Rev. Jim Magaw

Gospel of Mark: Good News

What is the good news of our current era? Is there such a thing as “good news” when we are facing so many grim challenges? This sermon–the first of four inspired by the Gospel of Mark–will explore what it means to be bringers of good news, even (or especially) in dark times.

Attention Please!

One of the greatest challenges in life is paying attention. Sometimes, when things are difficult to experience, we really don’t want to pay attention. Other times, we simply forget. However, when we do pay attention, we’re better able to cope with reality and to appreciate all that is good in our lives and in our … Continued

My Cup Overflows

The phrase “my cup overflows” is a translation of the Hebrew phrase kosi r’vaya from the 23rd Psalm. Our spiritual cup often overflows–with joy, with sorrow, with wonder, with worry. What does it mean to live life from a place of abundance and overflowing rather than scarcity and emptiness?

Dust and Ashes

Repentance is one of the major themes of the Christian liturgical season of Lent. What does repentance look like in our contemporary context, and is it even a useful concept here and now?

Community & Connection

What are the benefits of being part of a healthy, thriving community, and what does it take to create and sustain such communities? In this service, we will explore these questions and others.

Reproductive Justice Now

As part of a liberatory Reproductive Justice movement, we affirm our commitment to building a world in which all people are able to make choices about their bodies, their health, and their families within safe, thriving communities.

Prophetic Love and Rage

It has been said that “if you’re not outraged, you’re not paying attention.” While it’s true that outrage and anger are appropriate, necessary, and even productive emotions, it is also true that something more is needed to nurture and sustain social justice movements. How do we bring both our outrage and our love to this … Continued

God Is Love

One of the most radical statements in the Christian gospels is expressed in three simple words: God is love.  What are the real implications of conceptualizing God not as some distant all-powerful being but rather as something familiar and down-to-earth that manifests itself in countless life-sustaining, life-affirming ways?

Life and Legacy of Bayard Rustin

Until recently, Bayard Rustin was one of the lesser-known leaders of the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s. What can we learn from the life and work of Rustin, a gay Black man who was, in many ways, ahead of his time? And how might his example inspire all of us to carry … Continued

Frozen and Liberating Love

The Frozen animated children’s film franchise explores the shadow side of the hero’s journey and collective identity. What are the implications of these themes for our own lives and our own culture? And how can courageous love lead to liberation, both for individuals and for society as a whole?