Shows
Curiosity. Faith. Questions.John 6:1-21 Bread of Life 1/5Today we started a 5-week stretch in John 6 (lectionary portions below), a lot on the “Bread of Life” and communion. I encourage you to read the whole chapter sometime this week (or month of August). Help my sermon prep by sharing your thoughts- questions, insights, wonderings, etc.- with me via email, text, old-fashioned phone call, or drop a note my hand Sunday morning. Thanks! -Kate
DATE JOHN 6:v Sundays & Seasons’ Super Summation
7/28 1-21 Christ feeding the five thousand
8/4 24-35 Christ the bread of life
8/11 35, 41-51 Christ the bread of life (yup- a repeat)
☕︎ 8/18 51-58 ...2024-07-2914 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Easter 1 2023: See Tell EncounterGospel read at the beginning of worship to announce the Resurrection. Recorded and added later.2023-04-0909 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Maundy Thursday 2023: LoveJohn 13:1-17, 31b-352023-04-0710 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Lent 5 John 11: a story of faithRetelling of John 11- gospel reading and sermon as one2023-03-2711 min
Curiosity. Faith. Questions.Lent 4 John 9:1-41 Metaphors of Conflict and UnitySin does NOT equal disability.2023-03-2116 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Lent 3 John 4:1-42: a history of thirst(ing for justice)Lectionary is v.5-42.2023-03-1215 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Lent 2 2023: Writing Nicodemus...and a baptism.2023-03-0613 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Lent 1 2023: No Shortcuts Through the WildernessMatthew 4:1-112023-02-2712 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Ash Wednesday 2023: More from the Sermon on the MountTeasing our Lenten Book study: Sermon on the Mount: A Beginner's Guide to the Kingdom of Heaven by Amy-Jill Levine.2023-02-2311 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Matthew 17:1-9: Six DaysSix days later...2023-02-2010 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Matthew 5:13-20: Salt and Light for LifeSalt and light are essential for living. Our "good works" are not for ourselves, but for glorifying God and loving our neighbors.2023-02-0611 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Matthew 5:1-12: The Beatitudes for Living TogetherThe Ethical Discourse for how we live together.2023-01-3009 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Matthew 4:12-23: Assemblies, Changes, & Annual MeetingsA short sermon for "annual meeting season."2023-01-2309 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.John 1:29-42: an invitation to "come and see"It was a day. Discipleship and the baptized life are life long.2023-01-1609 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Matthew 3:13-17 Fulfilling All RighteousnessJesus fulfills all righteousness, obedient to God's right and just will. Like his foremothers and fathers.2023-01-0909 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Christmas Eve 2022: Mary and the Foremothers of JesusA little recap-ish of the Advent Mothers, comparing Mary in Matthew and Luke, and how Jesus is part of it all.2023-01-0910 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Advent Mothers: Bathsheba2 Samuel 11-12 (13-14 for the narrative pairing concerning Tamar, Amnon, and Absalom), and 1 Kings 1-2.
Content warning: rape, murder, infant death. NOTE: God's casting judgement upon David for his sins results in the death of their first son. Despite seeing such things happen in scripture throughout this series, KNOW that God does not kill in judgement of our sins.2022-12-1919 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Advent Mothers: RuthRuth is bold, risk-taking, and intensely loyal, steadfast in loving kindness.2022-12-1216 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Advent Mothers: RahabReading selection: Joshua 2:1-21. For all of Rahab, read Joshua 2, 6:15-25.
Hymn not recorded/ included.2022-12-0514 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Advent Mothers: TamarGenesis 38:13-19, 24-27 read. Read all of Gen. 38 for the full story.
