Sermons

Neal and I spent nine years in the Upstate New York Synod. Bishop Jerge, who was bishop for most of that time made sure every congregation knew the synod’s mission statement. “We are a resurrection people, who pray first, walk together and change lives.” It’s a fabulous mission statement. It’s short, and easy to remember…

Our Gospel lesson begins in the middle of a conversation between the  Pharisee Nicodemus and Jesus.  Now why we are reading a story starting in the middle is beyond me, but there you go. Recall that Nicodemus has come to Jesus under the cover of night.    “Rabbi,” Nicodemus said, “we all know that God has…

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.   Paul wrote his essay in the Body of Christ in 1 Corinthians 12 14 Indeed, the body does not consist of one member but of many.. 26 If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored,…

Grace to you and peace form God  our father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Are you familiar with the term “simul Justus et peccator?” It is phrase coined by Martin Luther in the 16th century to describe the human condition. Translated from the Latin into English it reads “simultaneously saint and sinner.”  Or,…

The assigned Gospel reading for the first Sunday in Lent is always a retelling of the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness.  And in Mark’s Gospel it is a very, very short story, only two verses. 12And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. 13He was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by…

Happy Valentine’s Day and thank you for celebrating this day of love at church, with ashes rather than roses and dinner. Ash Wednesday like Valentine’s Day is about love, although Ash Wednesday is about divine love, the love that God has for us as opposed to romantic love. As we gather here tonight, we are…