9 Pentecost C—8/11/19 Isaiah 1:1,15-20; Luke 12:32-40 Pr. Scott Kramer Some of you may remember the story of Moses receiving from God the Ten Commandments. The story is not one of our readings for today, and yet, in response to today’s readings, I have found renewed sympathy for Moses. In the story, Moses climbs a high mountain, where God gives him a set of laws intended to order a newly-liberated people’s life together. But in the view of the people, Moses is gone too long. They … [Read more...]
Healed by Love
5 Pentecost B—7/14/19 Deuteronomy 30:11-14; Colossians 1:11-14; Luke 10:25-37 Pr. Scott Kramer Did you see the Pearls Before Swine comic in yesterday’s paper? Rat: I think the world’s religions are right. The key to life is to love other people. Goat: Do you think you can do that? Rat: Yes…Except the annoying ones. Those I’ll hit with a stick. Goat: I don’t remember that in scripture. Rat: Yes, you only have to love the … [Read more...]
Healing for Ourselves
4 Pentecost C—7/7/19 2 Kings 5:1-14; Luke 4:22-30; Luke 10:1-11, 16-20 Pr. Scott Kramer So—what was the miracle in the story of Naaman? Naaman, the powerful foreign general, was healed of the one thing he had no power over: a skin disease. But when Jesus told the story of Naaman, his own people almost killed him. Something else must be going on here; you don’t get killed for telling a healing story! Today’s readings, as usual, involve insiders and outsiders. Although Naaman was … [Read more...]
First Things First
3 Pentecost B—6/30/19 Galatians 5:1,13-25 Pr. Scott Kramer On the Sunday before Independence Day it seems appropriate that our reading from Galatians is all about freedom: Christ has set us free to live a free life. So, take your stand! Never again let anyone put a harness of slavery on you! Well, what does freedom mean to you? If we were to take a survey this morning, some familiar responses likely would rise to the top: freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom of the … [Read more...]
The Power of Love
2 Pentecost C—6/23/19 Luke 8:26-39 Pr. Scott Kramer Who is Dylann Roof? Some of us saw the film Emanuel this past Monday. Four years ago to the day, a young man named Dylann Roof walked into Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina. He sat through a Bible study before standing up and shooting nine members of the congregation dead. What possesses a 21 year-old young white man who belonged to an ELCA Lutheran Church to commit such a horrific act against nine … [Read more...]
The Language of Love
PentecostC19—6/9/19 Acts 2:1-21 Pr. Scott Kramer On Tuesday of this past week I met with my synod diversity team. (“Synod” is the name for the 100 Lutheran churches in our part of Washington state.) Our team’s job is to identify needs and opportunities for raising awareness within our synod concerning issues of race, sexuality and, more generally, power. When I say I “met” with the team, I don’t mean face-to-face. Team members serve in different parts of our synod … [Read more...]
“Benediction”
Blessed are the agnostics. Blessed are they who doubt. Blessed are those who have nothing to offer. Blessed are the preschoolers who cut in line at communion. Blessed are the poor in spirit. You are of heaven and Jesus blesses you. Blessed are those whom no one else notices. The kids who sit alone at middle-school lunch tables. The laundry guys at the hospital. The sex workers and the night-shift street sweepers. The closeted. The teens who have to figure out ways to hide the new … [Read more...]
Free Advertising!
7 Easter C—6/2/19 Acts 16:16-34 Pr. Scott Kramer Our church, as you know, is not necessarily easy to find. I like to tell the story of how I got lost the first FIVE times I tried to find it—this was before GPS—and those five times were even before I was called to be pastor here! From a marketing point of view, we are at a disadvantage. We’re not on the main drag, not near shopping and major services. Over the years, I’ve heard of neighbors who did not even know … [Read more...]
Stand Up!
6 Easter C—5/26/19 John 5:1-9 Pr. Scott Kramer Have you ever believed something, just because “everybody else” believes it? Not because it’s true, or a good idea, but just because that’s what people say, and it feels right, and we don’t have to change. We like to think of ourselves as free and independent thinkers, but all of us believe certain things because…"everybody else" does. Culture is like that! Some of these ideas and beliefs may even follow us from cradle … [Read more...]
Come Closer
2 Pentecost C—4/28/19 John 20:19-31 Pr. Scott Kramer I brought with me this morning a special friend. He doesn’t have a name but I’ll call him Teddy. He’s a bear given to me as a gift from my sister-in-law Michelle, who made him out of one of the shirts my dad wore in the last weeks of his life. This little bear, arms wide open, is a simple way of keeping close to my dad. It’s bittersweet, you know? Both pain and joy. When we lose someone dear to us, … [Read more...]
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