16 Pentecost C (Season of Creation: Ocean Sunday)—9/4/16 Job 38:1-18; Psalm 104; Ephesians 1:3-10; Luke 5:1-11 Pr. Scott Kramer This past week’s Seattle Times reported that life on earth may have begun far earlier than we thought. Scientists in Greenland found a fossil that they believe is 3.7 billion years old, which is more than 200 million years older than the previous fossil evidence suggests. Our readings for this first Sunday in the Season of Creation (Oceans) speak of ancient things. … [Read more...]
Ultralight Backpackin’ Tips
Summer is short in our part of the world but for me one of the joys of the season is climbing and hiking our local mountain ranges. Over the years I’ve summited all five of Washington’s volcanoes but another long-time goal I’ve had is to hike from Snoqualmie Pass to Stevens Pass. Weeks ago, finally, that goal was realized. This route is only a small portion of the 2600-mile border-to-border Pacific Crest Trail. Also known as Washington Section J, this spectacular 71-mile stretch gains a … [Read more...]
Red Carpet Treatment
12 Pentecost C—8/7/16 Genesis 15:1-6; Psalm 33:12-22; Hebrews 11:1-3,8-16; Luke 12:32-40 Pr. Scott Kramer Following worship every Sunday many of us head downstairs for coffee hour. There your attention likely is on the coffee, the food and the conversation. It may be, though, that on occasion you’ve happened to glance at the floor and if you have you’ve probably noticed the red carpet. Well, it’s not so red anymore. These days it’s more like shades of red mixed with shades of black. And you … [Read more...]
Border Crossings
5 Pentecost C—6/19/16 Isaiah 65:1-9; Psalm 22:19-28; Galatians 3:23-29; Luke 8:26-39 Pr. Scott Kramer On this Father’s Day, I’d like to share with you a story about one father in particular, shared with me by a pastor friend of mine. Over the past year, and again with the Orlando shooting last week, there have been threats against Muslims, even by Christians, so one Muslim father’s daughter was afraid. Last Sunday this father did an amazing thing: he brought her to my friend’s church because … [Read more...]
Faith & Doubt
Third Sunday of Easter April 10, 2016 by Melody Kroeger This is my favorite gospel story! Oh who am I’m kidding – they’re all my favorite! But the story of Thomas – doubting Thomas – is especially dear to me because he is so much like us – or at least like me: uncertain – even doubtful – in the face of betrayal, emptiness and tragedy. And given Thomas’ situation, who among us would not be filled with a measure of doubt mixed with a certain amount of fear? Within the short span of five days, … [Read more...]
At the Threshold
Third Sunday of Advent 12/13/15 By Melody Kroeger Last week while trimming the rose bushes, in between rain squalls, my thoughts wandered to Christmas. More to the point, I thought about why the time leading up to Christmas is difficult transition for so many people. (It is a tough time of year for me, too.) Christmas is a time of great anticipation and expectation but also of unfulfilled promises. It is, for many reasons, a season of contradictions. Working in the garden between rain drops … [Read more...]
Go to Zarephath
24 Pentecost B—11/8/15 1 Kings 17:8-16; Psalm 146; Hebrews 9:24-28; Mark 12:38-44 Pr. Scott Kramer How many times in your life have you been fired from your job? Football coach Jim White had been fired three times. He'd burned his bridges. The only job he could get was in the small town of McFarland, at a public school for the children of Latino farm workers in California’s Central Valley. The year was 1987. McFarland’s football team was hopeless. But the new coach realized that … [Read more...]
Who We Remember
13 Pentecost B—8/23/15 Joshua 24:1-2a,14-18; Psalm 34:15-22; Ephesians 6:10-20; John 6:56-59 Pr. Scott Kramer A few years ago my wife and I returned to visit her family in China. This particular visit coincided with the Chinese holiday known as Ching Ming Jie (“Pure Brightness Festival”). In English it’s called the “Grave-sweeping Festival.” This is the traditional festival that honors Chinese ancestors. Families return to the family grave, tidy it up and often have a picnic right … [Read more...]
Into the Boat
4 Pentecost B—6/21/15 By Melody Kroeger Have you ever been in a boat, a raft, a fishing vessel or even a ferry, set upon by heavy swells? Imagine the disciples, trapped between the savage forces of wind, waves, and water. Their small fishing boat rolls from side to side and pitches up and down like a see-saw. At any moment, the accumulation of waves breaking over the boat’s bow will become too much for the small boat to carry and it will be dragged under the water by its sheer … [Read more...]
Holy Impatience
3 Easter B—4/19/15 Acts 3:12-19; Psalm 4; 1 John 3:1-7; Luke 24:36b-48 Pr. Scott Kramer Why are you frightened, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet; see that it is I myself. Touch me and see, for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have! Jesus is impatient. Easter is a season of holy impatience. Earlier in Luke, the first ones at Jesus’ tomb were some women. When they arrived at the tomb, they saw “two men in dazzling clothes.” … [Read more...]