Hymn lyrics written and sung by Kate Drefke. Set to the tune of "Rejoice, Rejoice Believers" and available upon request.2022-11-2717 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Reign of Christ: Power and VulnerabilityHear the hymn referenced, You, Lord, Are Both Lamb and Shepherd at https://youtu.be/4_63xC8cy5g2022-11-2109 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Luke 21:5-19: The EndAfter the destruction of the Temple, Luke's writer uses Jesus to speak to the present/future fears of the people.2022-11-1311 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Luke 6:20-31 All Saints Sunday: Blessings and WoesBecause it's Election Day in two days, and I didn't explicitly work it into the sermon, and in case anyone reads this: VOTE! Vote for your neighbor's well-being. What do they need? Who will help? Who will hurt? Vote as if your neighbor's life depended on it.*
*Your neighbor's life really could depend on how you vote. Is there a proposal on your ballot to expand access to or coverage of mental health and/or medical care? Any equal rights measures? What are the candidates priorities? Even if you disagree with the choices someone might make, vote...2022-11-0611 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Reformation Sunday 2022: Emergence, Transformation, ReformationWhat are some of the changes, reformations, transformations, you have witnessed here? …
What are, or have been, some of your fears in times of uncertainty or transition? …
What are, or have been, your hopes in times of uncertainty or transition? …
Sing: The Church of Christ, in Every Age (ELW #729) https://youtu.be/Q35unipWCuI2022-10-3016 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Luke 18:9-14: A Little Bit Pharisee/ A Little Bit Tax CollectorThere's a long quote from The Jewish Annotated New Testament citing several passages of scripture. They are:
Luke 11:4
Genesis 18:24-33
Luke 18:14b
Luke 14:11
Mathew 23:12
2022-10-2310 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Luke 18:1-8 Justice & VengeanceThe widow cried "avenge me!" The judge feared a black eye so did as the woman said. But what is justice- not vengeance- in the hard and impossible times?2022-10-2010 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Luke 17:11-19How do you respond to God's activity in the world?2022-10-1009 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Mission & Discernment: the Summer 2022 Super EpisodeAnchor does not (yet) allow episodes to be arranged as a playlist, so here's the super episode of summer 2022 mission and discernment series. Individual episodes can be found by searching this podcast for "Trinity Sunday 2022" (#1), "Mission and Discernment" 2, 3, and 4.2022-09-2651 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Grief & Loss: The Series (Summer 2022)Anchor does not (yet) have a way of sharing episodes as playlist, so I've created this super episode of the Grief and Loss sermon series done in summer 2022 at the two ELCA congregations I serve: Faith, Troy and Evangelical, Poestenkill. The series used William Worden's four tasks of mourning, a clinical model for grief counseling and therapy. My intention was to balance the clinical grief education with spiritual care, each complimenting and supporting the other. (To be clear: the Bible is NOT a mental health resource. Mental health and spiritual health are distinct things, but with shared and overlapping...2022-09-2659 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Grief 4: Continuing BondsWorden's fourth task is, "to find a way to remember the deceased while embarking on the rest of one's journey through life." Death is not the end of our relationships with loved ones, just the end of how they were. We create continuing bonds that carry our relationships forward in transformed ways, and make room in our lives for new relationships.
Readings: John 11:14-17, 21-26a; 1 Corinthians 15:51-55; Romans 6:3-5, 8-9
Hymn of the Day: ACS #1030 "Death Be Never Last" https://youtu.be/xJAUoYBzOZY2022-09-2614 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Luke 16:1-13 What does this even mean?Ever wonder why Jesus just can't speak "plainly"? Me, too.2022-09-1812 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Mission/Discernment 4: Demons, Disease, Good NewsScripture readings: Luke 9:1-6; Matthew 10:5-8, Acts 6:1-7
see/compare Lk 9:1-6, Mt 10:5-15, Mk 3:13-19
Hymn: We All Are One in Mission (ELW #576): https://youtu.be/UqTdphvJODY2022-09-1111 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Philemon & Onesimus & PaulA brief consideration of Paul's letter to Philemon (et al.), reviewing the top two theories about the letter's intent and what they might mean for us today.2022-09-0613 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Grief 3: AdjustmentsWorden's third task of mourning: “to adjust to a world without the deceased.”
