O What a Friend!

Pastor Rich Knight Central Congregational Church, UCC March 5, 2023 Series: Who Do You Say that I Am?   The title of this series of sermons comes from Matthew 16. Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”  And they said, “Some say John the Baptist but others Elijah and […]

Continue reading

Betrayed!

  February 5, 2023 Pastor Rich Knight Central Congregational Church, UCC   I Corinthians 11:23-26 For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, […]

Continue reading

Bending & Blending

  Pastor Rich Knight Central Congregational Church Jan. 29, 2023 Romans 12:9-21   A couple years ago I was having a planning meeting with a couple, just a few weeks prior to their wedding day. I asked them if they’d selected their scripture passages. The bride said, “Yes, it’s this one. May I read it?” […]

Continue reading

On Being an Ally

Pastor Rich Knight Central Congregational Church, UCC                                                Jan. 15, 2023  Acts 9:23-30  Note: The Saul in this passage is the Apostle Paul, one of the most important Christians who ever lived! Saul was a Pharisee and a fierce persecutor of the first Christians. Then he had a miraculous experience on the road to Damascus […]

Continue reading

  Pastor Rich Knight Central Congregational Church Jan. 8, 2023 Matthew 3:13-17   We’re going to look at Jesus’ baptism this morning. By the way, it’s “Jesus’ baptism” not “Jesus’s” “Jesus’ baptism” is grammatically correct and it just sounds better. When we study stories in the Bible we usually ask, what’s the moral of the […]

Continue reading

    The Light of Christ Pastor Rich Knight Central Congregational Church, UCC John 1:1-18 (selected verses) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. […]

Continue reading

On Christmas and Mystery

  Pastor Rich Knight    Central Congregational Church, UCC                                                                                        Dec. 4, 2022   […]

Continue reading

I Need Heaven to be Real

  “Faith Matters: To affirm the truth of heaven is to fire our spiritual imaginations for this life.” by Debie Thomas Debie Thomas is minister of lifelong formation at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Palo Alto, California, and author of Into the Mess and Other Jesus Stories. August 8, 2022, Christian Century Magazine Pastor Rich Knight read […]

Continue reading

The Art of Reframing

  Pastor Rich Knight Central Congregational Church, UCC Sept. 4, 2022   Our topic this morning is reframing – changing your perspective on a given situation. Here are two great examples of reframing found in the Bible.   Genesis 50:15-21  ( the end of “Joseph & his Technicolor Dreamcoat”) Realizing that their father was dead, […]

Continue reading

The Heart of Prayer

   Pastor Rich Knight July 10, 2022 Luke 6:12-16   Sabbatical Thoughts This message was given the day before the start of sabbatical time off. The standard contract for UCC pastors provides for a 3 month sabbatical after 5 years of service. Last summer I took 2 months of sabbatical time, and tomorrow starts the […]

Continue reading