Until 2-3 weeks ago, I always equated Epiphany with a bright star leading the Magi with their gifts to the Christ child. And while that HAS been the emphasis of the Western Church, the Eastern Church primarily focused on two events of Jesus’ ministry in Epiphany themes – Baptism and transformation of water into wine […]
We are in Year C – the 3rd lectionary cycle. Year C unfolds in the new year by giving us the story of the Magi today, the baptism of Jesus next week, and according to the Gospel of John, Jesus’ first miracle of changing water into wine on 1/20. Rev. Paul Nancarrow draws a connection […]
Throughout Advent, the theme of Learning to Walk in the Dark by the luminous light of the moon & star-lit nights ushered us into the culmination of experiencing the Christ Child being birthed into our hearts once again on Christmas Eve when over 200 of us filled this sanctuary with joy & hope & music […]
Every Christmas Eve, outside a small chapel in Oberndorf, a picture-postcard village in the foothills of the Austrian Alps, thousands of carolers bundle up against the cold to sing the world’s most-beloved Christmas carol. Amid sparkling lights, and a star-filled sky, two men strumming a guitar, stand in front of the chapel to sing, “Stille […]
Our theme throughout Advent has been Learning to Walk in the Dark by the luminous light of the moon or starlight. Throughout scripture, we find multiple references to God’s creation in the night sky. Psalm 8:3 “When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in […]
Alfred Burt, an American jazz musician, wrote an annual Christmas carol every year, to send out to friends and family, in a Christmas Card greeting. A few of his carols have become well known including one written not long before his death at the age of 34 in 1954. It goes like this: Caroling, […]
Isaiah 45:3 And I will give you the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that you may know that I, the LORD, which call you by your name, am the God of Israel. Psalm 139 Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go […]
We are in a two week sermon series on Gratitude – using Diana Butler Bass’s book: Grateul: The transformative Power of Giving Thanks. Have you ever been in a gratitude loop of saying or expressing thank you. One of my clergy colleagues, Elizabeth Ingram Schindler told this story in a sermon, of visiting in a friend’s […]
Some of you are aware that I am attending the Academy for Spiritual Formation that meets once a quarter for a week at San Damiano, a Franciscan Conference Center. At the Academy every morning we would open our hoarse voices with a song phrase – O God open our lips, and we shall declare your praise. […]
Psalm 16:8 I have set God always before me – I shall not be moved. v. 11 You show me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy. Prayer based on Dt 30-Choose Life that you too may live. Find a way to overcome adversity. That is the best life we […]