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Hillsdale First United Methodist Church

Hillsdale First United Methodist Church

By Rob McPherson

To help people maintain their faith, sanity, and sense of joy during the struggles of life.
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Even If

Hillsdale First United Methodist ChurchApr 08, 2020

00:00
04:58
The Parables of Jesus: The Rich Man and Lazarus

The Parables of Jesus: The Rich Man and Lazarus

Luke 16:19-31, (c) 2011, Common English Bible

A study based upon chapter 9 of Short Stories by Jesus. Levine, Amy-Jill. HarperOne. Kindle Edition. 

Aug 05, 202109:32
The Parables of Jesus: The Pharisee and the Tax Collector

The Parables of Jesus: The Pharisee and the Tax Collector

Levine, Amy-Jill. Short Stories by Jesus. HarperOne. Kindle Edition. 

Jul 29, 202109:31
Who were the Pharisees?

Who were the Pharisees?

Resources:

Levine, Amy-Jill. Short Stories by Jesus. HarperOne. Kindle Edition.

Pharisees, Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pharisees.

Jul 29, 202109:20
The Parables of Jesus: The Yeast or The Leaven

The Parables of Jesus: The Yeast or The Leaven

Reading from:

Levine, Amy-Jill. Short Stories by Jesus. HarperOne. Kindle Edition.

Jul 22, 202108:03
The Parables of Jesus: The Widow and the Judge

The Parables of Jesus: The Widow and the Judge

These resources are the basis for our study:

Levine, Amy-Jill. Short Stories by Jesus Participant Guide. Abingdon Press. Kindle Edition.

Levine, Amy-Jill. Short Stories by Jesus. HarperOne. Kindle Edition.

Jul 15, 202110:30
Parables of Jesus: The Laborers in the Vineyard

Parables of Jesus: The Laborers in the Vineyard

These resources are the basis for our study:

Levine, Amy-Jill. Short Stories by Jesus Participant Guide. Abingdon Press. Kindle Edition. 

Levine, Amy-Jill. Short Stories by Jesus. HarperOne. Kindle Edition. 


Jul 08, 202109:49
The Parables of Jesus: The Mustard Seed

The Parables of Jesus: The Mustard Seed

References are made to the following books:

Levine, Amy-Jill. Short Stories by Jesus Participant Guide. Abingdon Press. Kindle Edition. 

Levine, Amy-Jill. Short Stories by Jesus. HarperOne. Kindle Edition. 

Jul 01, 202108:38
Masks, Meetings and More

Masks, Meetings and More

A description of what to expect in stage 3 of our COVID protocols for the church.

Jun 29, 202103:31
The Parables of Jesus: The Pearl of Great Price

The Parables of Jesus: The Pearl of Great Price

References and quotes from:

Levine, Amy-Jill. Short Stories by Jesus Participant Guide. Abingdon Press. Kindle Edition.

Levine, Amy-Jill. Short Stories by Jesus. HarperOne. Kindle Edition.

Jun 24, 202107:33
The Parables of Jesus: The Good Samaritan

The Parables of Jesus: The Good Samaritan

Luke 10:25-37 (c) 2011 Common English Bible

Levine, Amy-Jill. Short Stories by Jesus Participant Guide. Abingdon Press. Kindle Edition.

Levine, Amy-Jill. Short Stories by Jesus. HarperOne. Kindle Edition.

Crossan, John Dominic. The Power of Parable: How Fiction by Jesus Became Fiction about Jesus (p. 59).

Jun 17, 202110:12
Parables of Jesus: The Lost Coin

Parables of Jesus: The Lost Coin

A summary of our bible study from June 10, 2021. 

The following resources are used in this podcast:

Crossan, John Dominic. The Power of Parable: How Fiction by Jesus Became Fiction about Jesus (p. 8). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition.

Levine, Amy-Jill. Short Stories by Jesus Participant Guide (p. 28). Abingdon Press. Kindle Edition.

Levine, Amy-Jill. Short Stories by Jesus (p. 4). HarperOne. Kindle Edition.

Jun 15, 202107:48
When Healing Hurts

When Healing Hurts

The Scripture for today is Acts 16:16-21, 

Priests for Equality. The Inclusive Bible. Sheed & Ward.

May 08, 202105:47
The Day Before Surgery

The Day Before Surgery

Thoughts, fears, and prayer processes that I am having on the day before surgery.

