Sermon: “The Art of Regifting: REJOICE”, Christmas Eve Message (December 24, 2024)

December is widely considered a time for exchanging gifts, so this year during Advent, we’ve been taking a deeper look at “The Art of Regifting.” Even though regifting tends to have a reputation as “that thing you do when you want to get rid of something,” there ARE times when regifting can be a thoughtful and selfless act, especially when you take the time to be intentional about it. We shouldn’t write regifting off altogether, because there are some things that are just too good NOT to share - and that’s especially true when it comes to God’s gifts. 

Liturgy, Christmas Eve: The Art of Regifting: Rejoice, Lessons & Carols (December 24, 2025)

*You are welcome to use or adapt any of my resources for free, but I ask that you provide proper citation AND comment on this post to let me know that you have either used or adapted it.*

Lighting of the Advent Candles

Leader: As we await the gift of God-with-us, we give thanks for all that God has already given to us.
People: Truly, we have been blessed by the Lord’s goodness
Leader: As we await the gift of the Messiah, we ponder how best to share these gifts with the world.
People: Truly, ALL should be blessed by the Lord’s goodness.
Leader: We have received God’s gifts to us joyfully and gratefully. [Light purple candle]
People: We have reflected upon the world’s need beyond ourselves. [Light purple candle]
Leader: We have repackaged God’s gifts to speak Good News in new ways. [Light pink candle]
People: And we have redirected them to the places that God calls us to go. [Light purple candle]
Leader: But tonight is for rejoicing in God’s gifts together, and so we cry aloud with one voice:
People: Let earth receive her king!

Prayer for Illumination

Leader: Let us pray: O Holy One, we gather together once again to share these sacred stories that offer us warmth and hope in the coldest time of year. As we hear these beloved words read and sung, we pray that we might receive them and the Messiah whose story they tell as the gifts from you that they are. Prepare our hearts to share the joy that we find in them to the ends of the earth. In Christ’s holy name we pray, Amen. 

Traditional Lessons and Carols

Offering in Response to God's Grace

Leader: Just like the shepherds and magi of old, we, too, ask ourselves, “What do I have to offer that is worthy of a king?” What matters most is not the value of our gift, but the fact that it is given in a spirit of joy and thanksgiving. So, as we pass the offering plates and hear an offering of music, let us take a moment to reflect silently on what God may be calling us to share of that which we’ve been given, and then let us stand to sing our praise and thanksgiving.

Random Thoughts: Another Take on the Shepherds' Fear

A thought that belongs in a different sermon than the one I wrote this week:

When the angel appears to the shepherds in Luke 2, it says, "The Lord's glory shone around them, and they were terrified." The traditional (and most obvious) interpretation of this is that God's glory was so overwhelming that they were afraid until the angel spoke to them.

Sermon: “The Art of Regifting: REDIRECT”, Luke 2:8-17 (December 21, 2025)

In just three weeks, we’ve covered a lot of ground in terms of the regifting process. Prior to Advent, some of us might have thought that regifting was a simple matter of finding something you don’t want and pawning it off on someone else, but now we know better. Now we know that regifting can be much more than that, and that there are steps to doing it well. 

Liturgy: Advent 4: Redirect, Luke 2:8-17 (December 21, 2025)

      *You are welcome to use or adapt any of my resources for free, but I ask that you provide proper citation AND comment on this post to let me know that you have either used or adapted it.*

Hymns

Hymn GTG #105, “People, Look East”

Hymn GTG #136, “Go, Tell It on the Mountain”

Hymn GTG #107, “Awake! Awake, and Greet the New Morn”

Sermon: “The Art of Regifting: REPACKAGE”, Matthew 1:18-24 (December 14, 2025)

It’s hard to believe that we’re already more than halfway through Advent, isn’t it? But here we are, in week three of our Advent series on regifting God’s gifts. During the first two weeks, we talked about the importance of RECEIVING God’s gifts for ourselves and then REFLECTING on how they might impact others before we attempt to pass them on. Both of these steps are vital to the process of regifting because they help put us in the right frame of mind - they give us a deeper understanding of the people on either side of the gift. But if we only ever approach regifting as an intellectual exercise, nothing will ever actually happen. So in this third week, it’s time for us to get out of our heads and into the real world: it’s time for us to get to work REPACKAGING the gift.

