Sermons
Hosting the Host
Speaker: Brian Gorman
The story of Zacchaeus is probably quite familiar to many of us. Maybe you even sang a song about him when you were a child in Sunday school. Zacchaeus is a rich man, a status that for Jesus in Luke’s gospel is a bad thing. Jesus declares a Woe to those who are rich, a […]
Reorientation
Speaker: Cynthia Lapp
What a pleasure to be together today, in-person – and on Zoom. We have been anticipating this day for months and weeks and days, the Sunday morning when we could come together for worship, inside. We have had to shift and reorient our expectations and hopes – over and over. Now here we are, back […]
Disorientation
Speaker: Cynthia Lapp
(sing) How long, O Lord how long? – VT 691 This is the cry of disorientation. If orientation is the seed that takes root and grows, even flourishes like a tree by the water, as Michelle so beautifully illustrated last week, this cry of despair is disorientation. Today is the middle Sunday of this three […]
Dare To Imagine: Love Together
Speaker: Cynthia Lapp
During advent we have been daring to imagine – as we wait for Christmas. This past week I was with folks from Faith in Action federations across the country who came to town to try and expand the imaginations of their senators. Talking about daring to imagine. Talk about waiting! They came from New Hampshire […]
Dare To Imagine: Joy
Speaker: Cynthia Lapp
It is good be together on this third Sunday of advent, the joy Sunday. I imagine it would be even more joyful if we were together in person but part of joy is anticipation so this is all part of the process. (January 9, when we will be together in the building, is not too […]
Dare To Imagine: Hope
Speaker: Cynthia Lapp
Happy new year! Well, happy liturgical new year. Advent is the start of a new liturgical year. Our custom is to celebrate communion to mark the beginning of advent so if you don’t have your bread and cup near by now, you will want to have it by the end of the sermon. Our advent […]
Living Into Our Mission Statement
Speaker: Cynthia Lapp
Today is Reign of Christ Sunday or as it was originally known, “Christ the King” Sunday. Pastor Nadia Bolz-Weber, aka the “sarcastic Lutheran,” tweeted this week – “Pope Pius XI established Christ the King Sunday in 1925 to counter what he regarded as destructive forces of racism and the totalitarian claims of Nazi ideologues. Happy […]
The Rules Of The Game
Speaker: Michelle Burkholder
There are, in the end, three things that last: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love. What is it to love? Love is vast and layered and wonderful and complicated and life-giving and it takes shape in our lives in many many ways. For instance, I love each of you! I […]
Worrying What To Wear
Speaker: Jake Short
Good morning. Even though we just heard it, I want to say this again, as personal prayer as I bring this morning’s message: “Pray also for me, so that when I speak, a message may be given to me to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador […]
Choose the Sermon: The Lord’s Prayer
Speaker: Cynthia Lapp
What a beautiful sight, all of us, even in masks, all in the same giant square (or whatever shape this is.) No internet, no Zoom, to mediate us to each other. We are here together, thanks be to God. “Preach on the Lord’s Prayer,” so said one of you, who chose the Lord’s Prayer as […]