The one thousand sermons of this archive are a record of the thoughtful steps in Richard Rhem's journey as it deepened in the 1980s and then continued to evolve from a conservative beginning until it led him to his ultimate understanding: an open mind and a warm heart must be grounded in the Way of Love, and must affirm the quest and insight of all faiths. On that foundation can be built a community that practices religion not as dogma but as dialogue, mutual enrichment and understanding.
"Dick Rhem is the best teacher-preacher I have ever heard in my life." Marcus Borg
The Experience of God in a Pitiless Universe
Pentecost XII
Job 38:2; Job 42:3; Luke 13:2
Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI
August 27, 2000
Compassion, Justice, God
When god dies...
Pentecost X
Psalm 42:2; Romans 1:20
Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI
August 13, 2000
Religion as a Human Construct,
Divine Mystery
Religion As Illusion
Pentecost IX
Isaiah 43:3; Ephesians 4:13; Matthew 6:3
Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI
August 06, 2000
Spiritual Quest, Nature of Religion,
Divine Presence
Religion As Prozac
Pentecost VIII
Matthew 11:28
Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI
July 30, 2000
Spiritual Quest, Nature of Religion,
Community
Religion Made On Earth
Pentecost VII
Isaiah 44:18; Acts 17:27-28
Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI
July 23, 2000
Religion as a Human Construct,Pluralism,
Compassion
Prayer Changes People
Pentecost V
Jeremiah 29:11-14; Psalm 131:1-2; Matthew 6:8-9
Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI
July 09, 2000
Panentheism, Prayer, Awareness, Divine
Presence
Freedom and Commitment in a Global Society
Pentecost IV
Galatians 5:13
Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI
July 02, 2000
Diversity, Inclusive, Global Community,
Compassion
Mystery, Manifestation and Community
Pentecost III;
Father's Day
Exodus 3:2; Mark 1:11; Acts 9:3
Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI
June 25, 2000
Community of Faith, Spirit of God,
Inclusive
1 + 1 + 1 = 1 to the Higher Power
Trinity Sunday;
Pentecost II
John 1:1, 14, 18; John 14:9; II Corinthians 3:18
Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI
June 18, 2000
Jesus Movement, Divine Intention,
Father's Day, Spirit
Fire From Heaven
Pentecost
Joel 2:28-32; Acts 19:1-7
Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI
June 11, 2000
Spirit of God,Pentecost, Diversity,
Inclusive
I Wish Someone Had Told Me That - Or, Did They?
Baccalaureate Sunday;
Eastertide VII
Romans 8:31, 39
Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI
June 04, 2000
Diversity, Immanence, Inclusive, Love
Prayer on Baccalaureate Sunday
Baccalaureate Sunday
Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI
June 04, 2000
Prayer, Baccalaureate Sunday
Remember Me Where My Heart Dwells
Memorial Day Weekend;
Eastertide VI
Psalm 84:2; I Corinthians 5:35-36; John 19;40
Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI
May 28, 2000
Community of Faith, Remembering
Rootedness and Belonging
Mother's Day;
Eastertide IV
Philippians 3:8
Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI
May 14, 2000
Mother's Day, Diversity, Inclusive,
Community
Emmaus: Now You See Him; Now You Don't
Eastertide II
Luke 24:31
Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI
April 30, 2000
Presence of God, Jesus, Epiphany,
Humility
The Truth That Will Not Die
Easter Sunday
Psalm 82; I Corinthians 15:12-29; Matthew 27:50-54
Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI
April 23, 2000
Easter, Resurrection, Transformation,
Spirit, Justice
A Table of Inclusion
Maundy Thursday
John 13:2, 20
Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI
April 20, 2000
Angry Resentment Poisons the Soul
Midweek Lent
Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI
April 12, 2000
Harmless Religion: Loss of Soul
Lent V
Amos 5:21, 24; 7:13; John 11:48
Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI
April 09, 2000
Historical Jesus, Prophetic Voice,
Transformation; Justice
Proud Ambition Comes Up Empty
Midweek Lent
Isaiah 57:14-15; Luke 9:46-48
Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI
April 05, 2000
The Message of the Kingdom: An Alternative Society
Lent IV
Matthew 4:12, 17
Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI
April 02, 2000
Historical Jesus, Jesus Movement,
Justice
Judging and Condemning is Not Our Prerogative
Midweek Lent
James 4:11-12; Matthew 7:1-5
Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI
March 29, 2000
Seeking Justice in a Brutal World
Lent III
Matthew 3:2
Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI
March 26, 2000
Awareness, Justice, Sermon on the Mount
Grace is the Last Best Word - But Will It Work in the World?
