Damascus Road Moments

Members of the NBMC congregation share how God had met them in "Damascus Road Moments."

July 3, 2016 - "Grace for the Perpetrator" - Paul Mosley - Acts 26:1-20 - Listen

July 10, 2016 - "It's All About Jesus for Me" - Bill Hoard - Galatians 5:1-15 - John 14:1-11 - Listen

July 17, 2016 - David Chalfoun

Following Jesus doesn't start with a list of behaviors; it starts with a Jesus-like character.  During the months of May and June, we seek to internalize Jesus' sayings known as "the Beatitudes," 8 short descriptions of the character of a follower of Christ.

May 1, 2016 - "The Good Life: Introducing the Beatitudes" - Matthew 5:1-12 - Listen

May 8, 2016 - "Trust the Catcher" - Matthew 5:1-16 - Listen

May 15, 2016 - "Blessed Are the Bridled" - Aaron Brooks - Matthew 5:5 - Listen

May 22, 2016 - "Honest to God" - Rebecca Mosley - Matthew 5:6 - Matthew 15:10-20 - Listen

May 29. 2016 - "Mourning: The Grace of Deep Vision" - Matthew 5:5 - Listen

June 5. 2016 - "You Are What You Love" - Matthew 5:6 - Philippians 1:9-11 - Listen

June 12, 2016 - "Who Would Jesus Bless?" - Matthew 5:7 - John 8:2-11 - Listen

June 19, 2016 - "Blessed Are Those Who Take the First Step" - Matthew 5:1-9 - Romans 5:6-11 - Listen

June 26, 2016 - "How To Be Sure You'll Be Persecuted" - Matthew 5:1-12 - Matthew 8:1-11 - Listen

"What You Do Best in the Church"

Everyone knows that small churches need lots of volunteer hands for the work to get done.  But effective ministry requires more than a willing spirit (or a guilty conscience.)  God has gifted each of us for the good of the church and the growth of the kingdom.  How has God gifted you?

April 10, 2016 - "Our Reasonable Service" - Romans 12:1-8 - Listen

April 17, 2016 - "What Are the Gifts? Part 1" - 1 Corinthians 12 - Listen

April 24, 2016 - "What Are the Spiritual Gifts? Part 2" - Ephesians 4:7-16 - Listen

Lent 2016

Living Ink: Our Stories in God's Story

We finished the Ephesians series on the first Sunday in Lent.

February 21, 2016 - "Finding Light in the Dark" - Dave Greiser - Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18 - Listen

February 28, 2016 - "When You Don't Know You're Thirsty" - Dave Greiser - Isaiah 55:1-9 - Listen

March 6, 2016 - "People of God's Peace?" - Rebecca Mosley - 2 Corinthians 5:16-21 - Listen

March 13, 2016 - "Exchanging Right-Side-Up for Upside-Down" - Bill Hoard - Philippians 3:4b-14 - Listen

March 20, 2016 - Palm Sunday - "A Jumble of Mixed Motives" - Dave Greiser - Luke 19:28-40 - Listen

March 27, 2016 - Easter - "When the Risen Jesus Calls Your Name" - Dave Greiser - John 20:1-18 - Listen

Ephesians:  Growing Up Together in Christ

January 3, 2016 - "God's Calling: Poem, Story, Prayer" - Rebecca Mosley - Ephesians 1:3-14 - Listen

January 10, 2016 - "Basics" - Dave Greiser - Ephesians 2:1-10 - Listen

January 17, 2016 - "Growing Up Into Reconciliation" - Dave Greiser - Ephesians 2:11-22 - Listen

January 24, 2016 - No service because of snow

January 31, 2016 - "Growing Up in Service" - Dave Gresier - Ephesians 4:1-16- Listen

February 7, 2016 - "Growing into Mutual Submission" - Dave Greiser - Ephesians 5:21-33 - Listen

February 14, 2016 - "Stand" - Rebecca Mosley - Ephesians 6:10-18 - Listen

Advent and Christmas 2015 - Freedom Bound

November 29, 2015 - The Path of Justice - "Free or Bound" - Luke 21:25-36 - Listen

December 6, 2015 - The Path of Mercy - "Mercy Bursts Upon Us" - Luke 3:1-4 - Listen

December 13, 2015 - The Path of Trust - "Freedom: A Road from Repentance to Trust" - Luke 3:7-18 - Listen

December 20, 2015 - The Path of Love - Children's Service - No Sermon

December 24, 2015 - Christmas Eve Meditation - Listen

December 27, 2015 - The Path of Service - "Growing to Full Stature" - Luke 2:41-52 - Listen

Mini-Series, Fall 2015 

"Discipleship Is an Inside Job"

Committed Christians long to be agents of social change in racism, sexuality, gender equality, and peacemaking.  But lasting social change comes through disciples of Jesus who are transformed from inside.  From now until Advent, we consider the inside work of God in creating change-agent people.

