Recipe for Success, Proper 25 (B) – 2009

October 25, 2009

Recipe for success: one part awareness, one part knowledge, one part motivation, one part action. Slowly add one ingredient at a time, gradually and with care. Then begin again. Note: you may be inspired to start over at any point in the process. One might place knowledge before awareness, but without awareness how does knowledge […]

If Any Place…, Proper 9 (B) – 2009

July 05, 2009

“If any place will not welcome you and they refuse to hear you, as you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.” Today’s gospel reading describes Jesus going to the temple to pray on the Sabbath. He stands up and begins to read the words of Isaiah, […]

We Have Arrived at the End…, Easter 7 (B) – 2009

May 24, 2009

We have arrived at the end of the Easter season in the church calendar. Throughout the season we heard the stories once again recounting the resurrection and ascension of Jesus, and we read about how the apostles, disciples, and followers of Jesus adjusted to the idea of Scripture fulfilled. Like the apostles, we have been […]

Today We Celebrate a Rite of Passage, Epiphany 1 (B) – 2009

January 11, 2009

Today we celebrate a rite of passage: the baptism of Jesus in the Jordon River, the river that held so much significance for generations of ancestors before him. Jesus was baptized by his cousin, John. It was a baptism of repentance, an act of humility and the receiving of a name – the death to […]

What Do You Believe?, Proper 21 (A) – 2008

September 28, 2008

What do you believe? This question may seem very simple to answer at first. But if we are being truthful, it is not an easy question to answer unless, of course, we have memorized the answer from catechism or intentionally discerned the answer and have practiced articulating it to others. The gospel today demonstrates why […]

Come to Me, Take My Yoke…, Proper 9 (A) – 2008

July 06, 2008

“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Come […]

The Journey to Easter…, Easter 2 (A) – 2008

March 30, 2008

The journey to Easter is one filled with questioning and reconciliation as we follow the narrative that brings us to the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. These stories provide many examples of what God would have us do and be through the living example of his son, Jesus. We even experience through Jesus the mystery […]

Celebrating the Birth…, Feast of the Epiphany – 2008

January 06, 2008

Celebrating the birth of Jesus is an incredible opportunity for all Christians to begin again – be born again – to a life of transformation, first of ourselves and then as instruments of transformation in the world. Our scripture readings today mark the feast of the Epiphany, a word that Webster defines as “to show […]

The Readings Today Are…, Easter 7 (C) – 2007

May 20, 2007

The readings today are a good example of how amazing, wonderful, and alive the written word of the Holy Scripture is. Although it was recorded at a different time in a different place by people of a different culture, it is still relevant to our lives in the Church and the world today. If you […]

Anticipation, Advent 3 (C) – 2006

December 17, 2006

When was the last time that you were filled with so much anticipation that you actually thought you might burst before the anticipated event arrived? Maybe it was a time when you were expecting a visit from an old friend or a present from someone special. Or maybe it was a time when you were […]

What Is the First Thing…, Proper 23 (B) – 2006

October 15, 2006

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear this Gospel? Do you wonder if you are one of the rich people whose wealth will make it next to impossible to get into heaven? Have you ever heard this Gospel used in stewardship campaigns in which the prescribed fix or remedy for […]

Rule of God, Rule of Humanity, Proper 10 (B) – 2006

July 16, 2006

William Sloane Coffin, Jr., who recently died at the age of 81, was an honored scholar, civil rights leader, antiwar activist, and a prophet. He summed up his faith by saying, “I believe Christianity is a worldview that undergirds all progressive thought and action.” He also said, “The Christian church is called to respond to […]