It seems to me, when we look back at early Christianity, those early decades of Christianity, as we look at the scriptures that tell us something about that early time, it is important for us to remember that there was no New Testament. There were the Hebrew scriptures, but these early Christians began to live their lives trying to follow what they believed Jesus was about…
According to my count, by the time we reach the benediction this morniing, we will have heard or said or sung the word “faith” nine times. Not to mention professing our faith what we believe as Christians in the words of the Nicene Creed. I actually expected the number to be larger. After all, we are people of faith. We are members of a faith community, seeking to live faithfully in this world. Regardless of whether we use the word faith, the language of faith fills our worship and forms our thinking and shapes our lives…
Good morning. I greet you on this the 18th Sunday after the Day of Pentecost. Today is also a momentous day in my own life, in the lives of many volunteers here at St. Paul’s, and, I hope, in the life of our entire parish and community as we celebrate the launch of St. Paul’s Center for Hope and Healing. The Center for Hope and Healing is a new mission and outreach of this parish which offers counseling, education, support and resources to persons at St. Paul’s as well as those within the greater community…
I’d like to begin by talking about vestments. This alb that I wear – I should tell you that I bought this alb eight years ago. I was in seminary and I had to have one for my first parish where I was an intern. Just to let you know how space-age these things are, it’s kind of held together by a white shoestring that goes across on the inside. About six weeks ago I noticed that my alb string was becoming dangerously frayed. I turned to Candy and I asked, “What happens when it breaks?” Well it broke this morning..
Today is a day of beginnings here at St. Paul’s as our programs begin today. Our Church School kicked off today, our Youth Program, our Choirs are in full swing, and so many other parts of our church life gear up at this time of the year. In many ways, it’s a time of beginning. In that context I’d like to talk about some things to think about as we begin…
As a preacher, I almost always choose to talk about the day’s Gospel lesson. I may touch on the other lessons but my main concern is to dwell on the message contained in the Gospel. So with that in mind I intend to give some very practical advice on how to behave at a dinner party, so as to avoid embarrassment. It’s simply a matter of choosing the right seat…
Well I can report three sure signs that fall is approaching fast. One, I got to watch about two minutes of a very bad pre-season football game last night. Two, the acolytes were comparing the upcoming school schedules they had received this week with varying degrees of enthusiasm and dread. And three, as you passed through the narthex you probably noticed there were many opportunities to sign up for things…
It sure has been a hot summer so far. We’ve been hitting the triple-digit numbers on more than one occasion. Even across the world it’s been very hot too. So I guess it seems rather appropriate that in this morning’s gospel, we see Jesus turning up the heat as well. Jesus says, “I came to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled…”
What is faith to you? If you were to describe what faith is, how would you describe that? There are probably as many ways of describing it as there are people here in the room today. For many of us we may see faith almost as something that you own. You know, people say, I have faith…”
Oliver Wendell Holmes said, “I would not give a fig for the simplicity on this side of complexity, but I would give my life for the simplicity on the other side of complexity.” Let me give you a visual on this so you can follow me here. Let’s just say that this (points to lectern), right here where I’m standing, is the complexity of our lives…