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”
Tag Archives: God
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”
Why Christianity? And Why Lutheranism in Particular?
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 toContinueContinue reading “Why Christianity? And Why Lutheranism in Particular?”
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, the Gardener
The texts for Sunday, March 3, 2013 (Lent 3C): Isaiah 55:1–9; Psalm 63:1–8; 1 Corinthians 10:1–13; Luke 13:1–9 Tragedies are (as what we name of them states) Tragic. Sad. Shocking. Horrifying. Disorienting And those of us who find ourselves living on the other side of a tragedy are left first of all to grieve theContinueContinue reading “God, the Gardener”
Seeing Anew
The texts for Sunday, July 8, 2012 (Lectionary 14): Ezekiel 2:1–5; Psalm 123; 2 Corinthians 12:2–10; and Mark 6:1–13 At the synod assembly a few weeks ago now the seven last words of the church were mentioned. Do you know the seven last words of the church? “We’ve never done it that way before.” or,ContinueContinue reading “Seeing Anew”
God-Sufficient
The texts for Sunday, July 8, 2012 (Lectionary 14): Ezekiel 2:1–5; Psalm 123; 2 Corinthians 12:2–10; and Mark 6:1–13 “but he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.’ So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ mayContinueContinue reading “God-Sufficient”
The Dawn from on High
The texts July 1, 2012 (moved from June 24, 2012 — the celebration of the birth of John the Baptist): Malachi 3:1–4; Psalm 141; Acts 13:13–26; and Luke 1:57–80 “By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness andContinueContinue reading “The Dawn from on High”
God’s Seedy Kingdom
The texts for Sunday, June 17, 2012: Ezekiel 17:22–24; Psalm 92:1–4, 12–15; 2 Corinthians 5:6–10[11–13] 14–17; and Mark 4:26–34 This sermon was started by watching a recent Coca-cola ad as shown on Co.create: “Security Camera Footage in Coca-cola Ad Catches People Being Awesome” “The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on theContinueContinue reading “God’s Seedy Kingdom”
Trinity Sunday: A God who is also…
The texts for Sunday, June 3, 2012 (Trinity Sunday): Isaiah 6:1-8; Psalm 29; Romans 8:12-17; and John 3:1-17 … Sometimes, this image of God — an image of God that is captured fully in a stained glass window — leaves us with the idea that we can understand God that we have God all figuredContinueContinue reading “Trinity Sunday: A God who is also…”
The ever-present Wind
The texts for Sunday, May 27, 2012 (that we will use): Ezekiel 37:1–14; Psalm 104:24–34, 35b; Acts 2:1–21; and John 15:26–27; 16:4b–15 “The hand of the LORD came upon me, and he brought me out by the spirit of the LORD and set me down in the middle of a valley; it was full ofContinueContinue reading “The ever-present Wind”
They cast lots?
The texts for Sunday, May 20, 2012: Acts 1:15–17, 21–26; Psalm 1; 1 John 5:9–13; and John 17:6–19. “And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias; and he was added to the eleven apostles.” -Acts 1:26 I typed “leadership books” in Amazon and 85,792 books came up. Typing in “leading church”ContinueContinue reading “They cast lots?”
God’s “Answer”
The texts for Good Friday, April 6, 2012: Isaiah 52:13-53:12; Psalm 22; Hebrews 10:16-25; Mark 14-15:47 … Why doesn’t God just come and make everything right? It’s a question that we sometimes ask when things are going horribly wrong in our lives or when we hear about terrible things going on in the world aroundContinueContinue reading “God’s “Answer””
Nicene Creed: Mind Words
Texts: 1 Kings 3:3-15, Mark 12:29-30, The Nicene Creed Grace to you and peace from God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. ‘Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all yourContinueContinue reading “Nicene Creed: Mind Words”
The Main Thing
The texts for Sunday, March 11, 2012 are: Exodus 20:1-17; Psalm 19; 1 Corinthians 1:18-25; John 2:13-22 … These texts that insist again and again that the main thing for us should be God —I am the Lord Your God —You shall have no other gods before me —God’s weakness is greater than human strengthContinueContinue reading “The Main Thing”
Working with our nothing
The texts for Sunday, March 4, 2012: Genesis 17:1–7, 15–16; Psalm 22:23–31; Romans 4:13–25; Mark 8:31–38. … How often in the church do we look for ways that we can be better? Better outreach programs Better ministry programs Better web presence Better use of technology Better teaching programs and classes And yet, we forget thatContinueContinue reading “Working with our nothing”
The Power of God
The texts for Sunday, March 11, 2012 are: Exodus 20:1-17; Psalm 19; 1 Corinthians 1:18-25; John 2:13-22 “For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.” -1 Corinthians 1:18-25 “It is said that [the Devil] deploys extreme and exquisite cunning to foil God’s power and goodness and toContinueContinue reading “The Power of God”
God’s Break(in)g
The texts for Sunday, January 8, 2012: Genesis 1:1–5; Psalm 29; Acts 19:1–7, and Mark 1:4–11. … In these texts we have a God who doesn’t seem overly interested in just making things better by fixing them but it seems like this God is interested in breaking things and making them radically new. Light broke openContinueContinue reading “God’s Break(in)g”
Jabbok Dawn 