God’s Glory Bigger Than Our Boxes

Grace, mercy, and peace to you from the One who is, who was, and who is to come. Amen. What must it have been like to be John, James, or Peter that day on that lonely mountain, witnessing that dazzling event? “They were terrified,” the Gospel tells us. What’s it like to have that kind [...]

Sermon for February 12, 2012

The Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany, Liturgical Year B,  February 12, 2012 This morning we have received some amazing Biblical stories of healing. The account from 2 Kings about Naaman’s healing is such a rich story full of the complexities of human relationships and the role of pride and humility in healing and transformation. Then there [...]

The Bait and Switch of Contemporary Christianity

Richard Beck is a teacher at Abilene Christian University. He writes some very interesting and though-provoking material.  Check this article out. http://experimentaltheology.blogspot.com/2009/08/bait-and-switch-of-contemporary.html he trouble with contemporary Christianity is that a massive bait and switch is going on. “Christianity” has essentially become a mechanism for allowing millions of people to replace being a decent human being [...]

Service: Punishment or Privilege?

Grace to you, and peace, from God our creator and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen Last week I was running an errand, and I passed an old white bus with a group of glum-faced men in orange jump suits in it. A sign on the bus said “trial court community service program.” I wonder what [...]

Sermon for January 29, 2012

Feast of the conversion of St. Paul – Annual Meeting , January 29, 2012             Before I get into the meat of this sermon, I need to offer this definition – the definition of the word Midrash – some of you may know it all ready: Midrash – Stories elaborating on incidents [...]

Now, and here: the realm of God

Grace to you, and peace, from God our creator and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Mark wrote the present-tense gospel – a gospel of suddenness, urgency, action. Now: the heavens tear open and the Spirit descends on Jesus. Now. The Spirit drives him into the wilderness for forty days. Now. Jesus preaches the good news [...]

Sermon for January 15, 2012

The Second Sunday after the Epiphany, Year B , January 15, 2012        Do you have any full circle stories from your life?  One of my full circle stories is that the parish in Connecticut where I did my internship while in seminary in the 1990’s was a parish that  had been planted by a neighboring parish [...]

Who is Santa? Who is Jesus?

If you’re wondering who Jesus is, and who Santa is, here’s some thing to think about.

Sermon for Christmas Day 2011

          And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth. I know this is true.  I have witnessed it and felt it here in this place with you.  We celebrate this day the feast of God’s incarnation in Christ – a festival that crowns the year [...]

Christmas Eve 2011

Texts: Isaiah 9:2-7, Luke 2:1-20 Grace and peace from God the Creator and Christ Jesus our savior. Amen. “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light,” says the prophet Isaiah. Who are these people who walked in darkness? Luke’s gospel tells us that some of those folks are shepherds. Imagine this: you [...]

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