Who Deserves Mercy?

Rev. Nick Cheek Luke 6:27-37 and Jonah 4:1-11 Has anyone ever watched the ’90s hit sitcom, Seinfeld? I love it! There are two characters in the show who provide most of the comic relief, George and Kramer. In one episode, they are invited to a party at a Manhattan...

Returning to God: The Repentance of Nineveh

Rev. Nick Cheek Luke 19: 1-10 and Jonah 3:1-10 Nineveh was a large Mesopotamian city located in what is now modern-day Iraq. By comparison to other cities of its day, Nineveh was immense. Our story tells us it took at least three days just to walk through it. Situated...

Gently Nudged

Rev. Rebecca Heilman-Campbell Acts 2: 1-13 I’ve only taken one dance lesson in my life. With reckless two left feet, my husband and I signed up for a class a few months before we I got married. We didn’t catch on quick, to say the least. As a natural leader, I kept...

A Healing Solitude

Rev. Nick Cheek Psalm 46 and Jonah 1:17-32 15 years ago, during spring break, Ashley and I were away in Fort Myers Beach. I love the beach… the sound of the waves, the endless water, the breeze that somehow invites you to rest. Ashley was reading in a chair while I...

Jonah and the Deep Descent

Rev. Nick Cheek Genesis 12:1-10 and Jonah 1:4-17 As the night grew darker and longer… so also did the storm rage stronger.  It was our second winter living on the coast of Maryland. Maryland isn’t known for Nor’easters so this storm was unique. Our house sat alone on...

Jonah and the Weight of Being Called

Rev. Nick Cheek Genesis 12:1-10 and Jonah 1:1-3 A wise person once said… “you can’t run away from your troubles… there ain’t no place that far away.” Jonah was a runner – Indeed, a very bold one. God gives him a command and has the guts to say no. That’s usually not...