Preached on 11/13/16, Scripture Luke 12:32-40 Note: I am indebted to numerous commentaries and discussions with fellow clergy for many of the ideas and examples that helped to create this sermon. This week I leaned on so many wise people to help bring a word of hope and action to my congregation that I could notRead More
Category: Sermon
A Lament for Orlando and a Repudiation of Demons
Preached at Hope UCC 6.19.16 This week was hard. So hard. And if it was hard for me as a straight cisgender woman, I can only imagine how much harder it was for members of the LGBTQIA community. I found myself wavering between crushing heartbreak and livid anger. Not only about the massacre itself, whichRead More
Chronos vs. Kairos: Making Time Count
For many of us the phrase, “I’m sorry, I just don’t have time for that” is something we seem to say all too often. And for others of us we should say it, but we don’t. The reality for all of us is that there are only 24 hours in a day, regardless of howRead More
Feeding Sheep and Finding Brave Space
Sermon on John 21:1-19 Recently as part of some Sacred Conversations on Race, I learned a few new concepts about transformation and change. Often when we are introduced to new ideas, or when we experience trauma, or even just in our regular day to day lives, there are three different zones, if you will, thatRead More
Easter 2016: Seeds of Resurrection
He is risen! He is risen indeed! Hear, o hear, beloved of God, the good news of the gospel: “They tried to buried us. They didn’t know we were seeds.” Let me tell you a story: Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdelene made her way toRead More
Easter Sermon 2013: Christ is Risen Indeed!
Preached at Hope UCC on Easter Sunday, 2013… One of the best things about Easter Sunday is that is the one day in our sometimes more straight-laced churches where a call and response is not just acceptable but expected. So if I say “Christ is risen”, then you say “He is risen indeed!” And thenRead More
God Is Still Speaking (On Boundaries and Inclusion)
Because the world needs to be reminded that God is still speaking and widening the circle… Preached at Hope UCC 4/28/13 Scripture – Acts 11: 1-18 Several years ago the UCC began what would be a rather revolutionary marketing tactic called the “Still Speaking” campaign. It asserted that “God is Still Speaking,” and found inspirationRead More
Epiphany with The Incredibles
An Epiphany throwback sermon that I preached at Hope UCC back in 2009: As many of you know, I watch too many children’s movies, especially those made by Disney and Pixar. So it will probably come as no shock to you that when I was thinking about what to say to you this morning aboutRead More
Wise Men and Sacred Conversations on Race
A few weeks ago our church kicked off a new Mission and Justice focus about Sacred Conversations on Race. Our first Sunday with this new theme was Epiphany Sunday. This sermon, preached at Hope UCC on January 10, 2016 attempted to use the story of the Three Wise Men as a guide for our upcomingRead More
Hannah’s Prayer: A Sermon after Paris and Beirut
Preached on 11/15/15 Scripture: 1 Samuel 1:4-20, 1 Samuel 2:1-10 This morning’s scripture is a story from the book of Samuel. It is a story of how Samuel, the man and prophet, came to be. It is the story of Samuel’s mother Hannah, who was married to a husband who loved her dearly but couldn’t makeRead More