Church Series, Part 1 Today we hear people talking about being more “spiritual” than “religious”, so this challenges the church to creatively respond to this deeper hunger for spiritual life and growth. To read the article quoted in the sermon, please see: “I’m Not Religious; I’m Spiritual”, The Observer, 2009
Continue reading(Trinity Series, Part 3)In a dynamic sharing of life, the triune God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit; Creator, Redeemer, Sanctifier; Father, Mother, Child – dance together in the eternal sacred dance of life. As God shares life within God-self and all of creation, so we are called to share
Continue reading(Trinity Series, Part 2)The three persons of the Trinity form a community, partnership, or family and this roots our understanding of God in relationship, the context of love, compassion, covenant and justice.
Continue readingCelebration of Affirming MinistryTo be an Affirming Ministry is not only an act of justice and gracious inclusion of people who might otherwise be excluded, not only a blessing to them, but a blessing to all of us. None of us is truly included unless all of us are included.
Continue readingTrinity Series, Part 1As we consider the words we use to name and describe the triune God, we touch a place of artistry and beauty, the wellspring of the poetry of the sacred. When we go beyond the rigid dogmatism of “trinitarian formulae” we enter the rich territory of the
Continue readingChrist Series, Part 5The prophets of the Hebrew tradition left a rich legacy of vision and truth about God’s purpose of peace and justice. In Jesus’ time, that prophetic voice had fallen silent, but in Jesus, people recognized that voice speaking again. However, Jesus’ prophetic voice had an immediacy, authority,
Continue readingChrist Series, Part 4Jesus is portrayed a the High Priest in his role as mediator between God and humanity, but this image is transformed in many ways. The blood of this covenant is his own blood, his life released and shared with all. It is a final sacrifice, once for
Continue readingChrist Series, Part 3Jesus was not primarily talking to wicked people, trying to pursuade them to be good; he was talking to good people who were living like fools, trying to pursuade them to open their hearts to sacred wisdom. It is an alternative wisdom that stands in ironic tension
Continue readingChrist Series, Part 2The ancient promise of a kng who would rule Israel with wisdom, peace and justice stands in dramatic contrast with the brutality of the Roman empire of Jesus’ time. Jesus proclaimed the reign of God, which challenged, fulfilled and transformed both images. Today, this ironic expression, Christ
Continue readingChrist Series, Part 1The suffering servant songs in Isaiah portray a redemptive meaning to innocent suffering and the connection to the passion of Christ is unmistakable. We have difficulty with this idea because it has been interpreted in ways that are tragically wrong. But we must ask, When we clear
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