A reading from Psalm…
1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from helping me, from the words of my groaning?
2 O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer;
and by night but find no rest. (Ps. 22:1-2)
A reading from Bonnie Raitt…
And just like that your life can change
If I hadn't looked away
My boy might still be w...2022-08-2916 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Luke 13:10-17: Legalism v. LiberationJesus liberates us from the legalisms used against us, AND those we use against others.2022-08-2211 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Mission & Discernment 3: Discernment and GiftsThis does some brief cross-talk with the congregation.
Scripture readings: Exodus 3:7-12 and Romans 12:1-8
Spiritual Gifts Assessment tool referenced: https://www.elca.org/Our-Work/Congregations-and-Synods/Faith-Practices/Spiritual-Renewal/Assessment-Tools2022-08-1514 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Faith Unseen and Yet to Come (7 Aug 2022)Assigned epistle reading: Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16. Preached on v. 1 & 3- definition of faith.
lyric video of hymn, "Faith Begins By Letting Go": https://youtu.be/HoGpu2P4rTA2022-08-0808 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Music in WorshipSunday's worship was a hymn sing, so here's a little sermonette on why we sing and have hymns in our worship.2022-08-0106 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Grief 2: Grief HurtsGrief hurts.
"O God, Why Are You Silent?" ELW #7032022-07-2412 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Sample Platter of Jesus' Teachings on the Road to Jerusalem (17 July 2022)Assigned Gospel: Luke 10:38-42. Touched on last week's (Luke 10:25-37), and spent most of the time on next week's (Luke 11:1-13, v.1-4).2022-07-1713 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Mission and Discernment 2: Who is the Church?Who is the Church? The answer sounds simple, but is complex and more than we are.2022-07-1112 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Luke 10:1-20 Sent in Jesus' Name/ Receive in Jesus' NameCW: rape (in Gen. 19).
Practice radical hospitality.2022-07-0513 min
Curiosity. Faith. Questions.Grief 1: Hard RealitiesFirst in a four-part series on grief and loss. Guiding clinical model is William Worden's 4 tasks of mourning. Task 1: to accept the reality of the loss.
If you find yourself needing to talk or otherwise having difficulties, talk to Pr. Kate or a licensed therapist.
Hymn of the day: ACS #1054 "God Weeps with Us Who Weep and Mourn": https://youtu.be/1gzIzRA43mE and https://youtu.be/cXRPvVG9pMI
Prayer intercession: God who knows our losses, our griefs. Sit with us like Job’s friends. Weep with us. In time, help us to ac...2022-06-2715 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Galatians 3:23-29 Set Free in Baptism with ChristGospel lesson read Luke 8:26-39
Hymn recommendation: "Lift Every Voice and Sing" https://youtu.be/xit09LrjJUU (see ELW 841 for lyrics)2022-06-1913 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Trinity Sunday 2022/ Come Join the Divine DanceAlso the first in a summer series on mission and discernment.
HOD: "Come, Join the Dance of Trinity" (ELW #412) by Richard Leach; music: English folk tune https://youtu.be/__cSgHK9yhw2022-06-1311 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Pentecost 2022: The Holy Spirit is a Gift of BaptismActs lesson read and added: 2:1-21
Gospel lesson: John 14:8-272022-06-0812 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.another school shootingActs lesson (16:16-34) read and added in.
