Thank you all so much for being here this evening, for leaving a cozy home, for arriving with a full stomach and the sleepiness that follows a big meal and a glass of wine, making your way through one of our dark and rainy Portland nights, to come to church, of all places, on Christmas … read
Do you believe in the oppressed going free? That is essentially the question Jesus presents when he first reads that passage we just read. Jesus is an adult just starting out his ministry, and at the temple, he reads a portion of our text from the Hebrew Scriptures. “The spirit of the Lord GOD is … read
Many years ago a friend of mine gave me a T-shirt that read “Jesus is coming. Look busy.” We are about to enter the strange world of Matthew 25, in which Jesus tells three different stories about the end times. The first is today’s parable; next week Lindsey will preach on the parable of the … read
In Japanese culture there is a term called mono no aware, which might be translated “the bittersweet transience of life.” It captures the idea that things are more meaningful, more beautiful because they will not last forever. The Japanese person might point to the trees adorned with cherry blossoms and acknowledge their fleeting beauty, more … read
Dear confirmands, You did it! You got through the confirmation process of going to the Neels’ cabin and learning the basics of our Christian and Presbyterian tradition. You learned that Dean really likes the “Bee Movie.” You stayed silent when the seven card hit Spicy Uno, and you survived epic games of Mafia narrated by … read
I thought I’d begin with a poem this morning because the world has been in a heavy, scary, grievous place and sometimes the poets have the most to say. This comes from Aurora Levins Morales and is part of a longer poem. It’s called “V’ahavta” which means “you shall love” in Hebrew. Say these words … read