Words of Welcome

  Maximino Cerezo Barredo (Spanish, 1932–), “In the Breaking of Bread,” 2001.  Luke 24:13-35      On Easter Sunday, we heard John’s story of Jesus’ resurrection appearance to Mary Magdalene (John 20:1-18) . This morning, we heard Luke’s account of Jesus’ appearance to two of his followers, one of whom was named Cleopas. Luke tells us that the two disciples were traveling to a place called Emmaus. As they walked along the road to Emmaus, they discussed the events that took place over the weekend, including reports that some of the women in their group had encountered angels at Jesus’ tomb who told them that Jesus had risen from the dead, as well as the report of others in their group that the tomb was empty ( Luke 24:1-12 ). Despite these reports, these two disciples had chosen to head out of town toward a place called Emmaus. Although Luke tells us they were going to Emmaus, some seven miles from Jerusalem, you won’t find a place by that name on any map. So,...

  Luke 21:5-19   It’s almost Thanksgiving. The weather is changing, the leaves have dropped, and pumpkin spice is everywhere, letting us know that winter is on the horizon. We also seem to be living in a time of crisis. The United States government suffered its longest shutdown in the history of our country, which only ended late Wednesday evening. People who were working without pay, or trying to figure out how to put food on the table with the suspension of SNAP benefits, are thankful that the government has reopened. However, damage has been done. We can’t forget the war in Ukraine that continues unabated, while the ceasefire in Gaza remains tenuous, and trouble is again brewing in the West Bank. Then there are the political and cultural divisions here at home that continue to get worse, which can make for challenging times at many a family Thanksgiving table. Times like this can lead people to wonder if the end of the world might be at hand.  As we ponder the chal...

    Woman of the Apocalypse (Hortus deliciarum) Revelation 12:7-17 It’s Perry Gresham Weekend once again. Yesterday, we heard a word from Richard Beck that reminded us that “ We Wrestle Not Against Flesh and Blood, ” but rather against the powers and principalities of this present darkness. This morning, I return to this pulpit for the first time since I retired more than four years ago. Zach commissioned me to continue the conversation that Richard started yesterday. With that in mind, I chose the reading from Revelation 12.  We don’t often hear from John of Patmos in our mainline churches, especially if the preacher draws sermon texts from the lectionary, which has been my practice over the years. Nevertheless, I believe that John has an important word to share with us this morning.  Here is John’s word:  And war broke out in heaven; Michael and his angels fought against the dragon. The dragon and his angels fought back, but they were defeated, and th...

    Luke 19:1-10 People often had life-changing experiences when they met Jesus. While not everyone responded positively to his ministry, there were many others who left behind their old lives after they met Jesus and chose to follow him. This was especially true of people like Peter and Andrew, who, along with James and John, left behind their fishing businesses to follow Jesus. Then there’s Levi, who left his tax collection booth when Jesus invited him to join his band of disciples, but not before he threw a banquet for Jesus and his friends. Jesus would add seven more members to his inner circle, but there are others who followed him. Luke also mentions the seventy who went out on a mission. Then there were several women who joined his team after they encountered him, including Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Susanna, and others who provided for Jesus through their own resources.  Even if they didn’t join the band, there are many other stories of life-changing encounters. ...

  Luke 16:1-13 What qualities does a person need to be a good manager? Would you say that honesty is an important quality? If so, would you say the manager described in the parable we’ve heard this morning would qualify as a good hire? Not only did this manager squander his wealthy employer’s property, but once he realized he was going to be fired, he “shrewdly” made side deals with the people who were in debt to his employer in the hopes they would take him in once he was let go. Ultimately, when he was fired, his employer commended him for his shrewdness in making sure he had a way of supporting himself after his firing.   There is something rather strange about this parable. If you’re like me, you probably wonder why Jesus decided to tell this story. What was he trying to accomplish with it? There are no easy answers to these questions because even biblical scholars struggle to make sense of it.  While the wealthy employer commended the manager for his shrew...

    1 Timothy 1:12-17           We’ve heard a lot of bad news this past week. Of course, for this congregation, Marilyn’s death hits us hard because she has been such a steadfast part of the life of this congregation. She will be missed. But that’s not the only bad news we’ve heard this week. That’s because once again, gun violence is in the news. The most talked-about act of violence was the murder of political activist Charlie Kirk in Utah. That same day, a student walked into a school in Colorado and wounded two classmates and then killed himself. Then I read the news of a father in Port Huron, who shot and killed his seventeen-year-old son and wounded his other two children. This kind of news, which seems increasingly more common, ends up numbing us to the ongoing violence in our world. People wonder where God is present in all of this. The word we hear this morning from 1 Timothy speaks of God’s mercy that strengthens us as we navigate this w...

  Hebrews 11:29-12:2 “When the going gets tough, the tough gets going.” We often hear this saying before a tough race, game, or big decision. It’s supposed to serve as a word of encouragement when we feel like giving up in the face of difficult challenges. It speaks of the importance of persistence and perseverance.  Here in our reading from the Book of Hebrews, the author encourages us to persevere as we race toward the finish line.     I’m not a runner. I’ve never run a marathon or a 5K. Even when I was in my best shape, a long time ago, I wasn’t very fast, nor did I have the stamina to run a long-distance race. Nevertheless, I did live in Eugene, Oregon, which is known as Track Town USA. The famous marathoner Alberto Salazar was on the University of Oregon track team at the same time I was a student at a little college next door. I even got to attend the 1980 Olympic Trials that were held in Eugene. So, even though I’ve never run track, I feel like I know...