Texts: Isaiah 61:1-4,8-11  ;  Psalm 126  ;  1 Thessalonians 5:16-24  ;  John 1:6-8,19-28   Grace and peace be with you, called to be prophets of God’s good news. Amen. Paul writes in his letter to the Thessalonians, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in … Continue reading Sermon: Sunday, December 14, 2008: Third Sunday of Advent →

Texts: Isaiah 40:1-11  ;  Psalm 85:1-2,8-13  ;  2 Peter 3:8-15a  ;  Mark 1:1-8   In the name of Jesus, a name filled with hope and the promise of change. Amen. The summer before my third year of seminary I went with a group of students and lay leaders to Israel, the Palestinian territories and the … Continue reading Sermon: Sunday, December 7, 2008: Second Sunday of Advent →

Texts: Isaiah 64:1-9  ;  Psalm 80:1-7,17-19  ;  1 Corinthians 1:3-9  ;  Mark 13:24-37   There’s a terribly sexist joke in Japan that says women are like Christmas cakes. The first thought you may be having is, “what’s a Christmas cake?” The second thought is probably, “how are women like Christmas cakes?” The answer I was … Continue reading Sermon: Sunday, November 30, 2008: First Sunday of Advent →