Posts by Josiah Dames
Devotion: Peace. Hope. Joy.
Please take a moment to read Isaiah 2:1-5 and Luke 1:26-33 How do you prepare for Christmas? For lots of reasons, my house decor is reduced this year, but there are certain words important to me… PEACE. HOPE. JOY. They have a prominent place around my home. When I read these scriptures, I find those words meant something to…
Read MoreGod Sighting: Baking for Barnabas
“I love to serve, but I don’t always have the time to go someplace to volunteer. But I can do this on my own time and pace at home.” Sheridan member Samantha McBride loves to bake and she loves to share. The two come together in her ministry that’s centered around the quart jars of…
Read MoreDevotion: The Prophet is Calling
Please take the time to read Isaiah 9:2-7 Here we are in a season of cold and darkness. The sun rises late and the evening comes early. In Isaiah 9, Isaiah writes about the people that have been walking in darkness, but there will come a king like no other. They will be free of…
Read MoreDevotion: The Prophet Calls
“… the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord’” Mark 1:3 I am a sucker for sappy commercials. For as emotionally tough as people tell me I am (I work with several “sympathetic cryers”), Rose will tell you that I cry during movies and even at a touching commercial. I find it…
Read MoreDevotion: Be a Sheep, Not a Goat
Take a moment to read the scripture from the weekend: Matthew 25:31-26:2 Jesus is just a few days away from the cross when he tells his disciples and the gathered crowd about the sheep and the goats. He’s using the days he has left to discuss signs of the end times and his second coming, and…
Read MoreDevotion: Faith in the Face of Hardship
Please take the time to read Psalm 107:1-22. It was November 2021. COVID was slowly lumbering away into the night, leaving behind a world that did not yet know how it had changed, how it had been redeemed. People were still hurting from the inside out. With a little bit of trepidation, my husband and I decided to…
Read MoreDevotion: All Saints Day
Please review the scripture from this weekend: Ephesians 1:18-19 Pastor Michelle’s message this week was a meaningful reflection on the significance of All Saints Day. I love that this day invites us to pause and remember the faithful followers of Jesus who have gone before us into life eternal with Him. Their lives remind us that sainthood,…
Read MoreGod Sighting: Celebrating 50 Years of Music Ministry
“If you can use your gifts to inspire others to share theirs, you’ve done part of your job as a Christian.” In 1974, Keith Heckman moved back to Lincoln and joined Sheridan. In those days, located on Sheridan Boulevard, Sheridan was a church of traditional worship, which often featured brass instruments. As a professional musician…
Read MoreDevotion: Reformation
Please take a moment to read Psalm 46. “Be still, and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10 Anyone who has spoken with me recognizes that my mind goes around and around. My thoughts are not often quiet. The pastors may advise me to stop watching and reading the news of America and our planet. But…
Read MoreBuilding Generous Children
One of the most beautiful and important lessons we can teach our children is the joy of giving. This fall, our preschool and elementary Faith Formation students have been learning just that. Each week, as part of their spiritual journey, our children bring their offerings. This fall, their collective gifts went toward sponsoring two students…
Read MoreDevotion: Reclaiming Our Minds
Please take the time to read Proverbs 2:1-11 “I think I’ve lost my mind!” Words exclaimed when we are exasperated by a bad decision or choice. I know that I’ve said it a few times out of frustration and you may have, too. Our sermon series titled “Pay Attention” has challenged us to be aware…
Read MoreDevotion: Public Attention
Take a moment to read this weekend’s scripture: Romans 8:5-9 I went to school to be a journalist. I was taught to look for the truth. Not just opinion but the deeper reality that sits beneath both sides. One thing I learned is that truth rarely shouts. It often whispers. Which means you can’t be talking…
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