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Grasshoppers and Eagles

February 4, 2018; Grasshoppers and Eagles

Pastor Rebecca Ellenson; ICCM

Isaiah 40:31 is one of those verses of scripture many of us know by heart, thanks to a song.  Those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength, they shall mount up on wings, as eagles, they shall run and not be weary they shall walk and not faint.   It expresses a great hope –that God would lift us up on Eagle’s wings. Who wouldn’t love the idea of soaring above it all, like a swift and strong eagle, with a bird’s eye view of life below.   Continue reading “Grasshoppers and Eagles”

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Power and Authority

Mark 1: 21-28; January 28, 2018; Pastor Rebecca Ellenson: ICCM

He taught as one with authority.  Let’s talk about power today.

Biblically-speaking, there are two words for power.  One is the word from which the word dynamite comes.  That’s raw power, strength or force.  The other word is best translated Authority.  It means a power that is granted, like the power of a position, like that of an elected official. When that word is used about Jesus it means he had the authority from God and the right to use it.  Continue reading “Power and Authority”

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A Big Fish Story

Jonah 3:1-5; January 21, 2018
Pastor Rebecca Ellenson; ICCM

One of Gary Larson’s “Far Side” cartoons depicts a bearded man standing at his front door. He is dripping wet and his clothes are in tatters. His wife opens the door. She takes one look at her disheveled husband and says, “For crying out loud Jonah! Three days late, covered with slime and smelling like fish. What story have I got to swallow this time?” Continue reading “A Big Fish Story”

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Here I Am

Here I Am, Lord; January 14, 2018
Pastor Rebecca Ellenson, ICCM

There are times when it can seem that we have lost our vision. We can feel lost, without a sense of direction or far-seeing vision. Maintaining a sense of direction or seeing into the distance can be hard. We face times when we feel like we’ve done everything we can and we still don’t know how to proceed. Continue reading “Here I Am”

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Three Kings?

Epiphany Sunday 2018; ICCM
Pastor Rebecca Ellenson; Three Kings?; Matthew 2: 1-12

Many of us have the story of the Three Wise Men all mixed up into the Christmas story, thanks to the inclusion of the three wise men in manger scenes and Christmas programs and children’s stories for the most part. Because of that synchronization of the gospels we often think of the them arriving right on the heels of the Shepherds that first Christmas Day.   Continue reading “Three Kings?”

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Temmelig Godt

1 Sunday after Christmas; 12.31.17
Isaiah 61:10 – 62:3; Galations 4: 4-7
Pastor Rebecca Ellenson; ICCM

One time when I was visiting my parents, we went to their neighbor’s house for some Norwegian goodies. Their neighbor’s parents, like my grandparents were born in Norway and immigrated to the US. They had been back to see their relatives many times. Orville Haugsby, their neighbor told us a story about one of his visits to Norway. He prefaced his story by telling us that his parents often spoke Norwegian at home and he had learned it that way. When it was terribly cold his father would come in from chores and say, “Ja, na er det temmelig kaldt!” He could figure out from the context what that meant, it meant that it was very, very cold!   Continue reading “Temmelig Godt”

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Posadas and Piñatas

Preached on Christmas Eve 2017 at ICCM

Merry Christmas! I am so glad to see each and every one of you here for worship as we celebrate the birth of Jesus. In this gathering we share a few things in common: First, this is not our native land—we come, originally, from somewhere else. We gather as extranjeros—outlanders, foreigners, travelers, in Mexico. Secondly, we gather to celebrate the coming of the Christ, a baby born while his parents were traveling too. We form a special community this night, this gathering is a shelter of sorts, home in a way. Tonight, we hear the familiar songs and scriptures. We will light the candles and remember what this night is all about. Continue reading “Posadas and Piñatas”

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Pointers

My dog is spending the winter with my daughter. I’m hoping I get him back for the summers, but they’re mighty happy together. We’ll see. My dog’s name is Mikko, he’s ½ black lab and ½ German shorthair pointer, but he doesn’t know how to point. He isn’t the least bit interested in sniffing out birds in grassy areas. In fact, he’s afraid of geese. He is not supposed to draw attention to himself but rather to direct the focus toward the object of the hunt. Mikko is supposed to be a pointer, but he’s not. Continue reading “Pointers”