Category: Pastoral Life
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Stand UP! Pentecost 11C- August 25, 2019
A sermon for the people of Hope Lutheran Church in Riverside, CA. So, here is your greek for the week- if you read the gospel, the woman stood up and began praising God. The word for praise is doxazo- which more often means to think of, to suppose or consider, but…
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Parts and Pieces in Context- Nov 25, 2017
We just moved- most of you know that.. I am not new to this- I have done it many times and I have learned more than a few tricks to make it easier. And still it happens- someone takes apart an item in our house, doesn’t write down the steps…
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We forget ourselves… Thanks-Giving
In the beginning of our history for this country the Pilgrims came to worship God freely. They sought a place safe from tyranny and persecution. They weren’t asking for much, just their lives and freedom to worship God. So they fled , the hunted seeking shelter and a new home.…
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Flipping the Parable
Read Matthew 25:14-30 FIRST. For years women have been denied their place where I stand now. For years they have been forced to bury their gifts and calling. The passage from Paul in 1 Timothy 2:12 has been used to keep women silent in public and became like a plague…
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Is she there yet? Where did she go?
The mistress is on the run! Hurricane Irma is set to begin impacting the U.S. mainland tomorrow by lunchtime. I have deployed to help with the American Red Cross as a Disaster Spritual Care Responder. As I write, I am bunked up (finally after a very long day of travel)…
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Cussing Christians
Exegesis. I was told in seminary first day not to use that word in public. It is the research and understanding of scripture but a no no in many ways to use those big words from seminary because they distance us. And today it brought me to a nifty if slightly…
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The Ones who leave you like Atreyu
It happens to all of us. We get star struck. We see someone and we feel like we are approaching The Oracle in The NeverEnding Story. Suddenly, we are little Atreyu. We know that our truth will be seen and if we try to cover it with bravado or airs,…
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The Whole Thing- The Bible in Lent Week One (Genesis 1-Leviticus 15)
Whew! I made it! All of the generations and the beginnings of law all piled together is one of the most daunting parts of the Bible for many folks and I am not exempt. What I found was a new appreciation for law and generations by choosing not to dig…
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The Whole Thing- A Lenten Journey of entire Bible in one Lenten Bite (why and how)
So recently in an interview with several Bishops and their staff I was asked, “What is one thing we didn’t learn that we should know?” I answered as honestly as I could. “I have never read the whole Bible straight through.” For years I have spent time in the Bible- lots…
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Who is giving this sermon anyway???
It happens to every pastor. The sermon we feel was a bomb. We labor over it, rehash it, reform it, slash sections, add others, practice and still, when we get up there to share these thoughts and insights on The Word, we walk away and believe we have bombed it.…
Mistress of Divinity 