God’s Acre on the Go

The Olive Press

In Matthew 26:36–46, Jesus enters the Garden of Gethsemane as the weight of betrayal, violence, and uncertainty closes in. Rather than clinging to certainty or escaping fear, Jesus prays a prayer of surrender: “Not my will, but yours be done.” This message reflects on Gethsemane—whose name means “olive press”—as a place where pressure reveals what is most precious. Drawing on Proverbs 3:5–6, we are invited to trust God beyond our own understanding and to resist the temptation of rigid certainty. Prayer becomes an act of vigilance and humility, opening us to God’s Spirit when clarity is absent. In a world marked by fear and division, surrender may be the very way God’s compassion, empathy, and love are released through our lives.

Beyond the Fence

In Luke 10:25–37, Jesus responds to a lawyer’s question about eternal life by telling the Parable of the Good Samaritan—a story that challenges how we define “neighbor.” This message explores the fences we build to protect ourselves and how those same boundaries can limit our compassion, growth, and joy. Through personal reflection and Jesus’ own example of crossing cultural and social lines, we’re reminded that faith is lived beyond comfort and convenience. Jesus does not ask us to do everything, but he does ask us to do more than we think we can. Eternal life, Jesus teaches, is not only about the future—it begins now, when we risk mercy, allow interruption, and step beyond the fence into a wider, richer life shaped by love.

The Firm Foundation

What are you doing with your “one wild and precious life”? This week’s message draws inspiration from Mary Oliver’s famous question and Jesus’ parable in Luke 6:46–49. Jesus warns that listening alone isn’t enough—only when we act on his words do we build lives with solid foundations. The sermon challenges us to move beyond performative faith into real obedience. It reflects on justice, compassion, and action as essential to Christ-like living. Personal stories from Puerto Rico highlight how small communities like The Happy Givers embody faithful action every day. Come, listen, and act—that is the invitation and the foundation for a meaningful life.

An Awful Story

The story of Cain and Abel in Genesis 4 is often remembered for its violence and tragedy—the first act of fratricide, a chilling question of moral evasion, and divine judgment. But this week’s sermon invites us to look deeper: What if this awful story also lays the groundwork for a better one?

Through this message, we explore how Jesus responds to Cain’s ancient question—“Am I my brother’s keeper?”—by teaching us to love our neighbor, even the ones we’d rather avoid. Drawing on the larger arc of the Abrahamic promise (Genesis 12, 18, 22), we are reminded that God’s blessing is meant to extend through us, not terminate with us. Power and privilege are not ends in themselves, but tools for blessing others.

Jesus reads these ancient stories not as endorsements of domination but as invitations to mercy, grace, and healing. Even in exile, God offers protection. Even in failure, there is the hope of redemption. Even in us, the story continues to unfold.

Epiphany Message

This special Epiphany episode explores what it means to find God’s light in the midst of life’s darkness. Rev. Chapin Garner begins with the story of the Magi from Matthew 2:1–12, who follow a star during a dark and dangerous time—“in the time of King Herod.” Their journey is a model for anyone searching for light in uncertain seasons.

We’re then joined by guest speaker Ashley Tedford, who shares her inspiring testimony of losing her eyesight in college and learning to walk by faith through uncertainty, medical hardship, and spiritual growth. Her story reveals how even when our sight fades, God’s light never does.

From the journey of the Magi to Ashley’s modern journey of faith, this episode reminds us that God’s light leads us forward—not with force, but with hope. Even in our darkest moments, Epiphany assures us: the light still shines, and the darkness has not overcome it.

Already Found

Every year, Jesus' family went to Jerusalem for Passover. Every year.

That repeated phrase in Luke 2:41–52 sets the tone for this story—not one of crisis, but of rhythm and trust. But amid that faithful rhythm, something unexpected happens: Jesus stays behind in the temple. Mary and Joseph, believing him to be safe among the caravan, realize he is missing. After three days of searching, they find him—not afraid, not lost, but sitting among the teachers, fully at home in his Father’s house.

Through a poignant personal story of being accidentally left on a Manhattan-bound train as a child, Kelly Antonson reflects on how faith is formed not only in moments of clarity, but in confusion, return, and trust. Just as Jesus’ first words reveal his rootedness in the rhythms of faith, our lives are shaped not only by spiritual highs but by steady habits and community care.

This episode invites listeners to consider: What if what feels lost is actually being held? What if what seems absent is quietly growing?

God's Acre On the Go: Innkeepers ALL

In this moving Christmas Eve sermon, Rev. Chapin Garner explores the often-overlooked line in Luke’s nativity: “There was no room for them in the inn.” With tenderness and clarity, he unpacks the deeper meaning behind the absence of hospitality and how it foreshadows the life and ministry of Jesus—who was repeatedly rejected by the world he came to save.

Far from a sentimental retelling, this message invites listeners to reflect on where they’ve closed their hearts and how Christ still seeks to dwell not in buildings, but within us. Drawing on Ephesians 3:16–17, Chapin reminds us that we are all modern-day innkeepers—with the power to say “yes” to the One who brings light to every dark corner of our lives.

God's Acre On the Go: Joy from the Ho-Ho-Holy Land

In this heartwarming Christmas Eve message, Rev. Chapin Garner invites us to rediscover the joy at the heart of the season—not through shopping, stress, or sentimentality, but through generosity inspired by Jesus. The message centers on the real-life story of Issa Kassissieh, Jerusalem’s own Santa Claus, who embodies the joy of Christ by giving freely to children of all faiths in the Holy Land.

With scripture from Luke 2:8–14, where angels announce “good news of great joy,” and Hebrews 12:2, which speaks of Jesus enduring the cross “for the joy set before him,” we are reminded that joy isn’t a fleeting feeling—it’s a divine purpose.

From candy canes carried across the globe to Santa’s throne on Santa Claus Lane, this sermon captures the holy hilarity and sacred generosity of Christmas.

 

God's Acre On the Go: Christmas Gift

In this Christmas Sunday message based on Luke 1:39–56, we pause amid the holiday rush to ask: What gift can we give the One who gave us everything? Drawing from the joyful meeting of Mary and Elizabeth, and the bold beauty of Mary’s Magnificat, we explore how love, attention, and simple gratitude are the greatest gifts we can offer God. From ancient songs of praise to unexpected modern-day expressions of faith, this sermon invites us to respond to God’s gift of life with our own daily love song—honoring Christ on His birthday and every day after.

God's Acre On the Go: Plan “C” People

In this Advent message, we look at the life of Joseph—the quiet man in the nativity story whose whole world gets turned upside down. From broken dreams to divine detours, Joseph is invited into God’s Plan "C"—an unexpected path that leads to greater joy and deeper purpose.

This sermon invites us to reconsider what it means when life doesn’t go according to plan. Drawing from Matthew 1:18–25, we’re reminded that God rarely works through control or perfection. Instead, God changes the world through people who say yes to the unexpected. This message is for anyone whose plans have unraveled and who wonders what’s next.