May 03, 202104:43
Don't Give Up: Overcoming "If It's My Time" Thinking

Don't Give Up: Overcoming "If It's My Time" Thinking

The scripture for the day is from 2 Kings 5:1-15.

Priests for Equality. The Inclusive Bible. Sheed & Ward.

Apr 21, 202106:28
Compassion Fatigue and the Thrones of Iniquity

Compassion Fatigue and the Thrones of Iniquity

Today's lesson is from Psalm 94:8-23

Priests for Equality. The Inclusive Bible. Sheed & Ward. 

Apr 12, 202105:00
Songs of the Cross: The Old Rugged Cross

Songs of the Cross: The Old Rugged Cross

The Old Rugged Cross, by George Bennard (1913).

Thanks to John Ourensma for sharing his recording of this song with us.

Apr 01, 202107:33
Songs of the Cross: The Power of the Cross
Mar 30, 202107:19
Songs of the Cross: What Wondrous Love Is This?

Songs of the Cross: What Wondrous Love Is This?

What Wondrous Love is This is an American Folk Song out of the camp meeting era, first published in 1811.

The beautiful viola in this recording is by Renee Nestorak.

Piano and Vocals by John Ourensma.

Mar 25, 202107:21
Songs of the Cross: Ah Holy Jesus

Songs of the Cross: Ah Holy Jesus

Ah Holy Jesus, 1630, by Johann Heermann

This translation by Catherine Winkworth in 1863.

Thanks to John Ourensma and Renee Nestorak for the powerful musical presentation.

Mar 22, 202107:20
Songs of the Cross: Were You There

Songs of the Cross: Were You There

Were you there when they crucified my Lord. 

First Published in William Eleazar Barton's 1899 Old Plantation Hymns.

Played and sung by John Ourensma and Nick Nestorak.

Mar 18, 202107:39
Songs of the Cross: When I Survey the Wondrous Cross

Songs of the Cross: When I Survey the Wondrous Cross

When I Survey the Wondrous Cross by Isaac Watts, published in 1707.

Music by John Ourensma and Nick Nestorak.

Mar 15, 202106:21
Why Give Something Up For Lent?

Why Give Something Up For Lent?

A discussion of the long tradition of giving up something for Lent. What is it's spiritual purpose and how does it benefit us?

Feb 25, 202105:06
What is Lent?

What is Lent?

Off the cuff, without google, what Lent is to me personally!

Feb 22, 202104:36
When Life is Burnt to Ashes

When Life is Burnt to Ashes

The Scripture at the end of today's podcast is 2 Corinthians 5:17-18

(c) 2011 Common English Bible

Feb 18, 202104:21
Erasing Old Videos

Erasing Old Videos

Do you have memories of old mistakes, old regrets, old sins that you replay again and again? Let's find forgiveness together!

Today's scripture is: 

Ephesians 1:7-9, 13-14

The Inclusive Bible, by Priests for Equality. Sheed & Ward. 

Feb 09, 202103:57
You Can Do It

You Can Do It

Thanks to Bob Ross for his many years of encouraging videos.

Our scripture for the day is:

Philippians 4:4-13

from the Inclusive Bible by the Priests for Equality. Sheed & Ward.

Feb 08, 202104:49
God and I Agree on Everything

God and I Agree on Everything

Challenged today by Skye Jethani's question: Name on strongly held opinion of yours that you know differs from that of God. Especially regarding a hot political issue.

Feb 04, 202104:56
Help, My Brain is Dead
Feb 02, 202103:54
Stop Being Motivated by Fear

Stop Being Motivated by Fear

The two scripture passages for today are:

Psalm 27:1 and Isaiah 8:11-15

(c)2011 Common English Bible

Feb 01, 202104:42
The Beauty of Brokenness and Mending

The Beauty of Brokenness and Mending

Scripture for the day: Psalm 147

from: The Inclusive Bible (p. 1443). Priests for Equality. Sheed & Ward. Kindle Edition. 

Jan 30, 202104:30
We've Been Mostly Dead All Year

We've Been Mostly Dead All Year

Thanks to William Goldman, The Princess Bride

and to Biblical Concordances for the definition of the Greek word.

Jan 21, 202103:22
Seeing A Trumpeter Swan

Seeing A Trumpeter Swan

Today's reading is from Psalm 104:24-30 

(c) 2011 Common English Bible


Picture courtesy of Kristi McPherson (great picture Kristi!)

Jan 19, 202104:04
Remembering Our Baptism

Remembering Our Baptism

The scripture read in today's episode is from 1 Peter 3:21 (c)2011 Common English Bible.

