Presbyterian Church about their experiences of communion in quarantine. Based on the theme " What Feeds You?" as part of a class with Agnes Scott College. 

Rev. David Lewicki preaches on May 17th. In May, we explore the 9th and final Big Idea of the Bible: Beloved Community. Beloved Community is an idea popularized by the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. that was first articulated by 20th-century philosopher Josiah Royce. It is, “a spiritual or divine community capable of achieving the highest good as well as the common good.” The roots of such community are in the Scriptures themselves, in images such as "the people of God," "the Body of God," and "the ekklesia." In May, we explore our calling to Beloved Community and ask what this kind of community offers to us and demands from us in the world we share today.

5.10.20. Rev. Erin Reed Cooper preaches on May 10th. In May, we explore the 9th and final Big Idea of the Bible: Beloved Community.  Beloved Community is an idea popularized by the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. that was first articulated by 20th-century philosopher Josiah Royce. It is, “a spiritual or divine community capable of achieving the highest good as well as the common good.” The roots of such community are in the Scriptures themselves, in images such as "the people of God,"  "the Body of God," and "the ekklesia." In May, we explore our calling to Beloved Community and ask what this kind of community offers to us  and demands from us in the world we share today.

5.3.20. In May, we explore the 9th and final Big Idea of the Bible: Beloved Community. Beloved Community is an idea popularized by the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. that was first articulated by 20th century philosopher Josiah Royce. It is, “a spiritual or divine community capable of achieving the highest good as well as the common good.” The roots of such community are in the Scriptures themselves, in images such as “the people of God,” “the Body of God,” and “the ekklesia.” In May, we explore our calling to Beloved Community and ask what this kind of community offers to us and demands from us in the world we share today. Rev. David Lewicki preaching.

4.20.20. This week our Executive Presbyter, Rev. Aisha Brooks-Lytle, offers the proclamation of the word based on Galatians 6:1-10. In that passage of scripture, the Apostle Paul encouraged the early church to not grow weary and to work for the good of all, especially in the family of faith. Even in the midst of difficulty, division, and a pandemic, Aisha encourages us to do the same.  The Reverend Aisha Brooks-Lytle is a native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She graduated from Central High School (Class of 251) and holds a Bachelor of Science in Music from Temple University (’99). After spending a significant time as youth director at Wayne Presbyterian Church, she obtained a Master of Divinity degree from Princeton Theological Seminary (’05). She served various other churches in the Philadelphia, New Jersey, New York and surrounding areas through her music ministry and in her ministry of preaching, teaching, and pastoral care before returning to Wayne Presbyterian Church in February 2013. Aisha served as the mission pastor for Wayne Presbyterian while she was also serving as the Organizing Pastor for The Common Place, a faith-based arts and education center in Southwest Philadelphia (thecommonplacephilly.org). In 2018, Aisha began her role as the Executive Presbyter for the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta. She is honored and overjoyed to serve as an encourager to the congregations and leaders within a presbytery filled with a deep cultural diversity and a vast theological landscape. She believes that it is her part of her call to support healthy and vital congregations and to equip healthy and innovative leaders to live into their passion and purpose as the people of God. Aisha is blessed to have her mother, Deborah, and her son, Ellington, to join her in this adventure in the Greater Atlanta region.  (atlpcusa.org)

4.12.20. Christ is risen! Hosanna in the highest! Once again we gather in spirit and online to worship.  Rev. David Lewicki preaching. 

4.5.20. We are embracing virtual worship even though we can't embrace each other. This week, Rev. David Lewicki preaches about our need for salvation.  Also, if you would like to view the entire worship service, visit facebook.com/NDPChurch and look in the video section. 

3.29.20. Part five in the series about mercy.

3.22.20. 

3.15.20. We have arrived at the season of Lent, a season of simplifying and deepening our faith. We “give up” something in order to clarify our reliance on God. We “take up” practices of prayer and serving others that bring our lives into alignment with God’s will. During the Sundays in March, we will explore the 6th “Big Idea” of the Bible, mercy. On March 1st, we discovered on Mercy is the primary aspect of God’s character; God is merciful. On March 8th, we explored how each of us is called to reflect God’s character by showing mercy to each other in all of our relationships. On March 15th and 22nd, we explore another aspect of mercy, forgiveness. God forgives our sins and our debts… can we do the same for each other?

