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Showing posts from July, 2020

Sermon for the Eighth Sunday after Pentecost, Year A, "God's Reign Is Like," Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52

Sermon 7/26/20 Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52 God’s Reign Is Like Our reading from Matthew today covers a lot of ground in a very short span of verses. I love Jesus’ parables, his unique way of storytelling that helps us understand God’s nature and God’s reign on earth and in eternity. And Jesus’ parables are collectively some of our favorite and most well-known of Jesus’ teachings: The Parable of the Good Samaritan, The Parable of the Prodigal Son, the Parable of the Lost Sheep. But here, in these twelve verses, we cover five parables. And while we might be familiar with the first one - the Parable of the Mustard Seed, the others are not particularly well-known. When Jesus is done with his quick-paced teaching, he asks the disciples if they’ve understood what he’s said. And they say, “Yes.” And their one word response makes me laugh every time, because I’m a little suspicious of their answer. Sometimes it’s easier to just say we’ve understood something than to admit we need to go back an

I Published a Book! - Singing at the Table Now Available on Amazon!

I'm so excited to share with you that I've published a book. Singing at the Table: Sung Communion Liturgies and Reflections on Sharing the Sacrament  is a collection of 36 sung communion liturgies that use traditional hymn tunes and contemporary language to help congregations celebrate communion together. There are liturgies for all seasons in the liturgical year, plus for special occasions like weddings, baptisms, and funerals. Interspersed with the liturgies are reflections on sharing in communion, gathered from my years in pastoral ministry.  The book is available in paperback or for Kindle . I hope you find it to be a valuable resource!  

Sermon, "A Better Story," Exodus 1:1-8

Sermon 7/19/20 Exodus 1:1-8 A Better Story I’m so delighted to be able to share a message with you today. My mom, Karen, who is a member of your congregation, has really come to love her church family, and she speaks so highly about all of you, about Pastor Alicia, and about the ministries and mission you’re about in Syracuse and beyond. I’m in a season of transition in my life. I’ve been serving as a pastor of local churches for the last 17 years, but I just concluded my time as pastor up in the North Country in Gouverneur and North Gouverneur, and this fall, I’m heading back to school to work on a PhD in Ethics. It’s a big change, and I find myself in a strange kind of limbo this summer. I’ve spent part of the summer staying at my brother’s apartment in Rome, while he’s been staying with my Mom. By the time we share virtually in worship on Sunday, my brother and I will have swapped, and he’ll be back in Rome and I’ll be staying with my Mom in Syracuse. Next month, I’ll move to New