Midweek Lent
Matthew 5:38-48; Luke 23:32-38
Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI
March 22, 2000
The Mind of Christ: Walking in His Steps
Midweek Lent
Philippians 2:1-11; 1 Peter 2:11-21; Luke 1:46-55
Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI
March 15, 2000
The Face and the Flesh
Lent I
John 6:51; II Corinthians 4:6
Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI
March 12, 2000
Lent, Divine Intention, Way of Jesus,
Awareness
If I Should Wake Before I Die
Ash Wednesday
Daniel 6:10-13, 19-24; John 12:20-28
Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI
March 08, 2000
The World Is Not Enough
Epiphany IX
Eclesiastes 2:11; I Timothy 6:17; Luke 12:21
Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI
March 05, 2000
Consciousness, Presence of God,
All will be well
The Challenge of the Modern World
Epiphany VIII
Isaiah 45:23; Philippians 2:10; Luke 4:18
Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI
February 27, 2000
Nature of Religion, Mystery, Meaning
The Question That Will Not Go Away
Epiphany VII
Psalm 42:2; Job 23:3; John 3:9
Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI
February 20, 2000
Hunger for God, Spiritual Quest, Meaning
The Clash of Civilizations and the Healing of the Nations
Epiphany III
Genesis 2:9; Revelation 22:2
Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI
January 23, 2000
Global Peace, Pluralism
From Babel to Bethlehem to Spirit and Truth
Epiphany II
Genesis 11:8; Acts 2:6
Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI
January 16, 2000
Global Community, Consciousness, Spirit
Light of the World
Epiphany Sunday
Isaiah 49:6; Matthew 2:9
Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI
January 09, 2000
Global Peace, Pluralism, Epiphany
Hope Embodied in the Human
Christmastide
John 1:14
Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI
December 26, 1999
A Larger Hope
Advent IV
Micah 5:1-5; Luke 4:16-30
Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI
December 20, 1999
Advent, Transformation, Inclusive grace,
Community of Grace
A Hope Too Narrow
Advent III
Isaiah 35:4; Matthew 3:12
Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI
December 12, 1999
Advent, Grace, Inclusive
Solidarity in The Way, The Truth, and The Life
Advent I
John 14:6
Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI
November 28, 1999
Historical Jesus, Way of Jesus
The Freedom and Joy of Generosity
Thanksgiving Day
Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI
November 25, 1999
Awareness and Gratitude
Pentecost XXVII
Psalm 100:3; Psalm 65:11; Psalm 8:4
Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI
November 21, 1999
Awareness, Gratitude, Intentional,
Pluralism
Fundamental Trust
Reformation Day and All Saints' Day; Pentecost XXIV
Genesis 1:2; Psalm 104:29-30; John 20:22; Acts 2:2
Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI
October 31, 1999
Presence of God, Fundamental Trust,
Mystery
Love, Not Fear
Pentecost XXIII
I John 4:18; Luke 7:47
Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI
October 24, 1999
Community of Grace, God is Love
Keep Caring - It Matters
Pentecost XXII
Jeremiah 22:15-16; James 1:27; Matthew 25:40
Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI
October 17, 1999
Community of Faith, Compassion,
Theology of Grace
You Can Never Go Home
Pentecost XXI
Jeremiah 23:23-32; Hebrews 4:12-13; John 1:1-5, 10-14
Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI
October 10, 1999
Church, Revelation, Critical Thinking,
Modernity
Living By Yesterday's Truths
Pentecost XX
Acts 21:21; Mark 2:22
Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI
October 03, 1999
Re-Imagining the Faith, History of Religion
Scheduled to Death With Good Things,
Education Sunday;
Pentecost XVII
Joshua 4:6; 24:15; Psalm 78:4-7; Matthew 18:14
Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI
September 12, 1999
Consciousness, Intentional,
Community of faith
Where Do I Stand When the Foundation Gives Way?
Pentecost XV
Jeremiah 7:4; Luke 20:2
Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI
August 29, 1999
Authority,History of Christian Dogma,
Modernity, Critical Thinking
Religion and Power: A Deadly Combination
Pentecost XIII
Amos 7:13; Romans 13:1; Matthew 15:18
Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI
August 15, 1999
History of church, truth to power,
authority
When God Fails Our Expectations
Pentecost XII
Isaiah 2:4; Matthew 24:34; II Peter 3:4
Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI
August 08, 1999
History of church, Re-imagining the faith
The Church Must Die or Die
Pentecost XI
Ezekiel 37:14; John 12:24, 43; 13:5
Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI
August 01, 1999
Authority, Spirit, Compassion
The Word That Wounds and Heals
Pentecost X
Hosea 10:12; 11:8; 14:4
Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI
July 25, 1999
Prophetic Voice, Justice