School shootings are bad. Mass shootings anywhere are bad. Killing people is bad. Remember your baptism and renounce evil forces which turn you from God. Remember your baptism and proclaim Christ in word and deed, forsaking violence always for peace and justice.2022-05-3112 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.In the Aftermath of Marjory Stoneman DouglasThis was my sermon 4 days after the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, FL. That shooting was Valentine's Day and Ash Wednesday in 2018. The Sunday was the first of Lent. I was on internship. This was preached at Joy Lutheran in Eagle River, AK.2022-05-2613 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Acts 16:9-15 (Easter 6) Created, Called, SentRacism and White Christian Nationalism are bad and antithetical to the Gospel of Jesus.2022-05-2310 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Easter 4 2022: God Does Not Abandon the VulnerableActs 9:36-43 (also recommend reading the whole chapter).2022-05-0809 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Acts 9:1-20 (Easter 3) Saul gets knocked down (but he gets up again)Separate recordings of the reading and sermon.2022-05-0211 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Easter 2: Acts 5:27-32 and other stuffA post-reading of the Acts lesson today, and then the sermon reading of the Gospel from John 20:19-31.
The Easter sermon "series" will be on the Acts readings, and surrounding stuff.2022-04-2412 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Easter 2022: 2 of Luke's ProclamationsAssigned lectionary: Acts 10:34-43; Luke 24:1-12
Preached most of Acts 10 and about 1/2-3/4 Luke 242022-04-1910 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Maundy Thursday 2022 John 13:1-35John's unique features and loving one another like Jesus.
Hymn after: ELW #358 "Great God, Your Love Has Called Us" https://youtu.be/VytOka1mXHQ2022-04-1513 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Luke 19:28-40 Palm SundayThe worship service was exclusively Palm Sunday (not Passion), so was the sermon.
Hymn of the Day: Pave the Way with Branches by Bret Hesla, performed here by Tim McNabb: https://youtu.be/MZ_uUXCDMk42022-04-1108 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Luke 12:1-8 (Lent 5) A Martha nerd out and smelly symbolismElizabeth Schrader's website with a link to the article I mentioned: https://www.elizabethschrader.com/about-72022-04-0412 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Luke 15 (Lent 4) Parables of the lostLectionary assigns only the third parable (Lk 15:1-3, 11b-32). all of chapter 15 read and preached here.2022-03-2813 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Luke 13:1-9 (Lent 3) two mini sermonsTwo mini sermons on the way to Jerusalem.2022-03-2010 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Luke 13:31-35 (Lent 2) a verse-by-verse explorationSmall congregational attendance creating/allowing for a more conversational tone.2022-03-1412 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Luke 4:1-13 (Lent 1)Hangry Jesus resists temptation and reminds us that even the devil can quote scripture to prove their point.2022-03-0712 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Ash Wednesday 2022 sermonRemember that you are dust
and to dust you shall return.
https://youtu.be/_bT-wiYsqkY2022-03-0309 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Luke 9:28-43a Transfiguration SundayMountain highs and valley lows.
Sermon begins with reading Luke 9:18-27.
Quoted article: https://religionnews.com/2022/02/24/next-year-in-kyiv/2022-02-2813 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Luke 6:27-38 living in relationship with the divine and other humansJesus' sermon continues with more hard truths for us- this time about how we live in relationship with the divine and one another.2022-02-2110 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Luke 6:17-26 economic justice in the realm of GodLuke's beatitudes hit at our propensity for economic violence and calls us to economic justice as a means of realizing the realm of God in the here and now.2022-02-1410 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Luke 5:1-11 The Chaotic DeepReading quote (below) from Preaching the Gospels Without Blaming the Jews: A Lectionary Commentary (2004) by Ronald J. Allen & Clark M. Williamson; p. 184.
The term “deep water” translates the Greek bathos, that is translated “deep” in Gen. 1:2. The deep was a fierce, untamed, dark, primal sea that existed before God began to speak into existence and bring into covenantal relationship the elements of creation. In Jewish mythology, the sea often represents chaos.2022-02-0709 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Luke 4:14-30 (3rd & 4th Suns after Epiphany) Jesus speaks hard truthsLectionary for 23 Jan/ 3rd Sunday after Epiphany Luke 4:14-21, for following Sunday Luke 4:21-30. It's a passage that (I think) should be read and preached together. So I did.2022-01-3111 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.The Body of Christ has many gifts (23 January 2022)Preached at ELCP ahead of their annual congregational meeting. Gospel of the day (Luke 4:14-21) read, and primary preaching text was 1 Corinthians 12. Recording paused during the dialogue portion and then picked up again for the final minute.2022-01-2410 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.John 2:1-11 (16 Jan 2022) trusting without comprehendingAt a wedding in Cana, Jesus turns water into wine as the people around him trust without comprehending what he has done.2022-01-1609 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Lessons & Carols for Naming Jesus: Savior Christ Lord (2 Jan 2021)Sunday was a service of lessons and carols for the naming of Jesus: Savior, Christ, and Lord. Gospel lessons are followed by a brief reflection.
