The texts for Sunday August 2, 2015 (10th Sunday after Pentecost, Lectionary 18): Exodus 16:2-4, 9-15; Psalm 78:23-29; Ephesians 4:1-16; and John 6:24-35 (This sermon was preached at a yearly ecumenical worship service at which the Episcopal, Congregational, Methodist, Lutheran, and often other churches in town gather to worship together. This recording is a re-recordingContinueContinue reading “Wilderness Time”
Author Archives: jabbokdawn
Not Enough
The texts for Sunday July 26, 2015 (9th Sunday after Pentecost, Lectionary 17): 2 Kings 4: 42-44; Psalm 145: 10-18; Ephesians 3: 14-21; and John 6: 1-21 We just don’t have enough There isn’t enough I think this might well be one of the oldest excuses in the book next to maybe, “not me” “notContinueContinue reading “Not Enough”
Radical
“The more radical a person is, the more fully he or she enters into reality so that, knowing it better, he or she can better transform it. This individual is not afraid to confront, to listen, to see the world unveiled. This person is not afraid to meet the people or to enter into dialogueContinueContinue reading “Radical”
What does God sound like?
The texts for Sunday July 19, 2015 (8th Sunday after Pentecost, Lectionary 16): Jeremiah 23:1–6; Psalm 23; Ephesians 2:11–22; and Mark 6:30–34, 53–56 This past week, I was up at the Lutheran Summer Conference at Silver Bay on Lake George. I was teaching a class on listening for God’s voice —for the presence of God— in our everyContinueContinue reading “What does God sound like?”
Shall we rise?
The texts for Sunday June 28, 2015 (5th Sunday after Pentecost): Lamentations 3:22–33; Psalm 30; 2 Corinthians 8:7–15; and Mark 5:21–43 Jesus finds his way into town and, despite crowds pressing in, he heals two. Or at least just two in this story. Two seemingly very different women. One, barely a woman — just 12ContinueContinue reading “Shall we rise?”
Looking for God
The confirmation project for our last year confirmation student(s) is to work with a mentor to answer and present their own personal answer to one of several proposed questions as they and the mentor talk about life and faith and being church together. In a series of newsletter articles, I’m inviting the congregation to alsoContinueContinue reading “Looking for God”
What kind of love?
The texts for Sunday, May 3, 2015: Acts 8:26–40; Psalm 22:25–31; 1 John 4:7–21; and John 15:1–8 “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love.” – 1 John 4:18 I believe that I can say with absolute certainty thatContinueContinue reading “What kind of love?”
Today, you will be baptized
The texts for April 19, 2015 (Easter 3B): Acts 3:12–19; Psalm 4; 1 John 3:1–7; and Luke 24:36b–48 Today, JJ, you will be baptized. I wanted to take a moment to tell you about what this means and what you can expect. First of all, when you are baptized, you will encounter God. In theContinueContinue reading “Today, you will be baptized”
Remain with me
A reflection for Good Friday. The Gospel: John 18:1 – 19:42 (sung) Stay with me Remain here with me Watch and pray Watch and pray … These words, which come from a Taize chant, come from a different Gospel account of Jesus’ passion. They are from Jesus’ lips asking his disciples to stay awake inContinueContinue reading “Remain with me”
The Prayer of Service
A meditation for Maundy Thursday. The gospel text: John 13:1-35 When my Granddad died, my Grammy and my mom — his wife and daughter— cleaned. A lot. They got incredibly busy with emptying closets and cleaning up the house. And there was knitting. And cooking. And running errands. And doing what needed to be doneContinueContinue reading “The Prayer of Service”
Death becomes Birth
“In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, ‘Greetings, favoured one! The Lord is with you.’ But she was muchContinueContinue reading “Death becomes Birth”
We wish to see Jesus
The texts for Sunday, March 22, 2015: Jeremiah 31:31–34; Psalm 51:1–12; Hebrews 5:5–10; and John 12:20–33 “They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, ‘Sir, we wish to see Jesus.'” – John 12:21 For those of you who occasionally or frequently or rarely set foot in the doors of a church building,ContinueContinue reading “We wish to see Jesus”
On retreat – A poem
I went walking this morning The air hung heavy with moisture As the winter lets go And the rain softly falls The light—perfect So that the beech leaves—shaking at the slightest breeze— glowed. The eerie – white – yellow leaves have begun to fall And I smile, think how much they remind me of feathers —angelContinueContinue reading “On retreat – A poem”
Dusting off some Words
The texts for Sunday, March 15, 2015: Numbers 21:4–9; Psalm 107:1–3, 17–22; Ephesians 2:1–10; and John 3:14–21 “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God” – Ephesians 2:8 This is one of those bits of scripture that is so familiar we kind of assume weContinueContinue reading “Dusting off some Words”
As the deer longs …
Things haven’t been easy of late. Stuff that was supposed to move forward has ground to a stop. Things that weren’t supposed to happen did. There has been silence where I thought speech was supposed to be and conversations where I kind of longed for silence. And it’s been winter, which never is easy forContinueContinue reading “As the deer longs …”
Saved by the flood
The texts for Sunday, February 22, 2014 (Lent 1B): Genesis 9:8-17; Psalm 25:1-10; 1 Peter 3:18-22; and Mark 1:9-15 “And baptism, which this prefigured, now saves you — not as a removal of dirt from the body, but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ” – 1 Peter 3:21 In Northern WisconsinContinueContinue reading “Saved by the flood”
Kings and Prophets
The texts for Sunday, February 15, 2014 (Transfiguration Sunday): 2 Kings 2:1–12; Psalm 50:1–6; 2 Corinthians 4:3–6; and Mark 9:2–9 “Now when the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal.” – 2 Kings 2:1 You would think that a biblical book entitled “Kings” mightContinueContinue reading “Kings and Prophets”
A Voice Crying Out || Spoken Word
The texts for Sunday, December 7, 2014 (Advent 2B): Isaiah 40:1–11; Psalm 85:1–2, 8–13; 2 Peter 3:8–15a; and Mark 1:1–8. The audio of the sermon: Advent 2B Here is my first ever attempt at Spoken Word (a form of poetry, for those unfamiliar). Please be kind. Also, learn more about Spoken Word and hear some of the best at TED here: https://www.ted.com/topics/spoken+wordContinueContinue reading “A Voice Crying Out || Spoken Word”
Jabbok Dawn 