Cyber Portal

Create and make in us new and contrite hearts

2010-02-16T16:30:00.002-05:00

I remember the first heart transplant when I was a freshman in college. To some of you reading this, that must seem like an incredibly long time ago. But in the whole history of humanity, the last 40+ years are just a speck of time. And yet the words of the Ash Wednesday prayer speaks new hearts. And Psalm 51, which is part of the day's worship, speaks of a "clean" heart. What effect would a new, clean heart have on our lives in a spiritual and emotional way? We could be done with all our old hurts. We could see the world anew and have confidence that those things we do in faith could bear fruit in our time and beyond.

In Lent we may not get completely new hearts, but by our attention to prayer and other time spent in reflection and attention to God's will in our lives, we can scrub some of the rust and callouses off the heart we have. We can strengthen them so that they become healthy organs of caring and willful determination to do the best we can with each day.

A future full of promise?

2010-02-08T16:56:00.001-05:00

As a prelude to the parish's annual meeting, we can consider how others have overcome adversity with faith in God's promises and a desire to follow where God calls us to be.

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This could help with the budget

2010-01-04T17:33:00.001-05:00

I've set up the church to get a commission on Amazon sales if you click on this widget:

It seems fairly painless to you the buyer and fairly easy for the church to benefit. I'll give it a try on my next purchase.

2010-01-04T17:26:00.002-05:00

I'm trying to figure out how to use this link.

Amazon Home

Church in Autumn

2009-11-29T16:27:00.001-05:00

Church in Autumn
Originally uploaded by Salin Low

I know I'm a bit late posting this, but it really was lovely. The pumpkins were great and spoke of an abundant harvest.

Hot off the Press

2009-11-18T20:34:00.000-05:00

Open publication - Free publishing - More newsletter

It's the newsletter for December. Let's see how this code works.

Throw Off Your Cloak

2009-11-14T08:22:00.001-05:00

Sermon Oct. 25 -- We are wrapped in fears and self-imposed limitations which faith can overcome.

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Tapped by a Saint

2009-11-12T07:36:00.001-05:00

Sermon on November 1, 2009 -- Saints tap us on the shoulder to point us in the direction of abundant life.

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Remember to leave the lights on

2009-11-12T07:09:00.002-05:00

One of the greatest irritations of my ministry in Pine Meadow is keeping the spotlight which shines on the front of the church working as it should. Besides replacing light bulbs, I have to reset the timer to correspond with times of light and night, and this is not a digital wonder, like we have these days. Sometimes it's wrong because there's a screw loose, literally.

I don't know if anyone has ever come to St. John's because it is so visible at night, but it doesn't hurt.

The other night I visited another parish. My GPS told me where it was, but the first time I passed it I just kept driving. The parish house was dimly lit, but it looked like a residence. The church was not lighted at all. Probably other people have missed it, just as I did.

It's not green to have a light on at night, but it seems to me that it's definitely in line with our charge to spread the Gospel and bring light to the world.

Shine on!

Catching Up and Catching On

2009-11-11T16:42:00.002-05:00

I'm trying to get all the old sermons posted. While I cut, convert, and publish, I'm also working to upgrade our weekly emails and make the monthly newsletter more presentable for digital reading. It takes a lot of trial and error, and sometimes I'm not sure who's even reading it. Of course, the point of all this is to let others know how much God love them.

A Tale of Two Widows

2009-11-11T16:21:00.001-05:00

November 8, 2009 -- The nameless widow with two mites compared with the young and famous widow Ruth. Each has something to tell us about God's attention and our part to play in God's story.

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Getting Ready for Life

2009-11-08T05:32:00.001-05:00

Sermon of Sept. 13, 2009 -- A lot of life is preparing for the opportunity to follow Christ. This preparation is something we must make a daily habit if we are to be ready to show others God's love.

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Outsiders Need Attention, Too

2009-11-07T15:38:00.001-05:00

Sermon at St. John's on Sept.6, 2009. The Syrophoenician woman, the minority representative of her time, reminds us that we are called to give attention, respect and love to those who are too often ignored or worse.

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I'm back. Watch out!

2009-11-07T15:34:00.002-05:00

First I went on vacation. Then I came back and had to catch up. Then the thought of uploading past sermons wore me out. I'll be playing catch up over the next few days. If it took me over two months to give these sermons, try listening to them in the same amount of time.

Ordinary Celebrations

2009-07-15T07:56:00.001-04:00

Sermon preached at St. John's on July 12, 2009. When our faith is joyful and lively it is also appealing to others.

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Is truth self-evident?

2009-07-15T07:55:00.001-04:00

Sermon preached at St. John's on July 5, 2009. The Declaration of Independence talks about self-evident truths, but not everybody agrees about the truth or the evidence.

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Get Up and Walk

2009-07-14T16:07:00.001-04:00

Sermon Preached at St. John's on June 28, 2009 by Brad Bremer. It tells us something about the various demands on Jesus' time in a day.

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Pentecost Group -- Bible Study 4

2009-07-05T05:35:00.001-04:00

Conflict with Judaism

1. Read Acts 3 and 5. From Acts 3,what, if anything is the significance of Peter and John going into the temple for the prayer service?

2. Why does Peter begin his speech with, “The God of Abraham and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our Fathers”?

3. From Acts 4:1-22, what was the charge that Peter and John were arrested on? Is this consistent with their interrogation the following day?

4. From Acts 5:17-24, what new element do you see entering into the arrest story in contrast to the one narrated in the previous chapter?

5. What was the reason behind the Sanhedrin’s decision to release them? From Acts 4:1-22.

6. What is the function of the Spirit in 5:32? How do you think the Holy Spirit fulfilled this function then? How does He today?

7. What statements made by Peter and other apostles could be interpreted as anti-Semitic? Since the apostles were Jewish themselves, how do you understand their attacks on “the Jews?”

Seeds Planted in Us and by Us

2009-06-15T17:02:00.001-04:00

June 14, 2009 -- Proper 7 -- God's work in us and through us is often like the planting of seeds. It often takes us awhile to realize what seeds have been planted within us. We may never know the seeds of God's love that we have planted in the lives of others.

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The Community of God

2009-06-15T17:00:00.001-04:00

June 7, 2009 -- Trinity Sunday -- God acts and we know God's acts in community. The idea of the Trinity -- the three expressions of God's presence and concern -- reveals the essential community of God's nature. When we share our experiences of God's involvement in our lives with the community, those experiences are strengthened and made even more true for us and for the community.