Liturgy: Advent 3: Repackage, Matthew 1:18-24 (December 14, 2025)

     *You are welcome to use or adapt any of my resources for free, but I ask that you provide proper citation AND comment on this post to let me know that you have either used or adapted it.*

Hymns

Hymn GTG #106, “Prepare the Way, O Zion”

Hymn GTG #87, “Comfort, Comfort Now My People”

Hymn GTG #93, “Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates”

Sermon: “The Art of ReGifting: REFLECT”, Luke 1:46-55 (December 7, 2025)

Last week we began our Advent series by considering why we need to fully receive and appreciate God’s gifts to us before we regift them to others. Without taking this first step in the process, we can’t explain why the gift is significant to us and why we want to pass it on. But as good as it feels to name the ways that God has blessed us, we can’t afford to get stuck on this step. Personal gratitude for God’s gifts is important, but it does very little to advance God’s kindom or make disciples on its own. So this week, we’re turning to Mary once again in order to learn what we should do next: the second step in regifting what God has given us. 

Liturgy: Advent 2: Reflect, Luke 1:46-55 (December 7, 2025)

    *You are welcome to use or adapt any of my resources for free, but I ask that you provide proper citation AND comment on this post to let me know that you have either used or adapted it.*

Hymns

Hymn GTG #100, “My Soul Cries Out” [vv. 1-3]

Hymn GTG #86, “The People Who Walked in Darkness” [vv. 1-3]

Sermon: “The Art of ReGifting: RECEIVE”, Luke 1:26-38 (November 30, 2025)

In U.S.American culture, once we make it to the other side of Thanksgiving, our brains almost automatically shift towards preparing for Christmas, don’t they? In the Church, of course, we focus on preparing our hearts and spirits: getting ourselves in the right mindset to welcome Jesus to the world. At home, your preparation might look like decorating or baking; at work, it may take the form of frantic efforts to get things wrapped up before you leave for vacation. But no matter where you are or what you’re doing, I’d be willing to bet that your Christmas preparation involves gifts in one way or another.

Liturgy: Advent 1: Receive, (November 30, 2025)

     *You are welcome to use or adapt any of my resources for free, but I ask that you provide proper citation AND comment on this post to let me know that you have either used or adapted it.*

Hymns

Hymn GTG #88, “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” [vv. 1, 6, 7]

Hymn GTG #104, “O Lord, How Shall I Meet You”

Hymn GTG #82, “Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus”

Sermon: "Unadulterated Loathing", Jeremiah 29:4-14 (November 23, 2025)

This past Friday, the highly anticipated sequel to last year’s “Wicked” movie was released. In case you need a refresher of the first movie before seeing the second, I’m happy to help. Wicked is kind of a prequel to “The Wizard of Oz”; it tells the story of the Wicked Witch of the West long before she meets Dorothy. Far from being a malevolent sorceress, the witch (whose name is Elphaba) actually starts as a shy teenage outcast whose skin had been bright green since birth. She turns out to be quite a likeable protagonist: she’s fiercely protective of her younger sister and has an unshakable sense of justice, especially when it comes to anyone that Ozian society has deemed “less than”. 

Liturgy: "For I Know the Plans I Have for You," Jeremiah 29:4-14 (November 23, 2025)

    *You are welcome to use or adapt any of my resources for free, but I ask that you provide proper citation AND comment on this post to let me know that you have either used or adapted it.*

Hymns

Hymn GTG #805, “Come Sing to God”

Hymn GTG #785, “In Deepest Night”

Hymn GTG #821, “My Life Flows On”

Sermon: Dam It, Amos 5:5:14-15, 21-24 (November 9, 2025)

Just over two years ago, in September 2023, a terrible tragedy hit the Libyan city of Derna. After years of neglected maintenance and record-breaking torrential rain from Storm Daniel, two dams that had held the Wadi Derna River back since the 1970s collapsed, unleashing over 30 million cubic meters of water on the sleeping city[1]. The loss of property and life was staggering, to the point that as of three months ago, almost 3,300 people are still unaccounted for.[2] Some official figures number the fatalities at just over 4,500 deaths,[3] but other sources estimate that as many as 24,000 lives may have been lost.[4] It was the deadliest dam failure of the 21st century and the second deadliest in recorded history. 

If you’re wondering what on earth this awful event has to do with today’s scripture reading, it’s probably because you’ve never heard these verses in the larger context of Amos’ prophecy. 

