SUNDAY WORSHIP
December 14, 2025 11:00 AM Heartbeat of Justice Sunday’s Bulletin Rev. Dr. Chris Ponnuraj, Preaching Mr. John Strybos, Music Director Choir: Eliza Bonet, JJ Haight, Lauren Mitchell, Robert Orbach, Susie Reisinger Join us for our
Friendship and Fellowship Hour after 11:00 AM service in Bodge Lounge. |
Join us!
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Come and share the joy of Christ's love with us.
All are welcome! 
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November 30 through December 14
Memorial Poinsettia Plants If you would like to donate a plant to decorate the church during Advent and Christmas season which would honor a loved one or friend, please add your name to the signup sheet which will be passed around during the coffee hours. |
Join us for the next showing
January 2026
Pot Luck dinner at 6 PM
Movie at 7 PM
January 2026
Pot Luck dinner at 6 PM
Movie at 7 PM
All are welcome, admission is free.
For more information or to volunteer, send an email to
[email protected]
~ All Year Long ~
Ongoing Food Collection
The Board of World Service collects
food donations for the
Yonkers Emergency Food Pantry,
which distributes them to families in Yonkers.
Non-perishable food can be brought to the church
any Sunday and left in the large basket
in the back of the Sanctuary.
Monetary donations are welcome, too;
checks can be written to West Center Congregational Church, noting "Yonkers Food Pantry"
on the memo line and can be left in the offering plate on Sunday.
With the holidays coming up sooner than we think, the stores already have displays of side dish food for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners -- how about picking up a couple of things for the Food Pantry? No matter what you can give, all donations are much appreciated!
The gospel reading for the third Sunday is from St. Matthew 11: 2-11, in which Jesus redefines the greatness of John the Baptist. In verse 11 Jesus says, “I tell you the truth: Among those born of women, there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist.” According to Jesus, greatness is not just a matter of impacting the world, leaving your mark. It’s something much more. What is greatness? What are Jesus’ criteria?
Last week, we spent some time talking about John the Baptist out in the desert. In this week’s reading we find him in prison. So many things happened during his ministry, John the Baptist pointed the people to Jesus as the Lamb of God, the Messiah. When John baptized Jesus, there was a voice from heaven affirming “He is my beloved Son.” We understood with all the passion John could point people to Jesus as the Messiah. In the eyes of John, Jesus was the greatest.
But now John was in prison. He had spoken out against King Herod’s promiscuous lifestyle. He had called Herod a sinner, and as a result, he was thrown into prison. And he would never see the light of day again. As John sat in the dungeon, he heard whispers about what Jesus was doing. Jesus preached the forgiveness of sins to people. But what about the justice that the Messiah was supposed to bring? What about the greatness of God? The self-righteous religious leaders were still teaching their false doctrines. The sinful pagan Romans were still ruling the world. Everything and everyone was just as sinful as it was before Jesus came. Where is justice, where is the greatness of God? Nothing has changed.
What is John feeling as he sits in the dungeon, as he wonders if his life was a waste? Of doubt. Even the most spiritual, even the “strongest” of Christians, have moments of doubt, moments when they wonder – has it all just been a big waste of time? So, John sends his disciples to Jesus to ask, “Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?”
Have you ever had moments like John the Baptist – moments of doubt? At this time of your life do you have any doubts? But deep down inside, we all have our secret doubts, things in our lives that make us wonder. Has Christ fulfilled all your expectations? Or do you sometimes feel let down, doubtful, like John the Baptist in prison, wondering, where is the greatness of God?
Look how Jesus does that for John, Jesus reminds John of all the Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah. Jesus refers to Isaiah 35, verses 5-6: “Then will the eyes of the blind be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy.” Jesus assures John that he is the Messiah.
Jesus understands why we doubt. He understands why we feel pain, why we feel sorrow, why we have moments of doubt, like John the Baptist. Jesus understands, because he has lived in this world, he has felt our sorrows, our pain. Jesus forgives. He forgives us for our moments of weakness. He forgives us, and he comforts and strengthens us.
When Jesus comes into our lives, he will forgive our sins, cleansing us from our past and pointing us to the highway of holiness. He became our holiness. By faith we believe that he is the way to see the glory of the Lord. We have seen in part, and we live to see in full. Let us walk along the pathway of holiness thirsting for our Holy Lord.
Last week, we spent some time talking about John the Baptist out in the desert. In this week’s reading we find him in prison. So many things happened during his ministry, John the Baptist pointed the people to Jesus as the Lamb of God, the Messiah. When John baptized Jesus, there was a voice from heaven affirming “He is my beloved Son.” We understood with all the passion John could point people to Jesus as the Messiah. In the eyes of John, Jesus was the greatest.
But now John was in prison. He had spoken out against King Herod’s promiscuous lifestyle. He had called Herod a sinner, and as a result, he was thrown into prison. And he would never see the light of day again. As John sat in the dungeon, he heard whispers about what Jesus was doing. Jesus preached the forgiveness of sins to people. But what about the justice that the Messiah was supposed to bring? What about the greatness of God? The self-righteous religious leaders were still teaching their false doctrines. The sinful pagan Romans were still ruling the world. Everything and everyone was just as sinful as it was before Jesus came. Where is justice, where is the greatness of God? Nothing has changed.
What is John feeling as he sits in the dungeon, as he wonders if his life was a waste? Of doubt. Even the most spiritual, even the “strongest” of Christians, have moments of doubt, moments when they wonder – has it all just been a big waste of time? So, John sends his disciples to Jesus to ask, “Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?”
Have you ever had moments like John the Baptist – moments of doubt? At this time of your life do you have any doubts? But deep down inside, we all have our secret doubts, things in our lives that make us wonder. Has Christ fulfilled all your expectations? Or do you sometimes feel let down, doubtful, like John the Baptist in prison, wondering, where is the greatness of God?
Look how Jesus does that for John, Jesus reminds John of all the Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah. Jesus refers to Isaiah 35, verses 5-6: “Then will the eyes of the blind be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy.” Jesus assures John that he is the Messiah.
Jesus understands why we doubt. He understands why we feel pain, why we feel sorrow, why we have moments of doubt, like John the Baptist. Jesus understands, because he has lived in this world, he has felt our sorrows, our pain. Jesus forgives. He forgives us for our moments of weakness. He forgives us, and he comforts and strengthens us.
When Jesus comes into our lives, he will forgive our sins, cleansing us from our past and pointing us to the highway of holiness. He became our holiness. By faith we believe that he is the way to see the glory of the Lord. We have seen in part, and we live to see in full. Let us walk along the pathway of holiness thirsting for our Holy Lord.
If you would like to learn more,
please join us in our worship on
Sunday at 11:00 AM.
Peace!
Rev. Dr. Christopher Ponnuraj
Minister
please join us in our worship on
Sunday at 11:00 AM.
Peace!
Rev. Dr. Christopher Ponnuraj
Minister
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Contact us: Church Office: 101 Pondfield Road West, Bronxville, NY 10708 Email: [email protected] Phone: (914) 337-3829 |
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our Missions during these trying times!
View other ways to donate to West Center.