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“Our Jewish Story” Sermon for January 1, 2017 —1 Christmas Lutheran Church of the Cross, Nisswa, MN George Martin In our tradition our new year is a month old. Christians started the church year on the first Sunday of Advent. This day (January 1st) is called the first Sunday after Christmas. Even thought the commercial world doesn’t know it, Christmas continues for us. It’s almost better this way. My concession to this being a new year is that I created…

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“Out of Darkness, Into Light” Christmas Day 2016 Lutheran Church of the Cross, Nisswa MN The Rev. Dr. George H. Martin So here we are on this wonderful Christmas morning—for many of us a time of joy and celebration. If we had some of the events happening in our world on our mind, however, we might say these are dark and dangerous and fearful times—if not directly for us—nonetheless for the millions of refugees, those living a day to day…

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Luke’s Story of the Nativity in a Different Light The Rev. Dr. George H. Martin Lutheran Church of the Cross, Nisswa MN Dec. 24, 2016 at 6:30 pm With us this evening we have many quests. I invite you to sign our guest book as you leave letting us know where you’re from. And if leave us your email address or your mailing address we’ll send a word of thanks for being with us. But we won’t sell or give…

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Holy Land. Holy Times. Holy People George Martin A sermon for Advent 1: Nov. 27, 2016 Lutheran Church of the Cross On this first Sunday in Advent, which is a new year in the church calendar, we take our first steps toward our celebration of Christ’s birth. Our lessons though have no hints of this story. None. No visit of an Angel to either Joseph or Mary. No angels even. No little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee…

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The World Did Not End on Wednesday Sermon for November 13, 2016 Lutheran Church of the Cross, Nisswa MN George Martin Tuesday at the staff meeting, Kari, our office manager, asked me if I had a sermon title for Sunday. I said I did. Make it “The world did not end on Wednesday.” And it didn’t. But I still want to talk about the idea that our political landscape was marked by apocalyptic thoughts coming from many different sides of…

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That We May Be free! (A Sermon for Reformation Sunday, Oct 30, 2016) Lutheran Church of the Cross, Nisswa, MN George Martin Soon after I accepted your call in late July to be your interim senior pastor, I received something from Andy Smith about the preaching schedule. He mentioned that we be keeping our own celebration of Reformation Sunday on October 30, and even though we were supposed to join with the other churches on October 16 we couldn’t do…

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Claimed by God Lutheran Church of the Cross, Nisswa MN George Martin Sermon for Oct 2, 2016 I’d like you to meet John Jones—my wife Caroline’s dad. He was a farmer—smoked a pipe when it was ok to do so, loved singing, knew many poems—and was in church every Sunday. A very responsible man, loving to his kids and wife, and cared for others in so many ways. And we’re going to talk about the word “Responsibility” only we will…

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A Parable of Jesus! Really? George Martin Based on Luke 16:1-13 September 18, 2016 The Lutheran Church of the Cross, Nisswa, MN We had a lively Wednesday mornings text study group this week. People there liked what Amos the prophet said regarding the way the poorest members of society were treated, even by those who are supposedly keeping the Sabbath. All read 1st Timothy and no one wanted to discuss it. And then came that Gospel reading! One man shook…

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