Liturgy: Let Justice Roll Down, Amos 5:14-15, 21-24 (November 9, 2025)

   *You are welcome to use or adapt any of my resources for free, but I ask that you provide proper citation AND comment on this post to let me know.*

Hymns

Hymn GTG #356, “Sing Praise to God, Whose Mighty Acts”

Hymn GTG #773, “Heaven Shall Not Wait”

Hymn GTG #757, “Today We All Are Called to Be Disciples”

Anxiety and Justice

 It's election day in the U.S., and I'm anxious.

Not about any of the races, but because our church has given permission to Idahoans United for Women and Families (IUWF) to collect signatures for a ballot initiative on our property.

Sermon: "We Are Here", 1 Kings 19:1-18 (November 2, 2025)

By the time that we arrive at this point in scripture, Elijah has only been an active prophet for two chapters, but he’s already made quite an impression on the local royalty. After three years of drought, he pops up out of nowhere, blames the king, and proceeds to humiliate the prophets of Ba’al in the most ostentatious way possible (you can read about it yourself in chapter 18). He’s not kidding when he says he’s been zealous for the Lord - he’s made it absolutely impossible for anyone to ignore God’s power, including the queen.

But now, he’s feeling the full weight of his actions. Jezebel’s threats have left him feeling afraid, burnt out, and utterly alone, to the point that he’s ready to throw in the towel completely. God sends an angel to force Elijah to practice some self care, but the message that accompanies these provisions isn’t especially reassuring: “Eat something, because you have a difficult road ahead of you.” Great. Just what a person approaching wit’s end wants to hear.

Liturgy: God Speaks to Elijah, 1 Kings 19:1-18 (November 2, 2025)

   *You are welcome to use or adapt any of my resources for free, but I ask that you provide proper citation AND comment on this post to let me know.*

Hymns

Hymn GTG #761, “Called as Partners in Christ’s Service”

Hymn GTG #326, “For All the Saints”

Sermon: “How to Succeed at Church Without Really Trying”, October 19, 2025 (1 Samuel 16:1-13)

It’s a widely recognized truth of human nature that, when given a choice, most of us will pursue success by following the path of least resistance. I don’t mean this as a criticism; it’s an entirely rational way to operate in the world. We maximize our chance of success (and minimize the cost of failure) when we make things as easy as possible for ourselves. So it makes sense for us to always be on the lookout for the simplest ways to get a leg up.

Liturgy: God Anoints David, 1 Samuel 16:1-13 (October 19, 2025)

  *You are welcome to use or adapt any of my resources for free, but I ask that you provide proper citation AND comment on this post to let me know.*

Hymns

Hymn GTG #287, “Gracious Spirit, Heed Our Pleading” [vv. 1, 3, & 4]

Hymn GTG #303, “God the Spirit, Guide and Guardian” [vv. 1, 3, & 4]

Hymn GTG #700, “I’m Gonna Live So God Can Use Me”

Sermon: "Inadvertent Villainy", 1 Samuel 3:1-18 (October 12, 2025)

One of my favorite ways to engage scripture is to imagine yourself in the shoes of each character you encounter and seeing what new insights arise. It’s especially interesting in stories where there’s an obvious hero and villain dynamic at play. What do we find when we try to relate to Pharaoh instead of Moses? How does our understanding shift when we see ourselves as Goliath instead of David?  What can we learn when we adopt the perspective of Judas instead of Jesus? 

Liturgy: God Calls Samuel, 1 Samuel 3:1-18 (October 12, 2025)

  *You are welcome to use or adapt any of my resources for free, but I ask that you provide proper citation AND comment on this post to let me know.*

Hymns

Hymn GTG #410, “God Is Calling through the Whisper”

Hymn GTG #421, “Have Mercy, God, upon My Life”

Hymn GTG #805, “Come Sing to God”

Sermon: “M.Y.O.B.”, Exodus 2:23-3:15 (September 28, 2025)

Do you remember the first “societal rule” that you were taught? For many of us, it was probably to MYOB - “mind your own business”. The more siblings you grew up with, the earlier and more frequently you probably heard this admonition. But this rule doesn’t just apply to juvenile tattle tales and the fairness police. In our society, “MYOB” is arguably as important a tenet as the Golden Rule (some might even say moreso). When it’s applied consistently and well, it’s one of our best strategies for living together in peace - if it doesn’t affect you personally, the rule says that you’re supposed to just let it go and move on with your life. 