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The Newborn Church

2009-06-15T16:56:00.001-04:00

May 31, 2009 -- Pentecost -- The church was "born" on Pentecost. The people there didn't really know what would happen in the days and years ahead. The church we've received needs to be "reborn" in our time -- and we need to be as open to a new creation as those first people following in Jesus' Way.

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Leaders Known and Unknown

2009-06-15T16:53:00.001-04:00

May 24, 2009 -- Easter 7
Judas' replacement chosen -- Matthias
He was one of the first twelve leaders of the church, but we never hear about him again. Being a leader doesn't always mean one gets to be famous!

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Pentecost Group -- Bible Study 3

2009-06-15T13:20:00.003-04:00

Read Acts 2.

This is Luke's account of the coming of the Holy Spirit to the disciples and the beginning of the church.

1. On the day of Pentecost, when the disciples were aware of the Holy Spirit, does the passage say there was an outward appearance of the Spirit? What do you think it was?

(Note: The day of Pentecost, which was 50 days after Passover for Jews, brought people together to honor God’s giving the ten commandments to Moses. The law defined the people’s relationship with God and with one another.)

2. Was the baptism of the Spirit for individuals or a body of believers?

3. What is meant by the gift of tongues? How can we understand that in our time?
(Read Genesis 11:1-9 [attached] and 1 Corinthians, Chapters 13-14. The Genesis reading tells us about being divided by different languages and the Corinthians passage talks about the gift of tongues in the early church.)

4. What does this passage tell us about the requirement for an apostle in the early church? How does this apply to us today?

5. What was Peter’s sermon on Pentecost about? Does this have anything to do with us?

6. How can the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives help us to understand each other?

Holy Spirit or Gremlin

2009-06-08T10:52:00.002-04:00

Yesterday was wonderful, although it seemed as if our patron saint -- Confusion -- was in control.

First the cake had misspelled Cheryl's name. A little dental surgery from Dr. Gargiulo corrected that.

Then the Gospel reading wasn't quite marked.

The recorder to get the sermon was knocked over in both services.

Readings were done out of order at 10 a.m.

I know that most people missed most of the flubs, but it does require a bit of smoothing over. At least things are never dull.

Pentecost Group -- Bible Study 2

2009-06-08T10:43:00.000-04:00

The Christian Community

1. From Acts 1:12-26, which talks about the first Christian community after Christ’s ascension, comment on the significance of those present.

2. What do you find of importance in the election of Mathias?

3. From Acts 2:42-46, describe life in the early Christian community. What does that say to us today?

4. From Acts 4:23-35, what was it the community prayed for and how did God respond?

5. What do you think Acts 14:23 tells us about the early organization of the Christian community (see also Acts 11:30)?

6. What do these readings add to your understanding of life as a Christian?

7. How does our community compare to the earliest community? Do we want to be more like them? How would we do that?

Pentecost Group -- Bible Study

2009-06-03T07:09:00.002-04:00

We started our discussion of the Book of Acts. Here's the first lesson and questions. Other references and assistance will happen later.

Read Acts 1:1-12 (http://bible.oremus.org/)

Questions

1. What earlier work is referred to by the author in Acts 1:1? How do Jesus’ last instructions to the apostles seem to indicate this book is a completion of the first?

2. What do you find important about the apostles’ questions to Jesus in verse 6? How are they still somewhat confused as to the nature of the Kingdom?

3. Read Mark 16:14-20, Matthew 28:16-20, Luke 24:44-43, and John 20:16-23. What direction was given to the disciples by Jesus in each instance? Taking into account these passages, do you think his direction applies to the church today? How?

4. What do you think is the key verse in Acts 1:1-12? Why?

Next meeting is July 7. Lessons will be posted weekly.

Pentecost is coming! Will you notice?

2009-05-25T07:09:00.002-04:00

Sunday is Pentecost, the traditional birthday of the church. It was the day the Holy Spirit allowed the original disciples to speak in "tongues" -- so that Jews from all over the nearby world could understand them. The disciples' excitement and willingness to share their faith brought in a reported 2,000 new Christians in one city on that day.

Our celebration of Pentecost is pretty low key these days. If enough people in the congregation wear red, it's about as much excitement as we can absorb. Of course, this year we're baptizing a young boy, so that's exciting.

The real challenge, it seems to me, is to say something that the "world," anyone not already in the church, can understand and finds important enough to change their lives. That's one reason I'm starting the "Pentecost Group" on Tuesday, June 2 -- to figure out how to speak to the world and what we Christians have to say to the world.

Angels with Strange Faces

2009-05-18T10:38:00.001-04:00

May 17, 2009 Easter 6

The length of the sermon says something about how important I think the message is. Our words on Easter must be translated into actions later. The Holy Spirit calls us over and over to risk our comfortable, familiar community in order to share the good news of new life with those who seek and need it.

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Pruned that we may grow

2009-05-11T05:24:00.001-04:00

May 10, 2009 Kevin Case

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Miracles in Our Lives

2009-05-07T15:20:00.001-04:00

April 26, 2009 -- Easter 3
Stan Morask
i

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We live in an age of miracles. We just need to look for them and for Christ's hand in them.

The voice of the shepherd

2009-05-07T15:15:00.001-04:00

Sermon for May 3, 2009 10 AM - Good Shepherd Sunday

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Whose voice calls to us and which voice should we follow?

Calling all apostles!

2009-05-04T10:45:00.002-04:00

As a follow-up to the sermon I gave on April 19 (which is posted under A New Pentecost), I wrote my piece for our newsletter The Portal, which can be found at www.reddoors.com Here is part of what I said:

Now we need to think how we can be better apostles — how we can let others know the ways our faith has made our lives better and invite them to share in Christ’s promise of new life for all. Many of you set strong examples of service and compassion in your various activities. Some of you have brought friends to church, probably because you let them know that the church is important to you. These are among many possible acts of apostleship.

I plan to convene a group soon which will consider ways that the parish can support your individual efforts to spread the good news, as well as fulfilling its own mission of sharing the message of Jesus Christ. This may include providing training or creating materials that tell what the church is doing or public relations efforts. If any of you would be willing to be part of this group, please let me know.

I've had a couple of people say they want to be part of this group. What the group is and can become will depend on the particular gifts of the participants. Some of the work will necessarily be face to face, and some will be individual or via technology. Please consider prayerfully whether you would be willing/able/interested in helping St. John's to develop apostles and to send out the good news in a form which our world can receive.

He is still risen!!

