Seattle Mennonite Church

05/13/2025

Jesus left a legacy of stories, and as Luke ends and we reread Acts and the Epistles, we remember his disciples spread his teachings and established the church by telling his and their stories over and over. During worship this Eastertide season, we have the gift of hearing members of the congregation reflect on the practices that flow from our congregational covenant. Those 11 practices, along with the covenant, were affirmed by the congregation 10 years ago. We invite you to listen deeply to these reflections, and to engage with what you both read and hear. Are these practices still a good fit for SMC in 2025? Do these practices ground our collective sense of mission in the world? Today we hear from Rex on Spiritual Journeys, and David on Giving and Receiving Counsel.

Spiritual Journeys + Taking CounselMay 11, 2025 | Guest Speaker, Megan Ramer, Sermons Jesus left a legacy of stories, and as Luke ends and we reread Acts and the Epistles, we remember his disciples spread his teachings and established the church by telling his and their stories over and over. During...

05/12/2025

CAMREC front page of the Seattle Times last week!

Washington state lawmakers have cut in half funding for wildfire prevention to help plug a $16 billion budget hole.

04/16/2025

Not a single palm frond or “Hosanna” in this year’s Palm Sunday reading. Luke’s version of Jesus’ procession toward and into Jerusalem instead records people throwing their coats on the ground. Rather than simply reaching for a fallen branch, instead those participating in Jesus’ political street theatre give something of themselves that costs them a little something; the way Pastor Megan’s spontaneously discarded cardigan resulted in a very cold experience of worship. Thank you to the child-prophets in the church who spontaneously responded by bringing their sweaters to throw into the center of our worship circle as well. We experientially learned just how potent this action was as the crowds moved with Jesus toward his confrontation with the powers of the Empire. In our current heartbreak, may we follow the footsteps of Love Incarnate--Jesus--the Human One, who goes before us in this holy and harrowing week, and who laments with us.

Prepare, Process, WeepApr 13, 2025 | Lent, Megan Ramer, Narrative Lectionary - Year 3, Sermons Not a single palm frond or “Hosanna” in this year’s Palm Sunday reading. Luke’s version of Jesus’ procession toward and into Jerusalem instead records people throwing their coats on the ground. R...

12/18/2024

Advent is a home for our longing that is at once ancient and new every day. We join our longing for the full inbreaking of God’s justice, peace, and liberating love to the longing of our forebears in the faith. Like them, we continue to wait while also being called into embodying our hope. Not because the conditions seem optimistic, but – in the face of any and all circumstances, with broken hearts – we “nevertheless / even now” enact our collective hope in the world around us.

https://seattlemennonite.org/from-lament-to-a-nevertheless-hope/

11/18/2024

What does it mean to sing “Holy holy holy is God” NOT to God, but to one another? Might Isaiah’s magnificent and poetic imagery of the seraphim singing their praise of God’s holiness TO one another be received as an invitation to do the same?

Singing our Holy Holy HoliesNov 17, 2024 | Megan Ramer, Narrative Lectionary - Year 3, Sermons What does it mean to sing “Holy holy holy is God” NOT to God, but to one another? Might Isaiah’s magnificent and poetic imagery of the seraphim singing their praise of God’s holiness TO one another...

11/05/2024

What happens when a raven and a prophet form a little community of care? How about a Hebrew man and Phoenician widow - across religious and political divides? According to our storyteller, the needs of all are met, and the storyteller calls this God’s provision. Might this tale of unlikely dependencies be just the sort of good news we need in these tense and teetering days?

Unlikely Dependencies = God’s ProvisionNov 3, 2024 | Megan Ramer, Sermons What happens when a raven and a prophet form a little community of care? How about a Hebrew man and Phoenician widow – across religious and political divides? According to our storyteller, the needs of all are met, and the...

03/21/2024

Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem is a deliberate act of political confrontation with the Roman Empire’s powers-that-be. After casing the mostly deserted late evening Temple, he makes plans to return the next day to make a royal mess of things; to disrupt business as usual. The Way Jesus walks, the Way that Jesus calls us to walk (together!), is a Way lined with palms that leads to confrontation with Empire.

03/20/2024

The cries of the suffering are not always polite. When we are suffering, can we let loose and trust our community to hold us? When our neighbors are suffering, can we build our resilience in the face of their screams for justice, for relief, for healing, for mercy?

07/17/2023

I implore you to exercise your power to help a friend (me!) to end this war. It matters to me.” When Sue spoke these words to a room full of Mennonites gathered to learn more about the (forgotten) Korean War near the 70 year anniversary of armistice, which paused the fighting but kept the war alive, Pastor Megan knew she’d been called in. She had been called in to bear witness to Sue’s bold truth-telling and to act in solidarity with her friend. What’s next? We will figure that out together, because we have been given to one another in the receiving and claiming and building of Christ’s peace. May it be so.

Given to One Another to Remember a Forgotten WarJul 9, 2023 | Megan Ramer, Sermons, Summer 2023 “I implore you to exercise your power to help a friend (me!) to end this war. It matters to me.” When Sue spoke these words to a room full of Mennonites gathered to learn more about the (forgotten) Ko...

07/03/2023

The Canaanite woman calls out Jesus for his exclusion and abusive language. He responds by changing his mind, offering her the healing that she seeks for her daughter. Throughout history, it has been the brave souls who make themselves vulnerable by calling out people in power who have changed minds and opened hearts to be more just and loving. How will we respond when we are called out? Who are the voices that need to be heard?

A Canaanite Call-OutJun 27, 2023 | Amy Epp, Sermons, Year W The Canaanite woman calls out Jesus for his exclusion and abusive language. He responds by changing his mind, offering her the healing that she seeks for her daughter. Throughout history, it has been the brave souls who make themselves vuln...

07/03/2023

The early Jesus Way community held resources in common and - in that sharing - were able to meet the needs of all. The book of Acts reports that the Holy One daily added to the numbers of this early Jesus Way community “those who were being saved”. Which causes us to wonder: Saved FROM what? And saved TO or FOR what?

Saved FROM what and TO what?Jun 18, 2023 | Megan Ramer, Sermons, Year W The early Jesus Way community held resources in common and – in that sharing – were able to meet the needs of all. The book of Acts reports that the Holy One daily added to the numbers of this early Jesus Way community “th...

05/31/2023

The Holy Spirit disrupts our plans, and she beautifully disrupted the sermon plan this morning! When honored guests from the Palouse tribe spoke so powerfully to us during our time of welcome and gathering, Pastor Megan knew the sermon had to shift. We heard how the Holy Spirit blesses our diversities, and grants understanding. The Holy Spirit draws us out of our comfort zones and empowers us to act a little strange. The Holy Spirit compels us to bridge gaps and transgress boundaries established by the world. The Holy Spirit gets us into trouble… good trouble… necessary trouble. The Holy Spirit keeps us faithfully at variance. The Holy Spirit causes us to break unjust rules and defy unjust laws. The Holy Spirit inspires, empowers, challenges, comforts, disturbs, disrupts, enlivens us. Thanks be to God for the gift of the Holy Spirit, and the trouble she causes!

Getting in TroubleMay 28, 2023 | Megan Ramer, Pentecost, Sermons, Year W The Holy Spirit disrupts our plans, and she beautifully disrupted the sermon plan this morning! When honored guests from the Palouse tribe spoke so powerfully to us during our time of welcome and gathering, Pastor Megan knew th...