How does scripture lead and interact with your life? If you were with us last week, I thought it would be interesting if during this Lenten season, it would be interesting to explore some of the spiritual practices, or spiritual disciplines, that can help us focus on our humanity, devote some time to self-reflection, and…
What is self-examination? What does your prayer life look like? On Ash Wednesday (this past Wednesday), we began the season of Lent, a period of 40 days, not including Sundays, leading up to Easter Sunday. These forty days remind us of the forty days Jesus spent in the wilderness being tempted. They remind us of…
Over the past year, we’ve gotten really good at hiding things. We have all become adept at making sure that our laundry isn’t displayed behind us while we meet on Zoom. But while we go through great efforts to hide our unpresentable sides, the glory of God displayed in today’s readings is actually limited by…
Today’s Gospel reading from Mark is a story that poses enormous problems for me. First, let’s talk about Jesus and Simon’s mother-in-law. One of the dangers of tending to a sick person is contagion. We see this over and over in the ways that we are working as a church to ensure that all stay…
What might we as a Church do to encourage the true exercise of authority in the world? As I read through the readings for today, I sighed over and over. Nothing came to mind on which to preach. I didn’t immediately get drawn into any themes at first. And so, as I often do when…
Where is God calling you to cast your net? Well, it’s a fishy kind of day in today’s lectionary! We’ve got a reading from Jonah, who you may remember was involved with a big fish. And we’ve got Jesus with some disciples who were fishermen. I am reminded of a famous parable: There once was…
“Follow me.” How do you think God is calling you at this time in your life? What are you doing to answer God’s call? We hear of Samuel hearing the voice of God calling him. And Samuel answers. “Follow me.” Jesus clearly gives Philip a command to follow. And Philip obeys. Philip tells Nathanael to…
You are Christ’s own forever… what does that mean for your life? Today, we start with the Gospel of Mark. And to get into the story, we need to remove from our memory any vestige of Christmas or the birth of Jesus or the journeying of the Magi. For Mark, the story of Jesus’ life…
The magi saw the star; they accepted that gift and gave in response to it.What will you do with the gift that you have been given this year? Find your star word here. Today’s Gospel reading is the familiar reading appointed for Epiphany, which we celebrate on January 6, the twelfth day of Christmas. That’s…
“Christ is born. He is born to us. And, He is born TODAY. For Christmas is not merely a day like every other day. It is a day made holy and special by a sacred mystery…. For today, God the Father makes all things new, in his divine Son, our redeemer.” Thomas Merton penned these…
Many thanks to the Rev. Matt Schultz for the foundations of this sermon. ’Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the townNot a person was stirring – We were all hunkered down.The masks were all hung from their ear-straps with care,In hopes that their vaccine doses soon would be there. The children were nestled…
How can our own fears prevent us from allowing God to work in our lives? What do we need to do in order to be more receptive to God’s presence in the world? Today marks the fourth Sunday of Advent, and our worship focus shifts from the return of Christ in glory to the celebration…
