Sermons

Archived Sermons from Westminster Presbyterian Clergy.

(To see sermons by a particular Pastor, click on their name in the list below, then click on "apply" )

Title Sermon Datesort icon Preacher
Under Construction: A Theology of Friendship May 13, 2012 (All day) Rev. Beth Neel

   Because you all are such a gracious congregation, from time to time in a sermon I might talk with you about something that I haven’t quite figured out yet, an idea that is still...

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In Name Only April 29, 2012 (All day) Rev David Hutchinson


    According to the Oregonian, Boring, Oregon is going to link up with a town in Scotland called “Dull”. A woman named Elizabeth...

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And Their Eyes Were Opened April 22, 2012 (All day) Rev. Beth Neel

    Of all the gospel writers, Luke tells the best stories.  His Christmas narrative has all the angels and the shepherds and baby wrapped in...

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Open Doors and Open Lives April 15, 2012 (All day) Rev Laurie M. Vischer


            Christ is risen!  (He is risen indeed!)
    On bright warm days like today,...

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Easter Threes April 8, 2012 (All day) Rev. Beth Neel


    In the worlds of comedy, public speaking, and fairy tales, good things come in threes.  A rabbi, a priest, and a minister walk into a...

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Nearing the End of a Life Together April 1, 2012 (All day) Rev. Beth Neel

    What is the point of all of this?

    I wonder if it seems odd to an outsider, to a non-believer, to a practioner of a...

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“Life Together: Turning Points” March 25, 2012 (All day) Rev David Hutchinson


    I should have known not to go see the movie “The Grey” this week.  For those of you who have not seen it, but might want...

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Life Together: Take Two Tablets March 11, 2012 (All day) Rev. Beth Neel

For our first married Christmas, I bought Gregg a gift I thought was useful, encouraging, and well-planned.  It was one of those daily calendars, the kind you...

Life Together: Whose We Are March 4, 2012 (All day) Rev Laurie M. Vischer

Many of us have trouble with names.  Not so, with Beva  Gomph.  (Yes, that really was her name!)  Beva was the very fragile-looking, elderly...

Life Together: The Untied Bow February 26, 2012 (All day) Rev. Beth Neel

What are we to make of this strange story that really is, if you think about it at all, quite horrific?

There are some who take this story at face value, who believe every word of it is...

Ash Wednesday Meditation February 22, 2012 (All day) Rev. Beth Neel

Genesis 2:4b-11, 15-22 (Common English Bible)
2:4b    On the day the LORD God made earth and sky—5 before any...

“What’s Blocking Your View of God” February 19, 2012 (All day) Rev David Hutchinson


    Tiger Woods shot 75 last week.
        Bad/good
    Charlie Boswell
       ...

I and We January 29, 2012 (All day) Rev. Beth Neel


What does it mean to live in community?  That is the question I’d like for us to use to frame this morning’s lesson from 1st Corinthians.

One thing I appreciate...

Messenger and Message January 22, 2012 (All day) Rev. Beth Neel

For some people, the to-do list is the bane of their existence.  It is a reminder of all the things that are yet undone, a list that lengthens rather than shortens, a list that points out all...

“Call and Response” January 15, 2012 (All day) Rev Laurie M. Vischer

Do you remember that old commercial (I think it was for a sleep aid) that showed the husband flicking on the light and saying, "Honey? Are you awake?" And his wife replies, "I am now!" ...

"The Way" January 8, 2012 (All day) Rev David Hutchinson


    Extremes are difficult to prepare for.
    Think about the extremes of last year for example.  How does one...

Christmas Meditation December 24, 2011 (All day) Rev. Beth Neel

Christmas Meditation

There once was an old man whom, this evening, we will call Joe.  Joe was single, never married, didn’t date much.  He was an only child and his parents...

Love, the Lord, is On the Way December 11, 2011 (All day) Rev Laurie M. Vischer

“I’m dreamin’ of a white Christmas, just like the ones I used to know. . .”
   

...

On the Way, Again November 27, 2011 (All day) Rev. Beth Neel

We begin at the end.  And for that, I am grateful.

