Powerful, Liberating Love
Sixth Sunday after Pentecost Today's readings: 2 Cor. 12:2-10 ; Psalm 33 ; Mark 6:1-13 Grace and peace to you in the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen. I had never before heard that song we sang for our gathering this morning, but I feel like it truly embodies the theology of the cross - entering into the hard stuff of this life, illuminating the darkest of places - not because we are necessarily unafraid, but we are able to enter in even when we are
Healed, Restored, Beloved.
5th Sunday after Pentecost Today's Readings: 2 Cor. 8:1-15 ; Mark 5:21-43 Grace and peace to you in the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen. This morning I want to talk a little bit about healing. Healing is a central theme in Mark’s gospel. Mark’s Jesus spends a LOT more time traveling and healing than he does giving speeches or talking in parables. These healings look like: casting out demons or unclean spirits, soothing fevers and leprosy, raising t
Peace; Be still.
4th Sunday After Pentecost Today's Readings: 2 Cor. 6:1-13 ; Mark 4:35-41 Grace and peace to you in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Friends, whatever figurative storm you currently find yourself in, hear these words of Christ Jesus, our Savior and Lord: “Peace. Be still.” This word of grace comes to us this day and everyday from God who not only created the winds and the waves, but can call them to stillness. Be still, child of God; the han
Mustard Seed Faith
3rd Sunday after Pentecost Today's Readings: 2 Cor. 5:6-17 ; Mark 4:26-34 Grace and peace to you in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen. The kingdom of God is like a mustard seed. Jesus spoke many parables and as we are told this morning, he did so as the crowd was able to hear it. We in Iowa can certainly hear parables about planting and harvesting. We here at SEEDS of Faith can certainly hear parables of seed and growth, can’t we!? Thankfully,
A House Divided
2nd Sunday after Pentecost Today's readings: 2 Cor. 4:13--5:1 ; Mark 3:20-35 Grace and peace to you in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen. A house divided cannot stand.. I love how in Iowa we have amended this parable and turned it into cute little flags I see on front lawns that are half Hawkeye and half Cyclone and proudly declare – a house divided . I’m grateful for those friendly competitions and also equally grateful for Jesus’ much more o
Spiritual Visionary
Pentecost - 2021 Today's Readings: Acts 2:1-21 (The Holy Spirit descends on Jesus' followers) Ezekiel 37:1-14 (Valley of the Dry Bones) John 15:26-27 & 16:4b-15 (Jesus promises to send the Advocate) Grace and peace to you in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Come Holy Spirit, Come. Today is all about the Spirit; the breath of life, the wind that sweeps across the waters and brushes against our cheeks, the spark that catches fire but does not c
Ordinary Discipleship
Sunday after Ascension Today's Readings: Acts 1:15-17, 21-26 ; John 17:6-19 Grace and peace to you in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen. This past Thursday was a little known holy day where we remember the ascension of Christ: the day when the resurrected Christ leaves his disciples, leaves this earth for the last time and ascends into heaven to be seated at the right hand of the Father until he comes again to judge the living and the dead. Je
Equal Love
"What God has made clean, you shall not call profane." Today's Readings: Acts 10: [1-43] 44-48 ; John 15:8-17 Grace and peace to you in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen. On the church calendar, we are still in the season of Easter. After Jesus was resurrected he spent some more time on earth and had many conversations with the disciples. Before he ascended into heaven, he not only promised he would return someday, bringing the kingdom of God (
Fire, Water, and Freedom
5th Sunday of Easter Today's Readings: Acts 8:26-40 ; John 15:1-8 Grace and peace to you in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Sometimes we as humans have the tendency to see the world in black and white.. the urge to separate things into categories, especially into good and bad. This way of thinking helps comfort us by giving us the illusion that there is order and that we have control. But that’s just it – an illusion .. and many of us get to
The Good Shepherd
Fourth Sunday of Easter – Earth Day Today's Reading: John 10:11-18 Grace and peace to you in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen. Today is what we traditionally call ‘Good Shepherd Sunday’ because of our readings from John and typically the use of Psalm 23. When you think of Jesus as the Good Shepherd, I wonder what image comes to mind. For me it is that traditional photo of Jesus standing in a pasture with a lamb draped around his neck. This is a gentle Jes
