Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost 25 September 2016 (Amos 6:1, 4-7 Psalm 146 1 Timothy 6:6-19 Luke 16:19-31) “Noticing the Invisible!” At our Church Council meeting in August, as it was winding down we were finishing a conversation about ministry here at St. James, and the question was asked: “Is it difficult being a pastor … More “Noticing the Invisible!”
Eighteen Sunday after Pentecost 18 September 2016 (Isaiah 6:1-8 Psalm 147 Ephesians 4:7, 11-16 Luke 4:14-21) “Caring for Each Other!” This past Friday I received an email from a staff person at SpiriTrust wondering if I might have a Stephen Minister for an older woman whose son just died and whose husband is not … More “Caring for each Other!”
Luke 15:1-10 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” It’s with this criticism against Jesus, that our Gospel reading for today is set into motion. For the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, under their interpretation of Torah, those who live in accordance … More To be sorry
Luke 14:25-33 One of my favorite faith images comes from within the Jewish tradition, and is called the Tefillin. It’s an object rooted in Old Testament literature, but maybe more so than any other place, from Deuteronomy 11:18 where God gives us the commandment; “You shall put these words of mine in your heart and … More Active Discipleship
Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost 21 August 20016 (Isaiah 58:9b-14 Psalm 103 Hebrews 12:18-29 Luke 13:10-17) “Partial View Seating No More!” My wife, Lois, and I have a pretty clear plan when we go to Broadway to see a play. We get partial View seats. These are seats, most often offered at a reduced price, … More “Partial View Seating No More!”
Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost 7 August 2016 (Genesis 15:1-6 Psalm 33 Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16 Luke 12:32-40) “Finding the Itch!” Once I heard a preacher say that when we are reading a scripture text and we want to hear what it is saying to us, we need to ask ourselves, “where is the itch?” That if … More “Finding the Itch!”
Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost 31 July 2016 (Ecclesiastes 1:2, 12-14; 2:18-23 Psalm 49 Colossians 3:1-11 Luke 12:13-21) “When Doing Good is not Good Enough!” [This message was given on a day when we lifted up a Mission Trip to Haiti during the week of April 23-30, 2016. A PowerPoint presentation and reflections from two … More “When Doing Good is not Good Enough!”