3.8.20. We have arrived at the season of Lent, a season of simplifying and deepening our faith. We “give up” something in order to clarify our reliance on God. We “take up” practices of prayer and serving others that bring our lives into alignment with God’s will. During the Sundays in March, we will explore the 6th “Big Idea” of the Bible, mercy. On March 1st, we discovered on Mercy is the primary aspect of God’s character; God is merciful. On March 8th, we explored how each of us is called to reflect God’s character by showing mercy to each other in all of our relationships. On March 15th and 22nd, we explore another aspect of mercy, forgiveness. God forgives our sins and our debts… can we do the same for each other?

3.1.20. We have arrived at the season of Lent, a season of simplifying and deepening our faith. We “give up” something in order to clarify our reliance on God. We “take up” practices of prayer and serving others that bring our lives into alignment with God’s will. During the Sundays in March, we will explore the 6th “Big Idea” of the Bible, mercy. Mercy, we will discover on the first Sunday in Lent, is the primary aspect of God’s character; God is merciful. Rev. David Lewicki preaching.

2.23.20. It’s February, and we’ve turned to the Bible’s 6th “Big Idea”–one that’s sure to put a jolt in your winter blues: POWER. What does the Bible say about power? What is power? What is it for? Who has it? Who should have it? What power does God have and how does God use it? Power is one of the most complex subjects in the Holy Scriptures, primarily because so much of what it teaches about power seems contradictory: Is God an all-powerful Creator, or a God who “empties himself” of power to assume flesh and die in humiliation and weakness? Each Sunday in February, we explore power from a different angle. On Feb. 2nd, we looked at our charged world, full of good and evil powers, with the help of theologian Walter Wink. On Feb. 9th, we explored the confounding idea that God’s strength is known in weakness. On Feb. 16th, we interrogated the myth of “redemptive violence” and learn the theology of non-violent power with Ministry Fellow, Rob Schoonover preaching. On Feb. 23rd, we explore the work of Reinhold Niebuhr and “Christian realism” and ask ourselves what faithful power looks like in the face of dictators, genocide, and institutional evil.

2.16.20. It's February, and we've turned to the  Bible's 6th "Big Idea"--one that's sure to put a jolt in your winter  blues: POWER. What does the Bible say about power? What is power? What  is it for? Who has it? Who should have it? What power does God have and  how does God use it? Power is one of the most complex subjects in the  Holy Scriptures, primarily because so much of what it teaches about  power seems contradictory: Is God an all-powerful Creator, or a God who  "empties himself" of power to assume flesh and die in humiliation and  weakness? Each Sunday in February, we explore power from a different  angle. On Feb. 2nd, we looked at our charged world, full of good and evil powers, with the help of theologian Walter Wink. On Feb. 9th, we explored the confounding idea that God's strength is known in weakness. On Feb. 16th, we interrogate the myth of  "redemptive violence" and learn the theology of non-violent power with  Ministry Fellow, Rob Schoonover preaching. From Rob Schoonover - The Myth of Redemptive Violence:  Media,  American Mythology, and interpretations of the Bible all contain a form  of Redemptive Violence. Imperial culture’s perpetuate redemptive  violence myths as a way of maintaining power within their contexts.  Western Christianity has not been immune to this phenomenon. This Sunday  we will examine why we’ve continued to tell Redemptive Violence Myths  and we will see how the person of Christ critiques and challenges the  redemptive violence narratives that pervade our cultural imagination.

2.9.20. It’s February, and we’ve turned to the Bible’s 6th “Big Idea”–one that’s sure to put a jolt in your winter blues: POWER. What does the Bible say about power? What is power? What is it for? Who has it? Who should have it? What power does God have and how does God use it? Power is one of the most complex subjects in the Holy Scriptures, primarily because so much of what it teaches about power seems contradictory: Is God an all-powerful Creator, or a God who “empties himself” of power to assume flesh and die in humiliation and weakness? Each Sunday in February, we explore power from a different angle. This week, we explore the confounding idea that God’s strength is known in weakness.  Rev. David Lewicki preaching.

