Excellence Honors God

  This sermon is dedicated to Linn Flint, Our incredible Office Administrator for the past 20 years. We celebrated her ministry and retirement on May 14, 2023.     Pastor Rich Knight Central Congregational Church, UCC May 14, 2023   I was going to read a passage from II Chronicles 3. In the essence of […]

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Jesus, The Teacher

  Pastor Rich Knight Central Congregational Church, UCC                                             March 12, 2023   Series this Lent – Who Do You Say That I Am? That was Jesus’ question to his disciples in Matt. 16. As we’ve seen, there’s more than one answer to this question.  Last Sunday we looked at Jesus as Friend. Today, […]

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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, […]

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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?” […]

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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 […]

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On Christmas and Mystery

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

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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 […]

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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, […]

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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 […]

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So You Want to Go Back to Egypt?

  Pastor Rich Knight June 26, 2022 Numbers 14:1-10a   I changed the scripture lesson and sermon for this morning.  I’ve had a message churning around in my mind, and this week brought some clarity. The Context for Numbers 14: The story of the Israelites escaping slavery in Egypt is well known. Moses led them […]

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