The Greatest Christmas Gift EVER! - December 25, 2013 - audio sermon

What is the GREATEST CHRISTMAS GIFT EVER? Here's a hint: it's a WHO not a WHAT!

May Pastor Randy's message "The Greatest Christmas Gift Ever!" be a blessing to all who have ears to hear the GOOD NEWS!

Jesus Is Coming For You! - December 12, 2013 - audio sermon

As we continue our journey through Advent, we remember that the "first coming" is not only Good News, but it's history and that there will be a Second Advent. Tonight at Worship Village, Pastor Randy explored the reality of the Good News that "Jesus Is Coming For You". May this message be a blessing to all who have ears to hear.

RADVENT! - December 5, 2013 - audio sermon

What's RADVENT? It's Radical Advent!

Thanksgiving and Leftovers - November 28, 2013 - audio sermon

Technically, Good Shepherd does not hold Worship Village on Thanksgiving evening, but there is a Thanksgiving morning service and this morning Pastor Randy brought us a message entitled "Thanksgiving and Leftovers". May it be a blessing to you!

Let's Not Miss the Feast - November 21, 2013 - audio sermon

Next Thursday is Thanksgiving but tonight at Worship Village we began our celebration of thanks a week early as Pastor Randy preached a messaged entitled "Let's Not Miss the Feast" from Luke 14. May this recording of that message be a Thanksgiving blessing to you! 

Prescription: Joy! - November 14, 2013 - audio sermon

This week at Good Shepherd's Worship Village, Pastor Randy preached the follow-up message to last week's "Diagnosis: Depression" with this week's "Prescription: Joy!".
May this JOY-filled message be a blessing to all who have ears to hear! 

Diagnosis: Depression - November 7, 2013 - audio sermon

Tonight @ Good Shepherd's Worship Village, Pastor Randy's message was entitled "Diagnosis: Depression". 

You say "A talk on mental illness at church?" 

Yes. The church is called to be a respite, refuge and sanctuary. The church should be a hospital for sinners and for those who are hurting, not a resort hotel for perfect people who have it all together.

May this message be a blessing to all who hear it.

Learning From Luther - October 30, 2013 - audio sermon

October 31, 1517 marks the start of the Reformation in Christianity when Martin Luther tacked his 95 theses to the door of his Wittenberg church in Germany. Tonight at Worship Village, we celebrated Reformation and Pastor Randy preached a message called "Learning From Luther" based on Romans 1:17. May this message be a blessing to you!

Thoughts On Giving - October 24, 2013 - audio sermon

Good Shepherd traditionally celebrates "Stewardship Month" each October. This week at Worship Village, Pastor Randy preached some "Thoughts On Giving". May this message be a blessing to all who year it!

What's After This? - October 17, 2013 - audio sermon

Do you realize no matter what is going on, God has a plan for your life? At tonight's Worship Village, Pastor Randy preached a message entitled "What's After This?" based in large part on Romans 8:28. May this recording of that message allow the Holy Spirit to bring you His Word as He would have you be blessed by it, in Jesus' name. Amen!

Sheep of His Pasture - October 10, 2013 - audio sermon

Tonight at Worship Village, Pastor Randy explored John 10:7-11 in a message entitled "Sheep of His Pasture". God wants us to understand that we ARE His people--the sheep of His pasture and His Son Christ Jesus is our Good Shepherd! May this audio recording from tonight's service bless you!

Join us every Thursday evening @ 6:35 PM at Good Shepherd's Worship Village. This Midweek Service of Worship, Word & Holy Communion is a "come as you are service" designed for all to simply be in God's house, joining with other believers in worship, studying His Word, offering praise and prayer, and celebrating the Sacrament of Holy Communion. There's no dress code and no special requirements. No matter who you are or where you are in life, we welcome you. We like to say "Come as you are; leave a new creation in Christ!"

Good Shepherd is located at 5122 W. Esplanade in Metairie, LA and on the web at www.gsucc.com. 

