John 12:20-33
Rev. Bryan Travis Hooper

As a teenager, I was rather famous for my poor driving record. In my short driving career during high school, I received numerous tickets and was party to several accidents. I was the kind of male teenage driver who drives up your insurance rates. I would drive too fast. I would drive to impress my friends. I would drive with the radio on too loud. I would drive without paying much attention. I would drive right into other cars and even stationary objects were not safe.

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John 3:14-21
Rev. Bryan Travis Hooper

I have to admit to you that I do not like cliches. They annoy me. If you read newspapers or magazines, you will run in to far too many cliches. Every page your turn there’s somebody “running like the wind” or “crying their heart out.” Whoever coined these phrases originally was probably a literary genius. But now, thanks to massive overuse, such expressions seem hallow. They are so familiar that they’ve lost any power, any verbal wallop. And our ears, so accustomed to the cliché, often don’t even hear it. They are words that have had all their meaning squashed out of them by frequent use.

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The BeansRBountiful pilot project is getting off the ground! Your participation and help are needed. So please get involved now. This is a great opportunity for renters to enjoy growing beans all summer and fall, eat healthy food and save money. Volunteers will be available to help. With support from Knox Parks Foundation, containers for planting, soil, plant stakes and bean seeds will be available for planting outside on porches, fire escapes and along driveways. Val Bryan and Mimi Burton are on the planning committee for this project. United Methodist Church of Hartford will also be actively involved. Church members and friends, particularly those on South Whitney Street, Evergreen Avenue, Fales and Gray Streets, and Sisson Avenue, are encouraged to participate and recruit neighbors. Those with gardening experience are also needed to provide ongoing support to new planters. For more information, Contact Val Bryan at 231-1915 or vjbryan@att.net.

John 2:13-22
Rev. Bryan Travis Hooper

Where do we turn to find justice?

Jesus wandered into the temple. According to John’s gospel, it was during the time of Passover, and religious pilgrims had travelled from distant lands to participate in their religious observances and customs. But, because they had travelled great distances, they needed to buy animals for the sacrificial rituals. And the temple charged a fee, but only accepted certain coins. And, since they came from other places, they had to convert there money into the local temple currency, since only that currency was accepted by the temple itself. (more…)

Mark 8:31-38
Rev. Bryan Travis Hooper

I spent some time this weekend at the bedside of a friend who has been suffering from an undefined illness for three months. Doctors haven’t been able to figure much out, nor have then been able to alleviate many of his symptoms. His illness is such that he can’t sleep for very long, so he has been sleep deprived for three months. My friend has become desperate for a resolution to his illness, and he is eager to find someone or something that can help him. (more…)

Mark 1: 9-15
Rev. Bryan Travis Hooper

Though I was too young to remember, I was told that once, my parents took a trip to London and left me in the care of my grandmother. I was also told that as my parents departed, I begin to cry incessantly, unwilling to let my parents leave me. And while I don’t remember those exact events, I remember the feeling – the sense a child has of being left alone, and how fearful that is. When we are young, we know that we are helpless if left alone. We know that we are utterly dependant on our parents. And so, when they leave us, we are naturally terrified. Sure we love our parents, and we will miss them – but what we really wonder is will we survive? Will we be fed? Will we be safe?
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