Sermon Index

May 4, 2008
Ascension Sunday
“Sanctuary”
A Celebration of 81 Years in the CHBC Sanctuary
Acts 1:1-14; Psalm 47:1, 6-9; 93:5; 68:3-6, 10, 32-35; 1 Peter 4:12-142; Luke 24:44-53
W. Gregory Pope, preaching
(blog response option pending)

April 27, 2008
Easter 6
“How Do We Talk About Our Faith In A Pluralistic World”
Acts 17:22-34; Psalm 66:8-20; 1 Peter 3:13-22; John 14: 15-21
W. Gregory Pope, preaching
(blog response option)

April 20, 2008
The Fifth Sunday of Easter
“Who Will You Be When You Grow Up?”
Acts 7:55-60; Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16; 1 Peter 2:1-10; John 14:1-14
W. Gregory Pope, preaching
(blog response option)

April 6, 2008
Eastertide 3
“The Beloved Community”
Acts 2:14a, 36-41; Psalm 116:1-4, 12-19; 1 Peter 1:17-23; Luke 24:13-35
W. Gregory Pope, preaching
(blog response option)

March 30, 2008
Eastertide 2
“Embrace the World”
Acts 2:14a, 22-32; Psalm 16; 1 Peter 1:3-9; John 20:19-31
W. Gregory Pope, preaching
(blog response option)

March 23, 2008
Easter Sunday
“The Risen Gardener”
Jeremiah 31:1-6; Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24; Colossians 3:1-4; John 20:1-18
W. Gregory Pope, preaching
(blog response option)

March 16, 2008
Palm/Passion Sunday
“Passing Through Graveyards On the Way to Easter”
Ezekiel 37:1-14; Psalm 130, Romans 8:6-11; John 11:1-45
W. Gregory Pope, preaching
(blog response option)

February 17, 2008
Centennial Anniversary Sunday
First Sunday in Lent
“New Birth”
Genesis 12:1-4a; Psalm 121; Romans 4:1-5, 13-17; John 3:1-17
W. Gregory Pope, preaching
(blog response option)

February 10, 2008
Centennial Anniversary Sunday
First Sunday in Lent
“The Tell-Tale Heart”
Genesis 2:15-17, 3:1-7; Psalm 32; Romans 5:12-19; Matthew 4:1-11
W. Gregory Pope, preaching
(blog response option)

January 27, 2008
Epiphany 3
“Becoming One”
Isaiah 9:1-4; Psalm 27:1, 4-9; 1 Corinthians 1:10-18; Matthew 4:12-23
W. Gregory Pope, preaching
(blog response option)

January 20, 2008
Epiphany 2
“Getting Out of a Pit”
Isaiah 49:1-7; Psalm 40:1-11; 1 Corinthians 1:1-9; John 1:29-42
W. Gregory Pope, preaching
(blog response option)

January 13, 2008
Centennial Anniversary Sunday
First Sunday AFter the Epiphany
Baptism of the Lord Sunday
“The Story We Find Ourselves In”
Isaiah 42:1-9; Psalm 29; Acts 10:34-43; Matthew 3:13-17
W. Gregory Pope, preaching
(blog response option)

December 23, 2007
Advent 4
“Immanuel:
Our Last and Only Hope for Peace”
Isaiah 7:10-16; Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19; Matt 1:18-25; Romans 1:1-7
Lighting the Candle of Hope
W. Gregory Pope, preaching
(blog response option)

December 16, 2007
Advent 3
"Peace and Joy in the Desert"
Isaiah 35:1-10; Luke 1:47-55; James 5:7-10; Matthew 11:2-11
W. Gregory Pope, preaching
(blog response option)

December 9, 2007
Advent 2
"Peace Through Justice"
Isaiah 11:1-10; Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19; Romans 15:4-13; Matthew 3:1-12
W. Gregory Pope, preaching
(blog response option)

December 2, 2007
Advent 1
"Living in the Light of God:
Peace Through Nonviolence"
Isaiah 2:1-5; Psalm 122; Romans 13:11-14; Matthew 24:36-44
W. Gregory Pope, preaching
(blog response option)