2009-05-04T08:10:00.002-04:00

Easter Morning 2009 10AM

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I know we're now in the second half of Easter, but it's good to remember the joy we felt at its start. Remaining Easter people is always a challenge.

A new Pentecost -- for all of us

2009-05-04T07:47:00.002-04:00

This sermon was important to me. I think it's the beginning of an idea about how to shape and revitalize the ministry of St. John's. If you want to join the discussion, let me know.

April 19, 2009 -- Easter 2

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The Beginning of Pentecost

It's still Easter

2009-04-21T11:13:00.002-04:00

It's hard to remember when the world moves on. This music -- "Come Again" sung by one of my favorite groups over the decades -- the Swingle Singers -- echoes my feelings about getting back some of the excitement of Easter morn. And there are still nearly 40 more days of Easter. Just like Lent

2009-04-12T06:00:00.000-04:00

He is risen!! Alleluia!!

Many of the depictions of the Resurrection look silly to 21st eyes used to amazing special effects. What is amazing is how that Resurrection has changed the world In spite of the fact that the people of the time mostly slept through it, those who were willing to stake their lives on it found the power and the peace to be able to tell others that they had nothing left to fear -- not even death.

Have a blessed Easter!

Do you hear the rooster?

2009-04-11T11:38:00.001-04:00

Good Friday 2009 Sermon

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Time in between

2009-04-11T06:00:00.000-04:00

Lent really ended yesterday. Easter is tomorrow. So what is today? It is a quiet time, a time to take a breath and give thanks both for what has been and what is about to be.

As the sun sets today, we'll hear the story of God's intentions for humanity. Then we'll renew our baptismal vows and be anointed with the chrism blessed by the bishop. It is our connection with the early church, as well as our promise to take the church into an exciting future.

It is time both holy and mundane. It is like most of our life.

God's Friday

2009-04-10T06:00:00.000-04:00

He was despised and rejected by others;
a man of suffering and acquainted with infirmity;

and as one from whom others hide their faces
he was despised, and we held him of no account.

Surely he has borne our infirmities
and carried our diseases;

yet we accounted him stricken,
struck down by God, and afflicted.

Isaiah 53:3-4

It's called Good Friday as a variation on God's Friday. But it is hard to understand God's willingness to die in such an ignominious way. And we have been more than willing to look away, to pretend this didn't have anything to do with us.

If only we would look and see beyond the suffering to the love and generosity on the cross. Then it would be a truly Good Friday.

A feast of remembrance

2009-04-09T06:00:00.000-04:00

This day shall be a day of remembrance for you. You shall celebrate it as a festival to the LORD; throughout your generations you shall observe it as a perpetual ordinance.

Exodus 12:14

This verse refers to the observance of the Passover -- the time when God passed over the homes of Israelites and visited a killing plague on the Egyptians. Then God helped the Israelites to pass over the Red Sea and escape slavery in search of a promised land and freedom. Passover has been observed more or less annually for more than 3,000 years. This year's observance began last night.

Tonight Christians will have their own day of remembrance, remembering Jesus' last supper, which took place in conjunction with his observance of Passover. We've been observing that event for a mere 2,000 years.

But there are some differences from the Passover. We are not limited to an annual observance what Jesus has done for us. Rather we can observe it many times a year. And our observance is not only about something which took place in the past. It is about what continues to happen in the present. The risen Christ continues to offer us escape from slavery -- slavery to sin and death. He has also promised to be present in the bread and the wine -- in an unexplained but very real way.

It is good for us to know the story of the Exodus. It is even better for us to live that story as people of faith who put our trust in Jesus Christ and his gracious love.

Learning to teach

2009-04-08T06:00:00.000-04:00

The Lord GOD has given me
the tongue of a teacher,
that I may know how to sustain
the weary with a word.
Morning by morning he wakens--
wakens my ear
to listen as those who are taught.

Psalm 50:4-5

The complete teacher both speaks and also listens. And it's not just about those who see teaching as their vocation. The psalm is for all of us, who are called to help others know the joy and strength that comes from our relationship with God. But knowing how to teach others about that relationship comes from listening to what causes them distress and difficulty teaches us what words will help them. And listening to God teaches us that what we are to say will be God's gracious gift to us.

What does your cross stand for?

2009-04-07T06:00:00.000-04:00

The message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

1 Corinthians 1:18

The cross has been a powerful symbol for nearly 2,000 years, but what does it symbolize? I bought a slice of pizza in Philadelphia one day, and the clerk asked me what my cross meant. He was wearing a coptic cross. Someone had told him the coptic part, but he didn't seem to understand that all the variations of the cross represent the same thing -- Christ's total sacrifice of himself for us.

Conversations like that one in the pizza place make me wonder whether a cross is really an appropriate accessory item. We wouldn't wear a tiny electric chair or a miniature hangman's noose. Does a cross pendant or cross earrings trivialize the solemnity of that first cross and the value of what we were offered on that hill outside Jerusalem?

The last word on money

2009-04-06T06:00:00.000-04:00

Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus' feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, "Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?" (He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.) Jesus said, "Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me."

John 12:1-8

In the last few days before his death, Jesus is still offering thoughts about money. Judas makes a disingenuous statement about wasteful spending on expensive perfume to anoint Jesus by Lazaraus' sister Mary, who wanted to express her love of Jesus. Jesus replies that the moment might call for something special -- either as that sort of expression or as preparation for Jesus' death.

One of the noticeable features of Jesus' various statements about money was that they were generally context driven. What was the right answer for Mary probably wouldn't have been the right answer for the rich young man who was told to sell all he had and give it to the poor. And the answer is not always the same for us. Sometime we should use our material resources for those who have been marginalized by society, people we may never know. Other times a luxurious gift for the beloved may be the best way we express our faith in God's abundant love for all of us.

Too good to be true?

2009-04-04T06:00:00.000-04:00

You forgave the iniquity of your people; you pardoned all their sin

Psalm 85:2

Jesus tells a parable about a servant who is forgiven a great debt, then turns around and punishes someone who owes him much less. How hard it can be to admit how much we need to be forgiven, and how easy it is to see all that others are doing wrong.

Lent is a time when we are to pay attention to our spiritual life by time in prayer, reading of scripture, attending worship, maybe even confessing to our sins. While this is a valid and valuable way to move us along the path toward righteousness, the temptation is to detour at self-righteousness.

