She called me an angel sent by God. “I know some people who have other opinions,” I thought to myself Because, well, I do And because well, I have that voice in my head And because well, I’m just human. I was just filling her tank with gas. I just wanted to help. To listen.ContinueContinue reading “Angels at the Gas Station”
Tag Archives: faith
Seeking
The texts for Sunday, September 11, 2016 are: Exodus 32:7-14; Psalm 51:1-10; 1 Timothy 1:12-17; and Luke 15:1-10 “Or what woman having ten silver coins, if she loses one of them, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it?” -Luke 15:8 The unrelenting love of God. That seeks And looks inContinueContinue reading “Seeking”
Take heart …
The texts for Sunday, October 25, 2015 (22nd Sunday after Pentecost): Jeremiah 31:7-9; Psalm 126; Hebrews 7:23-28; and Mark 10:46-52. (We didn’t choose the Reformation texts this day, but something about these texts seems to speak pretty closely to the Reformation too, even if they aren’t Martin Luther’s favorites.) † A blind man, he wasContinueContinue reading “Take heart …”
Stewardship
The texts for Sunday September 27, 2015 (18th Sunday after Pentecost, Lectionary 26): Numbers 11:4-6, 10-16, 24-29; Psalm 19:7-14; James 5:13-20; and Mark 9:38-50 What is stewardship? Some people—and maybe you’re among them— think that Stewardship is about convincing you that you need to give money to the church to help pay theContinueContinue reading “Stewardship”
Drink
The texts for Sunday August 16, 2015 (12th Sunday after Pentecost, Lectionary 20): Proverbs 9:1-6; Psalm 34:9-14; Ephesians 5:15-20; and John 6:51-58 Drink deeply all you in search of insight in search of faith in search of hope in search of life Drink of the wine of Lady Wisdom the blood of the lamb theContinueContinue reading “Drink”
Wilderness Time
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”
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”
Believing
The texts for Sunday, September 14, 2014 (Holy Cross Day): Numbers 21:4b–9; Psalm 98:1–4; 1 Corinthians 1:18–24; and John 3:13–17 . “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” – John 3:16 What does belief mean? I think that we, inContinueContinue reading “Believing”
What does it mean to be a person of faith?
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 also consider the questionsContinueContinue reading “What does it mean to be a person of faith?”
Praying for Everyone?
Image by Ri Butov from Pixabay The texts for Sunday, September 22, 2013 (Lectionary 25 C): Amos 8:4–7; Psalm 113; 1 Timothy 2:1–7; and Luke 16:1–13 . “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone” – 1 Timothy 2:1 I know this sentence continues in the text to tell us to prayContinueContinue reading “Praying for Everyone?”
The Direction Faith Looks
The texts for Sunday, August 11,2013 (Lectionary 19 C): Genesis 15:1–6; Psalm 33:12–22; Hebrews 11:1–3, 8–16; and Luke 12:32–40 “[God] brought [Abram] outside and said, ‘Look toward heaven and count the stars, if you are able to count them.’ Then he said to him, ‘So shall your descendants be.'” – Genesis 15:5 “But as it is, they desire aContinueContinue reading “The Direction Faith Looks”
The Poetry of Trinity
The texts for Sunday, May 26, 2013 (Trinity Sunday, year C): Proverbs 8:1–4, 22–31, Psalm 8, Romans 5:1–5, and John 16:12–15 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.” – John 16:12 This passage from John reminds me of rather famous advice from the poet Rainer Maria RilkeContinueContinue reading “The Poetry of Trinity”
God’s Peace
The texts for the day are: Acts 5:27–32, Psalm 150, Revelation 1:4–8, and John 20:19–31. “Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.’ When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, theyContinueContinue reading “God’s Peace”
The water and the fire
The texts for Sunday January 13,2013: Isaiah 43:1-7; Psalm 29; Acts 8:14-17; and Luke 3:15-17, 21-22 “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.” – IsaiahContinueContinue reading “The water and the fire”
The Importance of Doubt
This reflection was preached for the Longest Night service, December 21, 2012. This service is meant to be a service of prayer, healing, and space for sorrow amid a generally cheerful time. Little surprise, in Connecticut of late (especially so close to Sandy Hook) it’s not been overly cheery as we mourn those we knowContinueContinue reading “The Importance of Doubt”
Unanswered Prayers
The texts for Sunday September 30, 2012 (Lection 26): Numbers 11:4–6, 10–16, 24–29; Psalm 19:7–14; James 5:13–20; and Mark 9:38–50 Man, I’d give my eye teeth to be able to pray like that. Maybe even my right hand. Maybe even an eye. …To be able to pray like Elijah and stop the heavens up for threeContinueContinue reading “Unanswered Prayers”
Welcoming the Child
The texts for Sunday, September 23,2012 (Lectionary 25): Jeremiah 11:18–20; Psalm 54; James 3:13—4:3; 4:7–8a; and Mark 9:30–37. “Then he took a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms, he said to them, Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes notContinueContinue reading “Welcoming the Child”
Religion of the Heart
The texts for Sunday, September 2, 2012 (Lectionary 22): Deuteronomy 4:1–2, 6–9; Psalm 15; James 1:17–27; and Mark 7:1–8, 14–15, 21–23 “So the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, ‘Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?'” – Mark 7:5 Every once in a while,ContinueContinue reading “Religion of the Heart”
Jabbok Dawn 