November 8, 2015 - "A Matter of Life and Death" - Ephesians 2:1-10 - Listen

November 15, 2015 - "Assurance: A Radical's Foundation" - Romans 8:9-17 - Listen

November 22, 2015 - "Holiness: Old Idea for a New Day" - 2 Peter 1:1-11 - Listen

Our Fall 2015 Series: “Prayer: A User’s Guide”

How important is prayer to you…really?  Praying gets lip service at church, and some folks are into spirituality.  But how well do we understand prayer, and how much do we really pray?  In our fall series, we get honest about prayer.  This fall, we will not only hear about prayer; each week we will take time in worship to practice it.  Come with your questions, your failures and your desires, as together we get practical about deepening our relationship with God.

A Course of Sermons

September 6: “Can’t Anyone Teach Me to Pray?” - Luke 11:1-13 - Listen

Be honest - we all have “history” with prayer.  Maybe we don’t get it.  Maybe we don’t think it matters.  Maybe we’ve tried it and failed.  Is it really that important that we learn to pray?  Let’s start with a nod to where we are, and look at why SO MUCH of the Bible and the Christian life is about learning how to pray.

September 13:  “What Is Christian Prayer?” - Ephesians 1:15-23 - Listen

In an age of many spiritualities, what is special about the Christian way of praying?  While we can learn and benefit from practices in many religions, there are aspects of prayer that are unique to Christian faith. What are the practices of Christian praying?

September 20:  “A Practical Guide to Praise” - Psalm 103, Psalm 150 - Listen

What’s the big deal about praise?  Is God an egotist who loves to hear us say nice things? In this message we will see how praise is a healthy and important part of our prayers.

September 27:  Church Retreat at Camp Hebron (No service in Baltimore)

October 4:  “Asking and Receiving” John 15:1-15 - Listen

What happens when we ask God for something?  Do we influence God’s will, or do we mainly change ourselves?  This morning we’ll talk about how and why we ask.

October 11:  “Listening to God through the Bible” - Psalm 119:9-18 - Listen

What role does the Bible play in a life of prayer?  Today we will experience an old, yet powerful way to combine Bible reading and prayer to come near to God’s heart.

October 18: Guest speaker Andrew Chalfoun

October 25: "Growing Down: Repentance and Prayer" - Psalm 32 - Listen

Confession to God is the hardest kind of prayer, yet the more willingly we practice confession and seek forgiveness, the more fully we come to know the grace of God from experience.

November 1 - "Forgiveness and Prayer" - Rebecca Mosley - Matthew 18:15-20 - Listen 

Forgiveness and grace are key to living with one another as servants of God in the church. Unforgiveness is bondage to that which we hate most; forgiveness is freedom to the teh church God calls us to be. 

Summer Sermon Series - 2015

"Send Our Roots Rain: A Summer Worship Series in the Psalms"

July 12 - August 30, 2015

The Psalms have been the prayer journal of God's people for a very long time.  This summer, our sermons and worship will be a search for spiritual reneal as we consider the many moods of the Psalms:

How do we renew our desire for God? Develop hearts of praise? Express lament?

Join in the search for a renewed spirit as we pray the Psalms together.

July 12, 2015 - Desire (My soul thirsts for you) - Psalm 63:1-7 - Listen

July 17, 2015 - Guest speaker - Jason Chesnut

July 26, 2015 - Praise (You visit the earth and water it) - Psalm 65 - We hosted many guests who had attended Mennonite World Conference Assembly. There was not a regular sermon.

