July 19, 2015 - Proper 11B

Lectionary Readings

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

            Last week, you’ll recall, we took a look at King David. He is a flawed and tragic character, and yet, it is through his throne that the Messiah comes. We heard the story last Sunday of how David repeatedly used God for his own purposes, most notably in relocating the Ark of the Covenant to force those in opposition to him to support his new regime. If that was strike one, then today we get strike two. I’ll be on vacation next Sunday and won’t be here, but strike three comes next Sunday.

July 12, 2015 - Proper 10B

Lectionary Readings (expanded 2 Samuel text)

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

         So, obviously, I am not Fr. Mike Cassell who was scheduled to preach today. I don’t know the details, but he called me on Thursday night to tell me that he’s come down with some rather unpleasant illness that precludes him from travelling. To be honest, immediately after I got off the phone with him, I checked my computer files to see if I had a sermon on these texts that I might be able to adapt for this morning. But I’ve never preached on the seventh Sunday after Pentecost in the Mark cycle of readings. When I looked at the readings though, I was immediately drawn to this absolutely fascinating story about the Ark of the Covenant and David. So for the sermon this morning, I’d like to reread this passage from 2 Samuel, and as I do, I’ll stop periodically and make some comments about the text, putting it in context, and also reflecting on what the lessons this ancient and holy story have for us today.

July 5, 2015 - Proper 9B

Lectionary Readings

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

            At the back of the Book of Common Prayer, there is a catechism that lists several questions and answers about the faith. One question is “What is the ministry of the laity?” The answer is “The ministry of lay persons is to represent Christ and his Church; to bear witness to him wherever they may be; and, according to the gifts given them, to carry on Christ’s work of reconciliation in the world; and to take their place in the life, worship, and governance of the Church.” If that sounds like a tall task, that’s because it is. Sometimes being a follower of Jesus can feel overwhelming, as there are countless ministries that could benefit from our support. There are always those in need, there are always things around the church that can be done, and there are always causes that could use a financial gift. And then there are systemic problems like racism and poverty that, quite frankly, seem like insurmountable issues.