WS Update: Love is the Answer
We all agree that love is a virtue that, when exercised, makes life better because it makes relationships better. Yesterday we explored Jesus’ seemingly impossible command to be perfect as God is perfect. Instead of aggressively protecting our own rights and interests (eye for an eye), followers of Jesus are to treat others in a way…
WS Update: Connecting in America
A recent article titled “Why are we Lonely?” seeks to answer that question through the writings of Alexis de Tocqueville. In his “Democracy in America” de Tocqueville saw a restlessness in the modern world, captured by this quote: “Scarcely have you descended on the soil of America when you find yourself in the midst of…
WS Update: Mornings
I walk our dog every morning in Central Park and am regularly amazed at how many “morning people” there are in NYC. Some are riding bikes; others are running. Several are sipping coffee and reading. For those of you who are up early and want to use that time to connect with people in our…
WS Update: Living Water
Living in NYC for over 30 years, thousands of people have crossed my path. Faces and names come and go, but some individuals are indelible. Last week one of those individuals, Ellie Ellsworth, passed away after a short but painful battle with lung cancer. For those who never knew Ellie, she was someone who met…
WS Update: The Invitation
Earlier this summer The Atlantic published an article titled “How to Escape ‘the Worst Possible Timeline’” in which the author reflected upon the broad cultural pessimism that seems to have settled over our national dialogue like clouds blocking out the sun. Her recommendation was essentially a mindset shift: To break out of the spiral of…
WS Update: To Judge or Not to Judge
Jesus said, “Judge not, that you be not judged.” (Matthew 7:1) This may be the most recognized verse in the Bible today, and also one of the most understood. But it’s safe to say that our culture recoils at the idea of judgment, let alone a divine judgment at the end of history. And yet…
WS Update: Waiting With Hope
Waiting can be hard. When you’ve been eagerly looking forward to something becoming a reality, you want it to happen as soon as possible. It’s especially hard when the outcome is uncertain. Will things turn out good or bad? What will the test results reveal? Will I get the job, get into the school? Will…
WS Update: Getting the Ending Right
We all love a good ending to a story. When a hit TV series comes to a close, we feel invested in how it ends – and not just because we’ve given so many hours and weeks immersing ourselves in its world. No matter how great the entire series may have been, the finale can…
WS Update: Local and Global
In New York City, it can be easy for us to become so engrossed in our daily personal lives that we lose sight of the larger picture. It is crucial for us, as a church, to remember our role and impact within this city. We are called to love our neighbors and heal our city…
WS Update: Knowing God
Our July sermon series is about Jesus’ work in the history of the church. We looked at the Reformation period yesterday and no one is more influential than John Calvin. He begins his magnum opus, The Institutes with this: “Without knowledge of self, there is no knowledge of God. Our wisdom, insofar as it ought…