Words of Welcome

Galatians 3:23-29 “Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society.”  Thus, saith Mark Twain (or at least the online quote pages say so).   What we wear does say something about us.  If you wear a suit and tie to work that suggests one thing, while overalls something else.  Shorts and a T-shirt are  something else still.  Some members of the clergy wear a collar, which suggests that they are working for God.  Some of us go incognito and don’t wear anything special. As women have entered the workforce and political life, they have wrestled with what to wear.  Remember how Hillary Clinton’s pant suites became the talk of the country during the 2008 primary season.  I think she called herself “Have Pant-Suit will travel.”  Wearing a dress might suggest that she was running for First Lady rather than President, so she chose the Pant-Suit.  Yes, clothes can speak volumes about who we are, where we come from, our economic status, and what we do with our li

Galatians 2:11-21 What does it mean to be a Christian? Is it about going to church?  Behaving properly? Believing the right things?  Is it like being a member of a service club such as Kiwanis?  Or, is it a social club like a bridge group? Trying to answer that question is becoming increasingly difficult.  It’s easier to say what it’s not than say what it is.  But whatever being a Christian means, the way we answer the question is changing. For instance – there was a time in America when it was the respectable thing to belong to a church.  If you wanted to get promoted at work or run for office, you had to be a member of a church, and being the member of the right church was even better.  It was better to be an Episcopalian or Presbyterian than a Pentecostal – though it was better to be a Pentecostal than nothing at all.    Back then, all you had to do to grow a church was open the door.  But that day has long passed.  Today, as Diana Butler Bass demonstr

Galatians 1:11-24 Then the Word of the Lord came to him, saying, “Go now to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and live there; for I have commanded a widow there to feed you.”  (1 Kings 17:8 NRSV). Wouldn’t it be nice if God spoke to you, like God apparently spoke to Elijah?  As a preacher, it would be nice to stand before you each Sunday and say: “I have a direct Word from the Lord?”  Or, as Elders or Trustees or the Council, we could turn to God and say – what do you want us to do?  And then, God would send us a message from heaven, either in an audible voice or maybe as a Tweet, telling us where to go and what to do. When it comes to a call to ministry, how do you know God is really calling you? Twenty-eight years ago – today – I was ordained to the Christian ministry at Temple City Christian Church.  It was the culmination of a rather busy weekend that included walking across the stage and receiving my M.Div. Degree the day before.  So, here I was -- I had a de

Luke 7:1-10 Several weeks ago Pope Francis stirred up some more controversy.  As you may have noticed, he seems to be very good at doing this.  What caught people by surprise this time was who he included among the redeemed in Jesus.  He didn’t just include good Catholics or Christians in general.  He didn’t even stop with people who participate in the world’s great religions.  No, he didn’t stop until he included even the atheist who does good. Here’s what he said. "The Lord created us in His image and likeness, and we are the image of the Lord, and He does good and all of us have this commandment at heart: do good and do not do evil. All of us. ‘But, Father, this is not Catholic! He cannot do good.’ Yes, he can  . . .  "The Lord has redeemed all of us, all of us, with the Blood of Christ: all of us, not just Catholics. Everyone! ‘Father, the atheists?’ Even the atheists. Everyone!" ... We must meet one another doing good. ‘But I don’t believe, Father, I