Our sacred scriptures offer two stories about the birth of Jesus. We tend to conflate the gospels of Matthew and Luke, especially in our manger scenes and our Christmas pageants. It’s good to honor and savor both. Jewish scholar Amy Jill Levine writes that “Each Evangelist has different concerns to be shared with […]
Numbers 24:16 “I see Him, but not yet; I behold Him, but only faintly in the distance. A Star will come out of Jacob; a Scepter will rise out of Israel.” Psalm 139:11-12 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light around me become night,” even the darkness is not […]
Scripture about Root of Jesse I Samuel 17:12 – 12 Now David was the son of an Ephrathite named Jesse, who was from Bethlehem in Judah. Jesse had eight sons, and in Saul’s time he was very old. Matthew 5:1-6 5 Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz the father […]
This year for Advent we are exploring the ancient liturgy that is known as “The Great O Antiphons”. You may have never heard this strange title before, but most of you are familiar with the hymn we sing during Advent every year, “O Come, O Come Emmanuel”. We rarely sing ALL seven verses, but if […]
SCRIPTURE ON HOPE Jer. 29:11 – For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Isaiah 40:31 – Those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like […]
Throughout the Gospels, Jesus demonstrates the five leading causes of life we have been exploring the last few weeks – connection, coherence, generativity & blessing, agency and hope. Near the end of his life Jesus offers what scholars call his farewell discourse. He teaches and empowers his disciples, offering words of encouragement. He tells […]
We are in the midst of a sermon series called the Leading Causes of Life during Stewardship Season. It is based on a book written by UM pastor Gary Gunderson & UCC pastor Larry Pray. They believe the keys to making a meaningful life include focusing our energy and attention on what affirms life rather […]
Two years ago I started reading a Canadian murder mystery series written by Louise Penny. The stories revolve around the character development of people living in the fictional village of Three Pines, just north of the VT border, with Chief Inspector Armand Gamache investigating the murders of various people. Angie and I were lucky […]
We are in the 8th month of a global pandemic that continues to wreak havoc throughout the world. Early on in the pandemic, I was checking a website called Worldometers every day, sometimes multiple times a day, just to look at the statistics. Now I check a couple times a month, while still reading […]
Soon after the pandemic started in the US in March, there was a curious correlation in a sudden surge of demand in pet adoptions. Washington Post reported in August: Shelters, nonprofit rescues, private breeders, pet stores — all reported more consumer demand than there were animals to fill it. Some rescues were reporting dozens of […]