Sermons

How we deal with fear has deep spiritual implications. As with so many things Jesus said, he asks us to go against our instincts when it comes to fear. Today's texts - 1 Timothy 1: 12-17 and Luke 15: 1-10 I would imagine that just about everyone here over the age of 20 or so can remember right where they were on this morning 15 years ago. The attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon and all the horror that accompanied them were among those moments in our lives that seared themselves into our consciousness. I was in a hotel meeting room in Pittsburgh with a group of journ...
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Today's texts: Hebrews 13: 1-8, 15-16 and Luke 14: 1, 7-14 Some of you may recall in December of 2013 when Rev. Alex Gee, the pastor of Fountain of Life church on Badger Road just across the Beltline, wrote an essay in the Cap Times about his experiences as a black man in Madison. It was a searing personal essay that came right on the heals of a devastating statistical report called Race to Equity that documented the significant disparities by race in Dane County in areas like education, employment, income, health and incarceration. This one-two punch propelled a lot of folks in t...
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Camp experiences can often help both youngsters and adults get a little glimpse into the divine as the winds of God’s Spirit blow around them. Today's texts: 1 Kings 19: 11-13 and John 3: 8-13 About a dozen or so years ago, Ellen and I were at family camp at Moon Beach up near Eagle River with our kids. As can happen at family camp, the kids were busy with activities, so Ellen and I took a canoe out onto Moon Lake. It was after supper, so that early evening calm and cooler temperature made it a delightful time to paddle. We worked our way over to a cove on the west side of the lak...
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By Mary Ircink "...I will give you a wise and discerning heart” (1 Kings 3:12) This summer we are hearing a lot about mosquitos and the diseases they could bring. Education about the information we hear is important. However, the key is that it should come from a trustworthy source on the Internet. Below find 2 opportunities for further education. First line of defense is to protect yourself against mosquitos by following the tips from the Center of Disease Control(CDC). See this material for more important information. The CDC also has this material for learning more about the...
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People’s attachment to wealth – particularly when they saw it something just for themselves – seemed to bother Jesus. A lot. Today's texts - Psalm 107: 1-9, 43 and Luke 12: 13-21 Fred was sitting on the porch of his farmhouse in Green County that early afternoon in the summer. He was sipping on a glass of lemonade, reading a book, when his neighbor George pulled into the driveway. George got out of his black Chevy Silverado, looking way more dressed up than usual. “Where you been?” Fred asked. “Just back from the bank,” George replied. “Signed the final papers for the loan f...
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Let me suggest that the right way to pray is the way that works for you. It’s worth trying different ways to find the ones that work for you – and they may change over time.  Today's texts: Colossians 2: 6-19 and Luke 11: 1-13  Listen again, if you will, to those first words we heard Jill read today from the Gospel according to Luke: Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” What an interesting request. Jesus’ followers come upon him praying fairly often, the way Luke tells ...
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Each one of us has some kind of seeds to scatter, whether they are small or large. Each one of us has something to contribute to the betterment of the world. Today's texts: Isaiah 55: 10-13 and Mark 4: 26-29 By Karin Wells See this box? This box is full of seed packets that have been sitting around in my garage for several years. In February this box of seeds started calling out to me. "Hey, Karin, are you still there? We dare you to scatter us in your garden this spring. Since you’re graduating in May, you’ll have lots of time. You won’t have any excuses about being too busy." ...
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A Latino gay man, a minister, an elected official and a Muslim woman encounter each other on a rainy night as we watch for a rainbow. Today's texts - Psalm 25: 1-10 and Luke 10: 25-27 Miguel was young, Latino, gay. He had just had a delightful happy hour at a local gay bar and was heading home as darkness was settling in on this warm summer night. It was raining a bit, but it really did not matter. Even though the water was soaking through his brightly colored gay-pride tee-shirt, he know he could dry out when he got home. A couple of guys were coming towards him on the sidewalk. ...
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The story of Revolutionary War instigator Rev. Jonas Clarke has something to do with the two scripture readings that we heard today. Today's texts: Galatians 6:(1-6), 7-16 and Luke 10:1-11, 16-20 Jonas Clarke was the Congregational minister in the town of Lexington, Mass, in the Spring of 1775. He had actually been the minister there for 20 years. The Congregationalists were predecessors of our United Church of Christ. Clarke was the successor to Rev. John Hancock – the grandfather of the famous patriot. More on the younger Hancock in a moment. Jonas Clarke was a consistent, el...
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Let me tell you a little bit about the encounters I had in the past week where God’s face peeked through the clouds, where after the wind and the earthquake and the fire, God’s presence came out of the sheer silence. Today's texts: 1 Kings 19:1-4, (5-7), 8-15a and Psalms 42 and 43 Well, it’s been quite a week, hasn’t it? A week filled with shock, grief, both hatred and love, both inexplicable horror and incredible devotion – people lined up to give blood, medical personnel spending endless hours saving lives, vigil after vigil from Orlando to Washington, from downtown Madison to...
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