Doylestown Presbyterian Church

"This week I begin a two-part sermon series on Availability & Vulnerability. Our scripture text for Sunday is Exodus 3:1-6, Moses' encounter with the burning bush. This scripture is a window into exploring our availability to God and and each other."

- Pastor Mac

"This week's scripture looks like a story about dividing and counting but, if you read closely, there's another thread running underneath it... and it might be the one your own story needs." 

- Pastor Becca

"Scottish hymn-writer and minister John L. Bell says, “Whatever else God calls us to, we are called to worship, to do so together, and to do so in the promised company of Jesus Christ.” We look forward to seeing you for Scottish Communion. - Pastor Mac

"We will be looking at Genesis 25:19-34, the birth and growing up years of Jacob and Esau. It’s an understatement to say that there are some familial issues in this story! Whoever says the bible isn’t relatable to real life isn't reading it!"

 - Pastor Mac

"This Sunday I will be preaching on Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30, a text that highlights the liberation of Christ (“For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”). The theme of liberty has been ever present in our nation's history. It was also a theme from many Presbyterian pulpits in 1776. I will dabble in the concept of liberty in this Sunday’s sermon." - Pastor Mac

"This Sunday we look at a difficult scripture text: Genesis 22:1-14. While I heard the story a lot growing up (strangely), I have never preached on it (strangely). I look forward to wrestling with the text with you."

- Pastor Mac

"Friends, Sunday is the summer solstice - the day with the most sunlight of the year. We invite you to celebrate Christ’s loving light in worship at DPC on this day. Our liturgy will be used in other Presbyterian churches as the denomination's 227th General Assembly begins to meet in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Our scripture texts are Isaiah 58:6-12 and Revelation 22:1-7. The Revelation text highlights the theme for this year's General Assembly: The Leaves of the Tree are for Healing." - Pastor Mac

"Join us this Sunday as we explore how discipleship begins not with having all the answers, but with learning to see the world through the eyes of Christ. Who taught you to see?" - Rev. Becca Bateman

"Psalm 119 is the longest Psalm, with 176 verses, yet it beautifully explores every possibility of human language in expressing love for God's Word. When was the last time you tasted the sweetness of God's Word? Join us this Sunday as we taste and see God's goodness revealed through Scripture." - Rev. Dr. Mina Choi

This Sunday is Trinity Sunday and Graduation Sunday. Senior Molly Blore and myself will be doing a conversational sermon about the Triune God. We will celebrate those who are graduating from high school and college. 

- Pastor Mac

We’ll be looking at John 20:19-23, a short and wild story of the resurrected Jesus walking through doors to meet with his frightened disciples. 

Our gospel lesson is John 17:1-11. It's part of a section in the gospel called the Farewell Discourse from Jesus. In our text, Jesus is praying for his disciples. This is a perfect text for a day we ordain and install a new class of Deacons and Elders who will lead DPC in ministry. 

Happy Mother's Day Weekend! Our primary scripture is Acts 17:22-31 if you’d like to read ahead.  - Pastor Mac

"This Sunday’s main scripture text (1 Peter 2:1-10) talks about stones: Jesus as a living stone and cornerstone. We, who are followers of Jesus, also are living stone that are called to be part of the building of a spiritual house. We all need grounding in our lives. Sunday we’ll explore grounding ourselves in Christ as the cornerstone." - Pastor Mac

"There’s something about church that keeps drawing people in, even when it’s not perfect. This Sunday, we’ll look at Acts 2 and what makes a community truly meaningful. Come be part of the conversation about what we’re building together." -Pastor Becca

"This Sunday, we will be looking at Romans 8:15-27 and Paul's beautiful reflections on hope, Spirit, and creation."

-Pastor Mac

The Sunday following Easter is known as “Bright Sunday,” an ancient tradition started by the Greeks in the early centuries of Christianity. Today, that custom is being revived in American churches of many different denominations with what is referred to as “Holy Humor Worship.” - PC(USA) Office of Christian Formation

Our main scripture text for Easter Sunday is the Gospel of John 20:1-18. There is lots of movement in this story. Dr. Clayton J. Schmit from Fuller Theological Seminary says, “Come and see” is one of the abiding themes of John’s Gospel. “Come and see” is a strong Easter theme as well.” 

-Pastor Mac Schafer

Episcopal priest, Katie Kirk-Costas wrote this in a sermon published in the March edition of the Christian Century magazine: “Parades interrupt the ordinary with childlike wonder: on Palm Sunday, we bring out the best outfits and all the props, with branches and thuribles and singing. Parades…structure our lives with their motion; they help us process what’s going on.” Together in worship, we can process “what’s going on” in our faith and life. 

- Pastor Mac 

This Sunday is week five in the season of Lent and we continue our Lenten Theme: Out in the Elements: Valley. Dr. Stephen Breck Reid, Professor of Christian Scripture at Baylor University writes, “The valley is a metaphor of opportunity as well as challenge.” Our primary scripture for Sunday is Ezekiel 37:1-14. 

