Acts 1:6-14 | Psalm 68:1-10, 32-35 | 1 Peter 4:12-14, 5:6-11 | John 17:1-11

Jeremy Richards

“Don’t be surprised at the fiery ordeal that is taking place among you…” Really, Peter? Don’t be surprised? What, exactly are we supposed to not be surprised by? Innocent young people at a pop concert being killed by a suicide bomber? Nearly 30 Coptic Christians – men, women and children – in Egypt slaughtered by terrorists? Two people here in Portland, who stood up against hate speech on a max line and were stabbed to death for it?

Really, Peter? Don’t be surprised by these things?

Acts 17:22-31 | Psalm 66:8-20 | 1 Peter 3:13-22 | John 14:15-21

Jeremy Richards

Years ago I was working for the Forest Service in the fisheries department. A coworker and I were headed deep into Payette National Forest, where we would stay two nights at a ranger camp called Krassel. While we were there we do a number of surveys on the health of the rivers and creeks in the area. I’d been working with this coworker for a while, and had gotten the impression that she was not a fan of religion.

Acts 7:55-60 | Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16 | 1 Peter 2:2-10 | John 14:1-14

Jeremy Richards

One of my favorite places is Arches National Park in eastern Utah. I’ve been there countless times.

If you were to fall asleep on the car ride to Arches, and wake up when you got there, you’d think you were on another planet. The scenery is other-worldly. Unreal rock formations rise up off the desert floor. The rocks and the sand are this stunning red. The most prominent rock formations are, as the name of the park suggests, arches (there are over 2,000 in the park), but there’s also balancing rock and devil’s garden and countless other unique rock features that wind, water, and time have shaped over the years.

Acts 2:42-47 | Psalm 23 | 1 Peter 2:19-25 | John 10:1-10

Jeremy Richards

“And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.”

That sounds good, right? That’s what every church wants: growth. Growth means more people in the seats, which means more money coming in, which means the church can hire new pastors and music leaders. It means that the church will feel and look like a success, like they’re doing things right.

Acts 2:14a, 36-41 | Psalm 116:1-4, 12-19 | 1 Peter 1:17-23 | Luke 24:13-35

Jeremy Richards

There’s something about traveling with someone and the conversations that ensue. Whether it’s a road trip, or a hike, or just a walk around the block. We live in a day and age where there are constant distractions everywhere, but there’s something about travel that cuts those distractions out and prompts conversation. You can’t watch TV or check Facebook (at least you shouldn’t!) when you’re on a hike, and definitely not while you’re driving. Even in a car, where there are radio channels and podcasts to listen to, you can only go so long on a road trip before you need a break and start talking with whoever your with. One of the best ways to get to know new friends (and occasionally end old friendships) is to go on a road trip.

Acts 2:14a, 22-32 | Psalm 16 | 1 Peter 1:3-9 | John 20:19-31

Jeremy Richards

We’ve entered a new season in the church calendar. We’ve left the 40 days of Lent behind us, and we’ve entered the season of Easter. We’re now in the second Sunday. For those of us who didn’t grow up in churches that followed the liturgical calendar, this may seem odd. Easter is a day, not a season. Easter already happened.

Jeremiah 31:1-6 | Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24 | Colossians 3:1-4 | John 20:1-18

Jeremy Richards

Today is a day characterized by bright colors. Colorful flowers, pastel shirts and dresses, and bright Easter eggs are all staples of Easter morning...But today didn’t start our bright and sunny, at least not according to John. It started out in darkness. “Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb…”

Isaiah 50:4-9a | Psalm 31:9-16 | Philippians 2:5-11 | Matthew 27:11-54

Jeremy Richards

How did I get here? This question from the Talking Heads is an important one. Many a book and movie finds its premise in this question. Many stories begin with a protagonist in an unexpected place, not knowing how they got there, and the point of the story is to uncover their journey. Because they don’t know who they are if they don’t know how they got there.