Wildwords: Sermons From Wildwood Mennonite Church

You've heard the Parable of the Talents, right--two faithful, productive servants and one lazy coward who buries the boss's money? WRONG! Listen here to learn the shocking truth! (Hint: turns out that the boss is a jerk!) 8 of 10 after-church conversations say this is going to blow your mind!

Do we still read our Bibles and find it meaningful? What is the value of story and how do our stories and the Bible’s stories inform our lives? What difference does our approach to the Bible make? What is God’s role – and where is that helicopter-parent God we sometimes think we are looking for? Are we, perhaps, free to doubt and to question – to wrestle with God – as we take up the challenge to find our place in God’s story?

Living Sacrifice, anyone? No, we're not talking about the Christian death metal band (yes of course that's a real thing!) We're talking about what it means to live out the meaning behind the system of ritual sacrifice that dominated the culture(s) of Jesus' day (see: Romans 12:1-2). Come for the history lesson, stay for the rich spiritual metaphor. #hotinhere #sorrynotvegan

Cleanup on aisle 6! Is there a better end for the messes we've made than mopping up the aftermath and pretending they never happened? Not that you've ever made any mistakes, but you might want to check out the finale of "What Do We Do With What We've Done?" anyway. You know, for a friend...

Are we there yet? This business of waiting for Christmas can be a tiresome affair, and yet waiting itself can be a beneficial spiritual discipline. Joseph learned he was a player in God’s story. As God’s story continues, are we willing to jump in and play the part written for us?

What are you waiting for? We know that fear drives blame, greed, racism, addiction, war, and disconnection. And in 2019, we were very afraid - swimming in a fear soup. So how can we manifest God’s vision today? How can we, while we wait in fear of everything happening around us, live God’s vision?

"Metanoia!" We were pleased to have Rev Emily Carr share with us on this second Sunday of Advent.

Advent begins with the cry for help: all is not right with the world, and people are longing for a saviour. Are we listening to their cries? What do we do with all of this pain? Listen to "Where Are You???" from Joe Heikman.

"Mourning Together, in Hope" - Do you know that feeling of being alone in your grief, that you have to “walk this lonesome valley by yourself”? Death and many kinds of significant changes bring feelings of grief. How do we express that grief? What role can rituals fill and what is the value of mourning? In all our questions about life and death, how does faith play a part, and do we, who have hope, grieve differently than others?

There are consequences for what we've done. How do we deal with the harm we've done--to ourselves and to others, in the past and ongoing--in constructive ways? We need to take responsibility. But this is easier said than done. Why do we get stuck in cycles of harm, why is taking responsibility so difficult? Where can we look for models of authentic, meaningful responsibility-taking?

Oh wow, you've really done it this time! Relax, we all have. So what do we do about what we've done? And would it feel better if we framed this as musical theatre?  "Will you join in our crusade // Who will be strong and stand with me? // Beyond the barricade is there a world you long to see?" #lesmiserables  #sorrynotsorry? This sermon began with a scene from Les Miserables , the 2012 musical movie version. The scene is of the convict Valjean’s encounter with a bishop, who meets Valjean’s act of thievery with kindness and generosity. 

Hope Floats, this we know. (Sorry, we couldn't go the whole series without making that reference at least once!) But does Hope get results? Listen here to find out. (Or does that invitation make you wonder if the only result we're hoping for is your play? Hmmm...) Also, stories from Samson, Gideon, and the Seeds of Peace.

Most of us have known hopelessness at some point in our lives, things feel out of control, it is a reality of living. How confusing are those times? How do we continue? Where does strength for living come from? Where is God in all of this? Let’s be confused together, but maybe something surprising is hidden in those darker hours.

What do we when Thanksgiving comes before the harvest is in? How can we be grateful when our hopes our not yet realized? Hope & Gratitude, Thanksgiving vs Passover - it's holiday mash-up time at Wildwood!

Who is able to share in the unbounded, universal love of God? How did this understanding come about? And in times of division and polarization, what does it mean for us today? Having celebrated World Communion Sunday, can we learn to see Christ present also at the tables in our homes and communities, and around the world?

Where does Hope come from? In Tabitha's story from Acts 9, the resurrection gets all the attention--but the hope that grew to that point began much earlier with Tabitha's simple acts of service. How do you guarantee that hope is present, even in the toughest struggles? Bring it.

We may have determined at some point in our lives, that to hope is to be sure of disappointment. There are many reasons to feel despair and a sense of hopelessness. So why hope at all? Sometimes it is hard to be hopeful; to live in hope and move forward in hope. So how can the stories of Rebecca and of Corrie ten Boom be stories of hope? And what assurance can they give us?

As we've been searching "Beyond Sunday" for the voice of God this summer, perhaps we've noticed that we're not the only ones out there with ideas about God and spirituality. How do we relate to those other religious and non-religious traditions and expressions, while remaining authentic to our own faith? How do we build relationships with those whose understanding of God is quite different from our own? Complex questions, but it begins with the posture of listening for the voice of the Good Shepherd beyond the walls of our familiar pastures.