Thanksgiving Day - November 28, 2024

Lectionary Readings

And now we give you thanks, our God, and praise your glorious name. For all things come from you, and of your own have we given you. Amen.

I remember when I was a kid, one of the lessons that was drilled into me was to say “thank you.” If someone at church said something nice, I was to say “thank you.” When a relative mailed me a card with some money in it for my birthday, I had to call them to say “thanks.” When people went out of their way to do something nice for me, I was taught to write a thank you note. To this day, I still write thank you notes when people give me gifts or go out of their way to help me out. It’s a good habit to be in – gratitude is a virtue that our society can use more of.

November 24, 2024 - Christ the Kinng

Lectionary Readings

Christ our King, help us to find our lives hidden in your love. Amen.

Do you ever feel like life is a scavenger hunt? That’s the way that life is often described. When we are children, we’re looking for ways to have as much fun as possible while avoiding trouble. As teens, we’re searching for our sense of identity and who we are. A few years later, we begin searching for the right college or career path to choose. Then, many begin looking for a spouse. If children come into our lives, we then are on a quest for someone else – making sure their needs are met.

November 17, 2024 - The Twenty-Sixth Sunday after Pentecost

Lectionary Readings

Be with us, O Lord, for if you are with us nothing else matters, and if you are not with us, nothing else matters. Amen.

Things fall apart – it’s one of the truths of the natural world. As many are currently experiencing in one way or another, our bodies degrade over time. Maybe it’s an achy joint or a memory that isn’t quite as sharp as it used to be, our bodies fail. Relationships also fall apart – sometimes a friend moves away, differences become irreconcilable, or we end up so busy that we can’t keep up with all of our connections. Throughout our lives, our sense of who we are can also fall apart. Sometimes the death of a family member precipitates a change in our identity, or maybe it’s hitting a milestone birthday, or becoming an empty-nester. Whatever the cause, our carefully constructed sense of self is upended by the realities of life.

November 10, 2024 - The Twenty-Fifth Sunday after Pentecost

Lectionary Readings

O God of love, thank you for electing us in grace. Amen.

    Look, the last thing I want to think about is the election. It was a stressful and vicious season in which our divisions were amplified and billions of dollars were spent on commercials and flyers when we have too many people without food and shelter. And yet, the election is what is on many of our minds. As a preacher, I have three options. The first is that I could stick my head in the sand and focus only on a Biblical text. Essentially, I could preach a sermon that works today just as well as it would three years from now. Some would agree with that approach because they want a preacher and not a pundit in the pulpit. Others would see that approach as cowardly and would say that if the Church cannot speak to the realities of the world then we’re just wasting our time.

November 3, 2024 - The Twenty-Fourth Sunday after Pentecost

Lectionary Readings

Grant us to be scandalized by your subversive grace, O God. Amen.

            “The Bible says it, I believe it, that settles it.” Perhaps you’ve heard that phrase used in a conversation before. It’s often used to end a debate by appealing to the sovereignty of God. Sure, we might be tempted to dismiss such brazen logic as lazy or closed-minded; but in actuality, there’s something beautifully simplistic about putting our trust in God more than anything else. Goodness knows, I wish faith was that easy; that I always knew how to follow Jesus.

November 2, 2024 - All Souls

Lectionary Readings

In the name of the God who makes all things new ☩ Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen

            A week ago, I attended a week-long clergy wellness retreat hosted by the Church Pension Fund. It was a rich and deep time for both spiritual renewal and forming relationships with clergy from around the country. In a few conversations, the question of All Saints and All Souls came up and I realized that if the group of 25 clergy is representative of the wider Church, we are in the very slim minority of congregations that mark All Soul’s Day. In fact, only one other priest said that their congregation marks this holy day.

November 1, 2024 - All Saints

Lectionary Readings

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

Perhaps more than any other message, the Church needs to celebrate and proclaim All Saints. Many of us have already voted in the upcoming election and if you haven’t, please plan to do so on Tuesday. In this election season, not only is our nation divided, but the Church has been ripped apart by partisanship. If we speak about “red churches and blue churches” we all know what that means. And that is a travesty – that the Church can so easily and neatly fit into partisan labels.