Sunday Sermon

Jan 20, 2008 | Sunday Sermon

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On World Religion Day

Waking up this morning, I
smile.

Twenty-four brand new hours are
before me.

I vow to live fully in each moment
and to look at all beings with
eyes of compassion.

Thich Nhat Hanh

Lighting Candles in the Storm

Dec 2, 2007 | Sunday Sermon

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On this first Sunday of Advent we light candles in Hope for the light that is coming. However, here on the northern most coast of Oregon, we are lighting candles for more practical reasons today. It is 2:30 pm and my power is back up… but probably not for very long. We are in the midst of an amazing storm. We won’t face the real brunt of it until tomorrow, most likely—so, there is a very good chance power will be fleeting.

If you’re lighting candles today, please keep our power workers in your thoughts and prayers as you do. They are brave people to face these winds in the attempt to keep us all warm. My thoughts go out to all of you who might be without power as well. We are holding warm thoughts for you. May you feel the warmth of our thoughts. . . may you see the light of hope in every flicker of every flame.

I will be back soon.

Sunday Sermon

Nov 18, 2007 | Sunday Sermon

On this Sunday before Thanksgiving, what I would say if I had a congregation:

In a world where the divide between the “haves” and “have nots” widens with alarming speed. In a world where the poor only grow poorer and the rich, only more blind. In a world where the need seems insurmountable we are a people called. Called to see the abundance of our worlds. Called to see what we have, as opposed to what we do not have. Called to recognize that we are extremely blessed; to whom much is given, much is required. So much is required, we rightfully quake at the enormity of our task. But we are not alone in it. We have never been alone in it.

As we gather together with our families and our friends and celebrate the remarkable blessing of both food and relationships, I hope that we will find time to notice the abundance in our lives. Find time to quietly reflect on how truly blessed we are. Because we are. WE ARE! We are people who have families and food, houses and cars, clothing and jobs, security without thought. . . and most importantly, we are people who are loved.

We live in a world that wants us to believe otherwise. And it’s easy to get focused on what we do not have. The great race toward Christmas is often fueled by such a perspective. So, I am asking that this week we don’t buy into the hard sell and instead deliberately see ourselves as we truly are: People who HAVE.

I am hoping that as we reflect on our blessings we will also notice that we are a people who HAVE the ability to change our worlds. We can! We HAVE an imperative to do so. We HAVE every right to demand a difference for those who have not, and we HAVE the responsibility to lurch into the unknown and be that difference. And all this change begins with our willingness to see ourselves as we truly are. I believe we are up to the challenge. And I know that we do not face it alone.

Happy Thanksgiving to you. May you be people who HAVE and people who know it.

Amen.

On this Sunday before Thanksgiving, this is what I’m saying to you.

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An opportunity to act.

So often the charges we hear do not give us a ready opportunity to act. They expect us to listen and then respond in our own fashion. The temptation, even if we are greatly moved, is to not act. We forget or we get busy or we don’t know how. Yet, for the words to truly mean something, we must act upon them. We cannot let them lie dormant. Words on a page do not change the world. People do.

You can:

Love your community: Oregon Food Bank
Love your world: Bread for the World