The lections for this sermon were 1 Kings 8:22-23,27b-30; Psalm 84; 1 Corinthians 3:1-11,16-17; Matthew 21:10-14.
Human beings have always had a great yearning to connect with holy places. It is the fundamental reason for pilgrimage, and the reason why we bury people in the church yard. The psalmist claims that even the...
A hundred years! Happy birthday, Girl Scouts! I became a Girl Scout more than 50 years ago, and what I remember of those early years has made a big difference in my life, as I hope it has for you. Learning to identify birds, or how to plant trees, tie knots, or build a fire, are important skills that teach us about the world around us. So are the things we...
The theme of this clergy conference was "Future Church." The lections appointed for this day were Tuesday in the Second Week of Easter.
One of the things that the Global South seems most annoyed about is our economic system. They’re not alone, even if Occupy has been fairly quiet recently. It’s...
I’ve been to Korea twice, most recently a few weeks ago. The first visit included a border procession somewhat like what we’re going to do later today. Anglicans from around the world, who had gathered to study peace-making, went into North Korea to bring aid to a North Korean village. We traveled by tourist bus on an immaculate, one lane, newly...
When you were a kid, could you have imagined your mother saying, “come on over here and sit – I heard you whining”? My grandfather’s favorite line was, “we’re going to have words, and you’re not going to get to use any of yours.”
But, really! “Come on over here and sit – I heard you...
Who are we, and who is here? I would invite you to reflect for a moment and remember what God has been saying to you for a very long time: you are my beloved, and in you I am well pleased.
That is our primary identity – beloved siblings, created in the image of God, made for conversation and intimate community with God and each other. That image...
I was home last week in Nevada for the first time in months. It was a quiet spring evening, and I went to bed early and slept soundly. I was awakened out of a deep sleep by a bird singing – loudly. It took a while, but I finally opened my eyes and took a look at the clock – it was 1:50 in the morning. What was this crazy bird doing? It...
I don’t know if you’ve elected a fisherman or not. I believe your current bishop has done some fishing, but he seems to be more interested in grass farming and cows. I haven’t heard any retirement plans about sheep, unless it’s raising hay.
There is an ancient and proverbial hankering to go fishing when life gets tough. That...
I’ve just come back from a trip to Asia. We visited the church in China, among others, and had a tour of the Amity Press. After the government began to permit open religious expression in 1985, this printing enterprise was founded in order to make Bibles available in Chinese. It’s an amazing example of what we’re here to talk about –...