Colonial Church in Prairie Village

Today’s scripture comes from 1st Samuel 16:1-13 and is read in the Common English Bible: The Lord said to Samuel, “How long are you going to grieve over Saul? I have rejected him as king over Israel. Fill your horn with oil and get going. I’m sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem because I have found my next king among his sons.” “How can I do that?” Samuel asked. “When Saul hears of it he’ll kill me!” “Take a heifer with you,” the Lord replied, “and say, ‘I have come to make a sacrifice to the Lord.’ Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will make clear to you what you should do. You will anoint for me the person I point out to you.” Samuel did what the Lord instructed. When he came to Bethlehem, the city elders came to meet him. They were shaking with fear. “Do you come in peace?” they asked. “Yes,” Samuel answered. “I’ve come to make a sacrifice to the Lord. Now make yourselves holy, then come with me to the sacrifice.” Samuel made Jesse and his sons holy and invited them to the sacrifice as well. When they arrived, Samuel looked at Eliab and thought, That must be the Lord’s anointed right in front. But the Lord said to Samuel, “Have no regard for his appearance or stature, because I haven’t selected him. God doesn’t look at things like humans do. Humans see only what is visible to the eyes, but the Lord sees into the heart.” Next Jesse called for Abinadab, who presented himself to Samuel, but he said, “The Lord hasn’t chosen this one either.” So Jesse presented Shammah, but Samuel said, “No, the Lord hasn’t chosen this one.” Jesse presented seven of his sons to Samuel, but Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord hasn’t picked any of these.” Then Samuel asked Jesse, “Is that all of your boys?” “There is still the youngest one,” Jesse answered, “but he’s out keeping the sheep.” “Send for him,” Samuel told Jesse, “because we can’t proceed until he gets here.” So Jesse sent and brought him in. He was reddish brown, had beautiful eyes, and was good-looking. The Lord said, “That’s the one. Go anoint him.” So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him right there in front of his brothers. The Lord’s spirit came over David from that point forward. Then Samuel left and went to Ramah.

The sermon is based on the following scripture. It comes from 1 Samuel 3:1-21 and is read in the Common English Bible: Now the boy Samuel was serving the Lord under Eli. The Lord’s word was rare at that time, and visions weren’t widely known. One day Eli, whose eyes had grown so weak he was unable to see, was lying down in his room. God’s lamp hadn’t gone out yet, and Samuel was lying down in the Lord’s temple, where God’s chest was. The Lord called to Samuel. “I’m here,” he said. Samuel hurried to Eli and said, “I’m here. You called me?” “I didn’t call you,” Eli replied. “Go lie down.” So he did. Again the Lord called Samuel, so Samuel got up, went to Eli, and said, “I’m here. You called me?” “I didn’t call, my son,” Eli replied. “Go and lie down.” (Now Samuel didn’t yet know the Lord, and the Lord’s word hadn’t yet been revealed to him.) A third time the Lord called Samuel. He got up, went to Eli, and said, “I’m here. You called me?” Then Eli realized that it was the Lord who was calling the boy. So Eli said to Samuel, “Go and lie down. If he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord. Your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down where he’d been. Then the Lord came and stood there, calling just as before, “Samuel, Samuel!” Samuel said, “Speak. Your servant is listening.” The Lord said to Samuel, “I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of all who hear it tingle! On that day, I will bring to pass against Eli everything I said about his household—every last bit of it! I told him that I would punish his family forever because of the wrongdoing he knew about—how his sons were cursing God, but he wouldn’t stop them. Because of that I swore about Eli’s household that his family’s wrongdoing will never be reconciled by sacrifice or by offering.” Samuel lay there until morning, then opened the doors of the Lord’s house. Samuel was afraid to tell the vision to Eli. But Eli called Samuel, saying: “Samuel, my son!” “I’m here,” Samuel said. “What did he say to you?” Eli asked. “Don’t hide anything from me. May God deal harshly with you and worse still if you hide from me a single word from everything he said to you.” So Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him. “He is the Lord, ” Eli said. “He will do as he pleases.” So Samuel grew up, and the Lord was with him, not allowing any of his words to fail. All Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba knew that Samuel was trustworthy as the Lord’s prophet. The Lord continued to appear at Shiloh because the Lord revealed himself to Samuel at Shiloh through the Lord’s own word.

