August 27, 2017 - Proper 16A

Lectionary Readings

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

            “I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds.” These opening sentences of the 12^th chapter of Romans are grand, poetic, and inspiring, but also quite dense. Paul exhorts those hearing his words to be transformed. But what does it really mean to be transformed?

August 20, 2017 - Proper 15A

Lectionary Readings (with Romans expanded to include verses 33-36)

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

            Unless you’ve been living under a rock, which I wouldn’t blame you for doing that, you’ve probably noticed a bit of tension in the air recently. It seems as if we’re entering a Cold War with nuclear weapons with North Korea. The effects of climate change are becoming more and more noticeable, especially in coastal areas. Parts of Africa are reeling from violent civil wars and severe droughts and famines. Young people are literally dying in the streets of Salisbury from both gun violence and opioid addiction. And the scourge of racism has raised its sinful and ugly head in Charlottesville. And that’s just the stuff that makes the newspaper. You all have tension in your personal lives – some of you are dealing with the declining health of parents, some of you are fighting cancer, some of you had a water pipe burst in your home.

August 6, 2017 - Feast of the Transfiguration

Lectionary Readings (with the Epistle from Proper 13A used)

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

            Do you all remember where we were in Romans last week? At the end of chapter 8, St. Paul proclaimed “For I am convinced that nothing, not things present nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor rulers, nor death, nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” That’s really the pinnacle of Christian faith and hope – the peace that comes from being confident in the invincible love of God. It’s sort of like being at the top of the drop tower ride at Carowinds – you have a majestic view and feel as if you’re on top of the world when you’re 100 feet in the air. But then comes the drop.