For many, the first Sunday in Advent is a time to talk about hope. What kind of hope will sustain us in our present? The troubles in the world and in our lives are real. God’s hope is also real. I come alongside individuals, groups and communities in the context of natural and unnatural disasters.… Read More
RCL: Come, Holy Spirit!
Pentecost! The culmination of the Christian season of Easter, originally a Jewish festival, which is why the Jewish followers of Jesus were gathered together for this religious observance. Still recovering from their grief at the crucifixion, joy at the resurrection, and confusion at Jesus’ brief stay with them prior to the Ascension. Pentecost! That day… Read More
RCL: Sacrificial Love
Today we receive an incredible challenge: Jesus laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for one another (1 John 3:16). Christ gave his life for us as a shepherd would lay down his life for his sheep (John 10:11). How often have we ever truly been called upon… Read More
Revised Common Lectionary: Following God’s Call
OK. For those of us in the USA, and for those abroad who have a vested interest in US politics, this is not exactly the easiest week to be prepping a sermon. If you’re not preaching in the US context, feel free to skip the next two paragraphs… but for those preachers in the USA,… Read More
The Pastoral is Political: Poetry as Cure for Being Gaslit
Poems (and psalms) alone are not sufficient to address injustice. But they can be a first step in the right direction. Read More
Revised Common Lectionary: From the Wilderness
“From the wilderness of Sin the whole congregation of the Israelites journeyed by stages.”Exodus 17:1 “It is only the person who sins that shall die.” Ezekiel 18:4 Whichever Hebrew Bible lesson you’re using from this week’s Revised Common Lectionary, there’s an easy entre into the topic of sin. If that’s where you feel called to… Read More
11th Hour Preacher Party: Things We Can’t Forget Edition
There are things we can forget, at least for a little while (just for instance, posting the Preacher Party at the correct time). But there are things that we can’t forget to do, at least not for very long: eat, drink water, sleep. And, “write a sermon” falls on that list of things we can’t… Read More
Revised Common Lectionary: Have You Understood?
When people around the world suddenly found themselves stuck at home this spring, my social media feeds mysteriously began filling with images of homemade bread. Are you one of the people who jumped on the sourdough-baking bandwagon while in quarantine? If so, you’ve got a great tangible example for this week’s sermon! “The kingdom of… Read More
Revised Common Lectionary: Name It
As usual, the Revised Common Lectionary offers a wealth of options for preaching this week. Matthew 10 could itself be several different sermons! Take up your cross and follow Jesus. Christ brings a sword to the earth, not peace. One’s foes will be members of one’s own household. Can your community to relate to any… Read More
11th Hour Preacher Party: Ordinary Edition
“Ordinary” in the usual sense of the word? Not hardly. But we enter “ordinary time” this week, for those traditions that follow the liturgical calendar. Some might call it “Sundays after Pentecost,” but it’s the long (at least it seems long by the end) season in which we count Sundays after Pentecost and before Christ… Read More
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