Liturgy: God's Name, Exodus 3:1-15 (Reposted from October 1, 2023)

 *You are welcome to use or adapt any of my resources for free, but I ask that you provide proper citation AND comment on this post to let me know.*

Hymns

Hymn GTG #442, “Just as I Am, without One Plea”

Hymn GTG #727, “Will You Let Me Be Your Servant” (vv. 1, 2, 4, 6)

Hymn GTG #692, “Spirit, Open My Heart”

Sermon: "Character Work", Genesis 22:1-14 (September 14, 2025)

This story from Genesis is a really disturbing one, particularly since the Narrative Lectionary has given it to us in the midst of an especially disturbing few weeks of violence in our country. The last thing that we want to encounter here in the safety and sanctity of worship is the story of a father willing to sacrifice his own son’s life without question. But here we are.

Most of us have been taught for decades that the point of this story is to show us what true faithfulness looks like, that this is the standard of trust in God we should all aspire to: we should be willing to sacrifice up to and including the lives of our own family - by our own hands - if God asks us to. But although this lesson is deeply ingrained in our theological understanding (indeed, it’s the only explanation some of us have ever heard for this story) many of us still struggle with it. We’re unable to reconcile this interpretation of Genesis 22 with the profound sense of unease that it provokes within us.

Liturgy: The Binding of Isaac, Genesis 22:1-14 (September 14, 2025)

 *You are welcome to use or adapt any of my resources for free, but I ask that you provide proper citation AND comment on this post to let me know.*

Hymns

Hymn GTG #67, “My Song Forever Shall Record”

Hymn GTG #49, “The God of Abraham Praise”

Hymn GTG #60, “Your Endless Love, Your Mighty Act”

Sermon: "Use Your Words", Genesis 1:1 – 2:4a (September 7, 2025)

Those of you who’ve met my dog, Maya, on the occasions that I’ve brought her into work with me know that she can be a little…vocal. Her three natural states are chilling out on the couch (which is my preference), whining like she’s being criminally neglected, and barking to wake the dead. We’ve tried to teach her the “quiet” command; we’ve tried to respond to her softly and with calm energy; we’ve tried ignoring her until it stops - it just never does. Nothing works.

Liturgy: Creation by the Word, Genesis 1:1 -- 2:4a (September 7, 2025)

*You are welcome to use or adapt any of my resources for free, but I ask that you provide proper citation AND comment on this post to let me know.*

Hymns

Hymn GTG #18, “Hallelujah! Sing Praise to Your Creator”

Hymn GTG #24, “God, Who Stretched the Spangled Heavens”

Sermon: "Your Call", Revelation 21:1-6, 22:1-5 (August 31, 2025)

Today’s the last Sunday that we’ll spend in the book of Revelation for a while, thanks be to God, but at least we get to end on a high note. After 20 chapters of doom and gloom, we finally arrive at the payoff of this apocalyptic vision in chapters 21 and 22. The powers of evil are finally defeated, and for the first time, we feel a sense of hope - a new heaven and a new earth are coming!

Liturgy: A New Heaven and New Earth, Revelation 21:1-6; 22:1-5 (August 31. 2025)

   *You are welcome to use or adapt any of my resources for free, but I ask that you provide proper citation AND comment on this post to let me know.*

Hymns

Hymn GTG #375, “Shall We Gather at the River”
Hymn GTG #374, “O Holy City, Seen of John”

Hymn GTG #266, “Joy to the World”

Sermon: "A Modern-Day Mark", Revelation 13 (August 24, 2025)

I have to admit; I’m kind of curious about what’s going though everyone’s mind after the scripture reading today. It…paints a picture, doesn’t it? Although exactly WHAT picture it paints is certainty subject to debate. With its confusing yet oddly specific symbolism, chapter 13 is one of the most closely scrutinized passages in the book of Revelation. You may be familiar with some of the wild interpretations that people have come up with over the years; you might even have a favorite theory yourself: that this chapter is talking about the Roman Empire’s persecution of the early Church, that it predicts the cosmic “end times” in the distant future, or even that it’s prophetically describing present-day political figures – you know, those ones you personally can’t stand.