Last week we had the opportunity to hear from Drs. Stacey Algren and Lisa Gilmer about their experiences in Malawi and in climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro. Their commitment to caring for those most in need is a powerful reminder of the urgency of compassion in a world torn by violence, war, and greed. This Sunday, we encounter another way of being and living as we celebrate World Communion Sunday, joining with billions of Christians around the globe to experience God’s extravagant good news of abundance as we share the bread and the cup. We’ll ask ourselves: What might living in the world be like if everyone had what they needed? We’ll also hear the story of God providing the Israelites with “manna in the desert,” a story of trust, provision, and daily bread that speaks deeply to our own hopes for the communities in which we live. In this week’s Crier we shared a link to the 2026 Interest Survey along with a list of upcoming group activities you may want to join. Please take a few minutes to let us know what sparks your interest. And if the group you’d like to join doesn’t begin right away, don’t worry, we plan to rotate these opportunities throughout the year so that everyone can try something new and find their place of connection.

This Sunday we welcome special guests Drs. Stacey Algren and Lisa Gilmer. They will share stories from their work at Pothawira, Malawi, one of the organizations Colonial supports through our Mission & Outreach ministries, and we'll hear of their climb up Mt. Kilimanjaro, where their experience revealed new challenges and fresh perspectives. At its heart, Pothawira (“Safe Haven”) is about giving women and children in Malawi the chance to thrive, through healthcare, education, and a loving home for orphaned children. As Drs. Algren and Gilmer share their journeys, we’ll be reminded how stepping beyond our routines can open us to new possibilities of hope and transformation, both for ourselves and those most in need.

Conflict comes with community - it’s not a matter of if you'll encounter it, but when. Sooner or later, someone will say or do something that frustrates you. The question is: what will you choose in that moment? Viktor Frankl reminds us there’s a space between stimulus and response, and in that space lies our growth and our freedom. We get to decide. And there's a great deal of power in that. This Sunday we’ll hear the wild story of Jacob and Esau, filled with deception, disguises, and a birthright hanging in the balance. Watch how these deeply flawed human beings (and their scheming mother!) push the story forward, and notice how God shows up in the midst of it all. If you’ve ever thought, “there has to be a better way,” we’ll explore faithful practices that help us respond to difficult moments rather than simply react.

This week we encounter one of the most difficult passages in all of Scripture: the binding of Isaac (Genesis 21:1–3; 22:1–14). After years of longing and waiting, Sarah and Abraham finally received the child God had promised them. Yet almost immediately, Abraham faces an unimaginable command to offer Isaac as a sacrifice. We feel the weight of Abraham’s dilemma: how do you hold devotion to God alongside devotion to your family? We wonder what must have gone through Abraham’s mind, and Isaac’s too, on that long walk up the mountain. And we are left to ask about God, who seems to demand everything but then provides a ram in Isaac’s place. Could this be a turning point, where God chooses relationship over rigid obedience? Over the summer we explored spiritual practices that steady our hearts and open us to God, practices like prayer, hospitality, and listening for God’s voice. Abraham’s story reminds us that faith is not just about dramatic moments of decision, but about cultivating habits of trust in the everyday. It’s in those practices that we learn to listen, to discern, and to receive God’s surprising provision. Rev. Michael Vollbrecht

September 7, 2025 Installation Sunday by Colonial Church in Prairie Village

This week, we will bring our Summer Soul series to a close by turning to the rhythms of work and rest. We're invited to see our daily tasks, no matter how ordinary, as opportunities to be present to God, to care for others, and to ground ourselves in love. In other words, to be a blessing. If you're returning to school, heading into a busy season at work, or just trying to get a handle on everything, we will reflect on what truly matters together. As we move on from this series, a lot is happening in the life of the church. The End to Christian Nationalism book study kicks off soon, there are new opportunities to gather in smaller groups coming soon, and before we know it, the holidays will be upon us.* Seriously, how is it September already? I hope you’ll find time to stay connected in the ways that nourish your spirit.

August 10, 2025 Summer Rhythms: Embracing Gods Invitation to Rest by Colonial Church in Prairie Village

August 3, 2025 Defiant Joy by Colonial Church in Prairie Village

July 27, 2025 Ask and It Will be Given by Colonial Church in Prairie Village

Rev. Janet Weiblen

July 13, 2025 Change Your Clothes, Change Your Life by Colonial Church in Prairie Village

Like the mother bird who pushes the baby birds out of the nest to teach them to fly, Jesus sent them out with little more than show and tell instructions: “Share what you have ... show them my love.” In hindsight, Jesus treated them like a bunch of migrant workers: “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore, ask the LORD of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” At least, it sounds like migrant workers, doesn’t it? They were expected to go where the work was, doing a level of work no one was standing in line to do, with few visible rewards. There were no false illusions that morning as he handed out the assignments he had for them. They kept looking around hoping a truckload of real workers would show up to relieve them (implied: workers more suitable for that kind of lowly service). But no truckload of helpers showed up. There were no reinforcements on the horizon and they were left to serve in the same way as the Master who wrapped a towel around his waist and simply served. God bless those who follow Jesus' commands. Share what you have ... show them my love."