Jan 11, 202103:43
Hope Stands Above Our Fears

Hope Stands Above Our Fears

A response to the storming of the capital building yesterday.

Jan 07, 202105:07
The Adoration of the Magi
Jan 06, 202103:60
Revisiting the Carols: Good Christian Friends Rejoice

Revisiting the Carols: Good Christian Friends Rejoice

In today's episode I incorrectly identify the translator of Now Sing We, Now Rejoice. The actual translator is Arthur T. Russell. My apologies for the mistake.

Thanks again to John Ourensma for contributing the musical portion of this segment.

Dec 29, 202006:12
Revisiting the Carols: In the Bleak Midwinter

Revisiting the Carols: In the Bleak Midwinter

In the Bleak Midwinter was written by Christina Rosetti was first published in January 1872. The tune sung here was written by Gustav Holst.

Thanks to John Ourensma and Nick Nestorak for their music!

Dec 28, 202007:33
Revisiting the Carols: It Came Upon the Midnight Clear

Revisiting the Carols: It Came Upon the Midnight Clear

Thanks to John Ourensma and Nick Nestorak for providing playing and singing this carol for us.

It Came Upon the Midnight Clear was written by Edmund Sears in 1849.

Dec 22, 202006:36
Revisiting the Carols: O Come All Ye Faithful

Revisiting the Carols: O Come All Ye Faithful

O Come All Ye Faithful -- Sung translation by Frederick Oakley in 1852, read translation by an unknown member of Margaret Chapel, London between 1820-1823.

Thanks to John Ourensma, Lauren Mitchell, Nick Nestorak and Renee Nestorak for their musical contribution.

Dec 21, 202007:60
Revisiting the Carols: What Child Is This

Revisiting the Carols: What Child Is This

Thanks to John Ourensma, Director of Music at First United Methodist Church, for singing and playing the carol for us.

Today's episode includes the poem The Manger Throne and the words to the original carol What Child is This both written by William Chatterton Dix.

Dec 19, 202007:26
Revisiting the Carols: O Little Town of Bethlehem

Revisiting the Carols: O Little Town of Bethlehem

In today's podcast John Ourensma joins us and closes our time by singing the carol.

O Little Town of Bethlehem was written by Phillips Brooks in 1868.

Dec 18, 202007:59
Revisiting the Carols: Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

Revisiting the Carols: Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

The text today comes from Charles Wesley's original "Hymn for Christmas-Day", 1739.

Dec 17, 202005:56
Revisiting the Carols: Silent Night

Revisiting the Carols: Silent Night

This translation of Silent Night was written by Bettina Klein.

It was commissioned by and is copyright (c) 1998 of the Silent Night Museum in Salzburg.

Dec 16, 202004:40
Revisiting the Carols: O Come, O Come Emmanuel!

Revisiting the Carols: O Come, O Come Emmanuel!

In this series, I will be looking at different translations of old familiar carols so that we may find depth and meaning in their words to us.

This episode uses: 

Thomas Alexander Lacey's translation of original Latin carol: Veni, Veni, Emmanuel from 1906. Source: W. J. Birkbeck, et al., eds., The English Hymnal (London: Oxford University Press, 1906), #8, pp. 12-13.

Dec 15, 202005:50
Waiting for Justice and Righteousness

Waiting for Justice and Righteousness

Today's Episode includes the reading of the Public Statement from Asbury United Methodist Church, Washington DC, written by Rev. Dr. Ianther M. Mills, Senior Pastor, December 13, 2020. 

Dec 14, 202004:42
The Star of Bethlehem

The Star of Bethlehem

Scriptures quoted in this episode:

Genesis 15:5 and Jeremiah 33:22, (c) 2011 Common English Bible.

Dec 12, 202005:37
Who are you waiting with?

Who are you waiting with?

Today's scripture reading comes from Ruth 1, selected verses, (c) 2011 Common English Bible.

Dec 10, 202004:31
Advent Candles and Us

Advent Candles and Us

Today's episode includes a quote from Grace Imathiu. She is a pastor, author, and incredible speaker, that I was blessed to hear several years ago. 

Dec 09, 202003:25
How long before we get there?

How long before we get there?

Scripture for today: Psalm 101:1-2, (c) 2011 Common English Bible.

Dec 08, 202004:09
Worrying While Waiting

Worrying While Waiting

Another episode in the emotions of Waiting for Christmas series.

Dec 07, 202004:21