Sermon transcript: A lot of people have trouble with this parable. How did it strike you? I think, for a lot of us, this parable offends our sense of fairness. Why should everyone get equal pay for unequal work? It doesn’t make sense. This parable enters our hearts like Buckley’s cough syrup. You know Jesus is right. You know it must be…

Sermon transcript: I want to share a summer scene with you. I come home from a camping trip with the family. All the stuff, that I cannot believe we somehow managed to fit into our minivan is suddenly spread across the floor of the house, waiting to be sorted, cleaned, put away, or otherwise dealt with. There are sleeping bags and muddy…

Sermon transcript: I’m wary of tattoos. No judgment on anyone who has one—it’s personal. The thought of putting something so permanent on my body—and maybe regretting it later—unsettles me. But if I were to get one, I might choose Peter. I love Peter. If you’ve ever felt unworthy of a life of faith, if you’ve been intimidated by the idea of getting…

Sermon transcript: Who can blame Moses for wanting to do his due diligence? Here he is, facing a bold deity disguised as a shrub on fire, who just told him to go back to Egypt and lead the Israelites out of slavery. This isn’t a “Mission Impossible” invitation— “Your mission, should you choose to accept it…” It’s a command: “Now go, I…

Sermon transcript unavailable

Sermon transcript: There are certain moments in life when we become especially aware of how careful we are with our words—sitting around a table with people we don’t know well, meeting someone for the first time, or finding our place in a new community. In those moments, we tend to choose our topics gently. We look for common ground. We try not…

Sermon transcript unavailable

Reflections transcripts: Paul is not someone we usually think of as a multi-faith champion. Yet, in the passage from Acts, he stands among the people of Athens, looks around, takes in their spiritual life, and says, “I see how deeply you are seeking.” He recognizes that, even in ways different from his own, they are reaching toward the Holy. Before he speaks…

Sermon transcript: There is something deeply unsettling—and deeply freeing—about the kind of faith we meet in this passage. Unsettling because there is no clear path, in fact there is no path at all. It is not about getting things right—holding the correct beliefs with perfect certainty. Not about doing enough good to earn God’s acceptance. Not about doing the right religious things…

The reflection this week took the form of three short scriptures, followed by a quote, a short reflection and a question to ponder. Scripture: Psalm 57:7-8 – New Revised Standard Version (Updated Edition)My heart is steadfast, O God;my heart is steadfast.I will sing and make melody.Awake, my soul!Awake, O harp and lyre!I will awake the dawn. Quote“Music reveals more than all wisdom…