Narberth Presbyterian Church

06/12/2026

Dear Friends,
In our run-up to welcoming our Transitional Sr. Pastor, the Rev. Dr. Jason Hsu and his family, we are thinking together about various aspects of preparation in the Christian life.

Last week we talked about the importance of remembering God, and our history with God – personally, but also as God’s people since the dawn of time – so that we remember and recognize God when he meets us now, in whatever our circumstances.

We remembered as we celebrated milestones in the lives of our children and youth, giving God thanks for our shared history, and for God’s faithfulness to them, and as we came to the Table of God’s Love in Holy Communion, where we were reminded that Jesus is waiting to meet us in all the circumstances of life – reminded that he is the answer to all the challenges and wrongs of life – reminded that sin and death do not have the last word – Jesus does – and his word on the cross was that of definitive forgiveness.

I have spent the week thinking about how thankful I am for Jesus and his definitive forgiveness which cost him his life, so that I might find mine in him…

This week we will be thinking about how our life today sets us up – one way or another – for whatever comes next. Our text will be Chapter 15 of John’s Gospel, where Jesus talks to his disciples about daily life that will set them up for whatever is to come. The disciples are worried about the future. Jesus knows this, and he talks to them about grapevines to help them understand how they can face an unknown, uncertain future with quiet confidence and hope.

In our own lives, the words Jesus spoke to his followers apply to us, as well. What nourishes our heart, mind, and spirit? What anchors our confidence and hope? What wells do we “drink” from to quench the thirsts of our lives? The choices/habits of our lives today – our physical, spiritual, intellectual, relational choices/habits – set us up – prepare us for our tomorrows.

Jesus asks us to abide in him – to choose to let him nourish us, anchor us, quench our thirst – to let his habits find expression in us. As we do, Jesus says that like a healthy grapevine, we will flourish and produce good fruit, bountiful fruit, fruit that lasts, fruit that pleases God – and satisfies us.

Won’t you join us as we contemplate “abiding” – with Jesus, and with one another? You will find a welcome – from us and from the Lord – and we all will find a blessing as we gather to worship God, fixing our eyes on Jesus, and exalting his holy name!

Please join us, whether in-person or on-line this Sunday at 9:30am, with Prelude starting at 9:25am, to praise the Lord in word, in music, and in truth! A video recording of the entire service will be available on YouTube or the NPC Website, after approximately 11:00am. Videos of the sermon alone will be available by noon.

Link to Livestream on Sunday, June 14 https://youtube.com/live/Up1QHr9BbCU?feature=share

With eager anticipation,
Pastor Debbie

Narberth Presbyterian ChurchSunday Worship ServiceBroadcast live ...

06/11/2026

Livestream Link: https://youtube.com/live/Up1QHr9BbCU?feature=share

06/05/2026

Dear Friends,
Have you ever heard the expression, “That was then; this is now!”? Or perhaps, “I never look back. Only ahead.”? These imply that only the present and future matter. This is never the case, and from beginning to end, the Bible bears witness to how remembering what God has said and done in the past lays the groundwork for recognizing God’s activity now. Remembering God’s “track record” enables us to live the present moment well, and move into the future with confidence and hope in him!

This past Friday, almost two dozen children graduated from our Christian PreSchool – what a joy-filled celebration! Teachers, NPC Staff, parents and families of the children marvel each year at the swiftness with which the time goes by, and at the many changes in their diminutive graduates!

This week is what we call “Move Up Sunday.” We will be celebrating milestones in our children’s and youth’s lives! Some will be receiving a Bible as they move into 2nd grade; others will transition from Children’s Ministry with Danielle Kauffman and her team, to Youth Ministry, with Chris Rini and the volunteer youth leaders. Everyone graduating from High School will be recognized, as well!

The very name, “Move Up Sunday,” invites us to remember what led up to this moment: all the years of faithful, prayer-fueled presence, care, and instruction; the untold hours of preparation, of faithful availability; of always open-hearted listening and thoughtful responding.

Our current joy in/with our children – those still making their way through the elementary, middle and high school years – has been growing in the garden of our family homes, and the garden of the home we call church – in the soil of hearts, where the seeds of faith have been lovingly planted, tended, and watered.

This also is the moment in the month when we celebrate Holy Communion – when we pause to acknowledge the centrality of the past by remembering what is true right now is grounded in what has already taken place: that because of Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross, where he took our place, and paid the debt for our sin, we are forgiven: reconciled to God, and meant to be reconciled to each other.

Won’t you join us this week, as we worship the Lord our God through song, scripture, silent and spoken prayer, the sermon, remembering all God’s mighty deeds and unending kindness to us, his people? Please do, whether on-screen, or in the Sanctuary, and we will rejoice, as the Lord continues to grow and tend his garden.

