Mindful Leader

Finally, Why Hilltop?

This wraps up the four part series on Why?  Hilltop has a vision of being a place where all can belong, believe and become.  This sermon is drawn from Galatians 3 ... 

Then, Why the Wesleyan Understanding of "Church"?

The two readings were from Genesis and Hebrews -- with an attempt to focus on the idea of Grace.  This was not a particularly scripturally based exposition of God's word.  A little history and a lot of Wesleyan Theology.  

First, Why God?

There is a lot of scripture here but in theory it is based on Joshua 24: 14-15 but it is also Job 38, Proverbs 3, Acts 5, Genesis 1, John 1, and Amos 7 with a touch of the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics thrown in for good measure.  Three basic parts here:  prove God, some characteristics of God (not exhaustive) and finally, what does this God expect of us?  

When we first laid this out a few months ago, the idea of linking it in any way to Jefferson/July 4th was not part of the "plan" whatever that means.  

This is one of the longer sermons I have ever given.  Over 34 minutes.  

June 21, 2015 -- 9:00 Service -- Father's Day and Emanuel AME

This is from the 9:00 Service.  I didn't start my iPhone for the 10:30 Service, so ... 

Sermon is Ephesians 6: 1-4 but it is as much on Living the Word as much as preaching the Word.  It was also shaped quite a bit by the events of Wednesday in Charleston SC at Emanuel AME.  

June 7th, 2015 -- Communion II

Scripture is Psalm 130 -- a Lament/Ascent Psalm.  The big idea is that in Communion, we enter into Community.  

May 31, 2015 -- Graduate Recognition Sunday

The Sermon is from Psalm 29 and is focused on the idea of Competing Claims on our lives.  

May 24, 2015 -- Pentecost and Confirmation Sunday

The reading is from Acts 2 (1-21).  That said, I focus more on the idea of 'what does this mean?'  The real "audience" (if one doesn't mind using that term here) is not everyone there, but the 12 youth being confirmed.  

May 17, 2015 -- Moving from Brokenness to Wholeness

This is from Acts 1 where the Disciples are incomplete -- they only have 11 and need one more to be whole.  This is less about Matthias then it is about returning to wholeness.  

May 3, 2015 -- Communion: Conversation #1

The sermon uses 1 Corinthians 11: 23-26 as a start point, but is more about communion in general than it is about 1 Corinthians 11.  More of a topical sermon, then a classical sermon from a passage.  

April 9, 1945 at Flossenburg, Germany

Mark 8: 31-38.  We have gotten the WayBack Machine and traveled to Flossenburg, Germany in 1945.  It is April 9.  The readings are a collection of thoughts by Bonhoeffer, or about Bonhoeffer by others.  I have a "script" if one wishes to see which is which.  mantuan@frii.com.