A sermon based on Mark 1: 4-11 Do you remember your baptism? Do you have a baptism story? Does it end with a dove descending or a voice from the heavens? Mark is in way too much of a hurry to spend time telling a big story about Jesus’ baptism. Matthew and Luke go into far more detail. Even John has more lines to the story, telling it … [Read more...]
Come & See
January 25, 2021
A sermon based on John 1: 43-51 When Philip invites his friend Nathanael to join him and meet this great new preacher, Jesus from Nazareth, Nathanael doesn't have much good to say. It's not just that Nazareth was a small town, hardly worth noticing – though it was that. It’s that for more than 100 years before Jesus is seeking followers, … [Read more...]
Where’s that Star?
January 4, 2021
A sermon based on Matthew 2: 1-12 It always takes me aback to hear that Herod was among the first to recognize the birth of our Savior. There was so much evil darkness in his rule, and yet the light shone even there. It didn’t change his heart, but he also couldn’t un-know what he knew. In their own way, the magi walked in darkness too -- … [Read more...]
Songs
December 30, 2020
A sermon based on Luke 2: 22-32 At Allegheny College's choral concerts the choir always sings the Nunc Dimittis, Simeon's song from the Scripture passage and it was deeply meaningful to me. "Lord, now lettest thy thou servant depart in peace, according to Thy word, for my eyes have seen thy salvation which thou hast prepared before the face … [Read more...]
Christmas Eve Fun
December 30, 2020
Windsor Presbyterian Church hosted a zoom birthday party for Jesus on December 24th. See all the fun here. … [Read more...]
Can’t Have One Without the Other
December 23, 2020
A sermon on Luke 1: 26-38 & 46-55 So there’s a traditional vision of Mary, the Mother of Jesus in the world. She was gentle and meek and mild. She didn’t raise her voice or question authority. She was demure and knew her place in the world – a lower, humble place. She was the epitome of peaceful countenances all over … [Read more...]
A Seed Sown in Darkness
December 23, 2020
A Sermon on Psalm 126 There have been those who say that 2020 has been our own version of exile, where we wait for God to save us from one another and from ourselves, from the ways we have not cared for one another, wreaked havoc on our earth, stolen from those who already had little to build our own little kingdoms. But our kingdoms have not … [Read more...]
What if it’s Not All About Me?
December 9, 2020
A Sermon from Mark 1: 1-8 Mark jumps right to the good news about it all – there is another one on the way who is coming to make it all right. Like John, we’re just the workers in the field, we’re just the messengers, we’re just the people making a path or a church or a Christmas tree to proclaim that one more powerful than us is really in … [Read more...]
You Mean There’s More?
December 9, 2020
A Sermon from Luke 17: 11-19 So, I totally missed the whole murder hornet thing this year. I remember it crossing my newsfeed in Facebook and I just kept on going. “Not one more thing!” No way could I handle one more thing in 2020. But this story about healing keeps adding more and more to Jesus' healing of ten people with what was then … [Read more...]
There was an Airplane…
October 23, 2020
I took a week off from writing so I could “retreat” to the mountains for prayer. I spent five days with 90 of my closest contemplative friends, and yet I was completely alone. Because, of course, the other 89 were far away on Zoom, in their homes or in other retreat settings around the world. The resort I stayed at was lovely and … [Read more...]
