On Vipers and Joy: A Sermon for Advent 3 on Luke 3:7-18
Advent 3 is the perfect time to repent of our addiction to Empire.
repentance
Out of the Pit
The story of Joseph being thrown into a pit by his brothers is a horrifying one. Reuben seems to be the only caring one in the bunch. He advocated for throwing Joseph in the pit and not murdering him so that later Reuben could return Joseph to their father. That isn’t what happened, though. After … Read More
A Confessional Prayer
Holy One, you are like no other god—a lesson you have tried to teach us again and again. Though Abraham expected you to need the sacrifice of Isaac, you did not. You ask us to unbind ourselves from the pain-filled destructive ways of old. You ask us to rid ourselves of our ties to racism … Read More
A Confessional Prayer
Ever-patient God, Jeremiah’s ancient words stir within me You let truth tumble from his lips down through the ages to land on my restless spirit sour grapes are frequently easier to ingest than the word You would inscribe on my heart this troubling truth awakens desire in me yet do I reach for society’s sour … Read More
No More Worthless Things
Someone left a message on one of my blog posts this week asking me to contact him to “discuss the role of women in church.” Not likely. You want to take the Bible literally when it’s convenient. You want to say that women can’t be clergy, that marriage is “between a man and a woman,” … Read More
Psalm 82 for Today
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
Delightfully Gifted
“Fear not,” God said to Abram just before drowning him in Grace. “Fear not,” said Jesus to the disciples right before walloping them with a truth beyond their capacity to receive it. When these words appear in scripture, it’s often too late to prevent fear from grabbing hold, like when angels show up and fear … Read More
Confession: Repentance and Witness
in the shadow of the cross in the echoes of the empty tomb in the busyness of everyday in the restlessness of the night to what does my life bear witness? some days I forget for part of the day (or the whole of it) some days I forget that my life is a living … Read More
Liturgy in the Aftermath
A Call to Worship and Benediction for Indigenous Peoples Day (Written for use in Worship at Living Table United Church of Christ) Call to Worship One: The sun rises in the East, awakening the world with light. All: May God’s wisdom and understanding guide us through this day. One: Warm winds blow from the South, … Read More
Time to Wake Up
I was raised by a racist who would likely have sided with the Nazis, White Supremacists, and White Nationalists in recent events. She would have done so without thinking about the potential consequences to me, her bisexual daughter. She would have done so without thinking about her Jewish friends or knowledge of the fact that … Read More