Sermons
Waiting. No one likes it
The title says it all, no one likes waiting. Now I’m sure if we look long enough we will find someone who actually does like it but I am prepared to suggest that they are statistically insignificant. We don’t like waiting. We do not enjoy delaying our gratification. We are especially irritated when we are waiting for something or someone unnecessarily. This is the second Sunday of Advent, Peace Sunday,…
Happy New (Church) Year
It is the first Sunday of Advent which means it is the first Sunday of a new church year. As I have mentioned enough times to make you tired of it, I really like the church year. I am glad that I get two New Year’s Days instead of just one. I am glad that I get to think about the year ahead from two different but very complementary perspectives….
Christ the King
This Sunday is called either Reign of Christ or Christ the King and it is the last Sunday in the Liturgical year. Next Sunday we begin a new Liturgical year with the First Sunday of Advent. I think it makes a lot of sense to end the church year with a Sunday devoted to the reign of Christ just to ensure that we think about and put in the work…
Remembrance Day is coming
Remembrance Day is on its way and, as it the pattern with the two churches I preach at, that makes today Remembrance Sunday. I can imagine some of you wondering why I, of all people, would do anything special or different for the last Sunday before Remembrance Day. I can imagine the questions: “Wait. Aren’t you the guy who doesn’t do anything for Mothers’ or Fathers’ Day? What’s up?” Well…
All Saints’ Day
Today is All Saints’ Day. This is another one of those Liturgical days that is a bit of a challenge for a Protestant. When I was growing up we had lots of things around Halloween (or Hallowe’en for the purists) but precious little about All Saints’ or saints at all for that matter. I heard frequently that other people in other religions worshiped saints but we didn’t and that was…
What do you do when you want something?
One of the ongoing themes in my life lately has been the problem of “wanting.” In my case the problem isn’t simply wanting, because that is easy, everyone wants something at virtually every time. No, the problem is facing the reality of “wanting” and then being willing to articulate what I want to the right people at the right time. The irony is that frequently when I am asked what…
Service
The notion of “service” is one that is very difficult for our culture to resonate with. It could be that we keep hearing about the “service industry” and it is one we disdain. It could be the generalized irritation we have with “service calls” that will be done sometime between 8:00 AM and 2:00 PM Monday or Tuesday. It could be how much we dislike the word “service” being used…
Thanksgiving
It is that time of the year when even unrepentant urbanites think about harvests and such to give thanks. I’m no different. Some years the Lectionary readings coincide with “secular calendar” days quite well and then some years it doesn’t, like this year. The texts for this Sunday are not at all stereotypically thankful . . . so what to do? I could have jettisoned the Lectionary, it isn’t inspired,…
Childish or childlike?
There are some words that are very close to each other but have dramatically different meanings. Today’s Gospel text took me on an exploration of the world “childlike.” No one wants to be childish and there are even some people who dislike the notion of being childlike almost as much. Merriam-Webster says childlike is “ resembling, suggesting, or appropriate to a child or childhood; especially : marked by innocence, trust,…
How should we live?
I don’t know anyone who doesn’t wonder about how we should live our lives. It isn’t that everyone had no idea at all, it is that we are all looking for ways to live lives that matter. I am sure if you have the money you can find a guru or a seminar or possibly even a course of classes that will tell you what you need to do. I…