July 28, 2019
How many of you are familiar with the Mitford series by Jan Karon? She writes about an Episcopal priest, Fr. Tim Kavanaugh, and the sleepy little town where he ministers. I have mixed feelings about the books; they have a lovely sweetness and innocence to them—but they are also an expression of the author’s displeasure…
July 21, 2019
For many years I offered congregations a workshop on the topic of “hospitality” within the church. The first story you heard this morning, about Abraham welcoming these three travelers to his encampment, was one of my favorite Bible stories to share. It reflects the culture of the Ancient Near East, where you offered shelter and…
July 14, 2019
In today’s gospel reading we hear someone ask Jesus two questions. It occurred to me this week that our traditional interpretation of the parable of the Good Samaritan makes a really good answer to the first question. But that’s not the one Jesus was addressing with that particular parable… This man who approaches Jesus is…
June 30, 2019
“My boundaries enclose a pleasant land, indeed I have a goodly heritage/rich inheritance.” I discovered this verse nearly twenty years ago, when I was in Clinical Pastoral Education at St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center, a hospital affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church in Brighton, MA. This is a chaplaincy training program, required by most denominations in…
June 23, 2019
The story from today’s Gospel reading is weird and disturbing. But I wonder if it unsettles us not just because of its weirdness, but because there is something familiar in it. We may be 21st century educated sophisticates—but we still have to deal with demons: bigotry, violence, hatred, fear, addiction, greed, dishonesty—there are plenty to…
June 16, 2019 Trinity Sunday
Twenty-five years or so ago, I was living in Topsham and working in Westbrook. My daily commute took me past the paper mill with its tall chimneys. During that same time I needed to replace my glasses, and because my prescription was woefully out-of-date, I needed a new one. I had the exam and bought…
June 2, 2019
“As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us…I in them and you in me” and “I am he as you are he as you are me and we are all together”…Sorry, I lapsed in The Beatles I am the Walrus there at the end. Kookooachoo. I’m…
May 26, 2019
Last month, when we were gathered together for Breakfast Church, I left my table during the period of reflection on the readings, and went out to where the kids were gathered. We ended up talking about our favorite Bible stories, and I realized that in my 18 years of preaching, I have never once had…
May 19, 2019
Every now and then one or another of my more conservative colleagues will listen to us celebrating the ways in which the church has become more inclusive and welcoming to all kinds of different people, and he or she will throw out some Bible verse that is supposed to make us all feel ashamed for…
May 12, 2019
As some of you know, I spent part of Easter Week in Vermont. I posted some pictures of my trip on Facebook and said that I had decided that the easiest way to answer the question, “What are you doing while you’re there?” was to answer, “I am Vermonting.” One of my friends tried to…
