Wednesday, April 22, 2026

Minute for Mission: Earth Day Sunday

Witness, Share and Evangelize: Minute for Mission: Earth Day Sunday: Image “The Canopy of Creation” (provided) The Presbyterian Hunger Program invites you to download this new resource developed by our partner...
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On the Road from Jerusalem: A Study of Acts (A Personal Testimony - Acts 22:1-30)

In our Wednesday morning Bible study, we're using the Acts of the Apostles to discuss the growth of the earlier church from its birth in the city of Jerusalem to Paul’s arrival in Rome. During our time together, we’ll look at the following:

In our twenty-third session, we looked at Acts 22:1-30 and discussed Paul's personal testimony to the Jewish mob in Jerusalem. The discussion and passage are below.



“Brothers and fathers, listen to the defense that I now make before you.”

When they heard him addressing them in Hebrew, they became even more quiet. Then he said:

“I am a Jew born in Tarsus in Cilicia but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, educated strictly according to our ancestral law, being zealous for God, just as all of you are today. I persecuted this Way up to the point of death by binding both men and women and putting them in prison, as the high priest and the whole council of elders can testify about me. From them I also received letters to the brothers in Damascus, and I went there in order to bind those who were there and to bring them back to Jerusalem for punishment.

“While I was on my way and approaching Damascus, about noon a great light from heaven suddenly shone about me. I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ Then he said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth whom you are persecuting.’ Now those who were with me saw the light but did not hear the voice of the one who was speaking to me. I asked, ‘What am I to do, Lord?’ The Lord said to me, ‘Get up and go to Damascus; there you will be told everything that has been assigned to you to do.’ Since I could not see because of the brightness of that light, those who were with me took my hand and led me to Damascus.

“A certain Ananias, who was a devout man according to the law and well spoken of by all the Jews living there, came to me, and standing beside me, he said, ‘Brother Saul, regain your sight!’ In that very hour I regained my sight and saw him. Then he said, ‘The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will, to see the Righteous One, and to hear his own voice, for you will be his witness to all the world of what you have seen and heard. And now why do you delay? Get up, be baptized, and have your sins washed away, calling on his name.’

“After I had returned to Jerusalem and while I was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance and saw Jesus saying to me, ‘Hurry and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me.’ And I said, ‘Lord, they themselves know that in every synagogue I imprisoned and beat those who believed in you. And while the blood of your witness Stephen was shed, I myself was standing by, approving and keeping the coats of those who killed him.’ Then he said to me, ‘Go, for I will send you far away to the gentiles.’ ”

Up to this point they listened to him, but then they shouted, “Away with such a fellow from the earth! For he should not be allowed to live.” And while they were shouting, throwing off their cloaks, and tossing dust into the air, the tribune directed that he was to be brought into the barracks and ordered him to be examined by flogging, to find out the reason for this outcry against him. But when they had tied him up with straps, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, “Is it legal for you to flog a Roman person who is uncondemned?” When the centurion heard that, he went to the tribune and said to him, “What are you about to do? This man is a Roman.” The tribune came and asked Paul, “Tell me, are you a Roman?” And he said, “Yes.” The tribune answered, “It cost me a large sum of money to get my citizenship.” Paul said, “But I was born a Roman.” Immediately those who were about to examine him drew back from him, and the tribune also was afraid, for he realized that Paul was a Roman and that he had bound him.

Since he wanted to find out what Paul was being accused of by the Jews, the next day he released him and ordered the chief priests and the entire council to meet. He brought Paul down and had him stand before them.
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Bible Readings for April 22, 2026

Study, Learn and Grow: Bible Readings for April 22, 2026: Let's read the Bible together in the next year.  Today, our passages are  Joshua 24:1-33; Luke 21:1-28; Psalm 89:38-52; and Proverbs 13...
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Tuesday, April 21, 2026

Mission Yearbook: Youth workers are inspired at gathering by the Rev. Bruce Reyes-Chow

Witness, Share and Evangelize: Mission Yearbook: Youth workers are inspired at ga...: Image The Rev. Bruce Reyes-Chow (Photo by Shawn Kang) More than 50 youth ministry leaders from across the country recently gathered for the ...
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The Sligo Presbyterian Church Celebration Service - Sunday, April 19, 2026

