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Sermons of the Rev. Allison T. Bauer, Pastor of Second Presbyterian Church in Portsmouth, OH
Episodes
Thursday Oct 17, 2019
Thursday Oct 17, 2019
Second Presbyterian Church + Portsmouth, OH
The experiment begins! As a response to requests about learning some "new-to-us" ways of praying, here's our first adventure with prayer experiments!
Experiment #1 How physical posture can trigger your brain when it's time to pray
- crossing your thumbs
- hands palms up resting on your legs
Experiment #2 Summarizing a Scripture passage in 6 words or less
- the practice of discerning the heart of a Scripture passage and listening for God's voice
Download this handout to follow along with the experiments:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/10qlOGqfhUTJ7wV83334IP8PARX0BddAq/view?usp=sharing
Wednesday Oct 16, 2019
Wednesday Oct 16, 2019
Second Presbyterian Church + Portsmouth, OH
"Seek the Shalom of the City"
In this podcast:
Prayer for Illumination
Gospel reading Luke 17:11-19
The Psalter - Psalm 66:1-12
The Epistle reading 1 Thessalonians 5:12-22
The Anthem "A Repeating Alleluia"
Old Testament reading Jeremiah 29:1, 4-7
Sermon "Seeking the Shalom of the City"
Sermon excerpt:
So, if we are to assume that these words God gave to the Israelites are words being spoken to us again today by the power of the Holy Spirit, what are we to do with them?
I wonder about all the ways we’re already seeking the shalom of this city, but we’ve never thought about them in this way before.
When you serve in a community group or a non-profit, you’re seeking the shalom of the city.
When you run a business or a doctor’s office, you’re seeking the shalom of the city.
When you teach in a school or a university, when you make music or make art, when you pack hygiene kits or weekend food backpacks or buy presents for kids at Christmas or give to God’s Pantry, you’re seeking the shalom of the city.
When you do any of these things in the name of Jesus Christ – whether you actually speak his name out loud or not – you are seeking the wholeness and completeness and prosperity of the city.
But ...
Sunday Oct 06, 2019
Sunday Oct 06, 2019
Second Presbyterian Church + Portsmouth, OH
"Something Small and Hidden"
Prayer of Illumination
Old Testament reading 1 Kings 17:8-16
Epistle reading Acts 2:37-47
Gospel reading Matthew 13:31-34
Sermon "Something Small and Hidden"
Sermon excerpt:
" ... we realize that mustard seeds and yeast are in fact the oddest of choices as ways of describing the kingdom of heaven.
First of all, a mustard plant is actually classified as an invasive weed, so if it shows up in your yard, it behooves you to get rid of it ASAP because it will take over all your other plants.
And second of all, in biblical times they didn’t actually use yeast as we know it today; instead it something called “leaven” which is described as a “rotting, molding lump of bread” used to start a new loaf of bread, kind of like a sourdough starter.
You know what that means, right? Jesus is saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like an invasive weed and moldy bread.” And that can only lead us to ask the question, “What in the world was Jesus thinking?”
Tuesday Sep 24, 2019
Tuesday Sep 24, 2019
Second Presbyterian Church + Portsmouth, OH
Sunday, September 22, 2019
In this podcast:
Prayer of Illumination
Old Testament reading Jeremiah 8:18-9:1
The Psalter Psalm 79:1-9
Epistle 1 Timothy 2:1-7
The Anthem "When the Whole Heart Turns Unto God" (Alec Rowley)
Gospel Luke 16:1-13
Sermon "Loving God & God's People More Than Money"
Sources mentioned in the sermon:
Kiva - microlending non-profit that crowdfunds loans for projects around the world
Washington Post article about large chocolate companies refusing to end child labor practices in their global supply chains
Wednesday Sep 18, 2019
Wednesday Sep 18, 2019
Second Presbyterian Church + Portsmouth, OH
Sun, Sept 15, 2019
"Go Find Them"
First reading Jeremiah 4:11-12, 22-28
The Psalter - Psalm 14
Second reading 1 Timothy 1:12-17
Choral Anthem "The King of Love My Shepherd Is"
Third reading Luke 15:1-10
Sermon title "Go Find Them"
Sermon except
In this passage, Jesus challenges us – just as he challenges the Pharisees and the scribes – to learn from him and to GO FIND THEM. Be like the shepherd who does something ridiculous like leave his 99 to go after the 1. Be like the woman who turned her whole house upside looking for one coin when she still had 9 perfectly good ones still left in her pocket. Be like Jesus who welcomed sinners and outcasts and people who think the church will be hit with lightning if they walk into a church.
