Easter C—4/21/19 Acts 10:34-43; 1 Corinthians 15:19-26; Luke 24:1-12 Pr. Scott Kramer I brought with me today a potted tomato plant. Tomorrow is Earth Day—a happy coincidence with our celebration of Easter today. We see the annual spring miracle of resurrection all around us, and Earth Day reminds us in an increasingly urgent way that our Christian vocation includes stewardship of our home, the Earth. This plant is organic and locally grown. It's a Sungold cherry … [Read more...]
No Wet Blankets
5 Lent C—4/7/19 John 12:1-8 Pr. Scott Kramer (This sermon was delivered to the people of Columbia City Church of Hope) My sermon illustration this morning is a blanket. As you can see, this is no ordinary blanket; it’s a wet blanket! If someone calls you a wet blanket, or says that you threw a wet blanket on a situation, what do they mean? That’s right; you’re no fun—a “spoil sport!” There are lots of opportunities over the course of a lifetime to be a spoil sport. I … [Read more...]
Signposts of Love
4 Lent C—3/31/19 Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32 Pr. Scott Kramer Back in January two of my buddies and I decided to spend a few days hiking Death Valley National Park in late March. At the time we didn’t know that within three weeks my dad would die and our family would plan his memorial service for last Saturday. But, instead of canceling the hiking trip we decided that my companions would go ahead and I would catch up with them later. We met up in Death Valley on Tuesday of this past week and … [Read more...]
Chicken Wings
2 Lent C—3/17/19 Genesis 1:7-12,17-18; Psalm 27; Philippians 3:17-4:1; Luke 13:31-35 Pr. Scott Kramer 34Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! Did you know that God is chicken?? Today’s reading from Luke is a story of the fox in the chicken coop. The fox is Herod the king. Some Pharisees … [Read more...]
Better than Special
1 Lent C—3/10/19 Deuteronomy 26:5-11; Psalm 91:1-2, 9-12; Luke 4:1-13 Pr. Scott Kramer If you’ve been baptized, what did you sign up for? For many Christians, baptism is about the beginning and the end. After all, the Bible says, “Those who believe and are baptized will be saved.” Get yourself baptized, and you have it made in the life to come. But is this not faith based on … [Read more...]
Love’s InTentCity
Snow fell again this morning. For middle-class outdoor enthusiasts, winter camping is an adventure. For those without permanent shelter, not so much adventure as one more factor in the ongoing challenge to survive. Life in Tent City 3 is intense. Recently, we were informed that campers could count on only two meals this week. Most food doesn’t appear on a schedule. Supplies are less predictable in the weeks and months following holiday patterns of abundance and … [Read more...]
Mountaintop Experience
7 Pentecost C—3/3/19 Exodus 34:29-35; Luke 9:28-43a Pr. Scott Kramer My team and I had just reached the summit of Mt. Rainier. It was just after sunrise and after two days and a night of hard climbing, we were thrilled to be at the very summit of the highest mountain in the Pacific Northwest. Seeing our enthusiasm, Dave, one of our climbing guides, said with a sly smile, “Well, you’re halfway there!” He was right, of course! In that moment, we may have felt “on top of the world” … [Read more...]
Love and Family
7 Epiphany C—2/24/19 Genesis 45:3-11,15; Psalm 37:1-11, 39-40; Luke 6:27-38 Pr. Scott Kramer Today my wife and I have been married 29 years. I am grateful for my wife. I love my wife. And I think she loves me, too! So, I confess I am not happy about the gospel reading assigned for today: “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? … [Read more...]
Love Ain’t Easy
4 Sunday C—2/3/19 Jeremiah 1:4-10; Psalm 71:1-6; 1 Corinthians 13:1-13; Luke 4:21-30 Pr. Scott Kramer The presidential election is still almost two years away but already it’s a full field of candidates. This past week Congressman Cory Booker of New Jersey threw his hat into the ring. Announcing his candidacy, he said this: Love ain’t easy…The people I admire are the people that lead by calling out the best of who we are and not the worst. Congressman Cory Booker … [Read more...]
Less Respectable
3 Epiphany C—1/27/19 1 Corinthians 12:12-31a; Luke 4:14-21 Pr. Scott Kramer My wife bought me this Chinese jacket on our recent visit to be with her family in China. On the sleeves are embroidered two cranes, a magnificent bird that looks a bit like our local blue heron. Cranes in Chinese tradition symbolize long life. Over the past 30 years, there is a different kind of crane that has made an appearance in China, and that is the construction crane. Year after year … [Read more...]
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