On Sunday, April 19, we started a new sermon series entitled The Good News of Resurrection: An Exploration of 1 Corinthians 15. During this five-past worship series, we’ll look at how the Apostle Paul viewed the resurrection of Jesus and discuss how it might shape our faith and outlook. We’ll consider the following topics:

  • April 19 - The Foundation of the Resurrection (15:1-11)
  • April 26 - Why the Resurrection Matters (15:12-19)
  • May 3 - The Order of the Resurrection (15:20-34)
  • May 10 - The Resurrected Body (15:35-49)
  • May 17 - Victory and Application (15:50-58)

In the first message, we focused on 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 and discuss how the foundation of the resurrection. Below is a video of the service, a presentation of the sermon, and the program & bulletin for the service. You can stream the service by going to the Sligo Presbyterian Church YouTube Channel on Sundays at 10:00 a.m. (EDT).  You can hear a podcast of the service at the Sligo Presbyterian Church YouTube Channel or the Sligo Presbyterian Spotify Page. 














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Sunday's Message - The Foundation of the Resurrection (15:1-11)

On Sunday, April 19, we started a new sermon series entitled The Good News of Resurrection: An Exploration of 1 Corinthians 15. During this five-past worship series, we’ll look at how the Apostle Paul viewed the resurrection of Jesus and discuss how it might shape our faith and outlook. We’ll consider the following topics:

  • April 19 - The Foundation of the Resurrection (15:1-11)
  • April 26 - Why the Resurrection Matters (15:12-19)
  • May 3 - The Order of the Resurrection (15:20-34)
  • May 10 - The Resurrected Body (15:35-49)
  • May 17 - Victory and Application (15:50-58)

In the first message, we focused on 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 and discuss how the foundation of the resurrection. Below is a presentation and the text of the sermon. You can stream the service by going to the Sligo Presbyterian Church YouTube Channel on Sundays at 10:00 a.m. (EDT).  You can hear a podcast of the service at the Sligo Presbyterian Church YouTube Channel or the Sligo Presbyterian Spotify Page. 


Now, I’m aware that all of y’all know that Easter was a couple of weeks ago. As a matter of fact, even though this morning feels more like March than April, I think most of us have moved past the bunnies and the baskets and the peeps. I’ll tell you, around the Rudiger house, Debbie has not only taken down the decorations, she’s even packed away the little Easter flag we had in the front yard. Stick a fork in it; Easter 2026 is done, but y’all know this already.

What you may not know is that, according to the church calendar, we’re in what’s called the Season of Easter, something that lasts until Pentecost. And for that reason, I think this gives us the perfect opportunity to spend some time exploring why the resurrection of Jesus Christ is, or at least, should be important for us as we move away from the day. And since, in my opinion, the Apostle Paul offered the most clear and comprehensive explanation of this event in the fifteenth chapter of his first letter to the Corinthians, in the five weeks leading up to Pentecost, we’ll talk about the Good News of the resurrection as outlined by Paul, starting with how the resurrection actually rests on a pretty firm and unshakable foundation.

And I’ll tell you, given what my family went through the last couple of weeks, I’m kind of glad this is where we’re starting, because a major part of my foundation seems pretty unstable right now. You see, as most of y’all know, my father died on Good Friday, April 3. And Debbie, Maggie and I went back to Virginia for the funeral. Now I think we all held it together while we were there. It was just getting through the two days as best we could. But for me personally, that sort of shifted when we were leaving Norfolk last Saturday. You see, as I was driving toward the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel, it suddenly hit me that, with the passing of my father, my emotional foundation had taken a hit. Let me explain. 

You see, even though I hadn’t lived there for well over forty years, I’ve always considered Norfolk home, with my parents there in the house where I was raised. In fact, despite all the moves I’d made and the places I’ve lived, Norfolk and the house and my parents, man, on those things I could count. They were home. But as I was leaving, it suddenly hit me that things had changed. My parents were gone. And the house would be sold. And Norfolk just felt different. It was like something in my life that had always been so solid and so predictable and so secure had suddenly vanished. And things would never be the same again. The foundation was gone, and that made me sad. 

