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...]
News of Grace
4 Lent B—3/15/15 Numbers 21:4-9; Psalm 107:1-3,17-22; Ephesians 2:1-10; John 3:14-21 Pr. Scott Kramer I still haven’t gotten used to the idea of going to my phone for the news. I’m still an old-fashioned newspaper guy. Maybe you get your news from your tablet, radio, or TV—there are lots of choices these days! But regardless of where we get our news there’s a more interesting question: How do you know what to believe? News is not just one thing. The cover story for this month’s … [Read more...]
Small Packages
The Best Gifts Luke 2.22-40 12/28/14 By Jon Glenn Have you ever heard the expression, “The best gifts come in small packages?” This phrase was never truer for me than in January, 2012. Melissa and I have a tradition that we started during our first Christmas together. Every year we give each other 12 gifts, one for each day of Christmas. That Christmas the best gift that I gave came in a rather small package: a 2x2x1.5 inch box with a hinged lid. I imagine that some of you can probably … [Read more...]
Final Exam
Christ the King A14—11/23/14 Ezekiel 34:11–16, 20–24; Psalm 95:1-7a; Eph. 1:15-23; Matt. 25:31-46 “God loves you…no matter what.” At the baptismal font, week after week, in the presence of children, we hear these words. “God loves you…no matter what.” Children seem to accept this assurance with little problem. We adults, however, are waiting for the other shoe to drop, right? Unconditional love—truly unconditional love—is so rare in the world and so rare in our experience … [Read more...]
Rules of the Game
23 Pentecost A—11/16/14 Zephaniah 1:7,12-18; Ps. 90:1-12; 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11; Matt. 25:14-30 American Idol. The X Factor. The Voice. Top Chef. America’s Next Top Model. And, America’s Got Talent! Growing up, I thought of talent shows as something you’d find at summer camp, or church events. Today on television they’re big business! "The kingdom of heaven is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them; to one he gave five talents, to … [Read more...]
An All-Inclusive Feast
18 Pentecost A—9/12/14 Isaiah 25:1-9; Psalm 23; Philippians 4:1-9; Matthew 22:1-14 Have you gotten any dinner invitations lately? I have. Over the past month Lutheran Community Services, REACH, Faith Action Network, Communities In Schools in Renton, Open Door Ministries, and the Church of Steadfast Love have invited me to dinner—fundraising dinners! In today’s reading from Matthew Jesus tells a story about an invitation to a banquet. The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king … [Read more...]