What does Jesus really mean when he says “whoever is not against us is for us”? This concept comes up in the Gospel reading for this past Sunday, Mark 9:38-40 (Proper 21, Yr. B), and in the parallel in Luke 9:49-50. (Matt. 12:30 and Luke 11:23 have a similar, yet different phrase in a different […]
Proper 18 (23) (September 9, 2018) First reading and PsalmProverbs 22:1-2, 8-9, 22-23Psalm 125Second readingJames 2:1-10, (11-13), 14-17GospelMark 7:24-37 Etching by P. del Po after Annibale Carracci. Wellcome Library, London. 7:27 He said to her, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to […]
Proper 7 (12) (June 24, 2018) Alternate First reading and Psalm Job 38:1-11 Psalm 107:1-3, 23-32 Second reading 2 Corinthians 6:1-13 Gospel Mark 4:35-41 4:39 He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. … 41 And they […]
The following was my Easter sermon delivered at St. B’s in 2017. Jeremiah 31:1-6 Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24 Colossians 3:1-4 John 20:1-18 1Cor. 15:3 For I shared with you the most important truth that I had received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, 4 and that he was buried, and that he […]
And it is our Epistle for today, 1 October 2017, Proper 21, Year A.The fuller quote for Phil. 2:1-13 is an excellent reminder that while we are to be “of the same mind” with one another, we are all called to “let the same mind be in [us] that was in Christ Jesus.” Originally posted: Wednesday, 13 […]
Last week was the third season finale of the series Grantchester. Having watched an enjoyed all three seasons to date, I wanted to share my critique of the show. A few preliminary comments are relevant. First, I deeply enjoy this genre, the British period mystery. Now, I have been a fan of Dorothy L. Sayers and […]
In the human life a lot can happen in nine months. This past year I was the interim rector of St. Bartholomew’s in Nashville for exactly nine months and preached almost every Sunday. I have posted few of those sermons here, but I have compiled them all into one PDF for any who might be […]
In the southeast Episcopalians call Sewanee, TN the “holy mountain.” Home of the University of the South it is a beautiful mountain top with gorgeous views, woods, and trails. I was able to take the last three days on a retreat, mostly just a chance to recharge and prepare for a couple of retreats I […]
“CofE” is the term often used to describe the “Church of England.” “CandE” refers to those folks who come to church only on “Christmas and Easter.” Most of us are very religious; the question is, what are we worshiping. GoComics.com recently began running these one-panel comics from 1974. I certainly don’t remember them from way […]
An essay for St. B’s quarterly bulletin, The Branch. Growing up in an evangelical Presbyterian church I had never understood Lent until I was in college. I do not mean to suggest that my parents or the pastors did not know about Lent, but it was not something observed in our church and is largely […]
