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  • Mel Prestamo, Ruling Elder PCUSA prepared for the Mine Hill Presbyterian Church, February 22, 2026 OK. Jesus fasted. That is where we are in the lectionary in the Gospel of Matthew. And that fits since this is the first Sunday in our Lenten season. But before we get into Jesus fasting and what the purpose…

  • Offered to the United Presbyterian Church of Alpha NJ on February 8, 20236 Mel Prestamo, Ruling Elder, PCISA Salt & Light [Matthew 5:13-16] These words of Jesus in Matthew’s Gospel today are not the most famous, most recognizable words that Jesus had spoken during his ministry; but these in Matthew’s Gospel today are perhaps the…

  • Prepared for the Rockport Presbyterian Church / January 25, 2026 Mel Prestamo, Ruling Elder, PCUSA Before we get into this story in Matthew’s Gospel, I want to first just get a picture of what Jesus was doing. The first thing that Matthew tells us is that John the Baptizer was arrested and put into prison…

  • This is a two-part sermon series offered to the Wharton Hungarian Church of Wharton, NJ in June of 2022 Mel Prestamo, Ruling Elder PCUSA Part 1: Finding the Lost The Bible is referred to as the greatest story ever told. These three parables of Luke 15 can be called the greatest story within the greatest…

  • John 16: 12-15 Offered to the congregation at The Presbyterian Churches of Long Hill, NJ Mel Prestamo, Ruling Elder PCUSA So, today is Trinity Sunday. Usually, a Pastor will tackle the complexities of the Trinity in their message for their congregation on this Sunday. It is a difficult and complex subject that requires a rather…

  • Acts 2: 1-21 Offered to the congregation at the Wharton Hungarian Presbyterian Church on Pentecost Sunday, June 5, 2022 Mel Prestamo, Ruling Elder PCUSA If you view today, Pentecost from our joined Judeo-Christian shared heritage, Pentecost is a unique event. In Palestine during the time of Jesus, Pentecost, was the end of the first growing…

  • John 17: 20-26 Offered to the Beemerville Presbyterian Church, Wantage, NJ on May 29, 2022 Mel Prestamo, Ruling Elder PCUSA I have a favorite way of referring to the Gospel of John apart from the Synoptic Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke. It is that the Synoptic Gospels tell us what happened during Jesus’ ministry,…

  • Offered to the congregation of the Wharton Hungarian Presbyterian Church on May 1, 2022 Mel Prestamo, Ruling Elder PCUSA This morning, I want to talk to you about doubt. I want to look at this fellow Thomas who through the millennium has gotten a pretty bad rap because of his doubt and his hesitation in…

  • Luke 13: 31.35 Offered to the Congregation of the Highlands Presbyterian Church, Long Valley, NJ during the Lenten Season Mel Prestamo, Ruling Elder, PCUSA There is a lot going on in this very short passage from Luke. It is only 6 verses long, but it is packed. In it we have some sympathetic Pharisees coming…

  • Based upon Luke 6: 27-38 Offered to the congregation of the Community Church of Chester, NJ on February 20, 2022 Mel Prestamo, Ruling Elder PCUSA This morning, the lectionary takes us to one of the most notable of Jesus’ teachings. We have here what is referred to as the “Golden Rule”. It may be the…