9 Pentecost B—7/26/15 2 Kings 4:42-44; Psalm 145:10-18; Ephesians 3:14-21; John 6:1-21 Pr. Scott Kramer A couple of weeks ago I spent a few days with my family. From Iowa, from Texas, from Colorado, from Washington we gathered in Oregon for rest, relaxation and sightseeing. These family reunions at their best are a time of renewing our relationships. We remember who we are by telling stories from the past, breaking bread and spending time together. Holy Communion is our weekly … [Read more...]
Sermons Archive
Perfect In Weakness
6 Pentecost B-7/5/15 Ezekiel 2:1-5; Psalm 123; 2 Corinthians 12:2-10; Mark 6:1-13 Pr. Scott Kramer “Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. Wow! Such a big family. If you’re in the habit of imagining the Christmas Eve version of Jesus’ family—Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus—this passage might come as a surprise. Jesus may have been the firstborn but according … [Read more...]
For You
5 Pentecost B—6/28/15 Mark 5:21-43 By Melody Kroeger Many of you, maybe even most of you, have read the great American novel Grapes of Wrath. If you haven’t read the novel, perhaps you’ve seen the movie – John Ford’s adaptation, starring a very young Henry Fonda. The novel lays out the story of one Oklahoma family, the Joads, leaving their devastated Dust Bowl home to find work picking fruit in California. As the family pulls out of a gasoline station, one attendant, remarking on the … [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...]
The Law of Love
2 Pentecost B—6/7/15 Genesis 3:8-15; Psalm 130; 2 Corinthians 4:13-5:1; Mark 3:20-35 Pr. Scott Kramer Three weeks ago in New Zealand a five year-old boy was hit by a car in front of the home of Harman Singh. Harman Singh is a Sikh and, like all practicing Sikh men, he wears a turban in public. But when he saw the little boy bleeding on the pavement he unwrapped his turban and used it to cushion the boy’s head and neck until the medics arrived. What makes this act of compassion … [Read more...]
I Spy
Holy Trinity B—5/31/15 Isaiah 6:1-8; Psalm 29; Romans 8:12-17; John 3:1-17 Pr. Scott Kramer Funny the things we remember from childhood. I don’t remember much but for some reason I think of toys. Some of the first toys I remember were spy toys. Those of you of a certain age may remember decoder rings, invisible ink pens. One of my favorites was a toy gun from 1964. I didn’t know anything about the Cold War but I knew that I liked this spy gun. It looked like a portable transistor … [Read more...]
We Belong to God
Easter 7B—5/17/15 Acts 1:15-17,21-26; Psalm 1; 1 John 5:9-13; John 17:6-19 By Melody Kroeger A Pew Research poll on religion, released last week, found that the number of people identifying themselves as “Christians” has fallen significantly, while the number of U.S. adults who do not identify with any organized religion is growing. Facebook will begin publishing news content directly from nine news media organizations. Why? Because media consultants found that 57% of consumers will … [Read more...]
A Mother’s Love
Easter 6B—5/10/15 By Melody Kroeger As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you; you abide in my love. It is fitting that we hear these words today on Mother’s Day, for the command to love is central to the Gospel of John. But I think we miss an opportunity if we only acknowledge mothers today. For many of us – it’s a dad, sister, brother, or grandmother who bears the responsibility – and the joy – of raising us up. Regardless of who that person is – we all have someone – who has … [Read more...]
The Good Shepherd
Easter 4B—4/26/15 by Melody Kroeger David and I belong to the dwindling demographic that has the daily Seattle Times newspaper delivered to our house. Last week there was an article from Kelso that captured our attention. According to the Times, “the family of Jerry Moon opened his casket for their final goodbyes and were startled” – shocked you might say – to find an absolute stranger in Mr. Moon’s place. Mr Moon, aged 72 and another man, Mr. P aged 97, both died at the same … [Read more...]
Choose Love
5 Pentecost B—5/3/15 Acts 8:26-40; Psalm 22:25-31; 1 John 4:7-21; John 15:1-8 Pr. Scott Kramer Some of us are old enough to remember when Bruce Jenner won the gold medal in the decathlon at the 1976 Olympics. Almost forty years later he’s back in the news again, making headlines for a very different reason: Bruce Jenner is transitioning to a woman. Meanwhile, in our nation’s capital the U.S. Supreme Court is hearing arguments for and against the constitutionality of gay marriage. In … [Read more...]
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