2.2.20. It’s February, and we’ve turned to the Bible’s 6th “Big Idea”–one that’s sure to put a jolt in your winter blues: POWER. What does the Bible say about power? What is power? What is it for? Who has it? Who should have it? What power does God have and how does God use it? Power is one of the most complex subjects in the Holy Scriptures, primarily because so much of what it teaches about power seems contradictory: Is God an all-powerful Creator, or a God who “empties himself” of power to assume flesh and die in humiliation and weakness? Each Sunday in February, we explore power from a different angle. This week, we look at our charged world, full of good and evil powers, with the help of theologian Walter Wink.  Rev. David Lewicki preaching.

1.26.19. Throughout January, we explore the 5th of the Bible’s “9 Big Ideas:” Wonder. God, by definition, is wonder-ful and fills us human beings with wonder. Wonder is awe and amazement at some aspect of our human experience that we can’t easily understand nor easily ignore. Wonder moves us to inquire into the nature of this experience and animates a life-long search for wisdom. We began the month with a service of poetry and music and reflection to mark the wondrous Epiphany (“revelation”) of Jesus to the magi. On January 12th, we explored the quirky, surprising wonders of the Holy Spirit as she moves our lives and the life of the world. On January 19th, we listened to the disturbing story of Job, whose anger and grief about his own unjust suffering is met by God with a revelation about wondrous height, depth, and breadth of God’s love for the whole creation–including Job. On January 26th, we look at the miracles of Jesus. What do miracles tell us about the wonders of God’s “kingdom”–on earth as it is in heaven? Rev. David Lewicki preaching.

1.19.20. Throughout January, we explore the 5th of the Bible’s “9 Big Ideas:” Wonder. God, by definition, is wonder-ful and fills us human beings with wonder. Wonder is awe and amazement at some aspect of our human experience that we can’t easily understand nor easily ignore. Wonder moves us to inquire into the nature of this experience and animates a life-long search for wisdom. We began the month with a service of poetry and music and reflection to mark the wondrous Epiphany (“revelation”) of Jesus to the magi. On January 12th, we explored the quirky, surprising wonders of the Holy Spirit as she moves our lives and the life of the world. On January 19th, we listened to the disturbing story of Job, whose anger and grief about his own unjust suffering is met by God with a revelation about wondrous height, depth, and breadth of God’s love for the whole creation–including Job. Rev. David Lewicki preaching.

1.12.20. Throughout January, we explore the 5th of the Bible’s “9 Big Ideas”: Wonder. God, by definition, is wonder-ful and fills us human beings with wonder. Wonder is awe and amazement at some aspect of our human experience that we can’t easily understand nor easily ignore. Wonder moves us to inquire into the nature of this experience and animates a life-long search for wisdom. We began the month with a service of poetry and music and reflection to mark the wondrous Epiphany (“revelation”) of Jesus to the magi. On January 12th, we explore the quirky, surprising wonders of the Holy Spirit as she moves our lives and the life of the world. On January 19th, we will listen to the disturbing story of Job, whose anger and grief about his own unjust suffering is met by God with a revelation about wondrous height, depth, and breadth of God’s love for the whole creation–including Job. Rev. David Lewicki, preaching.

12.22.19. In our 2019-2020 sermon series, “The Bible’s 9 Big Ideas,”  the month of December is a celebration of God’s liberation of humanity.  God is a liberating God. From the exodus out of Egypt, to God’s  intervention in history of behalf of those who are poor, to the freedom  we gain from sin and death, to Jesus, who liberates true humanity by  coming in the flesh on Christmas morning, God’s way in the world is to  hear our cries and lead us into political, economic, spiritual, and  existential freedom.

12.15.19. In our 2019-2020 sermon series, “The Bible’s 9 Big Ideas,”  the month of December is a celebration of God’s liberation of humanity.  God is a liberating God. From the exodus out of Egypt, to God’s  intervention in history of behalf of those who are poor, to the freedom  we gain from sin and death, to Jesus, who liberates true humanity by  coming in the flesh on Christmas morning, God’s way in the world is to  hear our cries and lead us into political, economic, spiritual, and  existential freedom.