August 2, 2015 - Confession (Wash me...and cleanse me from my sin) - "Coming to Our Senses" - Psalm 51 - Listen

August 9, 2015 - Justice (Like rain that falls on mown grass) - "Prayer for the Public Square" - Psalm 72 - Psalm 72 for Baltimore - Rebecca Mosley - Listen

August 16, 2015 - Lament (I wither away like grass) - "Learning to Lament" - Psalm 102 - Listen

August 23, 2015 - "Staying at the Table" - David Greiser and Rebecca Mosley - Ephesians 4:1-6 - Listen

August 30, 2015 - Thanksgiving (Give thanks to the Lord for he satisfies the thirsty) - "My Life Flows On: Creating a Thankful Heart" - Psalm 107 - Listen

Lectionary Readings in 2015

In 2015 we will most often be observing the traditional church year by following the readings of the Revised Common Lectionary, usually focusing on the Gospel passage.  For a link to the texts for any given week, click here.

The Season of Pentecost 2015

May 24, 2015 - Pentecost - guest speaker, Paul Mosley - "Recovering the Prophetic Imagination" - Ezekiel 37:1-14 - Listen

May 31, 2015 - "Living Pentecost" - Romans 8:9-17 - Listen

June 7, 2015 - "Ministry with Heart" - 2 Corinthians 4:1-5:1 - Listen

June 14, 2015 - "How the Kingdom Works" - Mark 4:26-34 - Listen

June 21, 2015 - "Faith in the Other Jesus" - Mark 4: 35-41 - Listen

June 28, 2015 - "Early Easter" - Mark 5:21-43 - Listen

Easter Season 2015

April 5, 2015 - Easter - "How Do You Handle Good News" - John 20:1-18

April 12, 2015 - "Easter: The Sequel" - John 20:12-31 - Listen

April 19, 2015 - "Selective Attention" - Luke 24:13-35

April 26, 2015 - "One Flock, One Shepherd" - John 10:11-18 and Psalm 23

May 3, 2015 - "Life on the Vine" - John 15:1-11- Listen

May 10, 2015 - guest speaker, J. Daryl Byler - "Who's in Your Circle?" - Acts 10:44-48, John 15:9-17 - Listen

May 17, 2015 - "The Ascension: Expand Your Mind" - Luke 24:35-44 - Listen

Lent 2015 - Upside Down and Inside Out

February 22, 2015 - One More Time - "The Most Moved Mover" - Sorry, no recording. The service was cancelled because of snow.

March 1, 2015  - Beyond Imagination - "Following Whose Way?" - Rebecca Mosley - Mark 8:27-38 - Listen

March 8, 2015 - "God's Foolishness" - Exodus 20:1-17 and 1 Corinthians 1:18-25 - Listen

March 15, 2015 - Guest speaker Brent Laytham (Winter Bible School)

March 22, 2015 - "Laying It Down" - John 12:20-30 - Listen

March 29, 2015 (Palm Sunday) - "When You Aren't Sure What Jesus Is Doing" - Mark 11:1-11 - Listen

A Vision for the Church

January 11, 2015 - "The Dangerous Act of Worship" - Isaiah 6:1-8 - Listen

January 18, 2015 (We did not have a service on 1/18.)

January 25, 2015 - "Service: Connecting Voice and Touch" - Matthew 7:24-8:13 - Listen

February 1, 2015 - "Daughters and Sons" - Luke 3:21-38 -  Guest speaker Nathan Lundgren - sorry, no recording available

February 8, 2015 - "Reclaiming the E Word: Come and See" - John 1:35-51 - Listen

February 15, 2015 - "The Church: Where Misfits Fit" - Acts 2:36-47 - Listen

Advent, Christmas and Epiphany

Oh, That You Would Reveal Your Mystery

November 30, 2014 - Hope - "Keeping the End in Mind" - Mark 13:24-37 - Listen

December 7. 2014 - Peace - " Wake-up Call" -Mark 1:1-11 -  Listen

December 14, 2014 - Joy - Luke 1:46b-55

December 21, 2014 - Love- Luke 1:26-38

Christmas Eve (no recorded sermon)

December 28, 2014 - Your Beauty Is Revealed - Luke 2:22-40 - guest speaker Rebecca Mosley - Listen

January 4, 2015 - Epiphany - Your Saving Mystery Revealed - Matthew 2:1-12

You Asked For It - November Sermon Series

November 2, 2014 - "Forgiving: Expressing teh Gospel in Life" - Matthew 18:21-35 - Listen

