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Who Is to Blame? Psalm 63:1-8; Luke 13:1-9 Jesus is asked a great many questions in the book of Luke. Most of the time he answers with a story or a parable or another question. But in the passage we just heard this morning, he twice answers clearly and succinctly: “No.” Please click on the March 2010 Chronicle for church news and interesting events happening at First UCC this month!
Tempted … Again … Psalm 91:1-2, 9-16; Luke 4: 1-13 The devil asked Jesus the question we would like to ask him: Who are you, really? And because he was the devil, he phrased the question in a provocative way: If are the Son of God, then …” He made it sound as if everyone knew what the Son of God would think and do, and so the only question was whether Jesus would meet those expectations or not.
Optical Illuminations Exodus 34:29-35; Luke 9:28-36 I thought a lot about the title of this sermon. Early this week I settled on “Optical Illuminations,” because I wasn’t sure I wanted to go out on a limb with the title that was really in my head – “Optional Illuminations.” But that’s the question that wouldn’t leave me alone these last few days: Do I have to believe this story about mysterious lights, ghostly appearances, and words from heaven?
Praying for the World God of all people and places, We know that you care about all that is wrong in our world. Therefore, we pray for all the people who have suffered Losses from the earthquake in Haiti. We also pray for those who are helping them. Jesus teaches us of your love. Help us to make a difference By giving what we can to the people of Haiti, and helping them to know that you are with them. Help us to show your healing love through giving and loving, Helping those who are hurt, And working at Feed My Starving Children. Amen.
Deep Water Isaiah 6:1-8; Luke 5:1-11 About two weeks before my friend Katherine Mulhern and I left for seminary – she to Eden Seminary in St. Louis and I to Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley – we drove across the state of Washington to our beloved church camp on the shores of Lake Coeur d’Alene just over the state line in Idaho. Our friend and pastor Todd Wyrick was just finishing a week with the Senior High Camp, and he had promised to give us a blessing for our journeys. Please click on the February 2010 Chronicle for church news and interesting events happening at First UCC this month!
A Thousand Body Parts 1 Corinthians 12:12-31a; Luke 4:14-21 Last week was Part One of the message(from 1 Corinthians 12): There are varieties of gifts. This week is Part Two: All of them are equally important. And did you notice that St. Paul wrote Part Two with humor?
1 Corinthians 12:4-11; John 2:1-11 Many Gifts, One Spirit I was looking forward to preaching a sermon this morning about weddings. The evocative story of Jesus providing 150 gallons of good wine for the wedding in Cana Some of you may be familiar with the UCC’s Daily Devotional. Today the writing team has posted several very moving prayers for the people of Haiti. Click here to read them … Our own Paul Miller, who led the programs in our church about Haiti, invites our gifts to Partners in Health as a way to donate to relief efforts in Haiti. Click here for their website and online donations. |
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So … does God send disasters to punish people? Here’s what Jesus had to say about that … 
When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, he didn’t seem to agonize over what to do. I wonder what we can learn from his encounter with these temptations … 
The story of Jesus’ transfiguration has a lot to teach us, even if we are discomforted by the mysterious details. (The original title of this sermon was “Optical Illuminations,” but you’ll see why I changed it.)
What do these things have in common: Church camp, Muir Woods, and Jesus helping the disciples fish? Find out here <grin>!
There are no words of scripture that I quote more often than these from 1 Corinthians 12: “There are varieties of gifts.” Here is why I think it is so important …. (after I say a few words about my June 30 retirement that I announced earlier this week) …
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