This Sunday at Peace

A note from Pastor Holly:

Sometimes there is grace so quickly.

That phrase comes to mind when I think of the folks who have shown up at Peace Church in the last few years. Everyone, without exception, has come in the door with a fresh, open take on how God’s love is poured out on the earth. On Sunday, we will be touched by that grace as we hear the Rev. Dr. Aaron Stauffer preach. 

Aaron and his spouse, Lauren Plummer (who co-led our Finding Steady Ground sessions) and their two young sons, Julian and August, recently relocated from Nashville. Aaron, who is ordained in the Presbyterian Church and has a PhD from Union Theological Seminary, works remotely at Vanderbilt Divinity School. He has spent more than a decade in organizing and literally wrote the book for congregations on community organizing (Listening to the Spirit: The Radical Social Gospel, Sacred Value and Broad Based Community Organizing).

We are so fortunate—during these unprecedented times—to be in a community where we are challenged and encouraged by such wise, faithful voices.

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"John 21: 1-19

Truth be told, I am not the biggest fan of the Gospel of John. It is too spectacular, with all of its healings and miracles. There are some great stories in John's gospel, sure, like the image of Jesus winding his own whip to drive the money changers out of the Temple (John 2). But on any given take, I am more drawn to Luke's gospel of social justice (Luke 4:18) or the understated mystery of the original ending of Mark 16:8.

But Peter jumped into the sea when he heard it was Jesus.

There are seldom moments in our lives that summon such a response: moments of complete and utter commitment and clarity, where we realize what is required of us and we are willing to do the work:

we are all in, jumping into the sea.

Rev. Dr. Aaron Stauffer