November 9, 2014 - "How Does the Holy Spirit Peak to Us Today?" - John 9:1-41 - Listen

November 16, 2014 - "Children in the Kingdom: Nurturing Innocence" - Matthew 18:1-5 and Matthew 19:13-15 - Listen

November 23, 2014 - "What DId Jesus' Death Accomplish?" - 1 Corinthians 15:1-15 - Listen

What Is the Gospel?  October Sermon Series

Many people can quote some of the Ten Commandments, and maybe even some sayings and teachings of Jesus. But do we understand the meaning of that most clichéd of Christian terms, “the gospel”? In our October series of sermons, we’ll talk together about this central Christian idea, and consider why it is so important that we not only understand it, but experience its power to change everything.

October 12, 2014 - "What the Gospel Is" - Listen

October 19, 2014 - "What the Gospel Is Not" - Listen

October 26, 2104 - "What Is the New Birth?" - John 3:1-17 - Listen

Fall 2014

August 24, 2014 - "Mind Renewal" - Romans 12:1-8 - Listen

August 31, 2014 - "Mind Renewal, Part 2" - Romans 12:9-21 - Listen

September 7, 2014 - "Nearly There" - Romans 13:11-14 - (not recorded)

September 14, 2014 - "Breaking the Silence on Money" - Romans 5:6-11 - Listen

September 21, 2014 - "To Live Is Christ, To Die Is More Christ" - Philippians 1:21-30 - Listen

September 28, 2014 - NMBC Retreat - no sermon recorded

October 5, 2014 - "Becoming What We Eat" - guest speaker, Michael Gorman - Luke 22:12-30 - Listen

The Early Church, Our Church

For seven weeks we will be “visiting” the seven churches of Asia—Antioch, Colossae, Ephesus, Philippi, Thessalonica, Corinth, and Rome—using the Book of Acts and Paul’s letters.  There will also be two guest speakers during this time.

June 22, 2014 - Antioch - "Why the Church Needs the City" - Acts 11:19-30, Galatians 2:11-14 - Listen

June 29, 2014 - Colossae - "Is Jesus Enough?" - Colossians 2:6-10, 16-23 - Listen

July 6, 2014 - Ephesus - "Ephesians: Partners in Planting" - Acts 20:17-38 - Listen

July 13, 2014 - guest speaker - David Chalfoun - "Doubt and Faith" - Listen

July 20, 2014 - Philippi - "Developing Christian Reflexes" - Philippians 4:4-7 - Listen

July 27, 2014 - Thessalonica

August 4, 2014 - Corinth

August 11, 2014 - guest speaker- Andrew Chalfoun - "Jesus Christ Home Wrecker?"  - Matthew 10:34-39 - Listen

August 17, 2014 - Rome - "And So, to Rome" - Romans 14:1-12 - Listen

Pentecost 2014

June 8 - Pentecost - "Yawning at Lions" - Acts 2:1-21- Listen

June 15 - guest speaker - John Yoder - "Wrestling with Angels" - Genesis 32:22-31 - Listen

Easter Season 2014

April 27 - Guest speaker: Jason Chesnut

May 4 - "The Wrong End of the Telescope" - Acts 2:14a, 36-41

May 11 - "One Hand Clapping" - Acts 2:42-47 - Listen

May 18 - "Show Us the Father" - John 14:1-14

May 25 - "What To Do with Stones" - 1 Peter 3:13-18

June 1 - "Ready or Not" - Acts 1:1-11 - Listen

Easter Sunday

April 20, 2014:  Encountering God:  What have we witnessed ... in Jesus' empty tomb? - John 20: 1-18 - Listen

Lent 2014

Theme:  Encountering God: What we have witnessed...

