North Decatur Presbyterian Church

It's MLK weekend, and we'll read portions of King's Letter from a Birmingham Jail during worship, as we consider Jesus' own "call to ministry" from Luke, chapter 4.

It's "Sea World Sunday" at North Decatur, ie, Baptism of the Lord Sunday, ie, the Sunday when we get a little bit wet in worship. This Sunday, we read the story of Jesus' baptism from Luke, chapter 3. We also remember our own baptisms, and feel the water from the font on our heads and shoulders. At the same time, we hear John the Baptizer call us "a brood of vipers" and challenge us to "bear fruits worthy of repentance."

Poems are read in Sunday's service.

On this first Sunday of Christmas, we begin a journey in Luke's gospel that will take us all the way through Easter. Luke is the New Testament's master storyteller--he wrote both the gospel and "part 2" of the Jesus story, the book of Acts. After the story of Jesus' birth, which we read on Christmas Eve, Luke tells a fascinating story about Mary and Joseph bringing Jesus to the Temple, and meeting there two elders, Anna and Simeon, who break into song. It's "Luke: The Musical." Kidding. Rev. Lewicki preaching.

We listen to the story of Mary's encounter with the angel Gabriel. Mary, long viewed as a docile and compliant recipient of the angel's message, is neither of those things, according to the Gospel of Luke. She is a powerful model of faith for us today. Rev. Lewicki, preaching.

This year during Advent, we go back in time to listen to voices from the past. What did God's prophets of old dream about? What did they hope for? What were they afraid of? As we listen to the prophets speak "the hopes and fears of all the years," we compare them to our own hopes and fears. What do we bring to God?Advent 2 brings us a reading from the prophet Isaiah as he looks at the ruined city of Jerusalem after the exile and tries to imagine "what will God do with this?" What kind of future do we imagine for our own community? We light the second Advent candle.

As we begin the season of Advent, we go back in time to listen to the voice from the past. What did the prophets of old dream about? What did they hope for? What were they afraid of? As we listen to "the hopes and fears of all the years," we compare them to our own hopes and fears. What do we bring to God?Advent 1 is the story of Daniel in the lion's den. Rev. Lewicki will lead the storytelling with Margaret Waltemath Lewicki assisting.

This Sunday we walk alongside Jeremiah, the prophet of doom and gloom. Nobody wanted to hear what Jeremiah had to say. No. Body. But Jeremiah had a word from God that people needed to hear and with courage, he shared it. What would a modern-day Jeremiah sound like? Would we listen? Rev. Lewicki preaches.

Ministry Fellow Christopher Ng, second year student at Candler School of Theology, preaches on the call of Isaiah to prophetic ministry from Isaiah 6. Please support our talented ministry fellow as he preaches for the first time at NDPC.

Rev. Lewicki invites us to come back to the basics.

This Sunday, we celebrate All Saints Day. Each year, on the first Sunday of November, we invoke the names of the people through whom we experience the love of God. Who were your teachers, your caregivers, your mentors, your coaches, the people who held you, nursed you, healed you, consoled you, counseled you, and modeled for you what the way of Jesus looks like when it takes on human flesh? Holy Communion will be shared. Rev. Lewicki preaches.

This Sunday, we read the story of Solomon building the first Temple in Jerusalem. It's a grand building... but is it the right thing for Solomon to do? Is there a right way--and a wrong way--to give thanks to God? Rev. Lewicki preaches.

This Sunday, we explore what makes a "good" leader of people. The story of King David is a fascinating, complex invitation for us consider, on the cusp of the election, what it means to say that God "chooses" a political leader. Rev. Lewicki preaches.

This Sunday, the Lectionary turns to the "historical books" of the Hebrew Scriptures, as they recount the way that the people who escaped slavery in Egypt formed a community and became a nation. We turn to 1 Samuel, where the rise of Israel's kings begins with a woman, Hannah, as she struggles with feelings of emptiness and abandonment. Hannah prays. When we look at Hannah's experience, and her relationship with God, what does it illumine about our own experience? Rev. Lewicki preaches.

Revs. Caroline Leach and Nibs Stroupe, NDPC clergy affiliates, will be leading 11AM worship. Caroline and Nibs will be preaching a dialogue sermon on Ephesians 2. Holy Communion will be celebrated.

This week's scriptures are from the Exodus out of Egypt (Ex. 12 & 13). In the middle of the story of God's liberating acts, God's people are told to remember these acts long into the future through the practice of a ritual meal. We will talk together on Sunday about how shared rituals and stories reveal God's identity and our own. Rev. Lewicki preaches.

We read the Joseph story in its entirety--almost 14 whole chapters of Genesis! Don't worry, it'll be abridged. And funny. With lots of weeping. The story of Abraham's family concludes with the story of Joseph, and there is more politics (migration and empire), family drama (sibling rivalries and parenting fails), and depth psychology (insecurity, anger, revenge) in this story that in any of the world's greatest novels. A dramatic reading will be followed by a facilitated conversation, led by Rev. Lewicki.

This Sunday, our story focuses in on Abraham, a man "called" by God into a unique relationship with God. Abraham, however, isn't a spineless "yes man." Abraham pushes back when God seems to delay in fulfilling God's promises. God invites Abraham to come outside at night and look up at the stars. What does stargazing have to do with God's covenant? Rev. David Lewicki preaches.

Exploring the story of Adam and Eve.

NDPC’s talented and thoughtful Director of Music, Huu Mai, will offer this Sunday’s message as we celebrate a Labor Day tradition at NDPC of a music-centered worship service. Holy Communion will be shared.