The two enormous oak trees on the west side of our house are just about at the end of their leaf-...

Sheep and Goats November 20, 2011 (All day) Rev Laurie M. Vischer

Has anyone here ever raised goats?  As I wrestled with the scriptures appointed for today, I became very curious about the differences between sheep and goats...

Other People's Money November 13, 2011 (All day) Rev David Hutchinson

                                “Other People’s Money”...

The Things We Carry November 6, 2011 (All day) Rev. Beth Neel

You might remember the classic 80’s tv show, MacGyver, about a good-looking, brilliant but mild-mannered secret agent who was always finding himself in some sort of life-threatening...

Crossing the River October 30, 2011 (All day) Rev. Beth Neel


    The book of Joshua is a bit troubling, if you think about it at all.  It is the story of what happens to the Israelite people once they have finished their forty-year...

Ready or Not October 16, 2011 (All day) Rev David Hutchinson

Sermon Notes
“Ready or Not”
Exodus 33:12-23
Rev. Dr. David Hutchinson
Sunday, October 16, 2011

This sermon was preached as an improvisation, and so there...

Ownership and Belonging October 2, 2011 (All day) Rev Laurie M. Vischer

    I wanted to belong.  I wanted to know what the answers were to the big questions of my life: Would I marry?  Would I have children?...

Ripples of Grace September 11, 2011 (All day) Rev. Beth Neel

A pebble is thrown into a still pool, and from that single plunk, circles of water flow out, one after another, until they reach the shore. 

...

Walking the Faith August 28, 2011 (All day) Rev. Beth Neel

The Camino de Santiago pilgrimage in northwest Spain is a trek of a few hundred miles (depending on your route).  It was created in the Middle Ages by Christian pilgrims seeking a spiritual...

“God’s Children” August 21, 2011 (All day) Rev David Hutchinson

       You can tell a lot about a society by looking at its children.
    That’s what Anna Carter Florence said...

Pride and Prejudice and… August 14, 2011 (All day) Rev. Beth Neel

    It is hard for me to think well, or even positively, of a man who would call a woman a dog.  And that puts me in a quandary and maybe you...

Out of the Boat August 7, 2011 (All day) Rev Laurie M. Vischer

When I was about twelve years old, my family lived near Dale Hollow Lake, in North Carolina.  It was a beautiful, deep, mysterious body of water.  One memory that stands out was the...

Out of the Boat August 7, 2011 (All day) Rev Laurie M. Vischer

When I was about twelve years old, my family lived near Dale Hollow Lake, in North Carolina.  It was a beautiful, deep, mysterious body of water.  One memory that stands out was the...

At the Center July 24, 2011 (All day) Rev. Beth Neel

It’s such an elusive question: what is love?  Hollywood gets it wrong more often than not; poets tend to get it right.  The rest of us muddle...

Together, Wherever We Go July 17, 2011 (All day) Rev. Beth Neel

Perhaps like me, you know someone who is an atheist.  Chances are pretty good that you do. I have an acquaintance, the mother of one of Sarah’s...

A Long Shot July 10, 2011 (All day) Rev David Hutchinson


Can anyone think of a time, when you have taken a ‘long shot’?

            The expression probably originated...

“Feasting” July 6, 2011 (All day) Rev Laurie M. Vischer

...

"Hearing" (Pentecost Sunday) June 12, 2011 (All day) Rev Laurie M. Vischer

This day of Pentecost reminds me of the story of the visitor in a Presbyterian church (not this one!)  who was very moved.  As she listened to the music and preaching, she suddenly...

Cloud Cover June 5, 2011 (All day) Rev David Hutchinson

There is a so called ‘jewelry and loan’ shop on Sandy Boulevard that claims to be the “friendliest pawn shop” in Portland. The name of the shop is “Silver Lining...

No more a stranger or a guest. . . May 16, 2011 (All day) Rev Laurie M. Vischer

  
No more a stranger or a guest. . .


My son Aaron and I are reading a favorite book together:  The BFG by Roald Dahl.  In case you’ve not read the...