November 25, 2007
Reign of Christ Sunday/Pentecost 26
"Reading the Bible Honestly"
Psalm 19, 2 Timothy 3:10-17
W. Gregory Pope, preaching

November 18, 2007
Pentecost 25
"Profound Gratitude and Radical Love"
David Burhans, preaching

November 11, 2007
Pentecost 24
"Being Church"
Acts 2:41-47
W. Gregory Pope, preaching

November 4, 2007
All Saints Day/Pentecost 23
"All In The Family"
Matthew 1:1-17
W. Gregory Pope, preaching

October 14, 2007
Pentecost 20
"Burma, the Karen and CHBC"
Annette and Steve

October 7, 2007
Pentecost 19
Ecumenical Heritage Sunday
World Communion Sunday
"Healing the Body Broken"
Ephesians 4:1-6; John 17:20-23
W. Gregory Pope, preaching

September 30, 2007
Pentecost 18
Worship Heritage Sunday
"The Glory, Measure and Ecstasy of Worship?"
Isaiah 58:3-9; Colossians 3:12-17; John 4:19-24
H. Stephen Shoemaker, preaching

September 23, 2007
Pentecost 17
Baptist Heritage Sunday
"Why Would Anybody Want to be a Baptist?"
Galatians 5:1, 13-15
W. Greg Pope, preaching

September 16, 2007
Pentecost 16
"Why Remember the Past?"
The Recollection of Sacred History
Deuteronomy 26:1-11
W. Greg Pope, preaching

September 9, 2007
Pentecost 15
"Extravagant Generosity (I): Enlarging Your Soul, Expanding the Reach of God's Love"
Acts 4:32-35; Psalm 24
W. Gregory Pope

September 2, 2007
Pentecost 14
"Risk-Taking Mission and Service: A Church For the World"
W. Gregory Pope

August 26, 2007
Pentecost 13
"Simba the Apprentice"
(Intentional Spiritual Formation:
Being and Making Disciples)
W. Gregory Pope
sermon blog

August 12, 2007
Pentecost 11
"Meaningful Worship: LIfe-Transforming Encounters With God"
W. Gregory Pope
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August 5, 2007
Pentecost 10
"NAMASTE (Radical Hospitality: Becoming an Inviting and Connecting Community)"
Luke 10:25-37
W. Gregory Pope
[Blog response opportunity at end of sermon beginning this week]

July 22, 2007
Pentecost 8
"Living the Sermon on the Mount in Real Life"
Matthew 5:21-26, 38-48
Dr. Glen Stassen, preaching

July 15, 2007
Pentecost 7
"How Is It All Going To End?"
Revelation 21:1-6
The third in a series of sermons from the Book of Revelation
W. Gregory Pope

July 8, 2007
Pentecost 6
"Hallelujah and Lament: The Triumph Over Evil and Suffering"
Revelation 18-19
The second in a series of sermons from the Book of Revelation
W. Gregory Pope

July 1, 2007
Pentecost 5
"Making Sense of the Book of Revelation"
Revelation 1:1-8; 22:16-17, 20-21
W. Gregory Pope

June 10, 2007
Pentecost 2
"Living as Mission-Minded Children of God"
Matthew 28:18-20; Psalm 98:4-8; Acts 16:11-15
Philippians 1:3-11; 2 Corinthians 9:6-8, 11-15; John 13:3-5, 12-15, 34-35
W. Gregory Pope

June 3, 2007
Trinity Sunday
"Between Two Crossed Branches"
Psalm 8
W. Gregory Pope

May 27, 2007
Pentecost Sunday
"Takin' It To The Streets"
Acts 2; Luke 14:16-23
W. Gregory Pope

May 13, 2007
The Sixth Sunday of Easter
"The Church as Mother"
Deuteronomy 6:4-97
1 Samuel 1:9-22
W. Gregory Pope

May 6, 2007
The Fifth Sunday of Easter
"The Invitation"
Acts 2:41-47
W. Gregory Pope

