Ordination Requirements Message  Sermon and Worship Service ● Submit a written transcript sermon for consideration. The sermon must be based on the Gospel reading of the lectionary scriptures for the Second Sunday after Epiphany from any of the 3 lectionary years. (it appears the scripture in mind is that of John 2.1-12, The Wedding at Cana) ● A video of the sermon must be uploaded and shared with the Board of Ministry. This video should be of the candidate preaching the sermon before a congregation during normal worship. A link to a YouTube, Facebook, or Vimeo site is preferred.   (Please navigate your browser to my YouTube account to find the video of myself preaching this message.)  www.youtube.com/revshankgmc There is nothing better in this world than for a boy to do than to spend some time with his mama. I know this personally. As a young child, my earliest memory is that of being at my little plastic school desk with the flip top lid and a board full of ma...

  Here we go into chapter 2 of James. Lets jump right in. Favoritism is our plateful for today.  "Did you hear what I said, Forrest? You are no different than anyone else" Many of us know the classic scene in Forrest Gump. He has had braces placed on his legs. Apparantly, if they locked his legs in position and forced him to walk in a proper manner it would fix the problem the young boy had with a crooked spine. Another memorable scene just before all this with his mama was with the family doctor. "His legs are as strong as I've ever seen. But, his back is a crooked as a politician." Forrest's mama went to great lengths throughout his childhood to help him understand that he was just like everyone else. It didn't matter whether he had braces on his legs or if he had an I.Q. a little lower than the other kids at school. The lesson we are pushing into today can be taught from both sides of the proverbial fence. James wants his audience of Jewish followers ...

  Have you ever spoken with someone or maybe read something they wrote and felt like you were getting more of a shotgun blast of subject matter? That might be how you feel reading through James. In the first section alone (2-18) James covers so many items. His backdrop for the entire letter and specially that first section should be the persecutions and trials that believers in the world are experiencing. In the course of that first paragraph, we hear words on perseverance, on finishing the road of faith in front of us. He writes about staying humble under the circumstances surrounding them all. James speaks for a moment about temptation and how we should stand against it. And, he finishes up by calling us some kind of first fruit of what will come. Maybe, its a list. The little brother of Jesus will cover much of these topics ahead. Maybe there is some understand and direction for his letter. Maybe this is why God used so many different people to put together our New Testament. Pa...

  As we begin this new year of 2026, and as we begin our time together as pastor and church, it is a good moment to look at our faith with refreshed eyes. Starting off the year with a letter or book as James has written is a way to cover all the tenants of our Christian faith in a condensed version. James has all the major points that we need to focus on. He has some of the more memorable verses and reminders through out his letter. Maybe that is because he was so close to the Source. As the earthly, little brother of our Lord and Savior, he has a front row seat for much of the discourse we read in our Gospels. There is a bit of anonymity there as James is not the same James we read about in the 12 who followed and walked with Jesus. He probably didn't see Jesus as often as those other men would have. James hasn't seen or experienced all the feels and moments in which other people who interacted with Jesus got to have a front row seat. There is record that Mary and the family, ...