Readings:
Psalm 8
Isaiah 12:2-6
*Matthew 1:18-21
Isaiah 61:1-3, 11
*John 1:19-23. 29-34
Isaiah 6:1-8
*Luke 1:26-35
*recorded and followed by a brief reflection2022-01-0313 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Lessons and Carols brief reflection (26 Dec. 2021)Brief reflection following seven lessons (NRSV) and carols (ELW- Evangelical Lutheran Worship).
Genesis 1:1-5, 14-18
It Came Upon a Midnight Clear v.3-4
Micah 5:2-5a
O Little Town of Bethlehem v.3-4
Luke 1:26-35, 38
The Angel Gabriel from Heaven Came v.1-2
Matthew 1:18-25
That Boy-Child of Mary v.1-2
Luke 2:8-20
Angels from the Realms of Glory v.1-2
Matthew 2:1-11
In the Bleak Midwinter v.2-3
John 1:1-14
Of the Father's Love Begotten v.1&5
2021-12-2603 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Christmas Eve 2021 (Luke 2:1-20)Think about the nativity scenes you've seen...2021-12-2512 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Luke 1:39-55 (19 Dec. 2021) Advent 4: The Magnificat! Let our hearts rejoice!Even in-utero John proclaims Jesus as the Holy One, the Messiah. The Magnificat- Mary's (or Elizabeth's) song is a song of revolution.
Hymn of the day, based off the Magnificat: ELW 723, Canticle of the Turning (one of my absolute favorites!). Church musician Robert Morehead (Emmanuel Lutheran Church) presents on and plays it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xE8oe9qM5Cc
And church musician Tim McNabb (Halifax Lutheran Church) plays it here: https://youtu.be/BBm597ApG3Q?list=RDMMBBm597ApG3Q2021-12-1910 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Luke 3:7-18/Advent 3 (12 Dec. 2021) Prepare for the Lord, aka the apocalypseAdvent 3, following Advent 2: John the Baptizer reminding us of covenant, practicing mercy and justice, generosity, and integrity.
The quote from Dr. Miguel A. De La Torre, professor at Iliff School of Theology:
"When soldiers ask John the Baptist what they must do, John responds that they must not use coercion or extortion against anyone. But an empire can only be sustained by its army carrying out violent actions. War, by its very definition, requires violence, and therefore John’s response is revolutionary, for if imperial armies cease doing violence, empires will cease to exist." (The Peoples' Bible...2021-12-1211 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Luke 3:1-6 (5 Dec. 2021) Advent 2: Prepare with hopeful anticipationFirst Sunday in new call! Two-point; both recorded, second recorded and posted (first available upon request).2021-12-0510 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.John 18:33-37 (21 Nov. 2021) Antifa Sunday and goodbyeThis Sunday is known in the calendar as Christ the King Sunday. It is the last Sunday of the Church year, and was my final Sunday in this congregation which has its closing service Jan 9.
The tweet I quote:
Nadia Bolz-Weber
@Sarcasticluther
Pope Pius XI established Christ the King Sunday in 1925 to counter what he regarded as the destructive forces of facism and the totalitarian claims of Nazi ideologies. I know I am 4 days early, but Happy Antifa Sunday, everyone.
