TagRepentance

Desk Detritus

Last week, the computer mouse on my desk mysteriously fell between the desk and the wall in my office.  By “mysteriously”, I mean “was thrown against the wall in frustration over an uncooperative website form I was trying to fill out.”  My desk weighs the equivalent of a mid-sized rhinoceros, so usually things go there…

The Advent Buzzard

Preachers love this time of the year.  Because we get to take pot shots at people, for all the crummy priorities folks have during the Christmas season.  We complain because you spend too much money on Christmas presents … while we ourselves are walking the mall and enjoying shopping for our loved ones.  We whine…

A Solitary Life … or Not

We live in a world that thrives on individuality.   “One of a kind” is preferred over “one of the herd.”  Being “unique” is a higher calling than being “uniform.”  “Standing out” is far better than “blending in.”  I get it.  Being unique makes us feel special, it invites others to notice us.  It helps us…

Repentance Made Visible

“It only takes a spark, to get a fire going.”  Pass It On, Kurt Kaiser, composer It is late in the evening, minutes shy of midnight, and two dozen of us are gathered in front of the old stone fireplace.  We hear some words of Scripture and offer up some prayers to God … we…

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Follow Me!

Traditional sermon Epiphany 3 Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord, Jesus Christ (1 Colossians 1:3). Have any of you ever thought about just dropping everything and starting life anew? I’m not talking about being given the chance to go back in time to start all over and…

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The Christmas Tree Man

advent 2 traditional worship His house is far out.   Farther out than you can imagine anyone living.  It’s small and clean and white.  Most summers it’s cool; most winters it’s warm.  It is a good house for a man alone.  The man himself is a small man and skinny.  He has never married.  He has…

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The Commandments Call To Us

Email Devotion Pentecost 26 Praise the Lord!  Happy are those who fear the Lord, who greatly delight in his commandments.  (Psalm 112:1, NRSV) I find myself thinking about the Ten Commandments, as I consider the first few days in our country following our recent election.  I find myself thinking about the 8th Commandment (You shall…

The Sin Box

Email Devotion Pentecost 23   ‘Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax-collector.  (Luke 18:10)   I was a denizen of Starbucks for most of Friday.  I was down in Wilmington, Delaware officiating at a wedding later that evening, and had checked out of my hotel…

Homecoming

Email Devotion Pentecost 17 But the father said to his slaves, “Quickly, bring out a robe—the best one—and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and…