10 Questions About Holy Communion - October 3, 2013 - audio sermon

Tonight we celebrated the third anniversary of Worship Village, Good Shepherd's Midweek Service of Worship, Word and Holy Communion. From it's beginning, Worship Village was designed to be a "Bread of Life" service, complete with Holy Communion. Even the 6:35 PM start time was chosen as a tribute to John 6:35 where Jesus declare "I am the bread of life" and Thursday of course would have been the day our Lord held the Last Supper with his disciples.

Tonight, Pastor Randy preached a message entitled "10 Questions About Holy Communion" and Worship Village invites you to give it a listen!

Thank God For Grace - September 19, 2013 - audio sermon

The Book of Hebrews is a beautiful testimony to the reality of God's grace that is now freely available to all through faith in Christ. May Pastor Randy's message "Thank God For Grace" be a blessing to you!

You can join Pastor Randy every Thursday for Worship, Word and Holy Communion at Good Shepherd United Church of Christ, 5122 West Esplanade in Metairie, LA.

Five Steps on the Pathway to Peace - September 12, 2013 - audio sermon

Who wants peace? We all do, of course!

"Five Steps on the Pathway to Peace" was Pastor Randy's message from tonight's Worship Village. Give his sermon a listen and receive the GOOD NEWS of God's PEACE for you!

The Wisdom of Understanding Time - September 5, 2013 - audio sermon

Steve Miller sang "Time keeps on ticking, ticking, ticking into the future" back in 1976.

Pastor Randy preached "The Wisdom of Understanding Time" at this week's Worship Village.

Calming the Storms of Life - August 29, 2013 - audio sermon

Storms of life come. All three synoptic gospels give us the story of Jesus calming a storm at the request of his disciples. Yet, each of the accounts gives us a slightly different perspective. In the end, it's important to understand that God calms our storms through FAITH not fear!

May this recording Calming the Storms of Life be a blessing to you!

Got Wisdom? - August 8, 2013 - audio sermon

Got Wisdom? That's Pastor Randy's message from tonight's Worship Village @ Good Shepherd! May it be a blessing to you!

The Invincible Curch - August 1, 2013 - audio sermon

Worship Village welcomed Pastor Bobby Malbrough this week as he filled in for Pastor Randy Graf. May his message "The Invincible Church" from Matthew 16:13-19 be a blessing!

Facing Your Pharaoh - July 25, 2013 - audio sermon

There are all sorts of things that will come up against us in life. In the Old Testament story of Exodus 3, Moses is called by God to confront Pharaoh. Who or what's your Pharaoh of life?

May Pastor Randy's sermon "Facing Your Pharaoh" lead you to a strength and a peace about what God is calling you to confront in your life!

The Bible: Some FAQs - July 18, 2013 - audio sermon

What are some of the more common questions that folks have about the Bible? Well, there are probably tons of them, but tonight at Worship Village, Pastor Randy chose to focus on four frequently asked questions.

May this message, "The Bible: Some FAQs" be a blessing to you!

What's Your Problem? - July 11, 2013 - audio sermon

We all face problems. Did you ever stop to realize that the Bible is a book filled with problems? (It's also filled with solutions!)

May Pastor Randy's message "What's Your Problem?" be a blessing to you.

Called To Be Light - July 4, 2013 - audio sermon

Tonight we celebrated the 4th of July at Good Shepherd's Worship Village and Pastor Randy preached a sermon entitled "Called To Be Light" from Matthew 5:14-16. May this Independence Day message be a blessing to you!

Our Ultimate God - June 27, 2013 - audio sermon

This week Good Shepherd held Vacation Bible School and we had such a GREAT turn out of children that even our sanctuary was used as a classroom!  As such, Worship Village on Thursday evening was abbreviated so that those attending the service were only in the sanctuary during the first VBS class time

Because of the abbreviated service, Pastor Randy preached what was perhaps his quickest sermon ever as he shared "Our Ultimate God" with those in attendance. This was based on the five key Scripture verses that the VBS students were studying in their classes. May this brief message be a blessing to you!