Heart Smart May 8, 2011 (All day) Rev David Hutchinson


    (whisper):       What does it take to get your attention?
    (yell):        How about a...

Seeing and Touching May 1, 2011 (All day) Rev Laurie M. Vischer

It’s been a while now, but I can remember a time in my life when seeing and touching meant everything.  It was right after our first pregnancy, which ended in an early miscarriage....

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Filled with Emptiness April 24, 2011 (All day) Rev David Hutchinson

   Easter and Christmas are the two high points in the church year.
    The two high points - are all about:
   ...

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2011 Good Friday Service -- Scriptural Interpretation April 22, 2011 (All day) Guest Preacher

2011 Good Friday...

"Procession" April 17, 2011 (All day) Rev Laurie M. Vischer

“Procession”

2011 Palm Sunday

During the years I was...

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Bone-Tired April 10, 2011 (All day) Rev Laurie M. Vischer

Refrain:  Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on us!

            There’s a satisfying...

"Spit" April 3, 2011 (All day) Rev David Hutchinson

This sermon was inspired by two works:
“Spit” by Jane Flanders
“A Tale of Two Heretics” by Barbara Brown Taylor

I could hear him spit on his hands....

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“Living Questions and Living Water” March 27, 2011 (All day) Rev Laurie M. Vischer

For what are you thirsty?

I’ve always been thirsty for books. . .When I was about thirteen, I was exploring my father’s office (he was a pastor), waiting for him to be done with...

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When the Wind Blows, Where Will You Go? March 20, 2011 (All day) Guest Preacher

20 March 2011
Westminster Presbyterian Church
Portland, Or.

When the wind blows, where will you go?

John 3:1-17

I am a sailor, dependant on the wind to...

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After the Fall March 13, 2011 (All day) Rev David Hutchinson

A line from a nursery rhyme - - sticks in my head - -
        - - as I read the Scripture readings for this morning.
The line is:    “...

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Dazzling! March 6, 2011 (All day) Rev Laurie M. Vischer

    One of my favorite spots on the planet is Point Reyes National Seashore in Marin County in the San Francisco Bay area.  Karl and I were...

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Bliss February 27, 2011 (All day) Rev David Hutchinson

    When I am worrying about something, and I tell someone about it, they will sometimes say, ‘Don’t worry” in response to my description of the situation. It...

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Fools for Christ February 20, 2011 (All day) Guest Preacher

1 Corinthians 3:10-11, 16-23
According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is...

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But I Say... February 13, 2011 (All day) Rev David Hutchinson

    What makes you angry?
    Surely we can all think of something…
        Or someone...

Fishing Zebulun and Naphtali January 23, 2011 (All day) Rev David Hutchinson

Sometimes instead of seeing what’s actually in front of us, we see what we want to see instead. For example, we can see a tree, and miss the forest. Or we...

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A New Song January 16, 2011 (All day) Rev Laurie M. Vischer

“A New Song” (formerly Seeing and Testifying)                    

Over the next week, Grant High...

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From the Water January 9, 2011 (All day) Rev David Hutchinson

“From the Water”
Genesis 1:1-15; Matthew 3:13-17
Rev. David Hutchinson
Sunday, January 9, 2010
    Both creation and...

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“The Dilemma of Dreams” December 26, 2010 (All day) Rev David Hutchinson

                                “The...

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Saying Yes December 24, 2010 (All day) Rev Laurie M. Vischer

“If in your heart you make a manger for his birth,
Then God will once again become a child on earth.”  --Ana Hernandez

No one tells you when you have your...

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What You Hear and See December 12, 2010 (All day) Rev Laurie M. Vischer

When you look around, where do you see God’s Spirit at work? Not just in our congregation, but in your neighborhood, in your workplace, where you hang out for leisure, in school, in your...

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“New Uses for Old Things” November 28, 2010 (All day) Rev David Hutchinson

Have you ever thought about the difference between planning and preparation?
        We plan for Thanksgiving dinner.
       ...

"What Matters Most" November 21, 2010 (All day) Rev Laurie M. Vischer

I recently heard an interview with author Nora Ephron about her latest book:   I Remember Nothing: Aging Gratefully.  The interviewer noted that the chapter titled “The O Word...