But of course, I recognize that I’m not unique in feeling that way. For example, I think everybody here this morning has lost people whom they loved, and when they passed, all of sudden, things changed. But you know, I don’t think this change even has to involve death. I mean, we all face changes that shake our personal foundations, some of which we can control but most we can’t; they just happen. And I honestly believe dealing with this kind of thing actually gets harder as we get older. I mean, as we age, important people leave our lives, and we miss them. And the world moves forward, but not necessarily for the better. And we find ourselves wishing for a time when things were easier to understand and life seemed more solid and predictable and secure. And although we might convince ourselves this can be recreated, especially if we keep doing what we used to do, I think deep down, we all know that we can’t turn back the clock or somehow put the genie back in the bottle or pretend that the foundation on which we’ve built our lives can be just like it was twenty years ago. You see, deep down, man, I think we all know that trying to do that kind of thing is just a waste of time and energy, because it’s not going to work. And yet, we continue to try and continue to fail. I guess the Greek philosopher Heraclitus was right, “the only thing constant is change.” “The only thing constant is change.”

But you know, even though that may be true in nearly every aspect of life, as Paul started to explain why the empty tomb should be important to Christians, I think he wanted to establish the resurrection on a foundation that couldn’t be shaken much less disappear. And I’ll tell you, I believe that’s exactly what he did, when he told the Corinthians a very personal story that would serve as the foundation for everything else he would say. Just listen to what he wrote.

My friends, I want you to remember the message I preached and that you believed and trusted. You will be saved by this message, if you hold firmly to it. But if you don’t, your faith was all for nothing.

I told you the most important part of the message exactly as it was told to me. This part is:

Christ died for our sins,
    as the Scriptures say.
He was buried,
    and three days later
he was raised to life,
    as the Scriptures say.
Christ appeared to Peter,
    then to the twelve.
After this, he appeared
to more than five hundred
    other followers.
Most of them are still alive,
    but some have died.
He also appeared to James,
    then to all of the apostles.

Finally, he appeared to me, even though I am like someone who was born at the wrong time.

I am the least important of all the apostles. In fact, I caused so much trouble for God’s church that I don’t even deserve to be called an apostle. But God treated me with undeserved grace! He made me what I am, and his grace wasn’t wasted. I worked much harder than any of the other apostles, although it was really God’s grace at work and not me. But it doesn’t matter if I preached or if they preached. All of you believed the message just the same. [1 Corinthians 15:1-11, CEV]

You see, before getting into the details, I think Paul wanted the Corinthians to understand that the resurrection, and I’m talking about the resurrection of Jesus Christ, rested on a foundation which was constant and unshakable, one that wasn’t going to change as the world turned and that was solid and predictable and secure enough to last. 

And I’ll tell you, what was true for them, I believe is also true for us. In other words, in spite of all the changes we might face, in keeping with what Paul wrote, I believe the resurrection is so well grounded that it represents a foundation for our faith and hope. And based on what he said right here in this passage, I say that for three reasons.

You see, first, for Paul, the resurrection is grounded in genuine history. I mean, it’s not about mythology. It’s not about fantasy. And it’s not about wishful thinking. No, the truth of the resurrection is as real and concrete as a death and a burial and an empty tomb. You see, the resurrection is grounded in genuine history.

And I’ll tell you, I think that’s something really important for us to remember, and I’ll tell you why. The fact that all this happened two thousand years before we were born, in a definite place, at a definite time, well, that reminds me that, when you get right down to it, it’s not about me and, brace yourself, it’s not about you either. Man, it’s about God. We didn’t control what happened, but God did. And you know, that’s a good thing. Trust me, if the resurrection had been in my hands, take it to the bank, I’d screw it up somehow, but praise the Lord, it wasn’t. Instead, it was in the hands of God. In other words, the resurrection was in the hands of the one who planned to free us from our past and to guarantee our future way before we had the power to accept or to reject, and that plan was laid out in Scripture long before we were born. And it was in the hands of the one who entered our time and space as a man, a simple, humble man, who, as I’ve said before, died on a cross to save the men who drove the nails. And it was in the hands of the one who caused him rise from death so that we could trust that what God did for him, one day, God is going to do for us. And even though this may be a blow to our collective ego, all that happened without our help or permission. Man, it was out of our hands, PTL. You see, because it’s grounded in genuine history, the resurrection can be the foundation for our faith and hope, and that’s one.

