Sermons

Sun, Apr 30, 2017 (St. John’s, Winnsboro) lectionary Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you, for your children, and for all who are far away, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to him.” that day about three thousand persons were added Now on that same day two of Jesus’ disciples were going to a village called Emmaus … We’re still connected by the narrative of the gospel with Easter time … with the time still being around Easter Taking a fork in the road Walking along a road, two companions. They didn’t really know where they were headed because where they were from was so astonishing. Frost: 2 roads … I took the one less traveled I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference. An...

Easter Sunday St. Peter’s, Great Falls – Sun, Apr 16, 2017: Elements of our liturgy There are some changes in the liturgy today that you can’t have missed. We lit a “Passover” candle – i.e. “paschal” Secondly we have renewed our baptismal covenant We fulfill a part of that covenant as we break bread together Service of Light Normally this happens in a service sometime in the dark of Saturday. In the prayer at the lighting of the candle it seemed to me appropriate that we leave some reference to the night time that gives way to the light of the morning. Easter night gives way to Easter morning. I expanded a little the prayer related to lighting the “paschal” candle I first experienced an Easter Vigil where this candle lighting normally takes place at seminary. There was tremendous power in the service. We gathered at night outside the doors to the chapel. Someone kindled a fire from a flint as the congregation sat in complete darkness. The fire rose and then the candles lit...

Easter vigil: 2017 Our Savior, Rock Hill, SC This is the night Some of you may have heard me, at the beginning of our service tonight, repeat the refrain: “This is the night …” Most of the time over the last 40 years or so, as I have heard the words of the exsultet proclaimed, I have heard 2 voices. Sometimes 1 is stronger. Sometimes the other. One of them is the person doing the singing or the saying. The other voice is from somewhere else. It is a heavenly sort of voice. In fact, trying to think about it, I’m pretty sure it has been an angel of some sort. This is the night This is the night, when you brought our fathers, the children of Israel, out of bondage in Egypt, and led them through the Red Sea on dry land. This is the night, when all who believe in Christ are delivered from the gloom of sin, and are restored to grace and holiness of life. This is the night, when Christ broke the bonds of death and hell, and rose victorious from the grave. How holy is this night, when...