The Kingdom Is Near - June 20, 2013 - audio sermon

The liturgical calendar celebrates the Feast of St. John the Baptist on June 24. John served a very special role as one whose ministry made the way for the ministry of Jesus.

At this week's Worship Village, Pastor Randy taught on John the Baptist, the cousin of Jesus, in a message entitled "The Kingdom Is Near".  May it be a blessing to you!

The Prodigal Father - June 13, 2013 - audio sermon

In Luke 15:11-32, we hear Jesus tell the story of what is often called the Parable of the Prodigal Son. As we prepare for Fathers Day, may Pastor Randy's message "The Prodigal Father" be a blessing to you!

So Simple Even A Child Can Understand It - June 6, 2013 - audio sermon

The fact is, the Gospel is Good News and it really isn't that difficult to understand--or at least it shouldn't be. Unfortunately, all too often, the Gospel gets distorted or misrepresented or gets presented in such an unnecessarily complex manner that it ceases being Good News.

Tonight at Worship Village, Pastor Randy preached a message entitled "So Simple Even A Child Can Understand It" on the true meaning of the True Gospel.  May it truly be a blessing to you!

Worship Village welcomes guest preacher Max Davis - May 30, 2013 - audio sermon

Good Shepherd was blessed to have Insanity of Unbelief author Max Davis preach this week at Worship Village! May his message be a blessing to you!

Who's Right: Jesus or Paul? - May 23, 2013 - audio sermon

Some Bible detractors like to suggest that God's Word contradicts itself. One of the places most frequently attacked is the New Testament statements of Jesus versus the Epistle writings of Paul. 

This week at Worship Village, Pastor Randy examined the question "Who's Right: Jesus or Paul?" 

May this message point all who hear it toward the realization of the truth that God's Word is inerrant.

Lessons From Leviticus - May 16, 2013 - audio sermon

Tonight we were blessed to have Prasad Akula as our guest preacher at Good Shepherd's Worship Village. He presented a message entitled "Lessons From Leviticus" based on Leviticus 11:45. May it be a blessing to you!

Ascension Day - May 9, 2013 - audio sermon

This we commemorated Ascension Day at Good Shepherd's Worship Village. Pastor Bobby filled in for Pastor Randy and preached a message entitled "Ascension Day" from Acts 1:1-11.

Our God of Second* Chances (*and third chances too!) - May 2, 2013 - audio sermon

We serve an incredibly patient and loving God who is willing to give us second, third, fourth and more chances!

Like Peter, all too often, we need those extra chances!

Based on John 21:1-17, may Pastor Randy's message "Our God of Second* Chances (*and third chances too!)" be a blessing to you!

Certainty of Doubt - April 25, 2013 - audio sermon

There's a BIG difference between doubt and unbelief. The post-resurrection story of Thomas is a classic account of how under the New Covenant, God can use faith the size of a mustard seed to bring the doubter into the blessings of His grace.

May this recording of Pastor Randy's message "Certainty of Doubt" be a blessing to you!

What Can We Do? - April 18, 2013 - audio sermon

Earlier this week, events inspired by evil in this world unfolded before our eyes as we witnessed innocent people lose life and limb from improvised explosive devices (IEDs) planted near the finish line of the Boston Marathon.

Tonight at Good Shepherd's Worship Village, Pastor Randy used John 14:15-31 as launching point to answer "What Can We Do?" when we're confronted by the darkness of this world.

May this recorded message be a blessing to you!

Road Trip of Life - April 11, 2013 - audio sermon

This week at Worship Village, Pastor Randy preached a message entitled "Road Trip of Life" based on the story of how the Risen Lord Jesus encounters two disciples on the road to Emmaus. In Luke 24:13-35, we see that these disciples don't recognize the Risen Jesus until something very special happens. May this message be a blessing to you!

