TLLC Sunday Morning Worship

Crossroads at the Empty Tomb Service is viewable at: I never really thought about Easter or the empty tomb being a crossroads moment until this year. Maybe it’s because of our Lenten theme or maybe it’s because of the difficult year we’ve all faced in light of the pandemic or maybe because Mark saw it this way. There is something vastly different about the way Mark tells the resurrection story, and you can tell that it was viewed as odd by others from pretty early on. If you look in your Bible, you will see what is considered the original ending of Mark (16:8a) followed by “the shorter ending” (16:8b) and “the longer ending” (16:9-20). Mark’s original ending is abrupt and awkward, and to me, these additions seem an attempt to sanitize that. If Mark’s ending is a bit messy, I assume there’s a reason for that… and the reason might be you! So join us on Easter Sunday (whether online or in person) to hear the Resurrection according to Mark and see why! Join us to Worship Where You Are this Sunday at 9AM & 11AM or for our in-person SONrise Services at 9AM & 11AM (sign up details below).  The scriptures for this Easter Sunday are 1 Corinthians 15:51-57 and Mark 16:1-8.  Bring an empty cross, butterfly, egg or Easter lily to your home altar as a symbol of the resurrection and the crossroads presented by the empty tomb. We give thanks to WWYA Worship Leaders, Ralph & Ellie Erchinger.  As we celebrate Holy Communion, remember to make or buy bread and wine/juice.

The Ultimate Crossroad - Palm/Passion SundayService can be seen at YouTube link:This week Jesus finds himself at the ultimate crossroads – the cross itself. We begin the day with palms and conclude with the passion. We move from shouting “Hosanna!” to crying “Crucify Him!” It is a day when our expectations of the Messiah we want and the Messiah we most desperately need collide at this crossroads. We may wonder which way to follow, but Jesus does not. Join us as we hear a dramatic telling of Mark’s Gospel – how Jesus stayed true to God’s mission all the way to the cross and through it showed the world that “truly this man was God’s son!”The scriptures for this Palm/Passion Sundayare Mark 11:1-11, Psalm 31:6-16, and Mark 14:1-15:47. Bring a cross to your home altar to remind you of Jesus’ willingness to follow the way of God at the ultimate crossroad.As we prepare for Holy Week and Easter, you may pick up palms as well as consecrated elementsfor Maundy Thursday & Easter Sunday at the church this Saturday 10:00-11:30. We give thanks to this week’s WWYA Worship Leaders,Mike and Cheryl Wendling; Davis and Ed Perron; Dan, Henrik and Caleb Koellhofer; Deb Reswik-Hilton; Sujan Sirivella; Kevin McClure; Sara Burden-McClure; Robert Gonzalez; and Jeff Buchle (who played roles and helped behnd the scenes),Production Crew, and Musicians.

Grace at the Crossroads Service can be seen at YouTube link: In this week’s Worship Where You Are sermon, guest preacher Pastor Dave Seddelmeyer asks us to get in touch with our feelings.  What feelings have you had throughout Lent? Are there certain feelings we are “supposed to have?”  Do we have different feelings or heightened feelings this Lent in particular? Our scripture for this Sunday is well known and gives us a hint at one feeling we experience that just might surprise us.  Join us this Sunday to see what it is!

Covenant at the Temple Service can be seen at YouTube link: Throughout Lent we have been hearing the covenant stories from the Old Testament – Noah and the rainbow, Abraham & Sarah and numerous-as-the –stars descendants. This week we hear the story of the Ten Commandments. The word commandment is pretty off-putting for most of us I imagine, but when we remember these Ten Commandments are really the Third Covenant, perhaps that might shift how we view them - as relational rather than legal, as affirmations rather than demands, as a promise rather than simply a list of prohibitions. I really struggle with the commandment to honor the Sabbath. I know – I’m a pastor… I should have that one covered, but I don’t. Honestly, I have a lot of guilt about that… so shifting my focus from commandment to covenant helps! It helps me remember that God gave us the Sabbath as a gift not an obligation so that we could be in deeper relationship with our Creator not check some spiritual box. If you haven’t taken time to rest in God for a few weeks because of COVID chaos or  snow-magedon side effects or superfluous screen time, join us for a little R&R with Worship Where You Are or take a little time to do a walking meditation or hum a hymn on your back porch. Rest in God and God’s promise: I am your God and you are my people!

Crossroads Confession Service can be seen at YouTube link: https://youtu.be/y1dSyvkveNw [https://youtu.be/y1dSyvkveNw] After Peter correctly confesses Jesus as the Messiah, Jesus tells his disciples what this means and what lies ahead for him in Jerusalem - that he will be rejected and killed and after three days rise again.  Peter's initial response demonstrates the crossroads at which we as people of faith often find ourselves: the Jesus we want is at a crossroads with the Jesus we get, the kingdoms of the world are at cross purposes with the kingdom of God, and our way often collides with the Lord's Way.  Yet, Jesus meets us in these moments of tension, continuing the invitation to follow as His disciples, and on the cross he shows us the only way to salvation.