This next Sunday is "Rally Day" at Immanuel Lutheran Church, the kickoff of our Sunday School season which will run through the rest of the school year. Immanuel hosts a cookout in the Laurel city park after service. Members pull in these huge grills for hamburgers and hotdogs. As the small town newspapers used to … Continue reading Words of Life and Healing: The Passage
Hanging on His Words: Perspective
Dominus Flevit, "The Lord Wept," so the Franciscan friars name the chapel above, now overlooking Jerusalem. Not that I've been to this place. Whether Jesus actually paused on that very spot or some other nearby, I delight in the design of this chapel's window. One looks at Jerusalem below through the cross, through the chalice … Continue reading Hanging on His Words: Perspective
Hanging on His Words: The Passage
Tuesday, I double check our travel itinerary for this week's spiritual jaunt together towards a sermon for the Tenth Sunday after Trinity and sigh. We're headed quite a long way, well outside my comfort zone into rather unfamiliar territory. Ignore my grumbling. We use a 1-Year lectionary--a well-worn churchly roadmap of readings, handed down by … Continue reading Hanging on His Words: The Passage
Hanging on His Words: The Journey
On the Isaiah 50:4 Blues Facebook page, I've invited you gracious readers and hearers to follow along and walk with me behind the scenes of a sermon throughout this week. Not that I have hundreds of people following the page. Hardly so. But here's three reasons why I've offered to do this goofy thing. First, the … Continue reading Hanging on His Words: The Journey
Vacation! All I Ever Want Is…
"And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will … Continue reading Vacation! All I Ever Want Is…
Spiritual Meals-Ready-to-Eat
Old school Lutheran pastors were taught to prepare their sermons by first translating the texts for themselves. I'm not even 50 yet, and already I find myself among the last living generation of those taught by such old school means. We barely had VCRs when I was in seminary. Blockbuster movie rental (the kind you … Continue reading Spiritual Meals-Ready-to-Eat
Eat The Rich?!?
(A review of 2/5/17 Sunday School Lesson text on Zacchaeus from Luke 19:1-10) Memes are meant to stick in our minds. Little snapshot slogans on social media tend to stay with us, sometimes longer than they should. Some are religious, others political, humorous or sweet. Juxtaposed images and text can leave an impression, for better … Continue reading Eat The Rich?!?
