(Sunday, December 20 At 11 AM, Fourth Sunday of Advent, Live-Streamed On Zoom)

Scripture: Isaiah 35:1-11; Philippians 4:4-7

Hymns: Angels, from the Realms of Glory; O Come All Ye Faithful; O Little Town of Bethlehem; The First Noel; Go Tell it on the Mountain; Angels We Have Heard on High; Joy To The World; It Came Upon a Midnight Clear

The Word: “An Interactive Christmas Pageant” by Norman Allen

Our sermon this Sunday will come in the form of a Christmas Pageant. Our church school will retell the Christmas story through a pageant written for a Zoom format. Come and hear the old, old story in a new, new way. This will be fun.

Also, TPPC will celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ with a Christmas Eve Candlelight Service on Thursday, December 24th at 5 pm.

(Sunday, December 13 At 11 AM, Third Sunday of Advent,Live-Streamed On Zoom)

Scripture: Isaiah 35:1-11; Philippians 4:4-7

Hymns: Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates; Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming; ‘Twas in the Moon of Wintertime

Sermon: “Joy in the Age of COVID-19” by Rev. James Reisner

“At its heart Christianity is joy; and laughter and freedom and the reaching out of arms are the essence of it. Joy is a mystery because it can happen anywhere, anytime, even under the most unpromising circumstances, even in the midst of suffering, with tears in its eyes.”

--Frederick Buechner

(Sunday, December 6 At 11 AM, Second Sunday of Advent, Communion, Live-Streamed On Zoom)

Scripture: Isaiah 40:1-11; Mark 1:1-8

Hymns: Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus; Comfort, Comfort Now My People; Lo, He Comes with Clouds Descending

Sermon: “Comfort Food” by Rev. James Reisner

“Comfort, comfort, my people” proclaims the prophet, Isaiah. These are the first words of what is known as Second Isaiah which starts at the 40th chapter of his prophecy. Isaiah is declaring that to the people, after years of bitter exile in Babylon, that they are finally going home.

(Sunday, November 29 at 11 AM, Live-Streamed On Zoom)

Scripture: Isaiah 64:1-9; Mark 13:24-37

Hymns: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel; The Days Are Surely Coming; People, Look East

Sermon: “Apocalypse Now” by Rev. James Reisner

The language of apocalypse has been always hard for first-world Christians to access. Maybe the many extraordinary events of 2020 gives us insight into what these strange texts mean.

(Sunday, November 22 at 11 AM, Live-Streamed On Zoom)

Scripture: Deuteronomy 26:1-11; Luke 17:1-9

Hymns: We Gather Together; Let All Things Now Living; Now Thank We All Our God

Sermon: “Thanksgiving” by Rev. James Reisner

Memory is at the heart of Thanksgiving. When I sit down to Thanksgiving dinner I am always aware of Thanksgivings past. I can visualize my parents and grandparents, my uncles and aunts, those with whom I once sat at table who are gone.

In this most unusual year, many of us will be celebrating Thanksgiving in a different way, apart from family and friends. As we sit at smaller tables this year, let us remember other years and larger tables and give thanks for the people with whom we have shared the feast which is this life.

(Sunday, November 15 at 11 AM, Live-Streamed On Zoom)

Scripture: Selections from Job chapters 38 & 42; Mark 8:34-38

Hymns: Gather Us In; Take up Your Cross, the Savior Said; We Give Thee but Thine Own; Take My Life

Sermon: “The Art of Losing Graciously” by Rev. James Reisner

The Bible is filled with people who contend with God. Jacob wrestles with an angel in the night. Job argues against his harsh circumstances and asserts his righteousness before God. The Psalmist often laments her condition and pleads to God for redress of her complaints.

In the Bible, and in our faith, it is appropriate to contend with God. We are allowed our complaints, and God counts them as prayers. Yet, the end and aim of all our wrestling with God is to lose.

(Sunday, November 8 at 11 AM, Live-Streamed On Zoom)

Scripture: Amos 5:14-15,21-24; Mark 4:34-41

Hymns: Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee; My Shepherd Will Supply My Need; Love Divine, All Loves Excelling

Sermon: “The Storm Outside; the Storm Within” by Rev. James Reisner

We have all been tossed to and fro this week with the changing landscape of the election. God is both dynamic and constant amidst all the many changes of this life. One thing I know about God is that God has the capacity to still the storm in my own heart.

(Sunday, November 1 at 11 AM, Live-Streamed On Zoom)

Scripture: Joshua 4:1-7, 18-24; Matthews 5:1-12

Hymns: The Church’s One Foundation; When Memory Fades; For All the Saints

Sermon: “Blessed” by Rev. James Reisner

“When we can reach beyond our fears to the One who loves us with a love that was there before we were born and will be there after we die; then oppression, persecution, even death will be unable to take our freedom,” wrote Henri Nouwen. No matter what happens this coming Tuesday, we still belong to God.

(Sunday, October 25 at 11 AM, Live-Streamed On Zoom)

Scripture: Habakkuk 2:1-4; Romans 1:16-17, 3:19-24

Hymns: I Greet Thee, Who My Sure Redeemer Art; Our God, Our Help in Ages Past; A Mighty Fortress is Our God

Sermon: “What's Your Motivation” by Rev. Jim Reisner

One of the theological principles of our Reformed tradition is the doctrine of total depravity. That sounds kind of bleak, doesn’t it? What it means is that we are all screwed up. We’re all screwed up but God loves us anyway. The upside of all this is that since there is nothing we can do to affect our own salvation, then the only response is gratitude.

You can do a whole lot worse than if your purpose in life is gratitude.