Text of Sermons
Most Recent Sermon
“A Deeper Wisdom”
How often do we think that what someone else is choosing to do is ignorant, ridiculous or wrong; to judge others using the standards of our own experience, culture, and beliefs. Our minds can quickly jump from judging other people’s beliefs, choices or actions – not just as different, but as “right or wrong,” “good or bad.” Then it is easy to slip, as Paul warns, from judging others, to despising them.
Previous Sermons
“The Heartbeat of God”
“The Heartbeat of God”
It connects us to God. It connects us to each other. It connects us to our own souls. It connects us to memory and inspires us for the future. When we feel sad, it can be comforting. When we are happy, it brings even more joy. It is found in nature, and in...
Mother’s Day Sermon: A Meditation on Divine Love
Language is fascinating. Sometimes it illuminates our perception of reality. Other times it seems to hide or limit our understanding of it. And, often language is wide open to interpretation. I’m going to give you a definition and then ask you to tell me, to...
“Unlimited Love” – A Sermon for Earth Sunday
So how did the disciple whom Jesus loved - who most scholars think was John, but some suggest may have been Thomas - how did he know that the person standing on the beach at the break of day was the Lord? How can we discern God’s presence in our lives? The gospel...
“Unlocked”
Jesus had every reason to be mad at some of his disciples. Really mad. On the night before he died, Jesus asked Peter and the sons of Zebedee to simply stay awake and be with him as he prayed. Three times they fell asleep. On the night before he died, Peter - one of...
“Undaunted”
Christmas and Easter - two of the most significant holidays of the church year. The first one is pretty easy for us to understand. Christ is born in a manger, wrapped in swaddling clothes by his loving parents Mary and Joseph, the angels sing, the shepherds gather,...
“Uncloaked”
There’s not much in the way of content that I remember from elementary school. Sorry teachers. Though I do remember singing at the piano in kindergarten and still know many of those early tunes by heart, like “O Susanna”; I remember learning to read in first grade,...
“Called by Name”
The audacious claim that Isaiah makes in this morning’s scripture reading is that our God knows us by name, by the most personal, meaningful expression of who we are. This claim is so important that it is made 100 times in the Bible. Our names convey God’s image in us. Being known and called by name matters.
“On Seeing”
Why is it so hard for us to see ourselves and others as God sees? To begin to explore this question, a question at the heart of our human predicament - please tell me (shout out, if you are in the room) what first comes to mind when you hear this word: “homeless.” ...
“More Than That”
What just happened in this story? What might it mean for us? Let’s start with the Samaritan woman. She purposely goes to the well at the hottest, most uncomfortable part of the day so she wouldn’t have to be seen by or speak to any of the women in her own community....
Born of the Spirit
Jesus says, “No one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above, born of Spirit.” Why was it so hard for Nicodemus, why is it so hard for us, to see and understand the kingdom of God present here and now? To try and get to the crux of the problem, I have...
“Beloved and Tested”
In times of trial, do you really feel beloved by God? (2x) Or, are you more apt to think that God has left you? That you must have done something wrong to find yourself in a trying situation? Perhaps you wonder if you are being punished? Or might you think it is all...