Sermon: “I Am A Samaritan” Have you noticed that some preachers have a gift… of preaching the same thing over and over? Well… This is yet another Rian Adams sermon about compassion and mercy. But… Jesus preached it all the time too, so I’m in good company.  This reading seems direct: Jesus healed ten lepers, one returned to say thank you… Say thank you. For the typical preacher, this is an underhanded softball pitch. It’s simple, preach about giving thanks and remind people to thank God and others. That’s a good sermon…

Sermon Audio Faith and Forgiveness Allow me to begin today with some self-disclosure: I do not understand exactly what faith is, or how it works. But I have a couple of ideas from the lesson that might be helpful. More on that in a moment, but first I’ve got to share some humor.  Have you ever heard a story that had to be true because it was just too good to be a lie? It just so happens that I have one of those funny stories too good to be true… but it is true… Have…

Sermon Proper 21 Clean your glasses: Seeing others as God sees them. I heard something kind of funny last week about our eyesight changing. When I visited a family member, there was a cartoon clipping on the refrigerator that read, “I don’t stress about my eyesight failing as I get older. It’s God’s way of protecting me from shock as I walk past the mirror.”  Eyesight is something we sometimes need to protect us from the world, and apparently from ourselves. Jesus suggested that we have spiritual eyesight too. He put a spiritual spin on…

Sermon: “A Welcoming Grace” Five words appear all across America. We print them on books, newsletters, church bulletins, and thousands of search signs. They are the de facto mission statement for an entire denomination. “The Episcopal Church welcomes you.”   We insist that welcoming arms await all who walk through our red doors. Most of the time we do a good job living into our mission. But, it leaves me with a question: “What does it mean to be a welcoming faith community?” Hold that thought, and we’ll come back to it. Jesus…

God’s Not Finished With You Yet! I’m going off-script this morning. I usually preach from the Gospel lesson, but I feel like the Jeremiah reading is timley for us today. Sometimes we need spiritual encouragement. Jeremiah knew that, and he told the story of a potter’s wheel. I hope this sermon today can be inspiring for this congergation.  Hear what the prophet said again:  The word of the Lord said to Jeremiah, “Go down to the potter’s house, and there I will let you hear my words.” So…