Christ have mercy.Hear our sighs too deep for words.Christ have mercy. In the wake of the shootings at Robb Elementary School, I was drawn back to this sermon I wrote over six years ago–after another mass shooting closer to my home. Christ have mercy. A sermon on Luke 13:1-9 from February 2016 Jesus, Jesus. Did…
The last time I saw my 19-year-old son*, he grumbled at me in the middle of the public library: “Just stop yelling at me all the time. I’m sick of it. I’m finally living my life how I want and you can’t control me!” For the record, I wasn’t yelling at him. I had told…
Many of you know that I have an Advent devotional, Expecting Emmanuel, coming out in September. It has felt rather awkward to be working on it during Lent, but as we approach Mother’s Day, the exploration of the women in Jesus’ genealogy and early life seems quite fitting. This weekend, I will be sending out…
Originally posted on Spacious Faith:
Crucifix at Southside Presbyterian Church in Tucson, Arizona. Some were there when Jesus, bloody and bruised, climbed the hill to the Place of the Skull. The women, wailing along with the infants in their arms; Simon of Cyrene, forced to carry the cross beam that Jesus could no longer bear;…
Here is the man! Jesus, accused of being a criminal. Jesus, who threatens the religious establishment.Here is your King!The ruler of a Kingdom that is not from this world.The ruler who threatens the power of empire.Here is the man!Who witnesses to the truth.Who gives no answer.Here is your King!Jesus, son of Mary.Jesus, son of God.Jesus,…
My upcoming book, Expecting Emmanuel, is now available for pre-order! (You can order it from the publisher, MennoMedia, here, and from Amazon here.) To receive occasional emails about the status of the book, where/when I may be speaking about the book, a potential virtual Advent small group, and other opportunities, please sign up for the…
Opening Prayer Holy One,We gather in the darkness of this nightTo remember the sacred story:The baby that has been born,The child that has been given.We offer our deep gratitude.We look ahead with anticipation.We place our world, our communities, our loved ones, and ourselvesIn your tender care.For the desperate, we pray hope.For the fearful, we pray…
Holy One, God of the valley, God of the wind, God who breathes life into the dry and the dead: Somehow we are part of your audacious and unsettling work of resurrection. We do not understand it. We barely believe it. And yet we hear the rattling. We see the sinews and flesh and skin.…
Originally posted on Spacious Faith:
The four offertory prayers below are written for the four Sundays of Advent to coordinate with the Advent candle themes. ? Holy One, this Advent season we wait in hope. And we give in hope. Hope for your coming reign; Hope because of your presence with us even now. Receive…
I haven’t posted much since we started this year’s Narrative Lectionary cycle several weeks ago. So below is a call to worship I wrote for this week, and links to several sermons. Call to Worship for 1 Kings 5:1-5, 8:1-13 (with John 4: 21-24) We are not on the mountain or in Jerusalem. We are…
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