Liturgy: The Mark of the Beast, Revelation 13 (August 24, 2025)

  *You are welcome to use or adapt any of my resources for free, but I ask that you provide proper citation AND comment on this post to let me know.*

Hymns

Hymn GTG #707, “Take Thou Our Minds, Dear Lord”
Hymn GTG #839, “Blessed Assurance, Jesus Is Mine”

Hymn GTG #822, “When We Are Living”

Sabbatical Thoughts from May 21

 A lot of the work that I've been doing on Sabbatical has been more internal than I expected, so I had the idea to create "highlight images" of some of the insights I've been gleaning to share with anyone who might be interested. I'll use this blog to provide a bit of context, if anyone is interested.

Here's one from earlier in the summer:

Sabbatical Thoughts from July 2

 A lot of the work that I've been doing on Sabbatical has been more internal than I expected, so this morning I had the idea to create "highlight images" of some of the insights I've been gleaning to share with anyone who might be interested. I'll use this blog to provide a bit of context, if anyone is interested.

Sermon: "Switching Gears", Acts 1:1-11 (May 11, 2025)

Before I get started, I want to assure you that I didn’t wear this hilarious shirt by accident, and I promise that I’ll explain it later.

I should also probably take a moment to acknowledge that it’s not, in fact, Ascension Sunday yet, even though we just read the story of Christ’s ascension a moment ago. Normally, the Church celebrates Christ’s Ascension into heaven forty days after Easter (following the timeline of the original events), and we’ve still got three weeks to go. But I figured that since I won’t be with you on June 1 and I’ve given our guest preachers carte blanche to preach on whatever they want, it was worth making sure that we touched on this important story at least once.

And if I’m being entirely honest, it also feels like an especially fitting scripture reading for today. At the risk of comparing myself too favorably to Jesus, I can only imagine that the experience of the disciples here must have been similar to the experience of a congregation watching their pastor prepare to leave on Sabbatical. Both events represent significant shifts in the community’s life; confusion, uncertainty, and even fear are all understandable reactions. Even if you’re NOT experiencing any of these emotions, it’s undeniable that the next three months will be very different from the past six years. Just as the Ascension was for the disciples, the three months that I’ll be on my Sabbatical will be a time of transition and adjustment for all of us: a time of switching gears.

Liturgy: The Ascension of Christ, Acts 1:1-11 (May 11, 2025)

   *You are welcome to use or adapt any of my resources for free, but I ask that you provide proper citation AND comment on this post to let me know.*

Hymns

Hymn GTG #297, “In Christ Called to Baptize”
Hymn GTG #383, “Standing on the Promises”

Hymn GTG #313, “Lord, Make Us More Holy”

Sermon: "Eyes on the Prize", Acts 6:8-7:2a; 7:44-60 (May 4, 2025)

Let’s be honest – this is a pretty disturbing story. Up until this point, Acts has largely been a celebration of the Holy Spirit’s movement among the people, giving us joyful tales of miraculous healings, communal living, and exponential growth. Sure, the disciples were harassed here and there, but they always seemed to come out okay in the end. This, though – this is dark. There’s no “happy ending” for Stephen, even though he’s consistently described as righteous. Amid all the recorded successes of the early Christian movement, this story is a bleak reminder of the sinful reality of the human condition.

Liturgy: Stephen's Witness, Acts 6:8-7:2a; 7:52-60 May 4, 2025)

   *You are welcome to use or adapt any of my resources for free, but I ask that you provide proper citation AND comment on this post to let me know.*

Hymns

Hymn GTG #267, “Come, Christians, Join to Sing”

Hymn GTG #250, “In the Bulb There Is a Flower”

Sermon: "The Space Between", John 20-21 (April 20, 2025 - Easter Sunday)

I’m gonna need a little bit of help with the first part of my sermon today, so if I spoke to you earlier about helping, would you please come up and gather around the table now?

As my helpers are making their way forward, I want to offer a little bit of context for those of you who may not have been following Boone’s Lenten worship very closely. Over the past six weeks, we’ve been reflecting on divisions within humanity, both as found in John’s gospel and as reflected in our own lives. To drive the point home, we used different colored beads – the beads up front here – to “vote” on some of the most divisive issues of our times: Summer or winter? Dogs or cats? Chocolate or vanilla? These particular divisions are, of course, more or less superficial, but they remind us of the many ways that we categorize and separate ourselves out from one another. That’s how the whole world would be if human beings were in charge.

Liturgy: Resurrection Sunday Lessons and Carols, John 20-21 (April 20, 2025)

   *You are welcome to use or adapt any of my resources for free, but I ask that you provide proper citation AND comment on this post to let me know.*

Additional Hymns:

Hymn GTG #232, “Jesus Christ is Risen Today”

Hymn GTG #246, “Christ Is Alive!” 