6:44 PM · Nov 17, 2021·Twitter Web App2021-11-2210 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Mark 13:1-8 (14 Nov 2021) "It's the end of the world as we know it..."Mark's people are stressed, feeling the end of all they knew upon them. Jesus speaks to their hurt and trauma.2021-11-1411 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.John 11 All Saints 2021 (7 Nov 2021) grief and other emotions in humannessAssigned lectionary was John 11:32-44. I read 11:1-54 to let the text, the story speak for itself.
Congregation has started process to close, has no traditions around All Saints.2021-11-0816 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Reformation Sunday 2021- the Great Emergence follows the Great ReformationReferences to Phyllis Tickle's 2008 book, The Great Emergence: How Christianity is Changing and Why. I highly recommend reading it.
Context, referenced: congregation voted two weeks ago to pursue Holy Closure, and will finish worshipping together in early January. Change is hard.2021-10-3114 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Mark 10:46-52 (24 Oct. 2021) The guy we never remember is the model for discipleshipIt seems we aren't familiar with Bartimaeus because his story showing up in the lectionary usually conflicts with Reformation Sundays.2021-10-2611 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Mark 10:32-45 (17 Oct 2021) the baptized life isn't about Jesus' favorite"Jesus loves you, but I'm his favorite." The baptized life is about service, care and concern for the oppressed and vulnerable, not occupying places of favor or honor.
Small congregation voting on closure after several months of dedicated discussion, which followed years of "kicking the can down the road."2021-10-1713 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Mark 10:17-31 (10 Oct. 2021) Hard choices/ answering a question with a questionCongregation will meet next week after worship to vote on council recommendation to close. Hard conversations have been had and will be had.
The young, rich man was given a hard choice. What happened to him?2021-10-1011 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Mark 10:2-16 (3 October 2021) Made for relationshipReminder: Jesus said divorce is bad, and NOTHING about gays or other LGBTQ+ people. We are made for relationship with the Divine and one another. This means healthy, nurturing, caring, loving relationships. Abusive relationships of any sort are antithetical to the Gospel and God's Creation, ongoing creative activity.2021-10-0413 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Mark 9:38-50 (Pent 18) how many odd references are in this sermon?Lots of references to myriad things, including this sermon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1v00iAqhUno&t=791s
Congregation is grappling with upcoming vote to close.
2021-09-2712 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Mark 9:30-37 (19 Sept. 2021) Welcome is activeSmall congregation without live music. Worshipped outside to resume singing during worship. Music for worship played from YouTube* and we sang along. Hymn referenced at end of sermon (All Are Welcome by Marty Haugen): https://youtu.be/U-S-Peltx-c.
*Thank you Halifax Lutheran Church/Lutheran Church of the Resurrection and Tim McNabb. Your channel/recordings are what we use every week (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8Cc1Y1pshqQ8X8F3nBr-lQ).2021-09-2011 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Mark 8:27-38 (12 Sept. 2021) divine things are hard and lead to the crossGot an excellent follow-up/clarifying question after worship about identifying Jesus with the cross at this point. Remember, the gospels were written ~40+ years following Jesus' resurrection and ascension and are NOT first person accounts. The writers wrote to different audiences and had different ways of emphasizing the life and ministry of Jesus. Also, Jesus wasn't crucified for going around telling everyone he was God (or the Messiah as he instructs the disciples in today's reading to keep quiet), but for telling the earthly powers that they, like God, needed to be concerned with the needs and rights of the...2021-09-1211 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Mark 7:24-37 (5 Sept. 2021) geography and remembering the gone but not forgottenPretty sure I spent too much time on a geography lesson and not enough on Jesus.2021-09-0512 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Mark 7:1-23 (29 Aug 2021) traditions v. GodAssigned lectionary is Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23. Read Mark 7:1-15, 17-23 (no v.16; some translations offer one. Mark is weird).
Remember: Jesus was Jewish and we shouldn't use our scriptures to disparage Judaism/Jewish people.
