February 16, 2025 - Septuagesima

Lectionary Readings

In the name of God ☩ Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

I’m the last person to ask for advice about plants. I’m not sure if it’s overwatering, underwatering, a lack of fertilizer, or putting them in the wrong places, but not even a cactus that would make it in the barren desert is safe in my care. So don’t take my advice about plants, but do listen to Jeremiah and the Psalmist, they have something worth listening to. Jeremiah says “Cursed are those who trust in mere mortals… they shall be a like a shrub in the desert… But blessed are those who trust in the LORD… they shall be like a tree planted by water.” And Psalm 1 declares that those whose delight is in the law of the LORD are “like trees planted by streams of water… everything they do shall prosper.”

February 9, 2025 - The Fifth Sunday after the Epiphanny

Lectionary Readings

In the name of God ☩ Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

“Woe is me! I am lost.” Those words of the prophet Isaiah describe well what many have been feeling over the past several weeks. Another translation puts it as, “I am undone.” These days, there are two camps that most people identify with. One is just so sick and tired of the nonsense and division of politics that they have little to no tolerance for hearing about it at church. They want a respite and a shelter from all of that. They want church, and specifically the sermon, to speak about eternal truths instead of temporal realities. The other group wants to know that the Church sees the eroding of our democratic norms, they are perhaps afraid for themselves or someone they love, and they want assurance that God is aware of injustice, that this is a community that stands for something, and that our faith is relevant in our modern world.

January 26, 2025 - The Third Sunday after the Epiphany

Lectionary Readings

In the name of God ☩ Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

A few weeks ago, I was putting together some assemble-yourself furniture. If you’ve ever done that, you know the importance of instructions. Yes, I know that some people like to approach some projects as puzzles to figure out, but that often leads to wondering if the extra parts at the end were intended to be extras, or are you missing some structural integrity? And, as aside, I offer you full and complete absolution for whatever words came out of your mouth while you were putting the furniture together. It’s a struggle, I know.

January 19, 2025 - The Second Sunday after the Epiphany

Lectionary Readings

Come, Holy Spirit, and help us to dream holy dreams. Amen.

The passage that we heard known as the “wedding at Cana” is one of my favorite stories in Scripture. It’s such a rich passage with so many layers of meaning. Every time I study it, there is more Gospel grace and truth to encounter.

January 6, 2025 - The Epiphany

Lectionary Readings

Thank you for bringing us into thy perfect light, O Christ. Amen.

For most Christians in the United States, Epiphany isn’t quite an afterthought because it’s not always even a thought. Epiphany always falls on January 6th, after the conclusion of the Twelve Days of Christmas. The Sunday after the Epiphany is typically the day on which we remember the Baptism of Jesus, and so Epiphany maybe gets a brief mention during the Christmas pageant when the magi from Matthew show up in what is, otherwise, Luke’s story about the birth of Jesus. But Epiphany itself rarely gets to stand on its own.

January 5, 2025 - The Second Sunday after Christmas

Lectionary Readings (and full Gospel text)

In the name of our Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace ☩ Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

What would you do if you had no fears? If you could take any risk, go on any adventure, or do that thing you’ve always wanted to do, what would it be? That was one of the questions that we recently pondered at a youth group gathering. Several of our youth gave some insightful responses. And one youth said something that really resonated for me – “I’d be more honest with people.” It’s a great response. So often there are things that we want to say, but we worry how they will be received. Maybe we think we can offer some helpful bit of advice, but we worry they’ll take it the wrong way. Perhaps there is someone we want to give an affirmation to, but there’s a chance it will come out wrong, so we hold back. It could be that when someone asks us how we’re doing, we play it safe and say “I’m good” instead of asking for the help we need. We are bound by so many emotions and fears.

December 29, 2024 - The First Sunday after Christmas

Lectionary Readings

In the name of our Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace ☩ Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

One of the things that gets better the older you get is getting clothing for Christmas. As a kid, there was nothing worse than getting socks or a pair of dress pants that you “needed” as a Christmas gift. But now, give me some nice dress socks and you’ll get an authentic “thank you.” Well, this morning we heard the prophet Isaiah proclaim, “God has clothed me with the garments of salvation, he has covered me with the robe of righteousness.” Though we might not think of what God gives us at Christmas as being clothing, it’s the metaphor that Scripture gives us and is one that fits quite well.