When Jesus washed the disciples' feet before the meal in the Upper Room, this highlights one of those tough realities in life as we are not so much spiritual beings as we are spiritual beings trapped in messy, faulted, earthy bodies (the Bible says bluntly, we hold these treasures in clay pots). Jesus tended to their stinky feet as though even their feet was a blessed part of our humanity. So, when they arrived for dinner, he took a bowl and wrapped himself in a towel and went to each one, sat them down, slipped their sandals off their feet, and washed their feet. As he did this, he looked up into their surprised faces and told them to “do as I have done to you.” It’s as if Jesus didn’t seem to mind this simple service. He embraced his own humanity so he accepted theirs too. Be assured we are welcomed body and soul by God who created us and blessed us in our earthiness. This is where the mystical and the visceral come together, merging together mysteriously, unexpectedly. This is not the only moment we see this, there are other examples of this awkward proximity of divine and earthy. Think of the 2-way instruction of the washing of feet (viz., washing another’s feet and having your feet washed by another) as a sequence for our gathering together and re-enacting Jesus’ example and the commandment he gave us to do the same as an example of “grace given, grace received.”

The gospel tells us, He continued according to plan, traveled to town after town, village after village, preaching God’s kingdom, spreading the Message … They sailed on to the country of the Gerasenes, directly opposite Galilee. As he stepped out onto land a madman from town met him: he was a victim of demons (Luke 8:1, 16, The Message). Jesus got out of the boat and was immediately face-to-face with the demoniac. The man had no name, no home, no community, and lived in the graveyard, the city of the dead. Jesus didn’t go to the middle of town, or into the settled communities of the Decapolis. He landed in the liminal space, the in-between place, between town and country, between farmland and desert, between land and sea, and even between life and death. And Jesus asked this nameless man his name, what some would say was an attempt to help the man locate his identity, something often lost by those who suffer from mental illness. The in-between spaces in our community are often inhabited by those like the Gerasene.

It doesn’t matter much how you label them ... Father, Son, Holy Spirit; Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer; Idea, Enfleshment, Energy. Everything we do, in the Kingdom work of the Church, everything done in the community of faith, is all about Trinity. Jesus understood we could learn to trust the divine imagination who promised the Triune God is the one and the same God who loves us deeply and wants to include us in the partnership of grace and reconciliation. God is not Trinity simply because of some doctrinal or creedal claim hammered out in the councils of men. God is Trinity because God behaves in a Trinitarian way. (Remember that the word “trinity” never appears in the Bible.) But it’s our experience of God that always ends up acting in Trinitarian ways. Trinity is about God ... but even that is unfathomable.

One wag claimed Pentecost is “the scariest day of the Christian year for mainline Protestants and those like us.” Pentecost! What if it happened here and now like it happened then and there? How might our lives be changed if God got loose today? What if people started speaking in strange tongues, or waving their arms in the air, dancing in the aisles or passing out in spiritual ecstasy? What if someone actually yelled out loud, “Amen!?” Why do we continue to be plagued by so many differences? Why do faces and names and places and ideas that are different from our own bring such fear? Come together, you wild and varied church members! Let's see what might happen if we all showed up and the Spirit of God met us here ...

Even when we’re doing the will of God, we live in “in-between” times. Life, we discover, is not so much an uninterrupted continuum as much as it is a series of single moments strung together like pearls on a string, a catena of experience. Each moment stands on its own, both connected and disconnected to the ones before and after it, separate and linked at the same time. We can be actively doing the work of God, confident we are in the right place doing the right things, feeling led by God, but without warning a new direction may arise that appears as though there’s a break from the past. And with that, we may sense an altogether new path rising before us as the result of chance or whim, causing us to leave the now of the moment to follow an altogether new path toward a new future. Our lives can turn on a dime in those moments and we may sense the shifting of God’s wind now blowing in a fresh and new direction.

This Sunday, we reflect on Jesus’ powerful question to a man waiting beside the Pool of Bethesda: “Do you want to be healed?” It’s a question that echoes across time and space, into our lives, our communities, even our nation. The healing of our emotional and spiritual lives isn’t always easy; it asks us to let go of what is familiar and step into something new. As we prepare for a moment of change in our congregation, we’ll consider what it means to seek healing not just for ourselves, but for a hurting world. In addition, this Sunday’s sermon is Rev. Michael Vollbrecht's “call sermon” as part of his candidacy for Senior Minister. We look forward to seeing many of you this Memorial Day weekend as we worship together and continue exploring our shared path ahead.