Someone once said that self-righteousness is one of the greatest impediments to intimate relationships. It can impede our relationship with other people, with God and maybe even with ourselves. Other people will fail to live up to our high standards for them. The self-righteous person sees little need for a relationship with God. And self-righteousness is an effective shield in keeping us from seeing our need for forgiveness.

As we end our Lenten disciplines, may we see how much we need God's forgiveness and may we ask to be forgiven the sin of self-righteousness.

Are you ready?

2009-04-03T06:00:00.001-04:00

Who dost bid thy faithful people cleanse their hearts, and prepare with joy for the Paschal feast; that, fervent in prayer and in works of mercy, and renewed by thy Word and Sacraments, they may come to the fullness of grace which thou hast prepared for those who love thee.

Preface for Lent

This is one of two prefaces to Holy Communion to be recited during Lent. It pretty much sums up what Lent is about -- getting ready for Easter. Most people probably think preparing for Easter is about clothes or a special meal. This preface makes it clear that a different kind of preparation is what God desires. And when we realize how hard it is to get ourselves ready for new life, God's grace helps us to finish the task.

Even though we're getting to the last days of Lent, this sort of preparation is best undertaken throughout the year. Experiences of resurrection take place through all seasons.

Godly Change

2009-04-02T09:46:00.001-04:00

April 1, 2009 at 7:30 p.m.

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The miracle of us

2009-04-02T06:00:00.000-04:00

Seek the Lord and his strength;
seek his presence continually.
Remember the wonderful works he has done,
his miracles, and the judgments he has uttered,

Psalm 105:4-5

The Bible tells the story of many miracles which are supernatural, at least in the understanding of those who wrote them down. But think how incredible are the many things which God has brought into being within the laws of nature.

Look at your own hand. Could you in several lifetimes make a tool which could do so many things and also convey compassion and concern by its mere touch? How many other parts of you defy replication or even complete understanding? Are these things any less miraculous because we think medical research may explain them some day?

You and I are among God's wonderful works. Remembering that can bring our awareness of his presence ever closer. Knowing that God has given us such amazing abilities can assure us of our own strength -- strength which is just one of the gifts beyond counting that he has given us.

Written on Our Hearts

2009-04-01T13:43:00.001-04:00

Sermon for March 29, 2009

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A new lease on faith

2009-04-01T06:00:00.001-04:00

Almighty God our heavenly Father, renew in us the gifts of your mercy; increase our faith, strengthen our hope, enlighten our understanding, widen our charity, and make us ready to serve you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

In the Episcopal Church the renewal movement has generally been associated with a more conservative theological position. However, it seems that all of us, regardless of our particular theological bent, need renewal in our faith throughout our lives. And maybe we especially need it as we come out of a cold, gray winter or as we come to the end of the Lenten season. We need to recommit ourselves and to know that God will give us the strength to follow Christ on his journey to the cross and the courage to live again on Easter and beyond.

Is God on "our side?"

2009-03-31T06:00:00.000-04:00

Hear a just cause, O Lord; attend to my cry; give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit. Psalm 17:1

During the NCAA basketball tournament, it's amazing how the referees get it right when they penalize the other team and are totally wrong when they penalize my team. I'm sure I see things from a much better perspective than they do.

How often do we think that "our side" has the just argument? I'm so sure that if God would just pay attention to me, he would see that I deserve better than I'm getting. I'm sure that I see things the way they really are. I hate to admit that I might be more likely to see things the way I want them to be or that in my desire to win God's favor I may tell the "truth" I think God wants to hear.

As we near the end of this period of self-examination in preparation for Easter, it is good to remember that God hears our cries, not because we are just or deserving, but because we need his forgiveness and compassion so much.

2009-03-30T06:00:00.000-04:00

Be gracious to your people, we entreat you, O Lord, that they, repenting day by day of the things that displease you, may be more and more filled with love of you and of your commandments; and, being supported by your grace in this life, may come to the full enjoyment of eternal life in your everlasting kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The collect for today speaks of "repenting day by day" and being "more and more filled with love" of God. The sense of both of these phrases is that we often strengthen our relationship with God gradually rather than all at once. Turning our lives around is a bit like a plant which turns in the direction of the sun. It happens a little bit every day until it is facing the light. So we also may turn toward the light of God's love and forgiveness.

A Heartfelt Covenant

2009-03-28T15:52:00.004-04:00

Jeremiah was so given to dire predictions that a jeremiad means a gloomy prospect. However, in our lessons for tomorrow, he is predicting a time when we will actually know God deeply and fully. See tomorrow's readings here.

A flood that saves

2009-03-28T06:00:00.000-04:00

On the last day of the festival, the great day, while Jesus was standing there, he cried out, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, and let the one who believes in me drink. As the scripture has said, ‘Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water.’”

John 7:37-38

The scripture Jesus quotes is part of the story of the Israelites wandering in the wilderness with Moses. God provides them with water from a rock but also chastises Moses for not trusting in him. It is powerful to think about living water coming not only from God but from the believer’s heart – that’s you and me. Out of our faith and trust in God can come actions and examples which quench the thirst for spiritual refreshment of those whom we encounter. So working to strengthen our relationship with God, giving our best efforts to live faithfully each day, attempting to trust in God rather than thinking that we are the measure of all that is important, can be good not only for ourselves but just as good and vital for others. Awesome!

Christmas is coming -- in Lent

2009-03-27T12:14:00.001-04:00

Wednesday, March 25, 2009 at 7:30 p.m.

Feast of the Annunciation

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Extreme Makeover

2009-03-27T11:50:00.001-04:00

March 22, 2009

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Rescued from what?

2009-03-27T06:00:00.000-04:00

The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
and his ears are open to their cry.

The face of the Lord is against evildoers,
to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.

When the righteous cry for help,
the Lord hears, and rescues them from all their troubles.

The Lord is near to the brokenhearted,
and saves the crushed in spirit.

Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
but the Lord rescues them from them all.

He keeps all their bones;
not one of them will be broken.

Evil brings death to the wicked,
and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.

The Lord redeems the life of his servants;
none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.

Psalm 34:15-22

We want to believe that God will in some way rescue us from all our troubles, but too often they seem to keep piling up. More likely is that God stays near us in our troubles and keeps them from crushing our spirit. Faith that is strong and life-giving is intertwined with hope for better times. It is hopelessness that is the true antithesis of faith. Our faith is in a God who has suffered for us, so that we can be assured he also suffers with us and leads us through our suffering into resurrection and the courage to live another day.

Wholly or Holy Thine?

