Orchard Ridge United Church of Christ

Preached by Tammy Martens on June 8, 2008
Text: Mark 10:13-16

In A. A. Milne’s Winnie the Pooh book, one of the chapters I love to read is “Pooh Goes Visiting and Gets Into a Tight Place.” The chapter begins with Pooh walking through the forest one day and he stumbles upon Rabbit’s Home which is a Hole in a Tree. Pooh pushes himself through the very tight hole and makes it into Rabbit’s house. After a good meal of honey, condensed milk and bread, Pooh starts to leave. But as Pooh tries to push himself out of the hole in Rabbit’s Tree, he gets stuck, very stuck.Rabbit is not able to push Pooh out so he runs to get Christopher Robin. Continue Reading »

preached by Winton Boyd

Text:Matthew 7:24-28

As a part of the Sermon on the Mount, this passage is core part of Matthew’s gospel. The words themselves are important, but how they are received is even more importaant. When the text says people were amazed at Jesus’ authority – it also points to a rising tension within the community that surrounded Jesus. The “official” authorities were increasingly concerned about Jesus, and there was a growing gap between how they viewed, explained, and lived out their faith AND how Jesus was calling his followers to live out their faith. Clearly, in Matthew’s gospel, this parable foreshadows much more complicated and difficult relations to come. Continue Reading »

Preached by Winton Boyd on May 18, 2008 (Confirmation Sunday)

Isaiah 58:9-14

There is both joy and sadness that this year is ending. Since September, we have met as a group – mentors and students. Continue Reading »

Preached by Winton Boyd on May 11, 2008
Acts 2

Today, I am grateful to be a part of the United Church of Christ, which has invited its churches to seize a moment in our national consciousness to talk about race in this country. Continue Reading »

Preached by Winton Boyd on May 4, 2008

Acts 1:6-14

Every parent who has ever taken a long trip by automobile with a child knows the most common words spoken by children during those trips -sometimes within moments of departure. Continue Reading »