- Pastor Mac Schafer

We continue our Lenten series, Out in the Elements, this Sunday. Our theme is “Mud.”  Read all of chapter 9 in the Gospel of John - an incredible story with multiple characters: Jesus, disciples, neighbors, pharisees, and parents. There is also a man, blind from birth, who receives his sight from Jesus putting mud on his eyes. - Pastor Mac

We continue our Lenten series Out in the Elements, focusing on water, one of the most basic things every person needs and a way Jesus draws people together.  - Pastor Becca

This is the 2nd Sunday of Lent. My sermon title is “Out In the Elements: Birth and Wind.” Our scripture text is John 3:1-17. A Pharisee named Nicodemus comes to Jesus in the night. Jesus speaks to him about birth and wind. See you Sunday.  - Pastor Mac

Pastor Mac begins this Lenten season as we explore the theme: Out In the Elements...

This Sunday we welcome Rev. Terry Chapman as guest preacher at both the 8:30 and 10:30 am services. Terry is married to DPC member Jan Chapman. Terry is a retired Presbyterian minister and a spiritual director. He is a leader in Illuman and the Center for Purposeful Leadership. On this Transfiguration Sunday, his sermon title is “Stewarding the Currency of Attention.” In his own words, his sermon will be: "A reflection on Transfiguration, holy listening, and the way our attention quietly shapes how we love in a distracted world."

"Join in this Sunday as more youth lead in worship as it is Youth Sunday. Together, we explore the question: Where do we belong? Not just as a community, but also with in our identity with Christ." - Pastor Becca

This Sunday I will be preaching on the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1-2). We are thrilled to celebrate Scout Sunday and our partnership with Troops 24 & 48 who will be participating in the services. In worship we will be reading the names of African Americans buried in the DPC historic graveyard as Black History Month begins. - Pastor Mac

This Sunday I will be looking at two scripture texts in my sermon: Romans 13;1-7 and Leviticus 19:33-34. In light of our recent Sunday morning educational series on immigration education, I will reflect on events that happened in Philadelphia in the summer of 1844. How do these scriptures and that historical event inform our faith and citizenship today? - Pastor Mac

“This Sunday our primary scripture text is Isaiah 49:1-7. It's a story of being called by God. Like many of our journeys, we get distracted from what God might be calling us to. Then there are moments where we wake up to that calling despite all the distractions.” - Pastor Mac

Through baptism and communion, we remember that God comes to meet us—again and again. Come worship and share in these holy rituals. Join this Sunday as Pastor Becca preaches on the baptism of Jesus from Matthew 3.

The title of Sunday’s sermon is “Searching Diligently.” These are the words of Herod to the magi in Matthew 2:8. The motives for this search were different for the magi and Herod. As we enter into a new year, what will you be searching diligently for? Our texts are John 1:10-18 and Matthew 2:1-12. See you Sunday! - Pastor Mac Schafer

"This Sunday, amidst the light of the candles of the Advent wreath, the bright songs, and the beacon shining from our steeple, come discover how the everlasting light of Christ meets us right in the middle of our longing and our deepest needs this Advent season." - Pastor Becca

November 30th is the first Sunday of Advent. Our main scripture text is Isaiah 2:1-5. it concludes with, “O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord.” You are invited to come into this season with anticipation and hope for the incarnation, God coming near. - Pastor Mac

This Sunday is Christ the King Sunday, the end of the Christian Liturgical Year before we head into Advent. We will be concluding the Fabric of Faith sermon series with Elijah and his mantle (1 Kings 19:11-15; 19-20 & 2 Kings 2:8-15) - a fabric he wore and passed down to Elisha. 

"Today we ponder Matthew 25 and Jesus’ call to clothe the naked. Other scriptures we will be using are James 2:14-17 and Luke 3:10-11. As we conclude collecting coats for Bethel Presbyterian Church, these are important words of generosity to ponder." - Pastor Mac Schafer

"This Sunday in our Fabric of Faith series, we'll meet Lydia - a woman whose open home in Philippi became the birthplace of the church. As we share in Communion we'll pause to notice those missing from the table, both the saints who have passed in this last year, as well as those who have not yet been welcomed." - Pastor Becca Bateman

This Sunday we continue our Fabric of Faith sermon series as we look at Jesus’ raising Lazarus from the dead. Consider reading John 11:1 to 12:11 before listening to get a full sense of the story.  - Pastor Mac Schafer

"It's Reformation Sunday and our liturgy reflects the historical protestant tradition DPC was born within. We continue the Fabric of Faith sermon series, this week focusing on Jesus' grave cloth found in the tomb following his resurrection (John 20:1-9; Luke 24:1-12)." - Pastor Mac Schafer

"We continue our series “Fabric of Faith,” and we move to Christmas in October, like all the stores. We’ll be pondering the “bands of cloth” that Jesus is wrapped in after birth. They are mentioned twice in Luke 2:1-14. Even though my children are grown I think the muscle memory of swaddling them is still within me." - Pastor Mac Schafer