Words of Welcome

Mt McLoughlin Luke 9:28-36 As the season of Epiphany comes to a close, we find ourselves standing on the Mount of Transfiguration, listening as God reaffirms the commission given to Jesus at his baptism. We go up the mountain to pray with Jesus and three of his disciples. With Peter, John, and James, we watch as Jesus prays. As he prays his face begins to radiate light, and his clothing becomes a dazzling white. In that moment the glory of God that is present within him is revealed. It is a blessing to be in this place at this moment, so that we can witness this revealing of God’s presence. Then, as we stand there in awe of what is happening, two figures from the past appear – Moses and Elijah. This is a moment to behold. It is the moment of Jesus’ transfiguration. 

Matthew 26:26-29 It is stewardship season once again. This means that the council members are making out budgets to fund next year’s ministries.  The budget covers things like church maintenance, staff salaries, and funding for the ministries and mission we engage in. Budget-making requires both realism and faith. We can’t spend more than we take in through pledges, offerings, and endowment earnings, which means that if you’re not up-to-date on your pledge – Wynn Miller would like to see you!  After all, we can’t pay our bills with promises of future income.  At the same time the budget needs to be a document of faith. It needs to tell a story about our vision as a congregation. While we’ve not yet developed what is called a Narrative Budget that focuses more on the mission than numbers, our budget should express a vision for mission and ministry. So, when we write a budget we need to leave some room to grow in our generosity and vision for mission.   ...

Matthew 23:27-36 Can we find good news in words of woe?  If you’re a fan of a softer, gentler, smiling hippy Jesus who preaches peace and love – all the time – then you might be glad that the  Revised Common Lectionary  tends to skip over texts like Matthew 23.  But, as we begin our Lenten journey, I decided to turn once again to David Ackerman’s  alternative lectionary,  which invites us to consider some of the darker and heavier texts. The season of Lent is a good time to hear texts like this.  Lent invites us to consider the darker side of our lives. In Matthew 23, Jesus offers seven “words of woe,” two of which we’ve heard this morning.    This word of judgment comes after Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem.  The crowd that gathered around Jesus is excited.  They’re hoping Jesus will turn the tables on their oppressors – just like he turned the tables on the marketers in the Temple.  He’s already debated one ...

Luke 4:1-13 You know how the Temptation story goes.  After his baptism in the Jordan River, the Holy Spirit leads a Spirit-filled Jesus into the wilderness.  When Jesus enters this barren wilderness, he fasts and prays for forty days and forty nights.  When this physical ordeal ends, he faces three spiritual tests.  This experience forms the basis of our Lenten season, whether or not we join Jesus in his fast. Many have followed Jesus into the desert.  They go there to purge themselves of spiritual distractions and sin.  Desert fathers like St. Anthony went into the desert and practiced extreme forms of asceticism, and like Jesus they reported battling with the devil.  It’s just something that happens when you go into the desert by yourself.   Although many people find fasting to be spiritually liberating, the decision to pursue this kind of spiritual ordeal must be a personal one.  Whatever form our own discipleship takes...

Luke 9:28-36 You may know this chorus from the Messiah, The choir sings boldly: And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed . . . And all flesh shall see it together . . . Have you seen the glory of God revealed?  If so, where?  What was the occasion?  And what happened to you as a result?   We’ve talked about mountain top experiences before – those times and places where we feel especially close to God.  But as wonderful as they might be, they tend to be short-lived.  Once you come down from the mountain, you have to deal with the mundane things of life.  The question is – how did your experience change the way you dealt with the mundane?  Did you leave God behind on the mountain or did you return knowing that God is present with you?  Moses went up the mountain to meet with God and God gave Moses two tablets containing the Law.  These weren’t mere rules and regulations, they were and are the foundation...