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What Matters Most November 21, 2010 (All day) Rev Laurie M. Vischer


    I recently heard an interview with author Nora Ephron about her latest book:   I Remember Nothing: Aging Gratefully.  The...

Get Low October 24, 2010 (All day) Rev David Hutchinson

Big man talkin' to God one day
Big man announces he's gonna pray
Ten percent to charity
Member of the Laity
First name basis with the Son of God
All the angels should...

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The Great Chasm September 26, 2010 (All day) Rev Laurie M. Vischer

Sept. 26, 2010                           

The Rev. Laurie Vischer
Luke 16:19-31...

“Life’s Ups and Downs” August 29, 2010 (All day) Rev David Hutchinson

                                “Life’s Ups and Downs”...

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“Believing in the Future” August 8, 2010 (All day) Rev David Hutchinson

                                “Believing in the Future”
...

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Distracted July 18, 2010 (All day) Rev David Hutchinson

                                “...

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Distracted July 18, 2010 (All day) Rev David Hutchinson

                                “...

“The Samaritan Standard” July 11, 2010 (All day) Rev David Hutchinson

                                “The Samaritan Standard”
...

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Forgiven June 13, 2010 (All day) Rev Laurie M. Vischer

The Rev. Laurie Vischer

June 13, 2010                           
Luke 7:36-50...

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Pray It Forward May 16, 2010 (All day) Rev David Hutchinson

                            “Pray It Forward”...

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Paralysis May 9, 2010 (All day) Rev Laurie M. Vischer

    Question to consider: What do you/we need in terms of healing?

    One  of my favorite movies  is Monty Python's The Life of Brian.  The...

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The Stones Will Cry Out March 28, 2010 (All day) Rev Laurie M. Vischer

March 28, 2010 - Palm Sunday

The Rev. Laurie Vischer
 Luke 19:28-43

"The Stones Will Cry Out"

     It really wasn’t that long ago...

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The Wonders of Redeeming Love March 14, 2010 (All day) Rev David Hutchinson

                            “The Wonders of Redeeming Love”
  ...

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Hard to Hear: Fox, Hen and Worm February 28, 2010 (All day) Rev Laurie M. Vischer

Hard to Hear: Fox, Hen and Worm

The Rev. Laurie Vischer

Luke 13:31-35

2nd Sunday in Lent               
Feb....

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Beloved January 10, 2010 (All day) Rev David Hutchinson



    I begin this morning with a scene from a novel - -
        - - in which Sethe and Paul D - meet a woman on a road.
 ...

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Children of God January 3, 2010 (All day) Rev Laurie M. Vischer

Through all of my childhood, my family of origin moved every two or three years.   So, in many ways, my  only consistent “home” was Grandpa and Grandma Campbell’s...

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Roses in the Snow December 20, 2009 (All day) Rev Laurie M. Vischer

Roses in the Snow

The Rev. Laurie Vischer
December 20, 2009, the Fourth Sunday of Advent       
       
In...

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2009 November 29, 2009 (All day) Rev David Hutchinson

“2009”
                            1 Thess. 3:11-13; Luke 21:25-36
...

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“What Do You Want From Me?" October 25, 2009 (All day) Rev Laurie M. Vischer

Mark 10:36-43
“What Do You Want From Me?"

Lord Jesus Christ, your light shines in within us; let not our doubts nor our darkness speak to us;
Lord Jesus Christ, your...

Mercy, Mercy, Mercy October 4, 2009 (All day) Rev David Hutchinson

“Mercy, Mercy, Mercy”
Psalm 26:1-3; Hebrews 4:16
Rev. David Hutchinson
Sunday, October 4, 2009

In the Oregonian on Tuesday, commentator Ken Goe wrote the...

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Opening September 6, 2009 (All day) Rev Laurie M. Vischer

"Opening"

The  comic strip “Momma” by Mell Lazarus, shows Momma’s youngest son, Francis, dropping by her house and saying, “Momma, I’m bringing my new...

