This Memorial Day message draws us into a reflection on Deuteronomy 1:9-13, where Moses invites the people to choose wise, discerning, and reputable leaders from among themselves to help govern their shared life. That same scripture shaped a foundational moment in American history: Rev. Thomas Hooker’s 1638 sermon to the Connecticut General Assembly, which inspired the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut—the first written constitution in the Western world.

In this sermon, we consider how biblical values of justice, shared leadership, and God-centered governance became the spiritual roots of American democracy. From the peaceful fields of Gettysburg to the personal story of a modern immigrant student filled with gratitude for opportunity, we are invited to build lives that are living memorials—marked by wisdom, service, and righteousness. In a divided world, this message asks: what legacy will you leave behind? What will your life stand for?

On the night before his crucifixion, Jesus offers his disciples one final commandment—not a plan, not a parable, but a legacy: “Love one another as I have loved you” (John 13:34). In this message, we explore what it means to take that command seriously—not as a gentle suggestion, but as the defining mark of the Christian life. This is not sentimental love; it’s love that shows up, bears burdens, washes feet, crosses boundaries, and costs something. In a time when division is loud and compassion often quiet, this kind of love is how the world will know who we are—and whose we are.

This Mother’s Day sermon explores the transformation of Saul in Acts 9:1-20, not just through a dramatic divine encounter, but through the quiet courage of people like Ananias—and the unnamed hands that led, fed, and cared for him during his blindness. It’s a story of caregiving, community, and the sacred power of showing up. Whether or not you are a mother, you’ve likely played a part in someone’s transformation simply by loving them through uncertainty. Drawing from personal stories and Scripture, this message invites us to honor the unseen labor that makes new life possible. Because it doesn’t just take a village to raise a child—it takes a village to raise a soul.