Tomorrow, on Christmas Day, approximately 353,000 babies will be born worldwide, at the rate of one baby every 4.3 second. In one hour of a Christmas Eve service, 15,300 babies will be born while we sing about good news of great joy. Much like our Christmas story, babies come into the world in some of … Continue reading Babies Born in Strange Places
Category: Uncategorized
Luke 17:5-10 “Increase Our Faith”
Sermon preaching on October 2, 2016 World Communion Sunday Increase my faith, God. Life is so unfair. The world is so full of suffering. There are so much to be done and I don’t know where to start. I’m tired God, so increase my faith. I want to understand the point of all this, where … Continue reading Luke 17:5-10 “Increase Our Faith”
Luke 15:1-10 “Lost Together”
Let’s play with the numbers in this parable. What if not just one sad little lamb is lost and restored to the 99, but rather half the sheep are lost? What does the shepherd do if only 20 sheep are in view, or 10? How can you get the flock together again? Now that would … Continue reading Luke 15:1-10 “Lost Together”
Keep Hope Alive
As the Presidential primaries grind away, I have one conviction left. Despair is not the answer. I could spend my time ranting about the fear-mongering on the right, how big money corrupts the Democrats, and how poorly Sanders faired with minorities as the campaign trail reduced him to shouting slogans. I never expected anyone running … Continue reading Keep Hope Alive
Preaching to the Hometown Crowd
I remember returning to my hometown of Boone, Iowa to preach, after my first semester of seminary in Boston. I looked out at the congregation, and there were all my former Sunday School teachers and youth leaders. These were the people that had formed my faith, those who said don’t run in church, and stop … Continue reading Preaching to the Hometown Crowd
Manifesting the Spirit Among Us
Marketing data increasingly shapes our lives, as every mouse click, google search and Amazon purchase is analyzed somewhere in a big supercomputer. Jeanne and I spent time over the weekend finding a hotel room in Newport for my son’s wedding in September, and now when I read the news online, the side advertisement says, “Best … Continue reading Manifesting the Spirit Among Us
Snake Charmers and Fire Walkers
This is the Sunday where we light the candle of joy and prepare to celebrate the great mystery of Emmanuel, God with us. It is also the Sunday we celebrate his cousin John the Baptist, who calls people a brood of vipers, and preaches about axes and fire coming down from heaven. Welcome to Paradox City! Joy to the world, you brood of vipers!
Pray for Paris, and pray for the world…
written by Karuna Ezara Parikh.
“Tear Open the Heavens”
This text was in my mind while watching news from Ferguson, and a young protestor was asked what his agenda was, and he said it was for racial justice and they were going to “shake the heavens.” I don’t know if he knew the lectionary readings for the first Sunday of Advent, Year B, but … Continue reading “Tear Open the Heavens”
Just Breath! Pentecost is coming.
John 20:22 "When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” Just breath, folks!
With all my soul 