February 9, 2014, The Rev. Doyt Conn preaching
It doesn’t matter who you are standing next to, the backlight is the backlight is the backlight. And here is the take away: when we focus on the backlight as the thing itself judgment falls away and joy wins the day. It’s worth pondering if you feel like you have more judgment in your life than joy.
December 22, 2013, The Rev. Doyt Conn preaching
Jesus does this in two ways, by teaching us to ask the question “What can I do for you?” and by answering this question for us when we are stuck. Jesus teaches and Jesus saves, and this and this alone, allows us to live large. Here is a quick review of Jesus’s interactions in scripture. What is revealed to us is that over and over again he asks: “What can I do for you?” It is the question he asks the 10 Lepers, and Mary and Martha. It is the question he asks the father of the epileptic, and the blind man, and the bleeding woman, and the crippled man by the pool of Bethsaida. “What can I do for you?” It is a particular, unique question, asked to particular unique persons.
October 6, 2013, The Rev. Kate Wesch preaching
This morning, we got to hear the second version of the creation story from Genesis. Over the past two weeks, we heard the first version, “In the beginning, God created…and it was good — on the second day, God created….and it was good.” These two accounts come from different sources and different times, but for some reason, they ended up side by side in this narrative.
August 11, 2013, Ben Linder preaching
Faith is an interesting word. According to the reading in Hebrews today, it is “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen”. I immediately thought of Indiana Jones taking a deep breath and stepping out into nothingness in his search for the Holy Grail. And for a lot of folks, faith can be just that scary. When I was a child I had faith that my parents would provide me food, shelter, clothing, and love. Later in life, I had faith in my friends to be loyal and honest with me, and for the most part, I was not let down.
June 16, 2013, The Rt. Rev. Gregory H. Rickel preaching
March 10, 2013, The Rev Doyt Conn preaching
The Prodigal son is a story about balance and the deep desire to have balance in one’s life. I know what that feels like. Sometimes things seem a little out of balance. I don’t sleep enough, or eat right, or play enough with the dog. All of which may be true, but none of which Paul is taking about when he talks about reconciliation with God.
February 10, 2012, The Rev Doyt Conn preaching
And here is the revelation. It is what Paul is so excited about; it is what he now knows for certain– that we can never fall out of relationship with Christ. It is a lesson that he and we may have to learn over and over again throughout life. It is true, we never fall out with Christ.
October 7, 2012 The Rev Kate Wesch preaching
One cold, wintry day Francis was traveling on foot with Brother Leo, one of his closest friends, to Santa Maria degli Angeli. Knowing that Leo was bothered by the cold and the freezing rain falling on them, Francis said, “Leo, although we may give sight to the blind, cause the deaf to hear, and even raise the dead – these things are not the source of perfect joy.”
August 5, 2012, Charissa Jones preaching
Today we celebrate the transfiguration of Jesus – an account of which we just read from the Gospel of Luke. Do you try to imagine what that would look like? Do you find yourselves, like me, a little jealous of an encounter with something that seems so miraculous? Through the transfiguration, the divinity of Jesus is made undeniably clear to Peter, James, and John. In the midst of their sleepiness they see the changing of Jesus’ face during prayer. The face is both familiar and unfamiliar – recognizable as the man they know so well and yet shining with glory. Even his clothes become dazzlingly white. Jesus allows his followers to see his full divinity with sudden brilliance and clarity.