12.8.19. In our 2019-2020 sermon series, “The Bible’s 9 Big Ideas,”  the month of December is a celebration of God’s liberation of humanity.  God is a liberating God. From the exodus out of Egypt, to God’s  intervention in history of behalf of those who are poor, to the freedom  we gain from sin and death, to Jesus, who liberates true humanity by  coming in the flesh on Christmas morning, God’s way in the world is to  hear our cries and lead us into political, economic, spiritual, and  existential freedom.

12.1.19. In our 2019-2020 sermon series, “The Bible’s 9 Big Ideas,” the month of December is a celebration of God’s liberation of humanity. God is a liberating God. From the exodus out of Egypt, to God’s intervention in history of behalf of those who are poor, to the freedom we gain from sin and death, to Jesus, who liberates true humanity by coming in the flesh on Christmas morning, God’s way in the world is to hear our cries and lead us into political, economic, spiritual, and existential freedom.  Each Sunday in worship, we will explore Liberation. Perhaps our celebration of freedom in worship will give you permission to seek out a liberating lifestyle this December; to put down old holiday habits that are burdensome, and to let the Spirit show you a way of living into Christmas that feels like freedom to you and to those around you. Rev. David Lewicki preaching.

11.24.19. Throughout November, we explore PROPHECY. God knows that everyone called into power is corrupted by it. God ensures that every leader in the world is accompanied by a prophet. The prophet walks alongside the leader, is immune to the siren song of power, has no vested interest in what is, and their sole job is to keep their eyes on God’s vision of Beloved Community. Because the prophet can see and hear God when the leader can’t, the prophet can say whether the leader’s decisions create justice. When they do not, the prophet speaks truth to power. All month, we will talk about God’s prophets, beginning with an overview of Biblical prophecy, then meeting three great prophets: Elijah, Isaiah,  and Jeremiah.

11.17.19. Throughout November, we explore PROPHECY. God knows that everyone called into power is corrupted by it. God ensures that every leader in the world is accompanied by a prophet. The prophet walks alongside the leader, is immune to the siren song of power, has no vested interest in what is, and their sole job is to keep their eyes on God’s vision of Beloved Community. Because the prophet can see and hear God when the leader can’t, the prophet can say whether the leader’s decisions create justice. When they do not, the prophet speaks truth to power. All month, we will talk about God’s prophets, beginning with an overview of Biblical prophecy, then meeting three great prophets: Elijah, Isaiah,  and Jeremiah.

11.10.19. Throughout November, we explore PROPHECY. God knows that everyone called into power is corrupted by it. God ensures that every leader in the world is accompanied by a prophet. The prophet walks alongside the leader, is immune to the siren song of power, has no vested interest in what is, and their sole job is to keep their eyes on God’s vision of Beloved Community. Because the prophet can see and hear God when the leader can’t, the prophet can say whether the leader’s decisions create justice. When they do not, the prophet speaks truth to power. All month, we will talk about God’s prophets, beginning with an overview of Biblical prophecy, then meeting three great prophets: Elijah, Isaiah,  and Jeremiah.

11.3.19. Throughout November, we explore PROPHECY. God knows that everyone called into power is corrupted by it. God ensures that every leader in the world is accompanied by a prophet. The prophet walks alongside the  leader, is immune to the siren song of power, has no vested interest in what is, and their sole job is to keep their eyes on God’s vision of  Beloved Community. Because the prophet can see and hear God when the leader can’t, the prophet can say whether the leader’s decisions create justice. When they do not, the prophet speaks truth to power. All month, we will talk about God’s prophets, beginning with an overview of Biblical prophecy, then meeting three great prophets: Elijah, Isaiah, and Jeremiah.

