Harrowing Of Hell

Category: Spiritual Formation

Sermon Series #3 on Kingdom of God Intelligence: Trust Versus Control

Sermon | December 12, 2021

Two Sundays ago, Kelli Martin, in her sermon, talked about the necessity of facing our life. That theme was picked up at our men’s retreat last weekend by our leader, Dr. Ron David. He formed the retreat around four questions: facing God, facing ourselves, facing our neighbor, and facing the existential threats that seem to

Sermon Series #2 on Kingdom of God Intelligence: Curiosity Versus Dogmatism

Sermon | December 5, 2021

Thanksgiving dinner recently gave me cause to wonder at the unnecessary cravings that plague me, particularly around food, particularly on Thanksgiving, particularly around cheesecake, and that weird desire to eat the entire thing after having one piece. It is not a long term, high reward survival activity… But here’s the thing about cravings, they come

Sermon Series #1 on Kingdom of God Intelligence – Christ the King

Sermon | November 21, 2021

Good morning. This is the first sermon in a three-part series on uncertainty and ambiguity, and how we manage it with peaceful equanimity. Someone told me recently that they didn’t know what equanimity meant, so, if it is helpful, you can trade out equanimity for ataraxy,or maybe just calm self-assurance. Last time I preached I

Ambiguity Capacity as a Kingdom of God Experience

Sermon | November 7, 2021

I’m reading a book right now called Nonsense by Jamie Holmes, and in it he makes a claim that grabbed my attention. He wrote: “As uncertainties add up in the world around us, they accelerate our desire for certainty.” When I read this, I was reminded of a sermon I preached on Easter day 2014:

What is Ruth All About?

Sermon | October 31, 2021

We heard, in today’s Old Testament lesson, the beginning of the Book of Ruth. The scene was set, the characters were introduced; the three women in the story lost their husbands; Naomi pleaded with her two daughters-in-law to stay in Moab and find themselves new husbands in their own country while she returned to the

Battle for Christianity – Annual Appeal

Sermon | October 3, 2021

I am so glad to be here with you today. I just returned from a board meeting for the Consortium of Endowed Episcopal Parishes in Atlanta, and then flew to Essex Connecticut where I preached at Kate Wesch’s installation as Rector at Saint John’s Church. Incidentally, Kate is doing very well, as is her family,