Guest pastor Rev. Dr. David Vásquez-Levy, the President of the Pacific School of Religion, shared a message about what it means to wrestle with the heaviness of being Middle Aged — to reconcile our past and our future — as Joseph does in our scripture reading for today. As a nation, world, and people, we need to reflect on the impact we've had on one another through colonialism, displacement, and inequality, and also on our hurting planet, and help our children learn from our mistakes and move forward with hope and possibility of what might be. 

​When it comes to our faith, it's not about checking boxes, it's about constantly trying to improve — but not in the competitive way that's so common in the Bay Area. Instead, we should apply a high bar to loving others, experiencing growth, and, if we stumbled yesterday, getting back up to try again today.  

​In his sermon titled "Authors of our Own Destruction," Pastor Dave shared the many parallels between 2,700 years ago and today. The answer to the age old question of "Is there still time to change?" is yes, if we allow ourselves to be remade in the potter's hands: to have hope for change, new life, and justice, and are willing to be transformed.

​Pastor Eileen challenged us with the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. "True compassion is more than flinging a coin to a beggar; it comes to see that an edifice which produces beggars needs restructuring.” We are called to continually engage in the work of radical transformation of overhauling systemic racism, even if it makes us a bit uneasy. In the words of MLK, "The whole Jericho road must be transformed so that men and women will not be constantly beaten and robbed as they make their journey on life's highway."

​Pastor Dave spoke about how faith starts when we believe we're connected. The next step is to uplift and serve each other to share the joy of being in community much like Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King did. Dr. King worked to see the image of God on earth by being courageous and working to make our country more just for all.

​Pastor Eileen spoke about why Jesus, who was without sin, chose to get baptized. "It was an act of solidarity in a nation and world of sinners ... Jesus identifies with us — damaged and broken people who need God." The comfort of knowing we are not alone, that God is right here with us, can help us move away from fractiousness and toward hope, no matter how exhausted we may be. ❤️

​At the 10:00 p.m. Candlelight Service, Pastor Dave spoke about how much darkness is in the world and in our lives. Why do we celebrate Christmas now, at the darkest time of the year? Christmas is a story about darkness and how God meets our needs in the midst of darkness. God sends light into the world, and that light shines in the darkness and the darkness will not overcome it. God responds to darkness by sending light, and we are called to do the same.