10.27.19. What is the Bible about? What “big ideas” stretch across the scriptures from Genesis to Revelation, providing these disparate stories with continuity and integrity? Each month from September through May 2020, our worship will explore one big idea in-depth, examining how the idea is introduced and how it deepens and develops. By the end of the series, you will understand the span of the Bible in a whole new way. In October, we explore COVENANT. The central idea in the Hebrew Scriptures is that God enters into a covenant relationship with God’s people. This relationship, Christians believe, is affirmed in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Another word for covenant is promise; each of us knows how important a promise is. We can name a time in our lives when a promise that was kept gave us life–and when a promise broken took life away. Engaging the stories of Noah, Abraham & Sarah, Moses, and David, and incorporating art, poetry, scripture, music, and sermons, we what it means that God makes–and keeps–life-giving promises. And we ask, “What does it mean for us to keep our end of the promise?” Rev. David Lewicki, preaching.

NDPC held a church-wide retreat on October 20, 2019. We enjoyed fellowship and a short outdoor service together, but we did not record the sermon. Sometimes worship is a place and a time. Join us next week, when we'll be back to the usual way of things.

10.13.19. What is the Bible about? What “big ideas” stretch across the scriptures from Genesis to Revelation, providing these disparate stories with continuity and integrity? Each month from September through May 2020, our worship will explore one big idea in depth, examining how the idea is introduced and how it deepens and develops. By the end of the series, you will understand the span of the Bible in a whole new way. In October, we explore COVENANT. The central idea in the Hebrew Scriptures is that God enters into a covenant relationship with God’s people. This relationship, Christians believe, is affirmed in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Another word for covenant is promise; each of us knows how important a promise is. We can name a time in our lives when a promise that was kept gave us life–and when a promise broken took life away. Engaging the stories of Noah, Abraham & Sarah, Moses, and David, and incorporating art, poetry, scripture, music, and sermons, we what it means that God makes–and keeps–life-giving promises. And we ask “what does it mean for us to keep our end of the promise?”

10.6.19. What is the Bible about? What “big ideas” stretch across the scriptures from Genesis to Revelation, providing these disparate stories with continuity and integrity? Each month from September through May 2020, our worship will explore one big idea in depth, examining how the idea is introduced and how it deepens and develops. By the end of the series, you will understand the span of the Bible in a whole new way. In October, we explore COVENANT. The central idea in the Hebrew Scriptures is that God enters into a covenant relationship with God’s people. This relationship, Christians believe, is affirmed in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Another word for covenant is promise; each of us knows how important a promise is. We can name a time in our lives when a promise that was kept gave us life–and when a promise broken took life away. Engaging the stories of Noah, Abraham & Sarah, Moses, and David, and incorporating art, poetry, scripture, music, and sermons, we explore what it means that God makes–and keeps–life-giving promises. And we ask “what does it mean for us to keep our end of the promise?” Rev. David Lewicki, preaching.

9.29.19.  What is the Bible about? What "big ideas" stretch across the  scriptures from Genesis to Revelation, providing these disparate stories with continuity and integrity? Each month from September through May 2020, our worship will explore one big idea in-depth, examining how the idea is introduced and how it deepens and develops. By the end of the series, you will understand the span of the Bible in a whole new way. In September, we explore CREATION. Where does our story begin? Why is there more than one creation story in the Bible? Why is life in Jesus a "new creation?" What does Revelation mean when it promises that the future will bring a "new heaven and new earth?" With art, poetry, scripture, music, and sermons, we dive deep into the relationship between the Creator and the Creation. Christópher (Ófe) Abreu Rosario, preaching. Ófe is one of the pastoral interns at NDPC. He is studying at Columbia Theological Seminary in the MDiv/Practical Theology Dual Degree program with a focus on preaching. He is in the ordination process with the PC(USA), under the care of the Presbytery of San Francisco. A Dominican-American, Ófe grew up in the Bronx borough of New York City and has lived in five different countries and several parts of the United States. As a dual citizen, he is exploring what it means to live in the hyphen not just in the context of society but also the church. An honors project he is completing is exploring such topics of marginalized identity in the books of Daniel and Esther. Ministry is Ófe’s second career. He spent about a decade in the film and television industry, also working with non-profits that utilize media as a tool to serve others. Most recently, Ófe has completed an internship at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Trenton, NJ and a Clinical Pastoral Education unit with the San Francisco Night Ministry, serving the citizens of San Francisco’s streets. At the core, Ófe is motivated by storytelling. Story is found in cultures across the globe, a unifying aspect of our humanity that, when used for good, can teach, connect, and inspire communities for just change and personal and spiritual growth. He has a bit of a sweet tooth (for cake) and loves meeting people over coffee. Welcome, Ófe. 