March 9:  What we have witnessed ... in temptation? - Matthew 4:1-11

March 16:  What we have witnessed ... in our blessings? - Guest Speaker: David Lamb - "God Behaving Badly" - 2 Samuel 6:1-10 - Listen

March 23:  What we have witnessed ... through nourishment that meets our needs? - John 4:5-42

March 30:  What we have witnessed... through annointing? - John 4:5-42

April, 6:  What we have witnessed ... in our need for renewal? - Ezekiel 37:1-14 - John 9:1-41

April 13 - Palm Sunday:  What we have witnessed ... in jubilant praise and broken bread? - Matthew 21:1-11

The Epiphany Season - Seeing Jesus

January 12 - "Messiah Unplugged" - Matthew 3:13-17 - Listen

January 19 - "Come and See" - John 1:29-42 - Listen

January 26 - "The First Hundred Days" - Matthew 4:12-23 - Listen

February 2 - "The Beatitudes: The Upside-Down Values of a Disciple" - Matthew 5:1-12 - Listen (A series on the Sermon on the Mount)

February 9 - "What Good Is the Church?" - Matthew 5:13-20 - Listen

February 16 - "The Heart of the Law" - Matthew 5:21-37 - Listen

February 23 - Guest Speaker: Sharon Smith - "Love's Healing Touch" - 1 John 4:7-10

March 2 - Matthew 17:1-9 (Transfiguration Sunday)

Ash Wednesday is March 5, 2014

Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany: O, the mystery of God's dwelling

December 1 - "God Is Here among Us" - Isaiah 2:1-5, Matthew 24:36-44

December 8 - "God in Relationships" - Isaiah 11:1-10, Matthew 3:1-12

December 15 - "God and Transformation" - Isaiah 35:1-10, Matthew 11:2-11

December 22 - "Emmanuel" - Psalm 80:1-7;17-19, Matthew 1:18-25 - sorry, no recording

December 24 - Christmas Eve - Lessons and Carols (no sermon)

December 29 - A meditation by Pat Fosarelli - Isaiah 63:7-9, Hebrews 2:10-18, Matthew 2:13-23

January 5 - Epiphany - "For Those Who Have Never Known" - Isaiah 60:1-6, Matthew 2:1-12. Our January 5 service was cancelled due to icy conditions.  

Christ the King Sunday

November 24, 2013

Our speaker, Michael A. King, is Dean of Eastern Mennonite Seminary.  "Faithful to Scriptrue and Open to the Spirit: Learning from Chaplain etty, Worship Leader Pauline, and Apostle Peter."  The text is Acts 11:1-18 

“Ecclesiastes: Living without Illusions”

For much of the world, life is a struggle for survival.  For a few, life is a quest for success: material, professional, and academic.  The philosopher of the unusual book of Ecclesiastes asks a question of everyone on life’s fast track:  when you get what you want in life—what then?

September 8 - November 17, 2013

September 8:  Introduction to Ecclesiastes - Listen

September 15:  What's the Point? (1:1-11) - Listen

September 22:  The Illusion of Knowledge (1:12-18) - Listen

September 29:  Church Retreat, guest speaker

October 6:  The illusion of Pleasure (2:1-11)

October 13:  Guest speaker: Jason Chesnut - "10 Lepers, 2 Cities, 1 Immigrant, and a Ridiculously Unexpected God" (Luke 17:11-19) - Listen 

October 20:  The Illusion of Achievement (2:17-26, 4:4-8) - Listen

October 27:  The Seasons of Life (3:1-11) - Listen

November 3:  The Illusion of Justice (3:16-4:3) - Listen

November 10:  The Illusion of Independence (4:4-12) - Listen

November 17:  A Modest Proposal for Life (9:1-18)



Bible Search (example: "John 3:16" or keywords like "salvation" or "prophet")

June 2, 2013 - Guest Preacher - Hope Graber: "God Is Able" - Listen

     Scripture:  1 Kings 18:20-39 (Elijah and the prophets of Baal)

