J. Barrington Bates
Now retired, Barrie Bates has served Episcopal and Lutheran congregations in California, New York, and New Jersey over the past 20+ years. He holds a Ph.D. in liturgical studies and serves on the General Board of Examining Chaplains. He looks forward to spending more time on the shores of Lake Michigan, and he welcomes conversation about his sermons.
Sermons and Bible Studies
He Has Been Raised from the Dead, Easter Vigil (A) – April 11, 2020
[RCL]: Exodus 14:10-31; 15:20-21; Psalm 114; Romans 6:3-11; Matthew 28:1-10 Download Sermons for Holy Week 2020 Imagine this, a conversation between two women named Mary, long ago and far away: “Let’s […]
Repent, Look for Signs of the Kingdom, and Follow Jesus, Epiphany 3 (A) – January 26, 2020
[RCL]: Isaiah 9:1-4; Psalm 27:1, 5-13; 1 Corinthians 1:10-18; Matthew 4:12-23 There’s a story about a farmer from a rural part of the country. And this farmer comes to visit […]
The Uncomfortable Middle, Proper 13 (C) – 2019
[RCL]: Hosea 11:1-11; Psalm 107:1-9, 43; Colossians 3:1-11; Luke 12:13-21 Doesn’t Jesus make you feel a bit uncomfortable, sometimes? And other times, he’s maybe even more than that, even a […]
The Way of Love, Easter 5 (C) – 2019
“I give you a new commandment, that you love one another.” With these eleven words, Jesus turns the world order upside-down—in first-century Palestine and here, today. “I give you a […]
We Need a Little Hopefulness, Advent 1 (C) – 2018
On May 24, 1966, a new musical opened on Broadway. Music and lyrics by Jerry Herman, starring Angela Lansbury and Bea Arthur. It’s the story of the madcap life of […]
At the End of This Week, Wednesday in Holy Week – 2018
Suffering is not something we do well, generally speaking. Suffering is not something we seek out, not something we cultivate, not something we practice so we can do it even […]
Christ’s Own for Ever, Epiphany 1 (B) – 2018
Today, we commemorate the baptism of Jesus by his cousin John in the River Jordan. Now, John’s that guy we’ve been hearing a lot about lately (since the beginning of […]
Preparing for Eternal Glory, Proper 7 (A) – 2017
In today’s gospel, Jesus instructs his apostles about the cost of discipleship. Christianity just is not an easy life, he seems to say. In fact, you may be handed over […]
The Name Given by an Angel, Holy Name Day – 2017
This day that our society celebrates as the beginning of a new year has not always been so. Although the Gregorian calendar established January 1 as new year’s day as […]
Enigmatic Jesus, Proper 8 (C) – 2016
That Jesus: he can be quite enigmatic. His disciples ask if they should command fire to come down from heaven and consume unbelievers, and he sternly tells them, “No.” A […]
Living Eucharistically, Epiphany 4 (C) – 2016
Baptism is an amazing gift and an awesome responsibility. We Christians are set apart, commissioned, and ordained to boldly confess Jesus as Savior, to strive for justice and peace among […]
Careful Seasoning, Proper 21 (B) – 2015
Lest you think you’ve inadvertently stumbled onto yet another cable television cooking show, remember that Jesus himself brought it up: salt. Salt is essential to human life. The National Academies […]
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