9.22.19. Exploring the Creation Story. What is the Bible about? What "big ideas" stretch across the scriptures from Genesis to Revelation, providing these disparate stories with continuity and integrity? Each month from September through May  2020, our worship will explore one big idea in-depth, examining how the idea is introduced and how it deepens and develops. By the end of the series, you will understand the span of the Bible in a whole new way. In September, we explore CREATION. Where does our story begin? Why is there more than one creation story in the Bible? Why is life in Jesus a  "new creation?" What does Revelation mean when it promises that the future will bring a "new heaven and new earth?" With art, poetry, scripture, music, and sermons, we dive deep into the relationship between the Creator and the Creation.

9.15.19. As we begin our church year, NDPC begins a brand-new yearlong sermon series: The Bible’s 9 Big Ideas.  What is the Bible about? What “big ideas” stretch across the scriptures from Genesis to Revelation, providing these disparate stories with continuity and integrity? Each month from September through May 2020, our worship will explore one big idea in depth, examining how the idea is introduced and how it deepens and develops. By the end of the series, you will understand the span of the Bible in a whole new way. In September, we explore CREATION. Where does our story begin? Why is there more than one creation story in the Bible? Why is life in Jesus a “new creation?” What does Revelation mean when it promises that the future will bring a “new heaven and new earth?” With art, poetry, scripture, music, and sermons, we dive deep into the relationship between the Creator and the Creation. Rev. David Lewicki, preaching.

9.8.19. As we begin our church year this Sunday, September 8th, 2020, NDPC begins a brand-new yearlong sermon series: The Bible’s 9 Big Ideas. What is the Bible about? What “big ideas” stretch across the  scriptures from Genesis to Revelation, providing these disparate  stories with continuity and integrity? Each month from September through  May 2020, our worship will explore one big idea in depth, examining how  the idea is introduced and how it deepens and develops. By the end of  the series, you will understand the span of the Bible in a whole new  way. In September, we explore CREATION. Where does our story begin? Why  is there more than one creation story in the Bible? Why is life in Jesus  a “new creation?” What does Revelation mean when it promises that the  future will bring a “new heaven and new earth?” With art, poetry,  scripture, music, and sermons, we dive deep into the relationship  between the Creator and the Creation. Rev. David Lewicki, preaching.

8.25.19. Every time a community gathers for worship, it is both a deeply conservative and a radically revolutionary act. A group of unrelated people come together in the same place at the same time, to engage in well-known ritualized actions, listening to a familiar and beloved story. This is the conservative part. The radical part is that we bring the expectation–even hope–that these elements will somehow become an encounter with the Living God. Encounters with the Living God change us forever. During the month of August at NDPC, we explored what we do when we worship: gather, renew, proclaim, respond. The final sermon in the series will be on Sunday, September 1. You will gain a deep appreciation for what worship is and why we do what we do each and every Sunday. Rev. David Lewicki preaching.

8.18.19. Every time a community gathers for worship, it is both a deeply conservative and a radically revolutionary act. A group of unrelated  people come together in the same place at the same time, to engage in  well-known ritualized actions, listening to a familiar and beloved story. This is the conservative part. The radical part is that we bring the expectation–even hope–that these elements will somehow become an  encounter with the Living God. Encounters with the Living God change us forever. Rev. David Lewicki preaching.

8.11.19. Every time a community gathers for worship, it is both a deeply conservative and a radically revolutionary act. A group of unrelated  people come together in the same place at the same time, to engage in  well-known ritualized actions, listening to a familiar and beloved story. This is the conservative part. The radical part is that we bring the expectation–even hope–that these elements will somehow become an  encounter with the Living God. Encounters with the Living God change us forever.  This week's scripture comes from Luke 18:9-14. Rev. David Lewicki preaching.