Please join us, whether in-person or on-line this Sunday at 9:30am, with Prelude starting at 9:25am, to praise the Lord in word, in music, and in truth! A video recording of the entire service will be available on YouTube or the NPC Website, after approximately 11:00am. Videos of the sermon alone will be available by noon.

Link to Livestream on Sunday, June 7 https://youtube.com/live/rIeA2jUXzHw?feature=share

With gratitude for you, and for the Lord’s great love and mercies, which are new every morning,
Pastor Debbie

Narberth Presbyterian ChurchSunday Worship ServiceBroadcast live ...

06/05/2026

06/04/2026

Link to Livestream on June 7: https://youtube.com/live/rIeA2jUXzHw?feature=share

06/02/2026

Livestream Link:
https://youtube.com/live/rIeA2jUXzHw?feature=share

05/30/2026

Dear Friends,

In last week’s sermon, “From Exclusion to Embrace: Living Pentecost,” Dr. Manfred Brauch took us through how the earliest Jewish followers of Jesus were challenged to accept Gentiles who believed as equal members of the family of God. This was revolutionary 2,000 years ago, and it still is.

I am so thankful for NPC, where we can not only talk about our need to accept all Christians as our equals in faith and in the family of faith – the church – and to embrace the God-given variety among us (race, gender, ethnicity, culture, age) as God’s gift: to the church, and through us, to the world!

We got a small taste of that when we heard Acts 2:1-21 as our Call to Worship in 12 different languages. In our congregation, we actually have at least 8 more languages represented, and my hope is that when we resume 2 services, we will be able to hear them all (and perhaps a few more)! Although our abundant diversity is not always seen, this past week, it was heard!

Speaking of abundance, this week Dr. Diane Chen will be bringing the message (in English, not Cantonese)! She will be inviting us to reflect on how ,while the world around us so often focuses on scarcity or lack, leading to fear-based attitudes and behavior (e.g. hoarding and stinginess), scripture speaks of abundance and the certainty of God’s generous provision for his people.

Please join us to hear what Diane has to say about God’s extravagant generosity, and what that means for us, his people – his church – whatever our circumstances.

As we anticipate the arrival of Pastor Jason Hsu and his family in a few weeks, please be in prayer for them, and for us, to embrace this new season of God’s extravagant provision for this church family – and through us, his provision for the community and world, as we continue to bear witness to the Lord Jesus: God’s most extravagant provision!

Link to Livestream on Sunday, May 31 https://youtube.com/live/bxig6gXJj0w?feature=share

With gratitude and eager anticipation,

Pastor Debbie

Narberth Presbyterian ChurchSunday Worship ServiceBroadcast live on May 31st, 2026, 9:30amSermon: "Divine Generosity: With Gusto!"Download this week's bullet...

05/29/2026

Livestream: https://youtube.com/live/bxig6gXJj0w?feature=share

05/22/2026

Dear Friends,
This weekend is a doubleheader, as we observe Memorial Day and Pentecost!

Even though it often is spoken of as the beginning of the summer season, Memorial Day is a day for solemn remembrance – made necessary by war and its inevitable loss of life. On Memorial Day we remember all those who gave their lives in service to this country, and we are thankful for their sacrifice, meant to secure and sustain a nation of people free to think, speak and act according to conscience, and inspired to work for the good of all – our neighbors and ourselves.

On Pentecost, we remember the day set aside to remember God’s giving of the Law (the 10 Commandments) at Mt. Sinai, and how it became the day God gave the Holy Spirit to everyone willing to receive.

Ever since that first Pentecost following the Resurrection and Ascension of the Lord Jesus, we celebrate that we are empowered by the same Holy Spirit Jesus breathed into the disciples and poured out at Pentecost, to move from excluding those considered "the other" – strangers, aliens, immigrants, culturally and religiously different, the lost and least and less – to embracing "the other," in imitation of God's loving embrace of us in Jesus Christ.

Whatever your holiday plans, come celebrate with us – in the Sanctuary, or on-line – as we worship the good, generous, gracious God, who has embraced us and given us the ministry of the great embrace of the Lord Jesus (called “reconciliation” in scripture). Let’s learn together how our "celebration" of Pentecost this Sunday can and must flow out into our "living" of Pentecost every day!

Please join us, whether in-person or on-line this Sunday at 9:30am, with Prelude starting at 9:25am, to praise the Lord in word, in music, and in truth! A video recording of the entire service will be available on YouTube or the NPC Website, after approximately 11:00am. Videos of the sermon alone will be available by noon.

Link to Livestream on Sunday, May 24 https://youtube.com/live/qjFl3RYsPRU?feature=share

With anticipatory joy,
Pastor Debbie

Narberth Presbyterian ChurchSunday Worship ServiceBroadcast live ...

05/20/2026

Livestream Link: https://youtube.com/live/qjFl3RYsPRU?feature=share