Warning: lots of rhetorical questions for your deeper consideration.2021-08-2912 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.John 6:56-69 (22 Aug 2021) Jesus' bread is too hard (13th Su after Pentecost)Gospel reading begins w/v.57.2021-08-2311 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.John 6:51-58 (15 Aug 2021) the eucharist is a way of livingFor John's writer, Jesus doesn't institute the eucharist in a single event, but his whole life institutes the eucharist.2021-08-1610 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Bookstore open mic poetryAugust 2021 Second Saturday at local bookstore sharing own writing.
Pandemic's America (a slight revision from last month's presentation)
A Late Morning Wake-Up (a fun shortie I wrote that morning)
Goddess 10-1 (playing with form; written out there are 10 stanzas of four lines each; stanza 1 each line is 10 syllables, stanza 2, 9 syllables, down to 1)2021-08-1508 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.John 6:35-51 (8 Aug 2021) Jesus is the bread of life/ What is daily bread?Assigned lectionary is 6:35, 41-51; read 6:35-51.2021-08-0910 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.John 6:22-35 (1 August 2021)Reading adds v. 22-23 to assigned lectionary. Imagined snarky-ish Jesus responses in sermon.2021-08-0109 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.John 6:1-21 9th Sunday after PentecostCompares/contrasts Mark's version (read the week before) with John's telling. Allow our hearts to be broken open to God's abundance.2021-07-2610 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Mark , or... the rest of Mark 6 (18 July 2021)Assigned lection for the day: Mark 6:30-34, 53-56. I added in v. 35-52 to the reading for narrative context. Sermon also references earlier events of chp. 6.
Preaching setting: tiny, older congregation without a called pastor for the last 2-3 years; a local retired pastor served as their stated supply most weeks until re-retirement in June. COVID shutdowns meant a lot of "at home worship" because no technology know-how for an online option.2021-07-1913 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Pandemics America & Pentecost SundayBYOW(writing) event at local bookstore, 10 July 2021. First piece is a work in progress, working title "Pandemics America" and the second is a very slight rework of my 2021 Pentecost Sunday sermon.2021-07-1311 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.forgiveness and confession (27 June 2021)Pt. 4/4 of "ask the pastor" series. Forgiveness and Confession.
Citations* at end of manuscript:
[1] Johnathan C. Richardson. "Forgiveness that matters: The witness of peacemaking by a forgiven people." Christian Century (May 5, 2021 issue, p. 23). https://www.christiancentury.org/article/critical-essay/christian-peacemaking-and-role-forgiveness
[2] Book of Concord (2000). Kolb, Wengert, eds. "Brief exhortation to confession," M. Luther. p.477.
*Yes, I know- not properly formatted.
Recommended viewing:
search "Azim Khamisa" on YouTube for several videos on his story and the work he and others do to end youth violence.
"Meeting with a Killer" documentary (2001)https://www...2021-06-2716 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.translations and other texts (20 June 2021)Pt. 3 of "ask the pastor" sermon series. Asks about Bible translations and what to do with ancillary texts and sources beyond scripture.2021-06-2316 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.church buildings and liturgical colors (13 June 2021)Pt. 2 of "ask the pastor" sermon series. Q1: What are the different parts of a church building and where did those names come from? Q2: What are the seasons of the church, their colors, and the meanings of those colors?
Refers heavily to an accompanying handout. Information from that handout can be found by google definition search (terms: sanctuary, chancel, nave, narthex, sacristy), and https://blogs.elca.org/worship/541/ images can be found here and here.2021-06-2317 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Intergalactic Jesus? (6 June 2021)Pt. 1 in "Ask the Pastor" sermon series. Stated belief in God creating the universe and all that it contains. Assuming life on other planets, do they each have their own Jesus?2021-06-1413 minCuriosity. Faith. Questions.Pentecost 2021 (Holy Spirit)Sermon for Pentecost Sunday, 2021. Pseudo-spoken word style.
Preaching context: congregation in call process.2021-06-1408 min