21 Pentecost B—10/18/15 Isaiah 53:4-12; Psalm 91:9-16; Hebrews 5:1-10; Mark 10:35-45 Pr. Scott Kramer Imagine being a teacher in a classroom, when two of the students stand up and say, Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you. What were James and John thinking!? On the other hand, maybe they knew Jesus better than we do! In John’s gospel, chapter 14, for example, Jesus says: I will do whatever you ask in my name... If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do … [Read more...]
Sermons Archive
Grown-up Conversations
20 Pentecost B—10/11/15 Amos 5:6-7,10-15; Psalm 90:12-17; Hebrews 4:12-16; Mark 10:17-31 Pr. Scott Kramer I have learned from parents of young children that one of the things they miss most is a “grown-up” conversation. I was talking this past week with one of my pastor colleagues in the area whose children are now teenagers, and I asked how they were doing. “Oh,” she said, “it is so nice to be able to have adult conversations with them!” The past two weeks we have heard Jesus praise … [Read more...]
Living Discipleship
September 13, 2015 Mark 9:30-37 by Melody Kroeger Many of you might be familiar with the slogan - WWJD – "What Would Jesus Do?" Based on a book written by Charles Sheldon in 1896, this popular slogan can be seen on bracelets and bumper-stickers. It appeals to the common human trait of empathy. We are encouraged to imagine ourselves in the shoes of Jesus as our model for the behavior that we are to strive for in true discipleship. But, sometimes, I wonder about how or why we would … [Read more...]
A Rabbi Walks Into a Bar…
18 Pentecost B—9/27/15 Numbers 11:4-6,10-16,24-29; Ps. 19:7-14; James 5:13-20; Mark 9:38-50 Pr. Scott Kramer (a story, based on Mark 9:38-50) So, a rabbi walks into a bar… It had been a long day of preaching and teaching. The rabbi looks around, and sees that it’s a mixed crowd. Some in the crowd are movers and shakers in the local community. They’re well-heeled, accustomed to getting what they want, successful, respected, and they are religious. Most in the crowd, though, … [Read more...]
Love and Justice
15 Pentecost B—9/6/15 Isaiah 35:4-7a; Psalm 146; James 2:1-17; Mark 7:24-37 Genesis 1:1-25; Romans :18-23; John 1:1-14 Pr. Scott Kramer Over the past couple of Sundays we have heard Jesus teach that religion, tradition, and ritual are “worthless”…unless they lead us to a deeper understanding of God’s love and a deeper practice of God’s love for all people! Today we begin the Season of Creation, which congregations of many denominations around the world observe this year—and every … [Read more...]
Beyond Tradition
14 Pentecost B—8/30/15 Deut. 4:1-2,6-9; Psalm 15; James 1:17-27; Mark 7:1-8,14-15,21-23 Pr. Scott Kramer This morning’s gospel reading from Mark picks up where last week’s reading from John left off: All the Jews do not eat unless they thoroughly wash their hands, thus observing the tradition of the elders; and they do not eat anything from the market unless they wash it and there are also many other traditions that they observe…So the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why do your … [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...]
Sourdough Starter
11 Pentecost B—8/9/15 1 Kings 19:4-8; Psalm 34:1-8; Ephesians 4:25-5:2; John 6:35,41-51 Pr. Scott Kramer One of my pastoral visits this past week was to see Jim. Some of you know Jim. Before reading the scripture lessons for the week I explained to Jim that this time of year the gospel readings are all about Jesus as Bread of Life. Jim thought about that and then said, “I make bread. Sourdough bread.” In fact, Jim told me he has sourdough starter in the fridge. And guess how old … [Read more...]
Bread for the Journey
August 9 Homily by Melody Kroeger John 6:35, 41-51 (A sermon delivered in both English and Spanish at Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish, Seattle) Sometimes the biblical texts selected for a particular Sunday seem to be chosen randomly. The Hebrew scripture and the Gospel readings don’t seem to belong to one another, to inform or support one another. But today, it would be difficult to miss the rich theology in the Hebrew and Christian texts. A veces los textos bíblicos seleccionados para … [Read more...]
Leaving Home
10 Pentecost B—8/2/15 Exodus 16:2-4,9-15; Psalm 68:23-29; Ephesians 4:1-16; John 6:24-35 Pr. Scott Kramer Have you ever felt homesick? Maybe it was summer camp as a child, going away to college or work, or getting married. For some, moving to a new city or even a new country can leave a person longing for the familiar faces and foods and things of home. If only we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots and ate our fill of bread. It’s … [Read more...]
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