But according to what he wrote to the Corinthians, that wasn’t the only reason, because remember, the resurrection is also grounded in eyewitness testimony. You see, I think that’s the second reason it can be our foundation. I mean, the resurrection of Jesus wouldn’t have meant much if nobody knew it happened. But as Paul wrote, “Christ appeared to Peter, then to the twelve. After this, he appeared to more than five hundred other followers. Most of them are still alive, but some have died. He also appeared to James, then to all of the apostles. Finally, he appeared to me, even though I am like someone who was born at the wrong time.” [1 Corinthians 15:5-8, CEV] Now that’s what the Corinthians heard from the Apostle. And why did he write this? Well, as Paul said, “But it doesn’t matter if I preached or if they preached. All of you believed the message just the same.” [1 Corinthians 15:11, CEV] You see, Paul and all those other apostles and disciples received the testimony so that they could pass it forward to others.

And I’ll tell you, I think that’s something else I think we need to remember. You see, when you get right down to it, just like he did with the twelve and the five hundred and all the others, including Paul, God really wants us to know. You see, he wants us to comprehend the history in which we didn’t play a part. In other words, he wants us to understand the meaning and the significance of the resurrection, so that we can share what we know with others, walking in the footsteps of Paul and all the apostles and disciples who saw Jesus and preached the word and letting those around us hear the message about the one who holds our futures in his hands and to do it through our words and our works, through our attitudes and actions, through our generosity and gratitude. You see, by our testimony, we’re actually inviting them to believe. I’m telling you, because it’s grounded in eyewitness testimony, that’s why the resurrection can be the foundation of our faith and hope, and that’s two.

And third, according to Paul, the resurrection is also grounded in divine grace, and I’m talking about God’s undeserved and irresistible grace, and for that reason it’s foundation on which we can rely. I mean, do y’all remember what Paul said about why he was able to see the resurrected Christ, you know, why he was able to understand the history and share the testimony? He wrote, “I am the least important of all the apostles. In fact, I caused so much trouble for God’s church that I don’t even deserve to be called an apostle. But God treated me with undeserved grace! He made me what I am, and his grace wasn’t wasted. I worked much harder than any of the other apostles, although it was really God’s grace at work and not me. But it doesn’t matter if I preached or if they preached. All of you believed the message just the same.” [1 Corinthians 15:9-11, CEV] You see, for Paul, it was God’s grace, his undeserved and irresistible grace that enabled him to be the kind of person he became. 

And so it can be for us. You see, grace changes lives. And I’ll tell you, it’s something we can claim right here and now. I mean, let me ask you, do you believe that we are, right this minute, surrounded by God’s love and mercy and grace, something that we can never earn or deserve and something that we just plain lack the power to manipulate and control? Do you believe that? And do you believe that grace, conveyed by God’s Spirit, can open our eyes so that we can see the way and has opened our minds so that we can understand the truth and has opened our hearts so that we might experience real and eternal life? Do you believe that? And do you believe that by his grace and through his spirit we’ve been empowered to do everything we’ve been called to do, in other words, so that we might say with Paul that whatever we accomplish is really God’s grace at work in and through us? Do you believe that? Man, I hope you do. Trust me, because the resurrection is grounded in divine grace, that’s why it be the foundation of our faith and hope, and that’s three. 

Now, in the next four weeks, we’re going to work our way through the fifteenth chapters of Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians. And during that time, we’ll be talking about why the resurrection matters and when we’ll be raised. And then we’ll consider the kind of resurrected body we’re going to have and the victory we can anticipate and how all this might be applied and lived. But before we move forward, let’s remember that, without something more concrete and real, this resurrection business is all idle speculation and personal opinion. And for that reason, let’s remember that, because it’s grounded in genuine history and because it’s grounded in eyewitness testimony and because it’s grounded in divine grace, the foundation established by the resurrection of Jesus Christ offers something solid and predictable and secure on which we can build our faith and hope. 
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Bible Readings for April 21, 2026

Study, Learn and Grow: Bible Readings for April 21, 2026: Let's read the Bible together in the next year.  Today, our passages are  Joshua 22:21–23:16; Luke 20:27-47; Psalm 89:14-37; and Prover...
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Minute for Mission: Earth Day Sunday

Witness, Share and Evangelize: Minute for Mission: Earth Day Sunday : Image “The Canopy of Creation” (provided) The Presbyterian Hunger Prog...