8.4.19. Every time a community gathers for worship, it is both a deeply conservative and a radically revolutionary act. A group of unrelated people come together in the same place at the same time, to engage in well-known ritualized actions, listening to a familiar and beloved story. This is the conservative part. The radical part is that we bring the expectation–even hope–that these elements will somehow become an encounter with the Living God. Encounters with the Living God change us forever.  During the month of August at NDPC, we will explore what we do when we worship: gather, renew, proclaim, respond. You will gain a deep appreciation for what worship is and why we do what we do each and every Sunday. Scripture reading: Psalm 150. Rev. David Lewicki preaching.

7.28.19. Throughout the month of July, NDPC will experiment with worship "unplugged." Instead of giving up electric instruments (which we don't often use anyway), we are giving up the formal liturgy that we use almost every week. Our hope is that by losing the liturgy, we can attune ourselves to the way the Spirit of God is moving in and through us during the time we are at worship. Can we notice God's presence? Can we move with it and respond to it? What does the Spirit do in our music-making... in our response to the scripture... in our praying with each other and for the world? Come and enjoy Spirit-led worship all month at North Decatur Presbyterian Church. Rev. Lewicki will convene each service. 

7.7.19. Throughout the month of July, NDPC will experiment with worship “unplugged.” Instead of giving up amplified instruments (which we don’t often use anyway), we are giving up the formal liturgy that we use almost every week. Our hope is that by losing the liturgy, we can attune ourselves to the way the Spirit of God is moving in and through us during the time we are at worship. Can we notice God’s presence? Can we move with it and respond to it? What does the Spirit do in our music-making…in our response to the scripture…in our praying with each other and for the world? Come and enjoy Spirit-led worship all month at North Decatur Presbyterian Church. Rev. David Lewicki will convene each service.

 6.30.19. "(Ir)religious Freedom." On the Sunday before the birthday of our nation, we will look at freedom.  What are the diverse meanings of freedom in the United States today? And what happens to our own sense of freedom when we follow after Jesus? Rev. David Lewicki preaching.

 6.23.19. Isaiah Lewis is a left-handed queer from Chester, West Virginia, home of the world’s largest teapot. He graduated with a Master of Divinity from Candler School of Theology in May 2019. He finds hope in the weirdness of the Bible. The scripture reading is Revelation 5:6-14.

6.16.19. Shannon Ball preaches on Exodus 1:8-22.   Shannon Ball was baptized at NDPC  many, many years ago but moved away as a child.  She came back to Atlanta to attend Columbia Theological Seminary. She has worked as a chaplain, non-profit program director, and now works for Enterprise Community Partners, a non-profit affordable housing advocacy organization. 

6.9.19. Rev. Laura Mariko Cheifetz preaches on Ecclesiastes 1:2-9: It Could Always Be Worse! The Reverend Laura Mariko Cheifetz is an ordained Teaching Elder in the Presbyterian Church (USA). She has served in theological education, religious publishing, and social justice advocacy, and she has provided leadership in the national and international church. She is also the co-author and editor of Church on Purpose and contributor to Race in a Post Obama America, Leading Wisdom, and Streams Run Uphill. She is a contributing editor to Inheritance magazine. She lives in Decatur GA with her partner and their two Shih Tzus. 

6.26.19. Rev. Leslie Brogan preaches about the surprising things you can find in the Bible.

5.26.19. Summer is here! It's hotter than blazes, kids are bouncing off the walls, all of us are hoping for a little bit of rest and relaxation. This Sunday, Rev. David Lewicki looks at the story of Mary and Martha from the 10th chapter of Luke's gospel and uses that story to explore how we experience the tension between the work that "must be done" and the rest we all need. What are you discovering about the rhythms of work and rest that make for a healthy--and holy--life? 

5.5.19. Rev. David Lewicki preaches this week on the power of change. How does God’s presence in the world help to make necessary changes in our lives? 

5.12.19. This Sunday, we conclude our yearlong "Faith for a Lifetime" sermon series. We've explored spirituality at every stage of life, from infancy to adulthood. This week, we look at the spiritual opportunities (and crises) that come toward the end of our lives, in a time called "senescence." NDPC's Pastor for Adult Spiritual Formation, the Rev. Mary Anona Stoops, preaches from John 21:15-19.  

