I Think It Still Matters – A Reflection On Matthew 2:13-18
Feast of the Holy Innocents – Matthew 2:13-18 When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he was infuriated, and he sent and killed all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two...
View ArticleThe Word Is Still Becoming Flesh – A Sermon On John 1:1-18
The incarnation of God, the embodiment of God in human life, the Word become flesh, is not limited to Jesus. Jesus is the picture, the pattern, the archetype of what the Word become flesh looks like....
View ArticleEpiphany Proclamation Of Easter 2020
The ancient Church had a practice of announcing the dates of Easter as well as other feasts and fasts that do not have a fixed date. Since the Epiphany is a fixed date feast (January 6) and also the...
View ArticleEpiphany House Blessing With Chalk
The Church has a custom of blessing homes on the Feast of the Epiphany (January 6) and the weeks following. Family and friends gather to ask God’s blessing on their homes and those who live in or visit...
View ArticleLonging And Fear – An Epiphany Sermon On Matthew 2:1-12
The Epiphany – Matthew 2:1-12 I recently overhead a man say, “I don’t want to work until I’m too old to live.” He didn’t elaborate or explain what he meant but his words have stayed with me. I think...
View ArticleConsenting To Life – A Sermon On Matthew 3:13-17
What do you do when your prayer is not answered, the budget doesn’t work out, expectations are not met? What do you do when your plan doesn’t come together, a relationship ends, or life is interrupted?...
View ArticleDo You Have A Secret? – A Sermon On Luke 2:22-40
Many year ago, at the suggestion of my priest, I did some work with a counselor. During one of our meetings the conversation lulled and he asked me a question. “Mike, do you have a secret?” Tears...
View ArticleSelah: Instructions For A Marriage – A Wedding Sermon
Genesis 1:26-28; Psalm 67; 1 John 4:7-16; John 15:9-12 Sophie, Tyler, I am going to give you a word for your marriage and life together. It’s a Hebrew word. It’s used seventy-one times in the Book of...
View ArticleStop Doing The Religious Thing – A Sermon On Isaiah 58:1-12
I’m going to ask you to do a couple of things and I hope you will indulge me for a bit. I want you to think of one thing that is going on in the world today that is important and matters to you....
View ArticleThe Perfect Question For Ash Wednesday – An Ash Wednesday Sermon
Ash Wednesday – Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” That’s the last line of Mary Oliver’s poem, “The Summer Day.” I had never thought of my...
View ArticleA Prayer Concerning COVID-19
God the Father, your will for all people is health and salvation;We praise you and thank you, O Lord. God the Son, you came that we might have life, and might have it more abundantly;We praise you and...
View ArticleThe First Sunday Of COVID-19 – A Reflection On Exodus 17:1-7
It was The Third Sunday in Lent. We had planned to celebrate the Holy Eucharist beginning with the penitential order. It ended up being a different kind of Sunday; not your usual Third Sunday in Lent....
View ArticleAll Shall Be Well – A Sermon On Psalm 23 And COVID-19
"All shall be well. All shall be well. Every manner of thing shall be well." I hope you will hold on to what those words say. Let them bind you to faith, hope, and love, and connect you to one another....
View ArticleAnd You Shall Live – A Sermon On Ezekiel 37:1-14
Last week we stood in the valley of the shadow of death. This week we stand in the valley of dry bones. They’re not two different valleys. Both are the valley of COVID-19. How fortunate are we that...
View ArticleA Prayer For Healthcare Providers
We thank you, O Lord, for all who dedicate themselves to the study and practice of healing. Bless physicians, nurses, technicians, pharmacists, and all others who minister to the sick and suffering....
View ArticleA Prayer For Law Enforcement Officers
We thank you, O Lord, for the women and men in law enforcement, for their willingness to answer the call to protect and serve, and for their dedication to the safety, well-being, and protection of...
View ArticleThe Pandemic Is Our Holy Week
The COVID-19 pandemic does not stand as a barrier or in opposition to Holy Week. The pandemic is our Holy Week. We don’t need to try and make Holy Week “normal” or like previous years. We need to...
View ArticleThis Is The One – A Palm Sunday Sermon On Matthew 21:1-11
Palm Sunday – Matthew 21:1-11 Most years Palm Sunday tends to focus on the palms. But not this year. This year there is no palm procession. We’re not waving our palms and children aren’t having sword...
View ArticleLet’s Never Stop Loving – A Maundy Thursday Sermon On John 13:1-7, 31-35
Maundy Thursday – John 13:1-17, 31-35 The last couple of days I’ve been thinking of previous Maundy Thursdays and previous foot washings. There are no feet to wash tonight but I think there’s something...
View ArticleLife In The Shadow Of The Cross – A Good Friday Sermon
Good Friday – John 18:1-19:42 What about your death gives meaning to your life today? In what ways is death inviting you to live more fully, to connect more deeply with others, to love more freely and...
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