We are a “liturgical church.” For most churches that observe the “liturgical calendar and year”- the fourth Sunday of Easter is designated, as “Good Shepherd Sunday.” From the early centuries of the church and well into modern times, the day was observed “only one week after Easter Sunday,” and was regarded as a feast day […]
Sermons
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The cool thing about this text from John’s Gospel is that this is “the only reference” in the Early Christian writings to Hanukkah. It is good that it is here. It is good for continuity and good for a sense of history. It is good for Judeo-Christian relationships. So, Jesus was at the Temple for […]
Is there anybody – anyone – who in some sense – is not broken? I think brokenness is something “most people” can relate to. Certainly our gospel text for today speaks to our brokenness…and not only to “our brokenness,” but to people in every time and in every place. Brokenness happens. Sometimes I get the […]
This is an excellent text for us – on the weekend of our 50th Anniversary as a church family. It is such a privilege to be here. It is even a greater privilege to share the WORD with you. According to Paul, the first person Jesus came back to see after Easter morning was Peter. […]
It is not easy being the “odd duck” – the one swimming against the stream…the one dancing to your own beat. Thomas was always seen as a being a little bit “out there.” He was not really a misfit, nor was he the “odd one out” – at least, not usually. From time to time, […]
The Thomas Story
The Thomas story is a story all about “trust.” It is about trusting the word of “someone else”…or “not” trusting it. Thomas was not the kind of guy to swallow simply everything that is said. If it doesn’t sound reasonable, if it doesn’t sound true, if it doesn’t sound reliable – how do you then, […]
Easter morning – 10 A.M.
This is one of those “old” DEAR ABBY stories. It’s about a guy about to graduate from High School and he “expected” his parents to give him – a brand new car. So, Bill and his father spent months looking at all kinds of cars and the week before graduation- they had found the perfect […]
Easter – 8 A.M.
Ok, now I am having fun. I am talking this morning about the “three promises” of Easter. Like a good old Seinfeld rerun on TV – you might say this is about “nothingness”…or at least emptiness. The first promise had to do with the “empty” cross. There was no one there. The cross remained empty, […]
Sonrise Liturgy – 6 A.M.
There are three promises of Easter. You guys get the first promise… 1. Because it is early in the morning and sleep still fills your eyes. 2. Because at this time of the day we need something visual. Something to focus on, other than the old preacher up front. 3. And thirdly, because it is […]
Holy Saturday
The day between Good Friday and Easter Sunday rarely gets much attention. It is a day seldom observed. It hardly seems like a liturgical day at all. Holy Saturday is the “in between time…” quite literally the “time in between.” The “tragedy of the crucifixion” is past -but “the glories of the resurrection” are still […]