Isaiah 49:13-16a; John 13:31-35 “So,” I asked, “how many of you remember back when diapers were made of cloth and were held together with giant diaper pins?” Every single hand in the room shot up. I had picked my question well for the particular audience–the ladies at Countryside Nursing Home, where Cindy, Ellie, Jeannie and […]
Sermons
Singing, Soaring Spirit
I Corinthians 12:4-26; Genesis 2:4b-7 It is all about air–breath, wind. It is all about the intentional, focused movement of air to create a sound. It is such a gift this morning to have our guest musicians with us. With the exception of the timpanist, these musicians make music by focusing their breath, by exhaling […]
Among Trees
Revelation 22:1-2 I go among trees | Wendell Berry I go among trees and sit still. All my stirring becomes quiet around me like circles on water. My tasks lie in their places where I left them, asleep like cattle. Then what is afraid of me comes and lives a while in my sight. What it […]
Glorious Foolishness
Luke 24:1-32 The tomb is empty! Hope is alive! The cross is covered in flowers! The eggs are filled with blessings! Christ is risen!…..And it’s April Fools Day! The last time Easter and April Fools Day overlapped was before I was born. After reflecting this week on the connections between these two very different […]
To Tread the Gospel Way
Mark 11:1-10; Joshua 4:19-23; Revelation 19:11a,16 “King Jesus rides on a milk-white horse.” The choir sings with great enthusiasm, and more than a little confusion. They know the scripture coming right after the anthem is about Jesus coming into Jerusalem on a donkey. They also know, from many years of Palm Sunday dramatic re-enactments, that […]
A Space of Compassion
Isaiah 42:1-9; Luke 18:31-42 Rabbi Yoshua ben Levi came upon Elijah the prophet while he was standing at the entrance of Rabbi Simeron ben Yohai’s cave… He asked Elijah, “When will the Messiah come?” Elijah replied, “Go and ask him yourself.” “Where is he?” “Sitting at the gates of the city.” “How shall I know […]