Sunday, January 19, 2025 – Isaiah 62:1-5, Psalm 36:5-10, 1 Corinthians 12:1-11, John 2:1-11 If you were watching television in the U.S. between 1966 and 1973, I could probably say a certain phrase and hum a certain tune and you’d know exactly what I was referring to. “Good morning, Mr. Phelps” and [then I hummed […]
Tuesday, December 24, 2024 – Christmas Eve, Isaiah 9:2-7, Psalm 96, Titus 2:11-14, Luke 2:1-14 [15-20] Who is Jesus Christ? More importantly, who is he for us today? Titus tells us that Christ is the “hope and manifestation of the glory of God.” But to unknowing passersby, that tiny baby lying in a feeding trough,
Sunday, December 22, 2024, Fourth Advent – Micah 5:2-5a, Luke 1:46b-55, Hebrews 10:5-10, Luke 1:39-45 [46-55] I’ll never forget the experience of watching the chubby, frumpy middle-aged woman with an unflattering hairdo walk onto the big stage with the microphone in her hand. She had shared with the offstage hosts that she was 47, lived alone
Sunday, December 15, 2024 – Zephaniah 3:14-20, Isaiah 12:2-6, Philippians 4:4-7, Luke 3:7-18 Since we had so much fun singing in last Sunday’s sermon, I thought we should do it again because as soon as I read our second reading for today, I thought of this bible camp song: “Rejoice in the Lord always, again I
Sunday, December 8, 2024, 2nd Advent – Gospel Luke 3:1-6, also Malachi 3:1-4, Luke 1:68-79, Philippians 1:3-11. I began this sermon by singing… “Prepare Ye the Way of The Lord, prepare ye the way of the Lord. Prepare ye the way of the Lord, prepare ye the way of the Lord.” Who remembers that song? I’m
Sunday, December 1, 2024, First Sunday of Advent – Luke 21:25-36, also Jeremiah 33:14-16, Psalm 25: 1-10, 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13. Prior to the outbreak of World War I, psychiatrist Carl Jung had a series of visions that he later interpreted as foreshadowing the First World War. His visions included an image of a sea of
Sunday, November 24, 2024 – Mark 12:38-44, also 1 Kings 17:8-16, Psalm 34:1-8, Hebrews 9:24-28. Today is Christ the King Sunday. This feast day was established by Pope Pius XI in 1925 in response to the movement toward secularism and atheism. It’s the last Sunday in the Christian liturgical calendar, and our new year begins
Sunday, November 17, 2024 – Mark 12:38-44, also 1 Kings 17:8-16, Psalm 34:1-8, Hebrews 9:24-28. In talking about vulnerability and living on the edge, I shared last week about a time when I was financially insecure and followed an intuition. That Spirit nudge led me to an action and a connection that brought me grace
Sunday, November 10, 2024 – Mark 12:38-44, also 1 Kings 17:8-16, Psalm 34:1-8, Hebrews 9:24-28. Two of our readings today feature people who were living on the edge, people in a very vulnerable position because of their relationship status. They were widows with no husband to support them, no real security. Many women past middle
Sunday, November 3, 2024 – Mark 12:28-34, also Ruth 1:1-18, Psalm 146, Hebrews 9:11-14 It seems to me the world is made up of two different kinds of people: those who are kind even when it may not be expected, and those who aren’t. I’ve always thought it was a major red flag when I