Hymn GTG #238, “Thine Is the Glory” 

Liturgy: Palm Sunday Lessons and Carols, John 12 (April 13, 2025)

  *You are welcome to use or adapt any of my resources for free, but I ask that you provide proper citation AND comment on this post to let me know.*

Additional Hymns:

Hymn GTG #196, “All Glory, Laud, and Honor”

Hymn GTG #456, “Listen, God Is Calling”

Hymn GTG #200, “A Cheering, Chanting, Dizzy Crowd”

Liturgy: Lent 5 Lessons and Carols, John 11 (April 6, 2025)

 *You are welcome to use or adapt any of my resources for free, but I ask that you provide proper citation AND comment on this post to let me know.*

Additional Hymns:

Hymn GTG #510, “We Gather Here in Jesus’ Name”

Hymn GTG #456, “Listen, God Is Calling”

Hymn GTG #533, “In the Singing”

Liturgy: Lent 4 Lessons and Carols, John 9-10 (March 30, 2025)

   *You are welcome to use or adapt any of my resources for free, but I ask that you provide proper citation AND comment on this post to let me know.*

Additional Hymns:

Hymn GTG #459, “O Word of God Incarnate”

Hymn GTG #456, “Listen, God Is Calling”

Hymn GTG #634, “To God Be the Glory”

Liturgy: Lent 3 Lessons and Carols, John 7-8 (March 23, 2025)

   *You are welcome to use or adapt any of my resources for free, but I ask that you provide proper citation AND comment on this post to let me know.*

Additional Hymns:

Hymn GTG #802, “The King of Love My Shepherd Is”

Hymn GTG #456, “Listen, God Is Calling”

Hymn GTG #158, “Born in the Night, Mary's Child”

Liturgy: Lent 2 Lessons and Carols, John 5-6 (March 16, 2025)

  *You are welcome to use or adapt any of my resources for free, but I ask that you provide proper citation AND comment on this post to let me know.*

Additional Hymns:

Hymn GTG #395, “Blessed Jesus, at Your Word”

Hymn GTG #456, “Listen, God Is Calling”

Hymn GTG #460, “Break Thou the Bread of Life”

Liturgy: Lent 1 Lessons and Carols, John 3-4 (March 9, 2025)

 *You are welcome to use or adapt any of my resources for free, but I ask that you provide proper citation AND comment on this post to let me know.*

Additional Hymns:

Hymn GTG #482, “Baptized in Water”

Hymn GTG #456, “Listen, God Is Calling”

Hymn GTG #166, “Lord, Who throughout These Forty Days” [vv. 1, 3, & 4]

Sermon: “Shedding Some Light on John’s Gospel”, John 1:1-18 (March 2, 2025)

Today is Transfiguration Sunday. Churches usually spend this last Sunday before Lent reading and reflecting on the story of Jesus’ dazzling transformation on a mountaintop. There’s a good liturgical reason for this timing: the Transfiguration serves as a preview of Christ’s ultimate glory and exultation in the Resurrection. It gives us the theological context for Jesus’ earthly life as we prepare to enter Lent.

But – well – we’ve run into a problem this time around. As has become tradition for us here at Boone, we’ll be spending the six weeks of Lent reading straight through one of the gospels from beginning to end. But this year’s gospel is John, and John doesn’t HAVE a transfiguration account to ground us during this time of liturgical transition. It doesn’t offer a “mountaintop experience” to contextualize all the rest of the stories that we’re about to hear. It doesn’t fit into the mold of the other three gospels.

Liturgy: John's Prologue, John 1:1-18 (March 2, 2025)

 *You are welcome to use or adapt any of my resources for free, but I ask that you provide proper citation AND comment on this post to let me know.*

Hymns

Hymn GTG #673, “Jesus, Light of Joy”
Hymn GTG #377, “I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light”

Sermon: "Unworthy", Luke 7:1-17 (February 9, 2025)

Ah, yes; yet another miraculous healing from Jesus. To be honest, Jesus does so much healing in the gospels that the stories all seem to blend together a bit, don’t they? I don’t know about you, but I’m guilty of occasionally assuming that all these accounts serve the same narrative purpose: to demonstrate Jesus’ power and explain how his following grew so quickly. It makes for faster reading if you can gloss over the details and just throw the story into that corner of your brain where you keep a vague awareness of all the gospel’s other healings.