April 29, 2007
The Fourth Sunday of Easter
"Not Just Another Day at the Pool"
John 5:1-9
W. Gregory Pope

April 22, 2007
The Third Sunday of Easter
"Creation Spirituality"
Genesis 1:1-2:4
W. Gregory Pope

April 15, 2007
The Second Sunday of Easter
"Easter's Gift of Laughter"
W. Gregory Pope

April 8, 2007
Easter Sunday
"The First Seven Words of Easter"
W. Gregory Pope

April 1, 2007
The Sixth Sunday in Lent
Palm Sunday
"Completion and Commendation"
(The Seven Last Words From the Cross)
W. Gregory Pope

March 25, 2007
The Fifth Sunday in Lent
"Remembered"
(The Seven Last Words From the Cross)
W. Gregory Pope

March 18, 2007
The Fourth Sunday in Lent
"Forsaken"
(The Seven Last Words From the Cross)
Mark 15:16-34
W. Gregory Pope

March 11, 2007
The Third Sunday in Lent
"Care"
(The Seven Last Words From the Cross)
John 19:25-27
W. Gregory Pope

March 4, 2007
The Second Sunday in Lent
"Forgiveness"
(The Seven Last Words From the Cross)
W. Gregory Pope

February 25, 2007
The First Sunday in Lent
"Thirst"
(The Seven Last Words From the Cross)
John 19:28-29; 4:7-15
W. Gregory Pope

February 21, 2007
Ash Wednesday
"Tuning Our Ears at the Cross:
The Seven Last Words of Christ"
Psalm 51
W. Gregory Pope

February 18, 2007
Transfiguration Sunday
"Redeeming Grammar Lessons"
Rabbi Nadia Siritsky
Exodus 34:29-35, Luke 9:28-36

February 11, 2007
The Sixth Sunday of Epiphany
"Who's Writing the Story of Your Life?"
W. Gregory Pope

February 4, 2007
The Fifth Sunday of Epiphany
"Living in Loving Communion
with God and One Another"
1 Cor 11:17-26; 13:1-14:1
W. Gregory Pope

January 28, 2007
The Fourth Sunday of Epiphany
"GQ, Jesus and the Blues Brothers"
Luke 4:14-30
W. Gregory Pope

January 21, 2007
The Third Sunday of Epiphany
"Connected"
1 Corinthians 12:12-31
W. Gregory Pope

January 14, 2007
The Second Sunday of Epiphany
"Gifted"
1 Corinthians 12:1-13
W. Gregory Pope

January 7, 2007
The First Sunday of Epiphany
"Chosen, Blessed, Broken, Shared"
W. Gregory Pope

December 31, 2006
The First Sunday after Christmas
"The Sacrament of Failure"
2 Corinthians 12:1-10
W. Gregory Pope

December 24, 2006
The Fourth Sunday of Advent
"Family Christmas"
Luke 2:1-20
W. Gregory Pope

December 10, 2006
The Second Sunday of Advent
"Preparing for the Baby"
Luke 3:1-18
W. Gregory Pope

December 3, 2006
The First Sunday of Advent
"Surprise Pregnancies"
Luke 1
W. Gregory Pope

November 26, 2006
Reign of Christ Sunday
"Christ the Center"
Revelation 1:1-20
W. Gregory Pope

November 19, 2006
Pentecost 24
"Provoking One Another to Love"
Hebrews 10:15-25
W. Gregory Pope

November 12, 2006
Pentecost 23
"With Glad and Generous Hearts:
A Year in the Life of CHBC"
Acts 2:42-47
W. Gregory Pope

November 5, 2006
All Saints Day
"Home"
Acts 17:16-34
W. Gregory Pope

October 29, 2006
Reformation Sunday
"A New Kind of Church"
Acts 15:1-11
W. Gregory Pope

October 22 2006
Pentecost 20
"Beyond Our Wildest Imaginings"
Joel 2:23-29, Ephesians 3:14-21
W. Gregory Pope

October 8, 2006
Pentecost 18
"Conversion and Community"
Acts 9:1-20; Acts 10:1-33
W. Gregory Pope

