Readings: Sirach 3: 2-6, 12-14; Colossians 3: 12-21; Luke 2: 41-52 Preacher: Nancy DeRycke There’s a fable about 2 folks walking around a market who spot a vegetable stand with a sign “God’s Vegetables.” They run over and say to God: “Finally, we’d like some perfect vegetables (beans, broccoli…).” God says: “Sorry, I only sell seeds.” Today’s readings say that in… read more →
Readings: 2 Kings 4: 42-44; Ephesians 4: 1-6; John 6: 1-15 Preacher: Nancy J. DeRycke How many times have you and I heard the Story of Jesus going up the hillside, feeding the 5,000? So, we know it’s about generosity—ours and God’s. As I think about it this time around, however, I feel like you and I are on a different… read more →
Readings: Acts 4:8-12; 1 John 3: 1-2; John 10: 11-18 Preacher: Nancy DeRycke Okay—the Gospel about Jesus calling himself the “good shepherd” has sucked me in once again. Probably because it got me thinking about Pope Francis’ oft-repeated challenge that “a shepherd must smell like his (her) “sheep.” What does it mean to “smell like your sheep” or to “lay down… read more →
Readings: Ezekiel 34:11-12, 15-17; 1 Corinthians 15: 20-26, 28; Matthew 25: 31-46 Preacher: Nancy DeRycke Wow! I just opened the Scripture readings for today and found it hard not to think the readings were written in today’s world! Ezekiel speaks God’s warning to the “shepherds” of Israel, who took advantage of and did great harm, battering, not tending or providing safety… read more →
Readings: Acts 6: 1-7; 1 Peter 2:4-9; John 14: 1-12 Preacher: Nancy DeRycke Many Scripture scholars now believe that Jesus was an Apocalyptic preacher, assuming that the end was coming soon. God would come and S/he would gather all people together to call the just. Perhaps if that Jesus were physically around now, he would presume, with all the violence and… read more →
Readings: 2 Samuel 5: 1-3; Colossians 1: 12-20; Luke 23: 35-43 Preacher : Nancy J. DeRycke Just as the attention has settled down around Queen Elizabeth’s death and King Charles’ reign, the Church is celebrating Christ the King—another reflection on “Royals.” Our world (and church?) has a fascination with royalty and power. So perhaps that’s part of the reason why the… read more →
Readings: Ecclesiastes 1: 2, 2: 21-23; Colossians 3: 1-5, 9-11; Luke 12: 13-21 Preacher: Nancy DeRycke “NOW” is a very important word. I remember a poster: “Do it now.” And a Lenten song in college: “Love them now…don’t wait ‘til they go away; love them now, while they’re still around…” We all may have regrets about questions (a favorite recipe…a family… read more →
Readings: Acts 5: 12-16; Revelations 1: 9-11a, 12-13, 17-19; John 20: 19-31 Preacher: Nancy De Rycke When I was born, in the days before ultrasounds, I was predicted to be a boy; my name was to be Thomas. I wasn’t Thomas. Things aren’t always what we plan on. My parents had to change gears pretty quickly to adapt to this baby… read more →
Readings: Genesis 15: 5-12, 17-18; Philippians 3: 17- 4:1; Luke 9: 28b-36 Preacher: Nancy J. DeRycke Remember times in your life, growing up or as an adult when you needed a “guiding light?” In this Transfiguration story that we hear every 2nd Sunday of Lent, Jesus goes up the mountain to pray, to sort things out as he struggles with the… read more →
Readings: 1 Kings 17:10-16; Hebrews 9: 24-28; Mark 12: 38-44 Preacher: Nancy DeRycke No one is a justa! We’ve probably heard the story of the kiddo who, because of the prayer, thought God’s name was: “Our father who art in heaven, HAROLD be thy name!?”There are many kinds of names, but the one name God doesn’t like is “justa.” (That… read more →