Sit with them, eat with them – six words.
See them, love them, welcome them – six more words.
Wednesday Sep 18, 2019
Wednesday Sep 18, 2019
Second Presbyterian Church + Portsmouth, OH
Sun, Sept 8, 2019 "Going All In"
In this podcast:
Prayer for Illumination
First Scripture reading Jeremiah 18:1-11
The Psalter Anthem - Psalm 139
Second reading Philemon 1-12
Third reading Luke 14:25-33
Sermon title: "Going All In"
Sermon excerpt:
Going all in is a thrilling feeling – to let go of past inhibitions and embark on something new; to act with a kind boldness you’ve never felt before; to take a risk on something uncertain; to make a radical commitment to something that is so important to you that you’re willing to forsake everything else.
Going all in is a complete and total rush.
And often, it’s a spectacularly terrible mistake. Just ask the crowds Jesus was talking to!
Sunday Jul 28, 2019
Sunday Jul 28, 2019
Sun, July 21, 2019
Second Presbyterian Church + Portsmouth, OH
"By Special Request" summer sermon series
Included in this podcast:
Prayer of Illumination
Old Testament reading John 1:1-12
Psalm 119 responsive reading
Epistle reading Romans 8:28-39
Luke 22:21-34
Sermon "Not for Us to Know"
Sunday Jul 28, 2019
Sunday Jul 28, 2019
Sun, July 14, 2019
Second Presbyterian Church + Portsmouth, OH
"By Special Request" summer sermon series
Included in this podcast:
Prayer of Illumination
Old Testament reading Jeremiah 29:1, 4-7
Psalm 111 responsive reading
Gospel reading Luke 17:11-19
Epistle reading 2 Timothy 2:2-8
Sermon "By Special Request" 2 Timothy 2:2-8 "This Last Letter"
Tuesday Jul 02, 2019
Tuesday Jul 02, 2019
Sun, June 30, 2019
Second Presbyterian Church + Portsmouth, OH
BY SPECIAL REQUEST summer sermon series
Prayer of Illumination
Old Testament reading Isaiah 40:27-31
Epistle reading Philippians 4:1, 4-9
Gospel reading Matthew 6:25-34
Ministry of Music "I Waited For the Lord" (Felix Mendelssohn)
Julie (mom) and Jacque (daughter) Hines, duet; Stan Workman, accompanist
I waited for the Lord,
He inclined unto me,
He heard my complaint.
O blessed are they that hope and trust in the Lord!
Psalm 42 (from the 1928 edition of the Book of Common Prayer)
Like as the hart (or deer) desireth the water-brooks,
so longeth my soul after Thee, O God.
My soul is athirst for God,
yea, even for the living God:
When shall I come to appear before the presence of God?
My tears have been my meat day and night,
while they daily say unto me:
Where is now thy God?
Now when I think thereupon,
I pour out my heart by myself;
For I went with the multitude,
and brought them forth into the house of God;
In the voice of praise and thanksgiving,
among such as keep holy-day.
Why art thou so full of heaviness, O my soul?
and why art thou so disquieted within me?
Put thy trust in God;
for I will yet give Him thanks for the help of his countenance.
Sermon: By Special Request - Psalm 42 (from Stan Workman)
Hymn: "Be Still, O My Soul"
Link to article mentioned in the sermon: People Who Talk to Themselves Aren't Crazy, They're Actually Geniuses
Sunday Jun 23, 2019
Sunday Jun 23, 2019
Sun, June 23, 2019
Second Presbyterian Church + Portsmouth, OH
"By Special Request" summer sermon series
Request: Angels -- who are they? how/when were they created?
In this podcast:
Prayer for Illumination
Old Testament reading Genesis 2:1-4
Responsive reading Psalm 148:1-6
Epistle reading Galatians 1:3-10
Ministry of Music "Angels through the Night" Traditional/ Arr. by Phillip Kern
(Mary Baughman, soloist; Dr. Stan Workman, accompanist)
Gospel reading Luke 2:8-20
Sermon "All About Angels"
Sermon excerpt:
Even for as much as we can know about angels, there’s much more that we can’t. Not quite humans, not quite God, they don’t fit into any of the categories we use to describe things, and so they remain a mystery that we can’t quite solve.
But I think that’s the whole point, actually. God – who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, three in one and one in three – is always a mystery; so why would God’s angels, the messengers of God, be any less mysterious?