September 10, 2006
Pentecost 14
"The Triumph of Mercy: The Church and AIDS"
James 2:1-17
W. Gregory Pope

September 3, 2006
Pentecost 13
"The Landscape of Christian Formation: Work and Society"
Ephesians 5:21, 6:5-9
W. Gregory Pope

August 27, 2006
Pentecost 12
"The Landscape of Christian Formation: Family"
Ephesians 5:21-6:4 W. Gregory Pope

August 20, 2006
Pentecost 11
"Becoming Christian"
W. Gregory Pope

August 13, 2006
Pentecost 10
"Hearing Our Call, Sharing Our Gifts"
Ephesians 4:1-16
W. Gregory Pope

August 6, 2006
Pentecost 9
"Is Unity Possible?"
Ephesians 4:1-16
W. Gregory Pope

July 23, 2006
Pentecost 7
"Mission Impossible"
Acts 1:1-14; 2:1-4
W. Gregory Pope

July 16, 2006
Pentecost 6
"The Mystery of Prayer and Healing"
Mark 6:1-13, 53-56
W. Gregory Pope

July 9, 2006
Pentecost 5
"Got Issues With Prayer?"
Luke 11:1-13
W. Gregory Pope

July 2, 2006
Pentecost 4
"The Practice of the Presence of God"
Ephesians 6:10-20
W. Gregory Pope

June 18, 2006
Pentecost 2
"To Live Like You Were Dying"
Psalm 90, James 4:13-17
W. Gregory Pope

June 11, 2006
Trinity Sunday
"A Grasshopper on a Milkweed by the Train Tracks"
Isaiah 6:1-8, John 3:1-17
W. Gregory Pope

June 4, 2006
Pentecost Sunday
"A Church With No Walls"
Ephesians 2:11-3:15; Acts 2
W. Gregory Pope

May 28, 2006 -- The Seventh Sunday of Easter
"On Being God's Poem of Grace and Great Love"
Ephesians 2:1-10
W. Gregory Pope

May 21, 2006 -- The Sixth Sunday of Easter
"An Old Tree Growing"
Ephesians 1:15-23; 3:16-21
W. Gregory Pope

May 14, 2006 -- The Fifth Sunday of Easter
"Centering Our Lives in God"
Ephesians 1:1-14
W. Gregory Pope

April 23, 2006 -- The Second Sunday of Easter
"Monday Talk"
1 John 1:1-5, Acts 4:32-35
W. Gregory Pope

April 16, 2006 -- Easter Sunday
"Walking in the Way of Jesus: The Way of Resurrection and Hope"
Isaiah 25:6-9; 1 Corinthians 15:1-11; Mark 16:1-8
W. Gregory Pope

April 9, 2006 -- Palm/Passion Sunday
"Walking in the Way of Jesus: The Way of Servanthood and the Cross"
Mark 11:1-11; Phil 2:5-11; Mark 8:31-38
W. Gregory Pope

April 2, 2006 -- The Fifth Sunday in Lent
"Walking in the Way of Jesus: The Way of Simplicity and Generosity"
Matthew 6:19-34
W. Gregory Pope

March 26, 2006 -- The Fourth Sunday in Lent
"Walking in the Way of Jesus: The Way of Peace and Justice"
Amos 5:22-24; Isaiah 2:2-4; Matthew 5:38-48
W. Gregory Pope

March 19, 2006 -- The Third Sunday in Lent
"Walking in the Way of Jesus: The Way of Grace and Forgiveness"
John 8:2-11; Ephesians 4:32
W. Gregory Pope

March 12, 2006 --The Second Sunday in Lent
"Walking in the Way of Jesus: The Way of Love and Compassion"
Luke 10:25-37
W. Gregory Pope

March 5, 2006 -- The First Sunday in Lent
"Walking in the Way of Jesus: The Way of Conversion and Discipleship"
I Peter 2:21; Mark 1:9-15
W. Gregory Pope

