Telling the Glory of God: Sermon Starter on Psalm 19, 1 Corinthians 12:12-31a, and Mental Health
We are to include and welcome those who cannot see their own value and those who have been devalued by the world.
We are to include and welcome those who cannot see their own value and those who have been devalued by the world.
It’s been about a hundred years since the last pandemic – the Spanish Influenza of 1918. In the U.S., at least, we have grown accustomed to being relatively safe from widespread outbreaks of viruses. The AIDS epidemic is most recent in our memories, and as awful as that was it was not a pandemic. The … Read More
On January 17, 1991 between 6:30 and 7:00pm I was in a friend’s dorm room writing a paper on their computer. I had the news on in the background and wasn’t paying too much attention, at least not until the clips of bombs being dropped on Bagdad. In those moments I felt as if everything … Read More
RCL – Year C – Tenth Sunday after Pentecost – August 18, 2019Isaiah 5:1-7 with Psalm 80:1-2, 8-19Jeremiah 23:23-29 with Psalm 82Hebrews 11:29-12:2Luke 12:49-56 Photo: CC0 image by Ralph
Come, let us pray for the Church throughout the world. (silence or a time for people to quietly give voice to their concerns) Patient God, your people have gathered throughout all generations to worship and sing your praises. Even today, your name is spoken around the world. May each community know the power of your … Read More
When I was very young I thought God was the “man in the moon.” I had heard people talking about the moon having a face and referring to it as the “man in the moon.” I don’t think I’ve ever been able to make out the face that is supposedly visible in profile on the … Read More
One of the first times my beliefs entered into the “real” world happened when I was fourteen. It was a rainy afternoon and I was babysitting in a new place. While the little girl slept, someone knocked on the condo door. I opened it to two young men who identified themselves as Jehovah’s Witnesses. I … Read More
Holy One, I contemplate the sacred dance and wonder when I will learn the steps steps of peace, healing, hope not just for a few for all who yearn for freedom You created all that is as the Spirit hovered and the Word spoke and Wisdom beaconed and the whole of You delighted in Creation … Read More
One: Holy One, we gather at the edge of the wilderness, reluctant to go forward. We do not want to give up favorite foods, time on social media, set aside our phones, or make any other sacrifices that would lead us closer to you. We are comfortable in our routine and our ambivalence. Seeking you … Read More
I’m sitting in my office just six miles from where Justine Damond was shot and killed by police late Saturday night. Turmoil’s slick fingers have grabbed hold of the city. Some see clearly the issues of fear-based policing and inadequate training for officers. Others feel conflicted because the officer is a Somali Muslim and the … Read More