James 1:16-27 (Watch the video here.) With a word,our lives changed: coronavirus. With a lack of words,our world shrinks in size. With a dearth of words, our souls ache with hunger; if only we could listen, watch, think, scroll, read our way to satiation. We thirst for words. Immersed in an ocean, we long still. […]
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James 2:1-10, 14-17 (Watch sermon here.) James writes,“My siblings, your faith in our glorious Savior Jesus Christmust not allow favoritism.” Do you play favorites? How do you know when you are playing favorites? Hm. At the core of our faith,Jesus provides an orientationto a life of transformation. Jesus begins this orientation by urging us,leave your […]
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James 3:1-12 Watch video here Our passage today is a snippet of a letter.I am going to continue reading it,so you hear how James emphasizes wisdomafter speaking of the dangers of speaking. James writes,“Are any of you wise and understanding?Show that your actions are good with a humble lifestylethat comes from wisdom.However, if you have […]
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Scripture: Matthew 21:23-32 It’s the third of July. Bonfires blaze around Conesus Lake as everyone celebrates the holiday. Fireworks boom in the sky, their light crackling into cascading chandeliers. As I stand on the dock, water laps beneath me. A bonfire on the other side of lake catches my eye as it does every year. […]
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Readings: Poem written by Hafiz The small man Builds cages for everyone He knows. While the sage, Who has to duck his head When the moon is low, Keeps dropping keys all night long For the Beautiful Rowdy Prisoners. Matthew 18: 21 – 35 Peter came up and asked Jesus, “When a sibling wrongs […]
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Scripture: Matthew 18:15-20 Toilet paper. The man walked around with a sad piece of toilet paper tagging behind his shoe. As it dragged, a stranger turned and said, “If I had toilet paper on my shoe, I would want someone to tell me.” One of my mentors told me that story of their real-life experience. […]
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Scriptures: Exodus 3:1-15, Matthew 16:21-27 In the article, “Nothing to Say”, written in 1854, philosopher Henry David Thoreau comments on new technology. Thoreau writes, “Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end which it was already too easy to […]
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Scripture: Matthew 16:13-20 I have been thinking about how to describe the pandemic. If the pandemic had a color, what color would it be? “Crayon melt color,” my friend, Carolyn Frantz, replied thoughtfully. She and I had just finished discussing what a weird time quarantine is. It’s a time when you can glimpse […]
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Scriptures: James 3:16 and Matthew 15:21-28 Thin, white candles flicker in our hands, each lit by the person next to us. A sea of light spreads through the dark room. That Saturday, my candle accompanies me as I sit cross-legged on the floor, and listen to the story of Mary of Magdala. Mary of Magdala […]
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John 20:1-18 Mary of Magdala’s love is deep. Just like her grief. That is why I am so surprised that when Mary finally sees Jesus; she does not recognize Jesus. Literally the text says, “She turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus.” Why do you think […]
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