

To Not Lose Heart
A Sermon on Luke 18:1-8 [for an audio recording of this sermon, click here. Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash] I have a question for anyone who has ever had any significant child-rearing or child-care responsibilities: Would you say that, as effective negotiation strategies go, whining should be encouraged? Anyone in favor? Anyone really appreciate the persistence and dedication of a child who will commit to following you around for 10 solid minutes, repeating various iterati


Why We Don't Need More Faith
A sermon on Lue 17:5-10 [for an audio recording of this sermon, click here. Photo by Billy Pasco on Unsplash] You may not be surprised to learn that I was not especially excited to preach on this week’s lectionary passages. They’re… tough ones. Right? It’s not just me? The first reading makes it infinitely clear why the book is called Lamentations. It is a lament for lost people, lost freedom, lost hope, lost… everything! And the gospel, if anything, is worse! We get: A serio


Seeing the Other's Humanity
A sermon on Luke 16:19-31 [for an audio recording of this sermon, click here. Photo by Kelli McClintock on Unsplash.] Last week’s lectionary challenge was that the gospel parable was so very confusing! Where in the world are we supposed to see God or righteous models in a story about a dishonest manager cheating his way into favors and getting praised for it? (answer – maybe nowhere? Not every story is a “be like this” story) This week’s lectionary offers us the opposite chal