Sermons
Why do we need gifts? (Gifts?)
If you recall from last week’s sermon, we all have gifts (or Gifts). This week we are asking why. Why do we need gifts? It is pretty obvious why we want to receive gifts but when we are talking about spiritual gifts they aren’t typically given just to us for us. They are most frequently given so we can use them. But why? Don’t we as people with a relationship…
Miracles and/or gifts?
So what would you rather have a gift or the ability to perform miracles? It is a peculiar question to be sure but there is a reason to ask it. The New Testament readings in the Lectionary this week are the very well-known story of Jesus turning water into wine at a wedding—a miracle—and Paul in 1 Corinthians 12 talking about the gifts we are all given. I thought it…
Reflecting on necessity
There are some things I wonder about every year. For example, in a few months, I’ll be wondering how I got this old. But this is Words From the Middle, not miscellaneous wonderings so . . . Every year we have The Baptism of the Lord Sunday and every year I find myself thinking about the necessity of Jesus being baptized. There are a lot of baptismal traditions out there—infant,…
It’s our second new year
One of the nice things about following the Liturgical year is you get two New Years’. First the beginning of the church year with the first Sunday of Advent and then the beginning of the calendar year with January 1st. This Sunday is closest to the second New Year, the one where people make resolutions. I don’t make resolutions for the New Year very often. They are hard to keep…
Love is why love wins
Love is the theme of the fourth Sunday of Advent. As I was thinking about what to say this week, a book title kept coming back to me, namely, Love Wins by Rob Bell. I’m not here to spend much time on Bell’s thesis but rather as I was drawn to why God would want to spend any time with any of us. The story of Mary being told she…
Joy to the world? Yes!
Joy. Joy! Joy? Joy. One of the more beloved songs to sing in Advent and Christmas is, “Joy to the world.” Many of us have great memories of singing it as children, perhaps as carolers, definitely in larger groups at church or carol sing-a-longs. But do we actually believe it? Do the church and the people who make up the church really believe we have something to give the world?…
Memory and peace
How are memory and peace connected? I suppose an equally useful question is, Are they connected? I think they are. I think they are connected in a particular way. I don’t know anyone who is opposed to the notion of peace. In fact, I know many people who are completely in favour of peace. It comes as no surprise some of the most fervent peace advocates are those who have…
Happy HOPEFUL New Year!!
One of the best things about following the church, or liturgical, year is getting more than one first day of the new year. The church year begins with the first Sunday of Advent, which as I type is today . . . Happy New Year! Many people use the first day of the year to look toward the year and make resolutions and such things. There is nothing wrong with…
The last Sunday of the year
I would like to begin by saying I am very grateful to the church leadership for the opportunity to take the past four Sundays off. The break was much needed and very appreciated. Thank you! The last Sunday of the Liturgical year is called Christ the King Sunday or the Reign of Christ Sunday. As I was thinking of this Sunday, particularly as the Reign of Christ, it struck me…
Yup, we have a High Priest
[See below the footnote for an important announcement regarding the next four weeks] If we have a High Priest why does the picture to the left have a red X through it? Have I lost my mind? No I haven’t but of course I’d say that regardless. What the picture with the X is trying to communicate is we have a High Priest but it isn’t like the one in…