2009-03-26T06:00:00.001-04:00

Almighty and most merciful God, drive from us all weakness of body, mind, and spirit; that, being restored to wholeness, we may with free hearts become what you intend us to be and accomplish what you want us to do; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

I'm sure that the author of this collect had in mind Lenten and other temptations when writing of "weakness of body, " but I wonder if there aren't times when it's good to admit that are bodies are weak, at least weak enough to need rest and refreshment. Whether or not we keep our bodies strong, we have a tendency to push them in our hectic lives such that most of us are sleep deprived and poorly nourished, if not actually malnourished. Maybe we should pray that God will show us how to restore our bodies to wholeness, so that we can work to bring wholeness to the rest of his creation.

Now hear this!

2009-03-25T06:00:00.002-04:00

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God . . . to a virgin [whose] name was Mary. And he came to her and said, . . . "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I am a virgin?" The angel said to her, "For nothing will be impossible with God." Then Mary said, "Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word." Then the angel departed from her.

This encounter between the human and the divine has been depicted as much as almost any other story from scripture. One of my favorites, which in the Cloisters Museum in New York, is a triptych. Gabriel and Mary are in the center panel. The benefactors who commissioned the painting, and possibly the church in which it was to reside, are pictured in the left panel. In the right panel is an image of Joseph working in his carpentry shop. He appears to be completely oblivious to what is going on, to the incredible announcement made by the angel Gabriel to Mary.

How often are we like Joseph, minding our own business, unaware of God's active presence in our world? How often do we fail to realize the part we are playing or will be asked to play in the coming of God's kingdom in this world?

Metaphors to explain the inexplicable

2009-03-24T06:00:00.001-04:00

O God, with you is the well of life, and in your light we see light. Quench our thirst with living water, and flood our darkened minds with heavenly light; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

This collect may be a litle heavy with metaphors -- God as a filled well and as heavenly light. But these are two metaphors repeatedly entwined with our understanding of Lent.

The word Lent comes from a word for spring when the light of longer days is coming into our lives as the light of God's loving forgiveness comes into our lives through Christ's resurrection.

Lent developed as the time for final preparations before adult baptisms at sunrise on Easter. For those of us who have already been baptized, Lent is a time when we attempt again to live into our baptismal vows and depend on God to accept our repentance.

Both living water and light are gifts from God, and we are blessed to receive them over and over.

Peaceable Kingdom? Where? When?

2009-03-23T06:00:00.000-04:00

The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, the lion shall eat straw like the ox; but the serpent—its food shall be dust! They shall not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain, says the Lord.

Isaiah 65:25

This passage is one that has morphed over the years into "the lion shall lie down with the lamb." It's an image of a new era of peace after the Jews returned from Babylonian exile. It's an image that has given people hope for nearly 3,000 years. In the world that is imagined by the prophet, all the alienation of the world that is the result of sin shall be ended. There will no longer be natural enemies, such as the wolf and the lamb, and the serpent who brought sin into the world shall be starved out of existence.

We still live in a world where the weak are afraid of the strong, and where some are like the lion who preys on those further down the food chain. But in faith we can still work to overcome this strife and fear. And in faith we can live with an active hope to bring the peaceable kingdom about.

Make a glad noise

2009-03-21T06:00:00.001-04:00

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.

Philippians 4:4-9

Today Thomas Ken, a 17th century English cleric, is honored. He was in and out of favor with James II and William of Orange for his prickly conscience. But the main reason we remember his is that he wrote several hymns, including in several the words we think of as the Doxology.

Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

Few words are more beloved in worship. Few can be sung by more people, expressing the words from Philippians appointed for today. It is hard to sing them and not rejoice in the Lord.

Snake in the Brass

2009-03-21T06:00:00.000-04:00

The snake in Genesis got us into trouble. This snake saved folks.

Check out the lections here.

You can read a brief commentary about the lessons at the parish website.

Falling into love

2009-03-20T06:00:00.000-04:00

Grant us, O Lord our Strength, a true love of your holy Name; so that, trusting in your grace, we may fear no earthly evil, nor fix our hearts on earthly goods, but may rejoice in your full salvation; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Right after forgiveness, probably the hardest thing is to trust. A recent TV ad shows a man “learning” to trust by falling backward into the arms of a much smaller gecko. Presumably if the man continues his downward arc, he’ll have a painful fall and the gecko will be crushed. Neither man nor lizard is likely to trust again.

Too often we fear that trusting will expose us either to a painful fall or to being crushed. And trusting in someone who owes us nothing or in a generous gift we know we do not deserve, let alone being able to earn, makes us feel just that exposed and vulnerable. Only when we have faith that God is not only strong but also loving, not only just but also compassionate, can we begin to trust.

Faith doesn’t do away with the need to trust. It simply helps us to understand that the promise of a lifegiving and lively relationship with our God is enticement enough to overcome our fears and allow us to fall into his loving embrace.

To bow or not to bow -- that is the question

2009-03-19T06:00:00.000-04:00

O come, let us worship and bow down,
let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!
For he is our God,
and we are the people of his pasture,
and the sheep of his hand.

Psalm 95:6-7

Those who followed Morning Prayer as a regular form of worship recognize these as the closing lines of the Venite which is often recited before the psalm of the day. In our day the act of kneeling is seen as too subservient for some people. But a passage like this fills this person with a sense of the awe of being in God’s presence. To be before the one who has made us and who still keeps us nourished in her pasture and safe in his hand is an opportunity to be filled with joy and thanksgiving. Some people might even see it as an honor to be able to kneel before such a God.

The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers. Shakespeare

2009-03-18T06:00:00.000-04:00

So now, Israel, give heed to the statutes and ordinances that I am teaching you to observe, so that you may live to enter and occupy the land that the Lord, the God of your ancestors, is giving you. You must neither add anything to what I command you nor take away anything from it, but keep the commandments of the Lord your God with which I am charging you.
Deuteronomy 4:1-2

The basic statutes which the Israelites were to observe were the Ten Commandments. Of course they couldn’t resist adding to the basic rules, and by the time Jesus came along there were 613 commandments derived from scripture: 365 negative commandments, corresponding to the number of days in a solar year, and 248 positive commandments, ascribed to the number of bones and significant organs in the human body. We have a hard time accepting that we cannot improve on God’s work. And in spite of all the additions we made to the original commandments, we could still forget why we were given the commandments in the first place – to show us how to love the Lord our God above all else and our neighbor as ourselves. If we work really hard on those two, the other 10 or 611 will take care of themselves.

Get the number right!