March 1, 2006 -- Ash Wednesday
"Walking in the Way of Jesus: The Way of Repentance and Baptism"
Joel 2:1-2,12-13,15-17; Psalm 51:1-17; 2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:2; Mark 1:4-5, 14-15
W. Gregory Pope

February 26, 2006 -- Transfiguration Sunday
"Engaging Our World and Inviting All to Walk in the Way of Jesus"
Jonah 1:1-3, 3:1-5; Mark 9:2-9
W. Gregory Pope
(Third of three sermons on CHBC identity statement)

February 12, 2006 -- The Sixth Sunday of Epiphany
"He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother: Growing as a Spiritual Family"
Galatians 6:1-10
(Second of three sermons on CHBC identity statement)
W. Gregory Pope

February 5, 2006 -- The Fifth Sunday of Epiphany
"Welcoming God's Calling and Each Other's Gifts"
I Corinthians 12:4-14, 20-27
(First of three sermons on CHBC identity statement)
W. Gregory Pope

January 22, 2006 -- The Third Sunday of Epiphany
"Life Is A Miracle: The Dedication of Ryan Gregory Pope"
Psalm 139:1-18, Mark 1:9-11
W. Gregory Pope

January 8, 2006 -- The First Sunday of Epiphany
"What Is God Calling Us To Do?"
I Samuel 3:1-11; Mark 1:14-20
W. Gregory Pope

January 1, 2006 -- New Year's Day
"What Clothes Will You Be Wearing This Year"
Colossians 3:1-17
W. Gregory Pope

December 25, 2005 -- Christmas Day
"When Jesus Was Born in Louisville"
Luke, unedited and updated
W. Gregory Pope

December 18, 2005 -- The Fourth Sunday in Advent
"John's Portrait of the Incarnation"
Genesis 1:1-5, John 1:1-18
W. Gregory Pope

December 11, 2005 -- The Third Sunday in Advent
"Luke's Portrait of the Incarnation"
Isaiah 61:1-7, Luke 5:29-32
W. Gregory Pope

December 4, 2005 -- The Second Sunday in Advent
"Marks Portrait of the Incarnation"
Isaiah 53:1-7; Mark 1:1-8, 8:27-34
W. Gregory Pope

November 27, 2005 -- The First Sunday in Advent
"Matthew's Portrait of the Incarnation"
Isaiah 9:1-7, Matthew 4:12-17
W. Gregory Pope

November 20, 2005 -- The Twenty-Seventh Sunday After Pentecost
"The Sending Forth Into Christ's Service:
When Worship Becomes A Way of Life"
Isaiah 1:10-18, Roman:1-2
W. Gregory Pope

November 13, 2005 -- The Twenty-Sixth Sunday After Pentecost
"To Risk Something Big For Something Good"
Matthew 25:14-30
W. Gregory Pope

November 6, 2005 -- The Twenty-Fifth Sunday After Pentecost
"Bread For The Journey:
The Sacrament of Holy Communion"
Exodus 12:1-11, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26
W. Gregory Pope

October 30, 2005 -- The Twenty-Fouth Sunday After Pentecost
"Worship As Sacrifice:
The Offering To God Of Who We Are And What We Have"
Micah 6:6-8, Romans 12:1-8, Mark 12:38-44
W. Gregory Pope

October 23, 2005 -- The Twenty-third Sunday After Pentecost
"Words for the Journey: The Church in Prayer: Silence, Lamentation, Petition and Intercession"
Psalm 22:1-5, 14-19
W. Gregory Pope

October 9, 2005 -- The Twenty-first Sunday After Pentecost
"Words for the Journey: Scripture and Sermon"
Nehemiah 8:1-12, Psalm 19:7-11, I Corinthians 1:18-25
W. Gregory Pope

September 25, 2005 -- The Nineteenth Sunday After Pentecost
"Making Melody in Our Hearts: The Music of Worship"
Psalm 96, Psalm 147:1-7, Ephesians 5:15-20
W. Gregory Pope

September 18, 2005 -- The Eighteenth Sunday After Pentecost
"In the Presence of the Holy: The Entrance into Worship"
Isaiah 6:1-8, Hebrews 4:14-16, Psalm 103:8-12
W. Gregory Pope