5.5.19. Why does Jesus keep showing up?  If we know what to do, why do we need God's guidance?  As we celebrate the Confirmation class with a worship inspired by their statements of faith and the commitments they make, we witness the farcical story of Jesus's third resurrection appearance in the Gospel of John (21:1-12) and ask ourselves will we ever get it right? Rev. Beth Waltemath preaching.

4.28.19. "I believe in the resurrection of the body...." The Sunday after Easter is here, the egg hunts are behind us, there's no brass to brighten our worship, and most senior pastors are resting their gilded vocal cords. This is where it gets real. What did happen to Jesus' body? What will happen to ours? And what shall we make of this core Christian conviction--the hardest of all to believe--in the resurrection of the body? Rev. Lewicki preaches on the story of Thomas from John's gospel.

4.21.19. Easter Sunday. Scripture reading: Luke 24:1-12. "Then they remembered his words."

4.14.19. This week, we include the full service. Beginning with the procession of palms, we tell the story of Jesus’ last days in Jerusalem in five scenes. We end with Jesus’ anointing at Bethany and invite you to receive an anointing as we begin Holy Week. 

4.7.19. How then, shall we relate to one another? What are other people for, if not to serve our needs? What is it to teach, encourage, and nurture another? Rev. David Lewicki preaching.

3.31.19. Hearing the voice of the deeper self. Rev. David Lewicki preaching.

March 24, 2019.  With the gift of new perspective, we awaken to the pain our own past. We see clearly what we should have done, or what should have been done for us. Can we learn to see our own past through the lens of God’s mercy? Rev. David Lewicki preaching.  

March 17, 2019 What wakes us up is most often is a loss—a relationship, a job, our health, a death. It is often only a shock to the system that breaks us open to a deeper truth that lies beyond the loss. Rev. David Lewicki preaching.

March 10, 2019 In order to come alive, we must wake up to the limitations of a life lived according to our own ego needs. We follow Jesus into the wilderness, where he learns that a life that feeds only itself is no life at all. Rev. David Lewicki preaching.

February 24, 2019 We reflect on historical and current attitudes regarding religion and politics. Rev. David Lewicki compares a pre-Civil War theologian’s rejection of abolitionists’ religious arguments with the call for justice in Martin Luther King Jr.’s Letter from Birmingham Jail. Rev. David Lewicki preaching.

February 2, 2019 Our yearlong Faith for a Lifetime series continues this Sunday with an exploration of the role of physical and emotional intimacy and its intersection with our spiritual life. In young adulthood, identities--recently earned, are transformed through the practice of intimacy with both lovers and also with friends. Intimacy draws us into spaces of closeness, sharing, and honesty. But because intimate relationships mirror and reveal our flaws, they challenge our self-understanding. Spiritual intimacy with God can beautifully support, inform, and bless our most meaningful relationships. Rev. David Lewicki, preaching.

January 27, 2019 We return to NDPC's yearlong series, "Faith for a Lifetime," exploring the particular spiritual opportunities and challenges that meet us at each stage in our lives. As we begin our lives as adults, leaving adolescence behind, we begin to assume full responsibility for ourselves and our place in the world. We ask questions: "What am I supposed to do with my life?" "What am I good at?" "How can I make a living... and a life?" In the church, we call this our search for vocation, or "calling." Every person, we believe, is called. The questions is, to what? By whom? Rev. Lewicki, preaching. 

January 20, 2019 How does the struggle for racial justice look from here? This Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend, we gather to reflect on the ongoing quest to create Beloved Community--in our nation, here in Dekalb County, GA, and within our own homes and families. This Sunday's worship will focus on the role of creativity in transforming not only structures and systems, but also relationships and individual hearts. We are created in the image of the One who flips the script: who turns terror into poetry, hatred into protest, heartbreak into hope, sorrow into joy. We share a powerful reflection about Billie Holiday's song, Strange Fruit, as we contemplate our own own capacity for being vessels of God's creative transformation. Rev. David Lewicki, preaching. Today in worship we watched a video about lynching, Strange Fruit, produced by the SALT Project. The recording has Rev. Lewicki's introduction before and reflection after the video and concludes with a recording of Billie Holiday singing the song Strange Fruit.