June 9, 2013 - "Psalms for All Seasons: An Introduction to the Psalms" - Listen

      Scripture:  Psalm 8, Psalm 130, Psalm 102:1-12, 25-28

June 16, 2013 - "Better Than Life Itself" - Listen

      Scripture:  Philippians 2:12-13, Psalm 63

June 23, 2013 - Guest Preacher - Sharon Smith: "Saving Private Ryan" - Listen

      Scripture:  Acts 2:14-21                                                                                 

June 30, 2013 - "The Two Faces of the Messiah" - Listen

       Scripture:  Psalm 2

July 7, 2013 - Guest Preacher - David Chalfoun: "Fact and Faith" - Listen

       Scripture:  Hebrews 11:1-7

July 14, 2013 - "Re-Centering on God" - Listen

       Scripture:  Psalm 110

July 21, 2013 - "A Prayer of Perseverance" - Listen

       Scripture:  Psalm 129

July 28, 2013 - "A Good Pruning" - Listen

       Scripture:  Psalm 131

August 4, 2013 - Guest Speakers: Jonathan and Ruth Clemens

       "Dietrich Bonhoeffer: A Life of Discipleship" - Listen

       Scripture: Matthew 10:37-39, Hebrews 12:1-2

August 11, 2013 - "A Good Confession" - Listen

       Scripture:  Psalm 51

August 18, 2013 - "Why is THAT in the Bible" - Listen

       Scripture:  Psalm 137

August 25, 2013 - Psalm 46

September 1, 2013 - Guest Speaker - Arthur Sutherland

May 26, 2013 - A Day of Remembrance

       "When the Roll Is Called Down Here" - Listen

       Scripture: Hebrews 11:32-12:2

April 14, 2013 - The Design and Dignity of Work - Listen

       Scripture: Genesis 1:26-2:15

April 21, 2013 - Work: Creating a Culture - Listen

       Scripture: Genesis 1:28, 2:8-22

April 28, 2013 - The Mixed Blessing of Work - Listen

       Scripture: Genesis 3:16-19, Ecclesiastes 2:17-26

May 5, 2013 - Redeeming our Work

       Scripture: Revelation 2:1-6

April 7, 2013 - Information and Incarnation - Listen

       Guest Speaker: Jon Carlson

       Scripture: John 1:1-14

February 17, 2013 - God Will Show Us Salvation

Scripture: Deuteronomy 26:1-11

Sermon: "The God of the 'Now What?'" - Listen

February 24, 2013 - We Will Take Courage and Wait on the Lord

         Scripture: Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18

         Sermon: "The Authenticity of Vulnerability" - Listen

March 3, 2013 - We Will Seek the Lord and Be Fruitful

         Scripture: Isaiah 55

         Sermon:  "Filling the Empty Place" - Listen

March 10, 2013 - "God Will Remove Our Disgrace"

        Scripture: Joshua 5:9-12, Psalm 32

        Sermon:  "From Disgrace to Grace" - Listen

March 17, 2013 - "Jesus Will Make Us His Own"

        Sermon: Tracy Radosevic

March 24, 2013 - Palm Sunday - "Jesus Comes in the Name of the Lord"

        Scripture: Luke 19:28-40

        Sermon:  "Living in the Future Tense" - Listen

March 31, 2013 - Easter - "Resurrection: The Lord's Doing"

        Scripture: John 20:1-18

        Sermon: "I Believe in the Resurrection" - Listen

Jan  13, 2013  - "Introduction to Jonah: the Prophet as Royal Screw-up" - Listen

Jan  20, 2013  - "You Can't Lose God" - Listen

Jan  27, 2013  - "Song from the Belly of a Fish" - Listen

Feb  3, 2013  - "Now, It's Personal" - Listen

Feb  10, 2013  - "Sulking in Sunshine" - Listen

Oct 28, 2012  - "Can I Share My Faith With Disinterested People?" - Acts 17:16-34 - Listen 

Nov  4, 2012  - "What Do We Really Believe About Tithing?" - Malachi 3:6-12  -  Listen

Nov 11, 2012  - "Flesh and Blood Faith in a Virtual World" (Challenges of Technology) - John 1:1-18 - Listen

Nov 18, 2012  - "Homosexuality and the Church" - Acts 15:1-21 - Listen

Sep   9, 2012  - "The Sweet Torture of Community"                  Questions  |  Listen

(Scripture: John 17:1-9; 20-23)

4 Habits That Sustain Community:
Gratitude, Promise-Keeping, Truth Telling and Hospitality

Sep 16, 2012  - "Gratitude as a Way of Life"                               Questions  |  Listen

(Scripture: Philippians 1:3-11; I Thess. 5:16-18) 

Sep 23, 2012  - "Making and Keeping Promises"                          Questions  |  Listen

(Scripture: Matthew 26:31-35)

Oct 14, 2012  - "Telling the Truth"                                                 Questions  |  Listen

(Scripture: Acts 5:1-11)

Oct 21, 2012  - "Practicing Real Hospitality"                                 Questions  |  Listen

(Scripture: I Peter 4:7-11)