John 5 There’s a small but powerful detail in the story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well: after her encounter with Jesus, she leaves her water jar behind. It’s easy to rush past that line, but it carries the weight of transformation. She came to the well carrying the symbol of her …
Tag: First Congregational Church
Jan 26
When Healing Interrupts Our Expectations
John 5:1–18; Psalm 103:1–5 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits,who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases,Psalm 103:2 We often imagine healing as something gentle, orderly, and predictable. We pray, we wait, and we hope that God will work in ways that make sense to us. Psalm 103 invites us to bless the …
Jan 12
Where Does God Dwell?
John 2:13–25, 1 Corinthians 3:16–17, Matthew 15:18–20 This week’s scriptures invite us into a profound and searching question: Where does God dwell? For generations, people looked to temples, sanctuaries, and sacred spaces to locate the presence of the Holy. But our readings challenge us to look closer—much closer. In John’s Gospel, Jesus enters the Jerusalem temple …
Jan 07
Devotional Thought: “Where Are You Staying?”
John 1:35–51 When the first disciples begin following Jesus, he turns and asks them: “What are you looking for?” Their reply is simple, almost ordinary: “Rabbi, where are you staying?” It’s a question about location, but it’s also about presence. They aren’t asking for a lecture or a creed. They want to know where Jesus …
