Romans 12:9-21 This past Tuesday, during our staff meeting, Pastor Andrew looked at us and said that Mark Withrow had just texted him to let him know that Dolly Parton had died. It was one of those strange “where were you when you heard?” moments. Raised on country and folk music, I grew up with … More Dolly, Paul, and Our Part in Peace
Matthew 16:13-20 Early this past week, after some wonderful time away at the beach with Christina and the kids, I came into the office and checked my mailbox, to find two letters addressed simply to “the pastor” – one anonymous, one from an out of state individual I’ve never met. Without even opening them, … More Who do you say Jesus is? Remaining faithful in the face of temptation
Matthew 15:(10–20), 21–28 This summer, Toy Story 5 premiered, the fifth installment of a movie franchise that began more than thirty years ago, in 1995. The original Toy Story introduced us to a young boy named Andy and his favorite toy, Sheriff Woody. Woody is part of a whole collection of toys—Mr. Potato Head, Slinky … More There’s Room for Buzz Lightyear, Too
Matthew 14:22-33 In the early 1980s, Dr. Gordy Klatt, a colorectal surgeon in Tacoma, Washington, was brainstorming new ways to raise funds for the American Cancer Society and help further the organization’s mission. Dr. Klatt was already a volunteer and held a leadership position on the local board for several years. He needed an idea … More A Little Faith
A sermon by Adam Michael, on the Feeding of the 5000 and this summer’s middle/high workcamp week. Throughout the week at workcamp, we discussed how to approach our lives with open hands. A closed fist represents anger, control and a refusal to lend a hand, attitudes toward others that Jesus calls us to deny or … More Give Me Something Small
Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52 More than two thousand years ago, the Greek philosopher Plato wrote The Republic, a work exploring truth, justice, education, and what it means to live a good life. In one of its most famous passages, Plato describes a conversation between his teacher, Socrates, and a man named Glaucon. Socrates asks Glaucon to … More Do You Understand?
Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 Jewish legend tells of a young man who, while studying the Torah’s laws of forbidden mixtures, asked his teacher, “Master, why does the Holy One allow weeds to grow in His field?” And so, in rabbinic fashion, the teacher responded to his student’s question with a question of his own. “Tell me, … More Weeds among the wheat – Let them grow together
I spent this last week on an annual continuing education trip to Chautauqua, NY, with my family. Chautauqua is a notoriously difficult place to describe…some say it’s like Nawakwa for adults, others, a place for nerds who love religion, a spiritual home, a place of connection, learning, and learning to become a better person. This … More No Soil Test Required
Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30 Our gospel before us this weekend is set in motion by a question. John the Baptist, who so clearly saw Jesus for who he was when he baptized him in the river Jordan – the long-awaited Messiah who would bring about the kingdom of heaven here on earth – finds himself consumed … More To What Can We Compare This Generation?
Last week, I had the wonderful opportunity to spend a week with our middle school confirmands at Camp Nawakwa. It was a great—and exhausting—week, as we dove headfirst into the complexities of faith and doubt within our everyday lives. Our confirmands joined other middle schoolers from across the Synod for a week of faith formation, … More Faith and Doubt
Sermons at St. James Gettysburg 