2009-03-17T06:00:00.000-04:00

Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times.

Matthew 18:21-22

Here’s that forgiveness stuff again. And the accountant in me wants to be sure I have the right number. Evidently the New Revised Standard Version has had a markdown sale over other versions. It was always seventy times seven or 490 times we had to forgive in the past. Now it’s only 77 times we must forgive. That’s still pretty exhausting. Maybe if someone does the same sinful thing to another person 77 times, it really becomes part of the way they deal with other and it quits seeming like a sin. It reminds me of a set of rules:

Rule 1. Don’t sweat the small stuff.
Rule 2. It’s all small stuff.

Generally I’d guess that our sins are small stuff compared to God’s love and willingness to forgive our sins.

What makes you mad?

2009-03-16T10:44:00.001-04:00

March 15, 2009 at 10 AM

MP3 File

Right in our own backyard

2009-03-16T06:00:00.000-04:00

“Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in the prophet’s hometown. 25But the truth is, there were many widows in Israel in the time of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a severe famine over all the land; 26yet Elijah was sent to none of them except to a widow at Zarephath in Sidon. 27There were also many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.” 28When they heard this, all in the synagogue were filled with rage. 29They got up, drove him out of the town . . .
Luke 4:24-29

On the one hand Jesus’ neighbors could see him as nothing more than the carpenter’s boy, a kid from the wrong side of the tracks. On the other hand they didn’t want anyone else getting more from him than they were. Jesus reminds them that God has always been concerned about outsiders – those not among the “chosen people.” It’s a reminder that we need for our own times. God is concerned for the outsiders among us and those nearby. And often the one who can understand them and minister to them best is someone who hasn’t been especially noteworthy in our group. We should always be aware of all people who are reaching out to the marginal and marginalized groups – and we are called to follow their example. They show the face of Christ to those they serve and remind us of Christ’s call to us to care for “the least of these.”

Abraham -- The Rest of the Story -- Final

2009-03-14T12:15:00.001-04:00

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

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Jesus the Punster

2009-03-14T10:12:00.003-04:00

John's telling of Jesus' driving the money changers out of the temple is a biblical pun. Read it for yourself in Sunday's lessons here.

We are all invited!

2009-03-14T06:00:00.000-04:00

“Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command; yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!”
Luke 15:29b-30

This is near the end of the story of the Prodigal Son. When he returns and his father rejoices, the older, reliable son doesn’t think the celebration is fair. How come the “good” son doesn’t get this great party?

We should all be grateful that God’s love is not fair. It is merciful and abundant and wants to welcome us back into God’s presence, whether we've been the "good" child or the "prodigal." And when we can be joyful that all people are invited and included far beyond what is fair, our hearts will be filled with the desire to celebrate in thanksgiving.

Can we forgive?

2009-03-13T06:00:00.001-04:00

Grant, O Lord, that as your Son Jesus Christ prayed for his enemles on the cross, so we may have grace to forgive those who wrongfully or scornfully use us, that we ourselves may be able to receive your forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen

Forgiveness is tough. When Jesus was praying for his enemies on the cross, there was no chance they were going to be able to hurt the humanity of him ever again. But it's harder to forgive, to give up hurt and anger, to let go of the fear of being hurt or humiliated again, when the other person may have the opportunity to hurt us again. It takes trust to forgive. Initially our trust must be in God's abundant love, which will offer us comfort in all the times we are betrayed by the world. After we trust in God's love, we can have the courage to let down our defenses and begin to trust our enemies and the world around us once again.

Serving by Leading

2009-03-12T06:00:00.000-04:00

But it is not so among you; but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all.
Mark 10:43-44

Today we honor Pope Gregory I or Gregory the Great, as he is often known. He was born into a wealthy family and prepared for a life of public service. However, when he was ordained a deacon, he sought to live a monastic life. It was not to be. His background and abilities suited him to be an ambassador and secretary for Pope Pelagius II and caused him to be elected Pelagius’s successor. The Roman Empire was crumbling at the time Gregory was pope, and he not only led the church; he also was responsible for the much-needed welfare system and most of the public works of Rome.

We are called to serve others in many ways. Sometimes we serve by leading, by taking on the commitment that leadership requires, and by risking criticism by those who resent or resist our leadership. Agreeing to lead can force us to give up our own desires, as it forced Gregory to abandon the monastic life. The key is to do our best to discern God’s will and to use our abilities in ways that honor God.

Loving for God's sake

2009-03-11T06:00:00.000-04:00

O God, you so loved the world that you gave your only-begotten Son to reconcile earth with heaven: Grant that we, loving you above all things, may love our friends in you, and our enemies for your sake; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

This prayer speaks of God’s desire to bring about the reconciliation with humanity which has been lost since Adam and Eve decided they knew what was right better than God. Our part in bringing about that healing of the rupture in our relationship with God seems to be loving others because we love God most of all. Friends we need to love as gifts from God who reveal God’s love for us. Enemies we are to love because God loves them and wants them to be reconciled as much as he wants the same for us.

How different our dealings with “enemies” or adversaries might be when we remind ourselves that God loves them. Conflicts and disagreements will still arise, and some acts will still deserve punishment. But how we treat them is bound to be affected by the importance we put on God’s love for them.

Practicing what you preach?

2009-03-10T06:00:00.000-04:00

The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat; therefore, do whatever they teach you and follow it; but do not do as they do, for they do not practice what they teach.
Jesus (Matthew 23:2-3)

What you do speaks so loud that I cannot hear what you say.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

We have all observed hypocrisy in others and have had disdain for the act and the actor. It’s especially hard to be aware of behavior that does not track words in those we think should be setting an example – athletes, teachers, priests and parents, to name a few. What we forget is that each of us sets an example for someone. It is humbling to realize that our actions will help to form the values of another person and may affect the world for generations to come. Our actions probably have more power to spread the Gospel than anything we ever will say. We should use that power carefully and with careful attention to the ways it communicates God’s love and respect for all people.

Spring Cleaning?

2009-03-09T06:00:00.001-04:00

Let your Spirit, O Lord, come into the midst of us to wash us
with the pure water of repentance, and prepare us to be
always a living sacrifice to you; through Jesus Christ our
Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one
God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Lent is intertwined with baptism and repentance, It was originally a time to prepare for baptism. It was also a time for "notorious sinners" to repent and be reconciled with the church. I don't know a lot of notorious sinners personally, but I know a lot of people who would be helped by remembering their baptismal vows and the promises of God in baptism. We are promised that although we are only baptized once, God will offer us innumerable chances to try again -- with a clean slate. The challenge is for us to really want to turn our lives in God's direction.

