Prepare the Way for Peace
Advent 2 – Peace Today's Readings: Isaiah 40:1-11 ; Mark 1:1-8 In this second week of Advent, we light both the candle of hope and the candle of peace. Let us pray, We come to know you, Holy One, as Wisdom Incarnate, as Flickering Flame, as Spirit of Life, as Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love, Enfleshed. You come to us as the Stranger, and the Strange. Often we do not recognize you. Often we turn away from your gifts and your demands. Yet you come to us in Wilderness, in the Imposs
A Different Kind of King
Christ the King Sunday Today's readings: Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24 ; Matthew 25:31-46 Grace and peace to you in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Both of our scripture passages this morning reveal a lot about WHO God is. Ezekiel reveals that God is a God who seeks us out, rescues, saves us to give us the best pastures with the most luscious nutrients and protects us from any evil that may try to scatter or harm us. God as our shepherd lives among
A Life-changing Gift
24th Sunday After Pentecost Today's Readings: 1 Thes. 5:1-11 ; Matthew 25:14-30 (you may need to at least read Matthew to understand the sermon - click on the scripture to read) Grace and peace to you in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen. We have been given a great gift; a life-changing, world altering gift. We have been entrusted with this extremely important gift and we have been asked the critical question – “what will you do with it?” In t
In the meantime
23rd Sunday After Pentecost Today's Readings: 1 Thes. 4:13-18 ; Matthew 25:1-13 Grace and peace to you in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen. In these days of great stress and anticipation I’ve been spending a lot of time with the smoothing chants of the Taize monks from France. The chant that I heard repeated in my head as I meditated on these scripture passages this week was this: “Wait for the Lord, who’s day is near. Wait for the Lord; be strong, take h
Remembering All Saints
All Saints Day 2020 Readings: Rev. 7:9-12 ; Matthew 5:1-12 Grace and peace to you in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen. Blessed are those who are poor in spirit. Blessed are those who mourn. On All Saints Day, we have the ability to not only honor and give thanks for all the saints who have come before us and live among us, but we also have the chance to mourn. Sometimes in this life, due to “societal norms,” we may find it hard to make space for grief. It
The Greatest Commandment
Reformation Sunday Today's Readings: Lev. 19:1-2, 15-18 ; Matthew 22:34-46 Grace and peace to you in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Happy Reformation Sunday! We are a Church reformed and always reforming! As you can see very clearly in 2020, change is constant and we are always finding new ways to be the Church. But while the way the Church works and looks in the world is always changing, the foundation of the Church remains the same. In
Christian and Citizen
20th Sunday After Pentecost Today's Reading: Matthew 22:15-22 Grace and peace to you in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen. God certainly has a way with timing and a sense of humor that a TAX question would appear in the three year SET lectionary just 16 days away from a huge election in our country. It is not a far stretch to put the Pharisees and the Herodians in our shoes today, asking the Lord face-to-face, “is it lawful to pay taxes to the
Rejoice in the Body of Christ
19th Sunday After Pentecost/Affirmation of Baptism Sunday at our congregation Click here to read Philippians 4:1-9 Grace and peace to you in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen. ‘Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say rejoice,’ Paul writes to his fellow Christ followers of Philippi (Ancient Greece). Paul is writing from prison, which is certainly not a joyful situation and it appears the Philippians are struggling as well. Yet Paul shares word
God's Will be Done
18th Sunday after Pentecost Today's scripture: Phil. 3:4-14 ; Matthew 21:33-46 Grace and peace to you in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen. In today’s gospel lesson we get another parable from Jesus. This time he tells a story that sounds eerily to us like a foreshadowing of his crucifixion. A landowner created a beautiful vineyard and entrusted it to some tenants; God created a beautiful world and entrusted it to human stewards. When God,
Word and Deed
17th Sunday after Pentecost Today's Readings: Phil. 2:1-13 ; Matthew 21:23-32 Grace and peace to you in the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Last week we heard in the gospel parable that the last would be first and the first would be last (Matt. 20:1-16). Jesus told of hired hands working in a vineyard, some all day, and some for only one hour, but all receiving the same daily wage. The landowner who hired these workers not only decided to pay t
