Gospel Reading:John 10: 11-18 (NIV)11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and … Continue reading Sermon “A Shepherding Image of God” Apr 25, 2021

Gospel ReadingMark 11: 1-1111 As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 3 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.’”4 They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied … Continue reading Palm Sunday Sermon “What Are You Doing?”

Gospel Reading:John 15: 1-815 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. 2 He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. 3 You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me … Continue reading Sermon “Abide in Christ” May 2nd, 2021

Hebrew Bible Reading                 Exodus 20: 1-17 And God spoke all these words: 2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 3 “You shall have no other gods before me. 4 “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and … Continue reading Sermon, March 7th, 2021 “The Ten Best Ways”

Hebrew Bible Reading                   (Liturgist) Numbers 21: 4-9 4 They traveled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea, to go around Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way; 5 they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!” 6 Then the Lord sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. 7 The people came to Moses and said, “We sinned when we spoke against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord will take the snakes away from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. … Continue reading Sermon for March 14th, 2021 “Reality Bites”

Scripture: Genesis 9: 8-17, God’s covenant with Noah and all creation Mark 1: 9-16, Jesus’ baptism and temptation Sermon, “Most Moved Mover”             On Wednesday morning I went out to my car, started it up, backed up, and then it stopped. I revved the engine and only the tire moved. Yep. I was stuck in the snow. In negative temperatures with Ash Wednesday morning prayer in just a few minutes, I was stuck. That’s how my Lent began. How did your Lent begin? Mine began with a stuck car, snow in my boot, bad thoughts in my mind and a … Continue reading Sermon, “Most Moved Mover” Lent 1 2021

Scripture: Jonah 3: 1-5, 10 Mark 1: 14-20 Sermon           “An Image of the Church”             Images are so powerful. When you heard the Scripture readings this morning, what was the image that came to mind? Jonah and the what? The whale, of course. There’s a lot to the story, but we all know the cartoon of Jonah and the big fish. It certainly makes for good imagery! Many of us are familiar with this story or at least the cartoon image that goes along with it. When you read the entire narrative, you find a prophet named Jonah being called … Continue reading Sermon: “An Image of the Church”

Scripture 1 Samuel 3: 1-20 John 1: 43-51 Sermon Title, “To Serve the Present Age” “A charge to keep I have, a God to glorify; a never dying soul to save, and fit it for the sky. To serve the present age, my calling to fulfill: O may it all my powers engage, to do my Master’s will!” These words of Charles Wesley pierced my heart and spoke to my soul when I was in college. I was reading out of Methodist Hymnal from 1850 that I picked up at a used bookstore, because you know that’s what all college … Continue reading Sermon for MLK Weekend: “To Serve the Present Age”

Sermon, “Surprise!” Surprised? You weren’t expecting this were you? (I was wearing a Santa hat and beard.) While today is the 2nd Sunday of Advent, it is also known in the Christian calendar as the remembrance day of, can you guess? Saint Nicholas, of course! In the 4th Century, Nicholas was the Bishop of Myra, which is modern day Turkey. Nicholas was a real person whose parents died when he was young. He gave his entire inheritance to those in need. That began a spirit of generosity that defined his life. Even as he became the Bishop of Myra, he … Continue reading Sermon for 2nd Sunday of Advent, “Surprise!”

Hebrew Bible Reading                                Isaiah 64: 1-9 64 Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down,    that the mountains would tremble before you!2 As when fire sets twigs ablaze    and causes water to boil,come down to make your name known to your enemies    and cause the nations to quake before you!3 For when you did awesome things that we did not expect,    you came down, and the mountains trembled before you.4 Since ancient times no one has heard,    no ear has perceived,no eye has seen any God besides you,    who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.5 You come to the help of those who gladly do right,    who remember your ways.But when we … Continue reading Advent 1: “Waiting”