How much for your soul?

2009-03-08T16:01:00.002-04:00

March 8, 2009 at 8 am

MP3 File

Is it worth $400 or more than the whole world?

It's about the cross

2009-03-07T16:51:00.002-05:00

(Thanks to Hieronymus Bosch)

Would you be helping to carry the cross or just ridiculing those who do?

To put yourself in the picture and to prepare for March 8, the lessons can be found here.

Treasured by God

2009-03-07T06:00:00.002-05:00

Today you have obtained the Lord’s agreement: to be your God; and for you to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, his commandments, and his ordinances, and to obey him. 18Today the Lord has obtained your agreement: to be his treasured people, as he promised you. . .

Deuteronomy 26:17-18a

The Israelites are preparing to enter the promised land after 40 years (a long time) in the wilderness. They are being reminded of what God has promised them and what he expects of them. Sometimes I think we focus too much on the rules, what we ought to do and how we feel bad when we don’t do what we’re supposed to do. Then we forget what God’s promise is – to all of us. We will be his treasured people. In a time when earthly treasure is so much in peril, when relationships are often precarious, how nice to think of being treasured in all times and in all places. That makes doing God’s will much more about pleasing someone who holds us dear.

Staying on Course

2009-03-06T06:00:00.000-05:00

For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, says the Lord God. Turn, then, and live.

Ezekiel 18:32

Repentance, turning our lives around, so that we head in God’s direction, is one of the main messages and goals of Lent. Of course, it’s also a message that we need to hear and a goal that we need to set for ourselves throughout our lives.

I often think about the fact that jets spend most of their air time off course, turning constantly to get back on course and head in the direction of their planned destination. No matter how much time we spend in prayer and devotion, no matter how many good deeds we do to help our neighbor, we still need help getting back on course, reminding ourselves that we are dependent on a loving God who wants us to seek him – who wants to be found.

And Ezekiel reminds us that for God no one is beyond redemption. All of us have the opportunity in Lent and throughout the year to get back on course and experience the rich, abundant life of faith.

"Priceless" Help

2009-03-05T06:00:00.001-05:00

Though I walk in the midst of trouble,
you preserve my life;

Psalm 138:7a

Almost all of us feel ourselves “in the midst of trouble” with the current economic woes, either because of a reversal that we’ve already experienced or because of our anxiety about the future. The challenge for people of faith is to remember that God offers meaning for our lives beyond our financial well being. No matter how insurmountable our current problems may seem to us, God reminds us in various ways that our gifts and abilities have value and that they can be used to make the world a better, more caring place. Even when our financial resources are low, there are many ways to assist those in need -- fix something, carry something, visit, offer a ride. How many “priceless” ways could you help someone today?

How many chances do we need?

2009-03-04T06:00:00.000-05:00

Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time: 2 "Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you."

Jonah 3:1-2

When Jonah refused to go to Nineveh the first time, because he didn’t think they deserved to be saved, he ended up in the belly of a big fish. Now God is giving both Nineveh and Jonah a second chance. Jonah goes to Nineveh and warns them of God’s wrath. The people heed his warning and repent. This ticks old Jonah off. He still doesn’t think they deserve to be saved. Jonah still needs another chance.

When we are called by God to persevere in doing good for people who don’t seem to appreciate or even recognize God’s love, maybe we are the ones who need another chance. How many chances do we need to realize that God loves all people, not just the ones we think deserve that love? How many chances do we need to be convinced that God wants all of us to proclaim and spread that love – everywhere and all the time?

An experience of revival

2009-03-03T06:00:00.000-05:00

1 O for a thousand tongues to sing
my dear Redeemer’s praise,
the glories of my God and King,
the triumphs of his grace!

4 He speaks; and, listening to his voice,
new life the dead receive,
the mournful broken hearts rejoice,
the humble poor believe.

Hymn 493 -- The Hymnal 1982

Today honors Charles and John Wesley as a lesser feast of the church. Although we think of them as founders of the Methodist Church, they were Anglicans until their deaths. The split came later. We have a number of Charles’s hymns in our hymnal, including the one above. John is the one who expressed himself in other ways, including a description of the moment of his spiritual conversion:

"I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone, for salvation; and an assurance was given me that he had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death."

This is when the Methodist revival was born. I pray for moments when my heart is warmed, when I can experience a revival in my faith and ministry – without feeling the need to found a new denomination.

Revenge not so sweet

2009-03-02T06:00:00.001-05:00

Leviticus 19:18 Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.

Most of the time I’m fairly restrained about actually seeking revenge when I feel wronged. I can, however, bear a grudge for a very long time, possibly hoping for indirect revenge. There is a word which has been used in a number of situations lately – schadenfreude – which I think speaks to the desire for indirect revenge. It means taking delight in another’s misfortunes or maybe even suffering. Generally, that delight comes from thinking the other person is finally getting “what you had coming.”

How grateful we should all be that God never delights in our misfortunes and offers us so much more than we having coming. Maybe Lent is a time to examine some of those grudges in order to let go of them and to wish even those who have wronged us the recognition of all that God wants for them.

Whose voice calls to us?

2009-03-01T15:58:00.001-05:00

Sermon at St. John's on March 1, 2009 -- Lent I

MP3 File

First Sunday in Lent -- March 1

2009-02-28T15:15:00.005-05:00

It may not require our fasting, since it's in Lent but not of Lent. However, we can still prepare by reading the lections here

Refrain from trampling the sabbath

2009-02-28T06:00:00.000-05:00

Isaiah 58:13-14

If you refrain from trampling the sabbath,
from pursuing your own interests on my holy day;
if you call the sabbath a delight
and the holy day of the Lord honourable;
if you honour it, not going your own ways,
serving your own interests, or pursuing your own affairs;*
14then you shall take delight in the Lord,
and I will make you ride upon the heights of the earth;
I will feed you with the heritage of your ancestor Jacob,
for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

We’ve had trouble with Saturdays since the day after Good Friday. Since we as Christians worship on Sunday, what is Saturday for? Maybe in our busy lives, Saturday is meant to be the day we get ready for the Sabbath. Orthodox Jews plan their cooking and cleaning, so that they will not have work to do on the Sabbath. What if we did all that we could on Saturday, so that Sunday could be a day when we “take delight in the Lord,” through worship, time with families, time appreciating God’s creation, even rest?

