North Decatur Presbyterian Church

7.16.23. Hope.

7.9.23. You Will Find Rest For Your Soul.

7.2.23. Terrifying and Joyous News.

6.25.23. Sabbath. Rest-taking. Let’s be honest: it’s the most brazenly ignored of the 10 Commandments. Capitalism sees no need to stop the machinery of profit-making for a day. Nor do many of us. In the lead-up to his own sabbath-taking, Rev. Lewicki explores the deeply spiritual practice of sabbath rest and how sabbath is intended to be a cultural–and at least a congregational value, not just an individual choice.

6.18.23. It’s our last Sunday with the Gospel according to Matthew. We read the very end of Matthew, chapter 28:16-20. Matthew ends his story about Jesus with the Risen Christ standing on a mountain, giving the disciples some pretty important instructions about what to do next. The only problem is that we (the church) have completely screwed up those instructions! What did Christ tell us to do? Rev. Lewicki preaches.

6.11.23. Sheep or goat? That’s not even the most important question raised by the curious story Jesus tells in Matthew, chapter 25. The bigger question has to do with what you believe about the future… and how your beliefs about the future shape the way you live in this present moment. Rev. Lewicki preaches.

6.4.23. Very few of us like conflict. But what if you knew a way of resolving conflict that didn’t make conflict something scary, but that allowed the truth to come out, justice to be done, and forgiveness to be granted? What if I told you that very process for healthy conflict resolution is written into Matthew’s gospel? Rev. Lewicki preaches and Holy Communion is shared.

5.28.23. Summer Worship begins today with a celebration of Pentecost. Rev. Lewicki preaches about the Holy Spirit’s weirdness–and her insistence on reconciliation. The handbells open worship, and the NDPC community choir sings a beautiful anthem.

5.21.23. Rev. Lewicki preaches on that one time that Jesus was… well… how should we say this… a total jerk. What do we make of Jesus’ interaction with a woman in Matthew 15?

5.14.23. In the ancient story of the prophet Elijah, from 1 Kings, there is a very modern lesson about our struggles with mental health, and how God moves to provide us with care. Victoria Robinson, NDPC Ministry Fellow, is our preacher.

5.7.23. Rev. Lewicki preaches about Jesus’ miracle of feeding 5000 people (ed: well, lots more than that because of the sexists who only counted the men). What do you make of miracles? We have a notion that miracles are events that “run counter to the laws of nature.” And they can be that. But Jesus performed all kinds of “deeds of power,” and more than a few of them overturned other kinds of laws. We take a closer look at miracles.

4.30.23. NDPC’s high school and middle school youth lead every part of today’s worship service. Sam Fisher and Freeman Mosley are our preachers.

4.23.23. We explore Jesus’ habit of telling strange, mischievous stories. What is a parable? What do the parables mean? Is there something wrong with me if I just don’t understand them? Or maybe understanding isn’t the point? Rev. Lewicki preaching.

4.16.23. To celebrate Earth Day 2023 and to kick off Climate Action Week, worship asks us to cherish and celebrate our interdependence with the Creation. NDPC members Patrick Kasele and Dr. Dabney Dixon reflect on their own stories of learning to love the Creation; Rev. Lewicki invites us to speak to the plants–and to listen to what they say back to us.

4.9.23. Christ is Risen! Christ is Risen, indeed! Easter Sunday, 2023. Rev. Lewicki, preaching.

4.2.23. We are joined in worship by the Gate City Brass, who lead us in a New Orleans-style jazz parade to celebrate Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem. A very special mystery guest leads us in the parade. Rev. Lewicki preaches.

3.26.23. At the end of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus issues several warnings about what will happen if we fail to put his words into practice. Is Jesus trying to scare us into obedience–or asking us to feel a deep urgency about how we will choose to use this one life we have?

3.12.23. Rev. Lewicki preaches on Jesus’ teaching: “do not judge others.” What can that mean, given the fact that Jesus is also clear that there is a distinction between “right” and “wrong?” We dive into the spiritual dynamics of judgment and replacing condemnation with curiosity.

3.12.23. Rev. Lewicki explores a collection of Jesus’ sayings at the end of Matthew, chapter 6, including the one that haunts many of us: “you can’t serve God and wealth.” How should a disciple of Jesus relate to this material–and materialistic–world?

3.5.23. Rev. Lewicki preaches on Matthew 5:17-48, which contain the most beautiful–and challenging–ethical instructions the world has ever seen.