Liturgy: Healing the Centurion's Servant, Luke 7:1-17 (February 9, 2025)

*You are welcome to use or adapt any of my resources for free, but I ask that you provide proper citation AND comment on this post to let me know.*

Hymns

Hymn GTG #386, “Come, Worship God”
Hymn GTG #782, “Hear My Prayer, O God”
Hymn GTG #744, “Arise, Your Light is Come”

Sermon: “Foe or Friend”, Luke 6:1-11 (February 2, 2025)

By this time in Luke’s gospel, Jesus has been going around teaching and healing for a while now. He’d made quite a name for himself, to the point that people were actively seeking him out to hear what he had to say and be cured of illness and disease. But the attention wasn’t all positive – Jesus had also attracted a fair amount controversy and conflict, as we read a couple of weeks ago. And it appears that by this point, one particular group of Pharisees have had about all they can take: upon observing Jesus healing on the Sabbath, Scripture tells us that “They were furious and began talking with each other about what to do to Jesus.”

Liturgy: Healing on the Sabbath, Luke 6:1-11 (February 2, 2025)

 *You are welcome to use or adapt any of my resources for free, but I ask that you provide proper citation AND comment on this post to let me know.*

Hymns

Hymn GTG #393, “O Day of Rest and Gladness” 

Hymn GTG #61, “Your Law, O Lord, Is Perfect” 

Sermon: “Go Fish”, Luke 5:1-11 (January 26, 2025)

You know, over the course of my ten years of ordained ministry, I’ve had frequent doubts about the content of my sermon. Sometimes I think, “Maybe I should try to be a little more intellectual in my writing. Maybe I use too many weird metaphors about butterfly goop[1]  and Barbies[2]  and Witness Protection[3]  and cups full of mud[4]. But then, of course, I remember that Jesus was the KING of metaphors. I remember that he refers to himself as bread, a vine, and a gate; that he calls his disciples salt, sheep, and light; that he describes the kingdom of God as a mustard seed, a pearl, and a hidden treasure; and I feel less self-conscious about my sermon illustrations.

Liturgy: Fish for People, Luke 5:1-11 (January 26, 2025)

  *You are welcome to use or adapt any of my resources for free, but I ask that you provide proper citation AND comment on this post to let me know.*

Hymns

Hymn GTG #170, “You Walk along Our Shoreline” 

Hymn GTG #726, “Will You Come and Follow Me” 

Hymn GTG #751, “From the Nets of our Labors” 

Sermon: "No Offense", Luke 4:14-30 (January 19, 2025)

“People are so easily offended these days. You can’t say ANYTHING anymore!” Such is the attitude that seems to have taken hold in certain corners of the popular modern imagination. We’re living in the era of “cancel culture,” and to hear some people tell it, it’s the worst thing that could possibly happen to society. If only people would just stop being so sensitive, we’d be able to focus on things that really matter, instead of spending all our time tiptoeing around the “snowflakes.”

Liturgy: Sermon at Nazareth, Luke 4:14-30 (January 19, 2025)

 *You are welcome to use or adapt any of my resources for free, but I ask that you provide proper citation AND comment on this post to let me know.*

Hymns

Hymn GTG #772, “Live into Hope” 

Hymn GTG #345, “In an Age of Twisted Values” 

Sermon: “Into the Unknown", Luke 2:41-52 (January 5, 2025)

As many of you know, this past December was unusually rough for me, but for the first time in a long time, it doesn’t feel like the new month and new year offer a fresh start. If anything, I almost feel MORE dread for what comes next, and I know I’m not alone. I was joking with someone on Christmas Eve that, while I usually see social media flooded with posts full of hope that the new year will be better than the last, this year I saw a cartoon with a door labeled “2025” and people peering at it from around the corner, cautiously opening the door with a nine-foot broom. The characters in this cartoon are obviously not looking forward to finding out what’s behind that door, and that seems to be the vibe that we’re all entering this year with.

Liturgy: Jesus in the Temple, Luke 2:41-52 (January 5, 2025)

*You are welcome to use or adapt any of my resources for free, but I ask that you provide proper citation AND comment on this post to let me know.*

Hymns

Hymn GTG #143, “Angels, from the Realms of Glory” 

Hymn GTG #135, “There's a Star in the East”