Try to live today in such a way that you do not “trample the Sabbath” tomorrow.

Who has a dirty heart?

2009-02-27T06:00:00.000-05:00

Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And put a new and right spirit within me.

Psalm51:10

The last verse of today’s psalm is a good emphasis for Lent – trying to have the right spirit. Supposedly it was written when David had been “found out” by the prophet Nathan for playing around with Bathsheba and sending her husband to certain death in battle.

While most of us haven’t been as flagrant as David, there are always times when we know that we need new spirits. In our current time of economic distress, many of us have been “found out” for our supposition that the good times would stick around forever.

In preparing ourselves for the rebirth of Easter, we can use these 40 wilderness days to clean out our hearts and make room for those things which really matter, which last beyond the immediate, and which bring life to us and to the world around us.

As we begin our Lenten Journey

2009-02-26T06:00:00.001-05:00

Direct us, O Lord, in all our doings with your most gracious
favor, and further us with your continual help; that in all
our works begun, continued, and ended in you, we may glorify
your holy Name, and finally, by your mercy, obtain everlasting
life; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with
you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

I hope this sounds vaguely familiar to the people of St. John’s. We used it all through the capital campaign. It is the prescribed collect for the day after Ash Wednesday in Lesser Feasts and Fasts. It’s a good request for God’s help in making this a truly holy Lent. We’re probably much better at beginning and ending things. Continuing requires perseverance in the face of exhaustion and/or boredom – just like faith.

Time to be Still

2009-02-25T15:24:00.001-05:00

Ash Wednesday at 7 am at St. John's

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Ash Wednesday -- Superstition or Habit or . . .

2009-02-25T06:00:00.000-05:00

One church in New York City has more people in church on Ash Wednesday than on any other day – including Christmas and Easter. People come in, get the ashes placed on their foreheads, and leave, not to be seen again until next Ash Wednesday – or maybe never.

For many who receive ashes, the practice may be nothing more than a bit of protection against something fearsome. For others it may be “just what you do” on that day.

The liturgical significance of the ashes is a sign of repentance. Confession was to be made on Shrove Tuesday, and receiving the ashes is a continuing symbol of the intention to repent and live a pure life. The words, “Remember you are dust and to dust you shall return,” remind us that we are called to live our days wisely and with the recognition that they will end . . . only God knows when.

Shrove Tuesday

2009-02-24T06:00:00.000-05:00

The word shrove is a past tense of the English verb "shrive," which means to obtain absolution for one's sins by confessing and doing penance. It was customary to confess and be cleansed of one’s sins before Lent began. It’s also known as Pancake Day in the UK and Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday in New Orleans.

Whatever, it’s a day to be enjoyed and to give thanks.

Think you're having a bad day?

2009-02-23T12:25:00.002-05:00

Mondays can be tough. It's good to remember that others have had it much harder.

Today we honor Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna in the 2nd Century. He was burned at the stake for refusing to denounce his faith. Maybe the most amazing thing was the prayer he gave as he was dying, which included these words:

"I bless you that you have thought me worthy of this day and hour, to be numbered among the martyrs . . ."

I can't imagine being thankful for getting to burn at the stake. Maybe today I should be grateful for having work and for any opportunity I have to share Christ's love.

Snowy Sunday

2009-02-22T14:32:00.001-05:00

It was probably a good day to stay in, but the Vestry and I thought
about ways to strengthen the vitality of the parish.

Sent from my iPhone

Letting God Choose Us

2009-02-16T16:03:00.001-05:00

Sermon preached at St. John's on February 15, 2009

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Never Too Late For Ministry -- Epiphany 5

2009-02-09T18:46:00.001-05:00

Sermon preached at St. John's on Feb. 8, 2009

MP3 File

Presentation of Youth

2009-02-01T20:43:00.003-05:00

February 1, 2009

It was a good day. We honored young people who had turned 13 in the last year. They were a wonderful group. The 10 a.m. sermon can be heard by clicking on the link below. I have a new recorder, which is better than one I used before. Now I need a new voice. I hope this helps me to express myself better.

MP3 File

The Ultimate Quiz

2008-06-10T13:42:00.003-04:00

Follow this link:

http://www.4degreez.com/misc/dante-inferno-test.mv

To find out your final, final destination in the afterlife a la Dante's Inferno.

I made it to purgatory. I'm not sure I answered all the questions honestly.

Purgatory

You have escaped damnation and made it to Purgatory, a place where the dew of repentance washes off the stain of sin and girds the spirit with humility. Through contrition, confession, and satisfaction by works of righteousness, you must make your way up the mountain. As the sins are cleansed from your soul, you will be illuminated by the Sun of Divine Grace, and you will join other souls, smiling and happy, upon the summit of this mountain. Before long you will know the joys of Paradise as you ascend to the ethereal realm of Heaven.

After the Fact -- Church School Awards

2008-06-02T13:15:00.004-04:00

Yesterday we gave "awards" to the young people who had taken part in church school over the last year. The intermediate group was noteworthy, because so many of them came, even though they have the most other activities competing for their time.

We also honored the teachers who have given so generously of their time to make the church school possible. It's quite impressive that a number of the helpers are teens, some of whom didn't make the picture

However, the group we should have honored was parents. It's not easy to get the kids up and dressed in time for church. And the busyness of children and adults makes it that much harder these days. Here's to the parents who work so hard to give their children a good foundation of faith for their lives.

After the Fact -- More than you realize

2008-04-14T09:50:00.002-04:00

I often speak about how much goes on at St. John’s beyond the Sunday worship services. This week we had an interesting exercise involving more than just us. When we changed lectionaries in December, the Case family gave us a new book with the proper Gospel lessons. We received word from the publisher week before last that there was some flaw in the book – with no detailed explanation. However, they advised us to send the book in the packing they supplied on a Monday, and we would have it back by the following Sunday. Sure enough, we sent it in last Monday, and the Gospel book was in place yesterday, and I was the only one who realized it had ever been gone. Now if they’d only tell me what was wrong before . . .

Another busy happening this week is the refurbishing/repair of the steeple. It’s worth a trip by the church during the week to see the steeple jacks at work. Then maybe you can figure out how they got the blue plastic on the roof. The good news is that about half of the cost of the repair has come from the appreciation in the value of the building endowment. That fund was established about 8 years ago, and with even a few bequests, it has grown to help with major repairs. The proceeds of any undesignated bequests are put into that fund. Consider doing your part to keep the church beautiful and functional long after you are able to attend services. It will help more than you realize.