September 11, 2005 -- The Seventeenth Sunday After Pentecost
"Gathered For Worwhip: Glorifying God, Edifying the Church"
Isaiah 6:1-8, Psalm 122:1, Hebrews 10:25, I Cor 14:26
W. Gregory Pope

August 28, 2005 -- The Fifteenth Sunday After Pentecost
"Our Mission: Seeing Then the Task Before Us"
Matthew 16:21-26; Romans 12:1-8
W. Gregory Pope

August 21, 2005 -- The Fourteenth Sunday After Pentecost
"Our Identity: On Being a Baptist-Ecumenical-Christian Church"
Psalm 133, Matthew 16:13-20
W. Gregory Pope

August 14, 2005 -- The Thirteenth Sunday After Pentecost
The Power To Bless
William M. Johnson

August 7, 2005 -- The Twelveth Sunday After Pentecost
"Communion with Cooter at the Sandy Run Baptist Church"
Matthew 14:13-21
W. Gregory Pope

July 24, 2005 -- The Tenth Sunday After Pentecost
"Burning Our Baggage (III):
Forgiving the Pain of the Past"
Genesis 33:1-10; 45:1-15
W. Gregory Pope

July 17, 2005 -- The Ninth Sunday After Pentecost
"Burning Our Baggage (II):
Conquering Culture and Circumstance"
Genesis 29:15-28; Romans 8:28-39
W. Gregory Pope

July 10, 2005 -- The Eighth Sunday After Pentecost
"Burning Our Baggage (I):
Moving Beyond Our Failures"
Genesis 25:29-34; 32:22-31; Romans 8:1-17
W. Gregory Pope

July 3, 2005 -- The Seventh Sunday After Pentecost
"The Inner Struggle"
Romans 7:15-25; Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30
Holy Communion Sunday
W. Gregory Pope

June 26, 2005 -- The Sixth Sunday After Pentecost
"A Wild and Restless God"
Genesis 22:1-14, Matthew 10:40-42
W. Gregory Pope

June 19, 2005 - The Fifth Sunday After Pentecost
Kelley Woggon, preaching

June 12, 2005 -- The Fourth Sunday After Pentecost
"Gratitude and Grace, Covenant and Hope: Reflections on Our First 100 Days - and Beyond"
Exodus 19:2-8a; Psalm 100; Romans 5:1-8; Matthew 9:35-10:23
W. Gregory Pope

May 29, 2005, The Second Sunday After Pentecost/Memorial Sunday
"A Home in the Storm"
Psalm 46
W. Gregory Pope

May 22, 2005, Trinity Sunday
"Discovering Your Place in God's World"
Genesis 1:1-2a; Psalm 8; 2 Corinthians 13:11-13; Matthew 28:16-20
W. Gregory Pope

May 15, 2005, Pentecost Sunday & Youth Sunday
Sermon: "Wings of the Spirit"
Acts 2:1-21
Bethani Massey

May 8, 2005
"Discerning the Wind of the Spirit"
Acts 1:12-26
W. Gregory Pope

April 24, 2005
"Life Together in Covenant Community"
Acts 2:42-47; 1 Peter 2:2-10
W. Gregory Pope

April 17, 2005
"The 23rd"
Psalm 23, John 10:1-10
W. Gregory Pope

April 10, 2005
"Making Room For Questions"
John 20:19-31, Acts 2:14a, 22-32,
Psalm 16, I Peter 1:3-9
W. Gregory Pope

April 3, 2005
"Burning Hearts, Broken Bread"
Luke 24:13-35
W. Gregory Pope

March 27, 2005
"When Easter Dawns"
Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24, Colossians 3:1-4, John 20:1-18
W. Gregory Pope

March 20, 2005
"Behold The Man"
Matt 21:1-11, John 19:1-5
W. Gregory Pope

March 13, 2005
"New Life For A New Day"
Ezekiel 37:1-14, John 11:1-44, Romans 8:6-11, Psalm 130
W. Gregory Pope