Do you remember what it was like when you, or someone close to you, brought your new-born on or daughter home from the hospital? How many pictures or videos you took? How little they did – but how long you could just gaze on them, your heart bursting with love? I remember one of the […]
You have to feel for Paul in this section of Second Corinthians. More than in any other city, Paul’s ministry has come under attack in Corinth. And he is not there to defend himself. His attackers are rival apostles who want to supplant Paul. Their tactics are something any modern-day political advisor might agree with. […]
Ten years ago, when I was preparing a sermon for the funeral of my best friend, a colleague who had died suddenly in an auto accident, I came across this quote from Frederick Buechner, a Presbyterian writer of some renown. Buechner writes: “Here is the world. Beautiful and terrible things will happen. Don’t be afraid.” […]
When it comes to this account of Jesus and his disciples in a boat in a storm, our attention is usually drawn to the almost comic image of Jesus asleep in the boat in the midst of the storm – and then his power to still that great storm. While we don’t want to skip […]
Good morning, Church family!! What a delight to be seeing you from this perspective. This morning I would like to talk with you about power structures. Power structures. We may not even be aware of the way power is used, or abused, or even just ignored in our lives. But it is there, determining events […]
Let’s imagine a scenario together. Let’s say one afternoon you get a call from someone dear to you, one of the people you love most in this world, perhaps a spouse or a best friend. They call you, and they are frantic, “I need your help! I need you to come to the garden section […]
It has been said that you can divide people into two groups: those who watch a movie without talking or texting and those who like to think everyone else will want to comment or text while the movie going. I am proud to say that I am in that first group, the right group, but […]
Don’t you just love Pentecost? How many of you have Pentecost circled on your calendars? Raise your hands if you like to… Gather around the piano and sing Pentecost carols? Bake Pentecost cookies, put up a Pentecost tree or put up a yard sign with a Pentecostal flame? Exchange cards, or gifts, or open Pentecost […]
Good morning. I’m Sophia Sciarrino, an elder who just finished serving on session and an active member of the youth group. I’m honored to have a chance to speak with you today, honestly a little nervous too. But, I guess it’s high time I get used to being nervous and trying new, exciting, and different […]
I’m Tommy Gilchrist, a senior at Parkland High School (at least for the next two-or-so weeks). I just finished serving a term on session. To preface this sermon, let me first apologize to my parents, because in about 5 minutes I’m going to break their hearts. Fun fact: my sister is one of the best […]
Have you heard the one about the three animals approaching St. Peter seated on his chair at the heavenly gate? The first animal was a Rottweiler. St. Peter asked her what she had done to be deserving of entering heaven and the Rottweiler replied: “I was an excellent guard dog for the family who owned […]
Scriptures: Acts 8:26-40, Isaiah 53:7-9 “Look, here is water.” The observation by the unnamed Ethiopian here in Acts 8 seems like a fairly ordinary statement. Except that it comes at an extraordinary point in this meeting between the Ethiopian and the apostle Philip – and there is not supposed to be any water nearby. Why […]