Wildwords: Sermons From Wildwood Mennonite Church

Apocalypse! As much as I want to say "relax, it's not the end of the world"... well... you know... At the very least, it is the end of a version of the world we thought we knew. This is not the first time humanity has faced this type of apocalypse, however. And the word itself suggests that there is much to be learned even from these uncertain times. Our "The Realm of God is Like This..." series this week explores the Parable of the Bridesmaids from Matthew 25:1-13. What kind of party is Jesus talking about, and what does it mean to be ready, to be faithful and wise at the end of the world?

This week we are privileged to welcome a "guest preacher" via youtube, Austin Channing Brown! Austin's 2016 sermon, "Faith, Justice and Race" invites us to imagine Jesus' vision of the Realm of God in contrast to the Kingdom of Egypt in the Exodus story. The temptation of Pharaoh to protect ourselves through domination and slavery lives on in our communities and our hearts still today. Thanks to Austin for calling us to join in the deliverance of the Spirit of Exodus here and now! Austin is the author of I'm Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness and producer and host of The Next Question, a video web series on race and justice. "Faith, Justice, and Race" video podcast by Austin Channing Brown at The Grove in Chandler, Arizona on February 28, 2016.

We've all heard the phrase "The last will be first and the first will be last", but what does it really mean to be one of the "first"? Join Sean Baergen as he leads us through the parable of the labourers in the vineyard.

Often Jesus’s parables are told to represent the realm of God, they address the problem of how we can begin to understand the realm of God, when we struggle to even wrap our minds around our ideas about God. Join David as he leads us through the parable of the unmerciful servant.

You've heard The Parable of the Lost Sheep many times before. But have you heard it from the view of The Lost Sheep? Join Ben Borne as he leads our imaginations through this new perspective.

We are honoured this week to listen to Josephine Kroeker share snapshots of her journey with transgender identity. Also, the preacher (he/him) shares some helpful vocabulary and challenges what you thought you knew about primary colours... #redwhiteandwhaaaat?

Let's talk about gender identity and expression. Yes, in church. Yes, that's awkward and uncomfortable for some of us (including the straight cisgender male preacher... but nobody else volunteered to preach this one.) But relax, it's good. And there are flying fish. #AndGodSawThatItWasGood

“Deal with it!”, we hear. But how do we do that? Is it as simple as that? David came upon the worst calamity of his life and dealt with it. Others, living south of the equator today, have met hard times and difficult situations! How did they cope? And what lessons are there in their response that might be helpful to us in the calamities of our lives?

You've heard the one about Daniel and the Lions, but what about Daniel and the Elephants? Also, remember that episode of Friends where Rachel makes the meat trifle? Yeah, that's in here, too. How can anything go wrong when it's all so good? (Oh yeah, this sermon is actually about how our faith informs our choices. Not a trifling matter!

She was kidnapped and forced into slavery, yet she still had faith worth sharing with her captors. Meet Na'arah, whose story is told in 2 Kings 5. Is that what it means to have "faith like a child"? And if so, where does that kind of courage and faith come from?

A whole new world... sing it with me! Oh, this is definitely not Aladdin (No one to tell us "no"?? Uh...respect the boundaries, young man!). But something new/renewed is indeed beginning to emerge all around us. What does it mean to be people of faith in the aftermath of the pandemic? (Disclaimer: no, the pandemic is not actually behind us yet. Please continue to follow the guidelines supplied by your local health care professionals!)

We're pleased this week to hear from Ken Bechtel. Check out Ken's sermon, "For A Time Such As This" to discover how Esther, Mordecai, and Charles Dickens all relate to this time we are currently living in.

Have you been baking bread and making other delicious treats during the shut-down? That's an ancient and sacred impulse! Check out this week's sermon for further validation via the story of Abigail the Feastmaker. #ProfilesInCourage

This week, our at-home worship resources feature guest speaker Josh Wallace, interim church engagement minister for Mennonite Church Saskatchewan.

Christ is Risen! Easter is not like we imagined it would be... which is very much how the whole thing began.

As the season of Lent brings us to Palm Sunday and the start of Holy Week, we find Jesus hailed as a king by a crowd, only to have some of them turn away the moment he starts his coronation speech. Who will stick with Jesus as the path to the Cross becomes clear? What does it mean to trust in uncertain times?

In this fifth week of Lent, we find Jesus showing up too late to prevent his friend's death, and moved to tears along with Mary and her sisters on the way to the tomb. Joe's sermon "Powerful Tears" invites us to consider our own grief amidst the Covid-19 pandemic.

This was not where we expected to find ourselves at the end of this week. When Jesus encountered the woman at the well, she also experienced an unforeseen turn of life. What would it mean for us to access the depth of resilience, honesty, and hope that Jesus called "Living Water"?

"Endarken: /ɛnˈdɑːkə̆n/  1)To render dark or darker. 2) To obscure, to obfuscate; to confound. For example, 'The preacher went on and on about "endarkenment" and by the end of the sermon I was thoroughly obfuscated!'" The spiritual path is often described as a journey towards enlightenment--so why is Jesus calling Nicodemus further down the path into darkness? #LightsOut4Lent

What's under the carefully cultivated image you project on social media? What would happen if you peeled off that mask to look inside? Let's join Jesus and the Devil in the wilderness to find out! Also, the preacher throws some major shade at George Lucas. #nomakeup #ComeToTheDarkSide