Oakhurst Baptist Church

Jan Richardson writes a blessing based on Jesus being baptized, hearing God call him “Beloved,” and then the Holy Spirit immediately driving him into the wilderness for forty days. The Lenten Season is traditionally understood as our own metaphorical venture into the wilderness of our hearts, where we wrestle with demons, and are waited on by angels. Listen as Pastor Melanie Vaughn-West invites us into this season.

“How can I keep from singing?” wrote American Baptist minister Robert Lowry. When the world is wrought with war, uncertainty, and hatred, we cry out for justice, we seek for ways to act, and we sing out in…joy? What is the connection between justice and joy? Listen as Pastor Melanie Vaughn-West reflects on these questions based on Jesus’ Cana wedding miracle.

On Sunday, February 13, we welcomed to our virtual pulpit new Alliance of Baptists co-director, Elijah Zehyoue!

In Luke 2:41-52, on one hand Jesus is just being perfectly developmentally-appropriate in his rebelliousness. On the other hand, this story is written to show us how to truly follow God in ways that are rebellious and counter-cultural to the oppressive and violent systems of our world.

Listen as Pastor Melanie Vaughn-West asks: How do we develop an ear for listening and following God above all else, so that we become rebels for a non-violent, non-hierarchical, just, and equitable world for all of creation?

Sunday, January 30 was Covenant Sunday, which has been celebrated annually since January 30, 1972. Our 50th Anniversary Celebration service was planned by Lanny Peters (Oakhurst pastor from 1989-2017) and Lynn Farmer (joined Oakhurst as a child in 1955 and was involved in the original covenant service). Listen as Lanny Peters reflects on our Covenant, set into motion 50 years ago.

Simeon and Anna knew Jesus the moment they laid eyes on him! They were able to see who he was and who he would become.

How did Simeon and Anna know? Our scripture tells us that they had each devoted their lives to listening to and for the voice of God in the world.
How do we tune our own hearts to attend to the presence of God in the world, in one another, and in ourselves? What can we learn from Simeon and Anna, as well as musicians, poets, photographers, naturalists, and other artists?

Listen as Pastor Melanie Vaughn-West encourages us to seek to become more like Simeon, more like Anna, able to be blessed by our environment, and to be blessing.

On Sunday, January 16, Oakhurst Baptist Church member Leslie Withers reflected on “We Who Are Becoming” based on the Exodus 3 account of Moses encountering the burning bush. Leslie is also an organizer with the Poor People’s Campaign. Listen as she speaks to us on a Sunday lifting up racial justice and the work of the Poor People’s Campaign.

Listen as Pastor Melanie Vaughn-West reflects on the journey of the wise people from the East to see Jesus on the day we celebrate as Epiphany.

Listen as Oakhurst member Jason Ranke talks about light and darkness in this new year based on John 1:1-14.

Listen as Oakhurst Baptist Church member Tom Denham reflects on being open to light and love based on John 1:1-14.