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Dwelling August 23, 2009 (All day) Rev David Hutchinson

“Dwelling”

1 Kings 8:27-30, 41-43; John 6:66-69
...

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Bread and ... August 9, 2009 (All day) Rev David Hutchinson

    How do every day things take on holy significance?
    Or to put it another way…what makes something ordinary - into something special?

 ...

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"Take or Give" July 26, 2009 (All day) Rev Laurie M. Vischer

Laurie: Know the love of Christ and be filled--

People: With all the fullness of God!    I remember when I was younger and I stayed for the first time, (without my parents )...

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Lord of the Dance July 12, 2009 (All day) Rev David Hutchinson

                            Lord of the Dance
 ...

Resting in the Shade June 14, 2009 (All day) Rev Laurie M. Vischer

Here’s a riddle for you.  By the way, apparently, only  17% of Stanford graduates figured out this riddle, but 80% of kindergartners knew the answer.


“What is...

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What a Friend May 17, 2009 (All day) Rev David Hutchinson

I have recently rediscovered some of my friends from high school because of Facebook.  For those of you who are not on Facebook, it’s a social networking tool that allows you to...

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Touching Jesus April 26, 2009 (All day) Rev Laurie M. Vischer

 "There is a truth past knowing; there is a joy past hope. "  A poet expressed this mystery of our faith.  Do we really know the good news of God's love and forgiveness?  Do we...

Promises, Promises March 1, 2009 (All day) Rev Laurie M. Vischer

Promises, Promises
Gen. 9:8-17; Mark 1:21-28
Rev. Laurie Vischer
March 1, 2009

A long time ago, I was hoping for a commitment from someone. I was in graduate school and...

Stumbling Blocks February 1, 2009 (All day) Rev David Hutchinson

It happened in New York’s Lincoln Center, during a violin concerto. And it is retold in a book by Jeff Lucas, called, The Prodigal Friendly Church: Itzhak Perlman, arguably the world’s...

The Brightness of Your Rising January 4, 2009 (All day) Rev Laurie M. Vischer

The Brightness of Your Rising”
The Rev. Laurie Vischer
Isaiah 60:1-6; Matthew 2:1-12
January 4, 2009


One of my favorite print comics is Calvin and Hobbes....

Impossible Surprises December 21, 2008 (All day) Rev David Hutchinson


“Impossible Surprises”
Rev. David Hutchinson

Not preached Dec. 21, 2008 at Westminster because of snow:
Nevertheless……

Can you...

Awake November 30, 2008 (All day) Rev Laurie M. Vischer

“Awake”
The Rev. Laurie Vischer
The First Sunday of Advent
November 30, 2008

What keeps you awake?

Bills? Worry about your parents? A child? The...

My Westminster October 19, 2008 (All day) Rev David Hutchinson

My Westminster

“My Westminster”
Matthew 22:15-22
David Hutchinson
Sunday, October 19, 2008

One of my favorite things about Westminster is...

Mine and Thine November 11, 2007 (All day) Rev Laurie M. Vischer

Last month, a dear friend of ours died, after a long and fruitful life. It seemed to us that, more than most people, he embodied Christlike love, and tried his whole life to align his actions with...

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Spirit Led May 20, 2007 (All day) Rev David Hutchinson

The decisions we make, over a period of time, when strung together, would begin to tell the story of who we are. Our decisions, when taken together, are the story of our identity, at least in part...

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My Westminster Rev David Hutchinson

One of my favorite things about Westminster is looking out at all of you. When it comes to saying where I see God's image, it‘s there. And it truly is one of my favorite things. But today I...

In a Heartbeat Rev David Hutchinson

There is a connection - - between our rules and our relationships.
Maybe you could describe it as a connection between our laws and our lives.
Or maybe it could be described as a...

Not Fair! Rev Laurie M. Vischer

My parents tell a funny story about me at age two. It was about my first good friend, Jennifer. We were playing with imaginary candy. We were imagining the taste, the color, the wealth of it all!...

I thank my God Dr Jim Moiso

Before there were pastors and seminaries and a New Testament, prior to church committees and budgets and buildings, the apostle Paul had birthed a tiny new religious group. Near the northern edge...