Reflections on the Cross - April 4, 2013 - audio sermon

At Good Shepherd's Worship Village, we spent Lent keenly focused on our "Journey to the Cross." On Maundy Thursday, Pastor Randy preached a message entitled "Shadow of the Cross." The very next evening at our Good Friday service, Pastor Bobby preached a message entitled "Pictures at the Cross." The previous week at Worship Village, we encountered the "Stations of the Cross."

Tonight, the first Worship Village of this year's Easter Season, we remained focused on the Cross as Pastor Randy preached a sermon entitled "Reflections on the Cross" where three distinct biblical time frames are examined: 1. BC or Before Calvary; 2. AC or At Calvary; and 3. PC or Post Calvary.

May "Reflections on the Cross" be a blessing to you!

Shadow of the Cross - March 28, 2013 (Maundy Thursday) - audio sermon

The Cross of Christ is not a New Testament only phenomenon. In fact, Christ can be found all throughout the Old Testament. At Good Shepherd's Maundy Thursday service, Pastor Randy preached a message entitled "Shadow of the Cross" which explores Genesis 22 and the story of Abraham and Isaac on the Mount of Moriah as the foreshadowing of the Son of God being sacrificed on the Cross of Calvary.

May this recording be a blessing to you, in Jesus' name.

Victory Over Temptation - March 14, 2013 - audio sermon

The gospel accounts of Jesus being tempted by Satan in the desert offer us an opportunity to learn a model of inoculation for our protection against Satan's temptations in our lives. Tonight, Pastor Randy preached a sermon entitled "Victory Over Temptation" based on Luke 4:1-13. May this recording be a blessing to you!

More About Prayer - March 7, 2013 - audio sermon

In Luke 11:1-4, Jesus teaches us "the Lord's Prayer". He then uses verses 5-13 to teach us "More About Prayer" which was the title of my sermon tonight at Worship Village. Jesus teaches that shameless persistence and being childlike are keys to intimate communication with our Father God in heaven. May this recording be a blessing to you!

The Disciples' Prayer - February 28, 2013 - audio sermon

Pastor Randy continues his Lenten teaching series on prayer and "Thy Will Be Done" with a message on the prayer that Jesus taught and teaches his modern day disciples to pray. Enjoy this message entitled "The Disciples' Prayer".

Thy Will Be Done - February 21, 2013 - audio sermon

During this Lenten season, we remember that Jesus entered the wilderness of the desert for 40 days to fast and prayer as he prepared for what would become his public ministry.  Throughout Lent, Pastor Randy will be preaching and teaching on the subject of prayer with the subtheme of the prayer Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives when he prayed "Not my will, Father, but Yours be done."

May this message entitled "Thy Will Be Done" be a blessing to you!

Pray, Pray, Pray! - February 7, 2013 - audio sermon

At tonight's Worship Village, Pastor Randy delivered a message entitled "Pray, Pray, Pray!". May it be a blessing to you!

From Partying to Penance: Preparing For Lent - January 31, 2012 - audio sermon

As we head into Mardi Gras, we get closer to the Christian church season of Lent. This past Thursday at Worship Village, Pastor Randy delivered a message entitled "From Partying to Penance: Preparing for Lent". May it be a blessing to you!

Rest In The Lord - January 24, 2013 - audio sermon

What does it mean to "Rest In The Lord"? Pastor Randy explained at tonight's Worship Village!

Growing the Church with a Four Letter Word - 01-17-2013 - audio sermon

Do you remember playing with LEGOs as a kid?  They were (and are) one of Pastor Randy's favorite toys and at tonight's Worship Village, he used LEGOs to preach his sermon.  Enjoy Pastor Randy's message on "Growing the Church with a Four Letter Word" based on Matthew 28:19-20.

Join us each Thursday at 6:35 PM for our Midweek Service of Worship Word and Holy Communion at Good Shepherd's Worship Village!  Good Shepherd Christian UCC is located at 5122 West Esplanade in Metairie, LA.

The Universe's Sovereign King - January 3, 2013 - audio sermon

The liturgical tradition of celebrating the Epiphany includes studying Matthew 2:1-12. May Pastor Randy's message entitled "The Universe's Sovereign King" be a blessing to you!