by Patricia Templeton | Jan 12, 2020 | Sermons, Tricia's Sermons
It was the last session of a three-day retreat for Methodist ministers. On the gathering’s opening day, the leader had given an assignment. Each participant was to search through Scripture and find a name or a story that they could claim as their own. On the last day... by Patricia Templeton | Jan 5, 2020 | Sermons, Tricia's Sermons
Arise, shine for your light has come! With these words from the prophet Isaiah we begin the season of Epiphany, often known as the season of light. Epiphany (which actually is tomorrow) begins with the light of the star that led the wise men to the infant... by Patricia Templeton | Dec 24, 2019 | Sermons, Tricia's Sermons
It is good to be gathered here with you on this beautiful night, the night that we celebrate the birth of a baby who will change the world. Everything about this evening is special – the music that our choirs have practiced for so many hours; the beautiful flowers and... by Patricia Templeton | Dec 22, 2019 | Sermons, Tricia's Sermons
Every three years on this day, the Fourth Sunday of Advent, our scripture readings take a few moments to remember a crucial character in the birth we are about to celebrate, a character who soon fades into the background and is rarely seen again. I’m talking, of... by Patricia Templeton | Dec 15, 2019 | Sermons, Tricia's Sermons
They must be the most famous words ever uttered by any woman in history. I’m talking about the Magnificat, also known as the Song of Mary, which we sang in place of the usual psalm today. Mary, a poor, unwed teenager, has just heard the startling news from... by Patricia Templeton | Dec 8, 2019 | Sermons, Tricia's Sermons
I’d like to share with you this morning a true story, told by writer Barbara Kingsolver, that seems to me to be a modern-day parable for Advent, one that could be straight from the mouth of the prophet Isaiah. The story takes place in a cool October in the forested... by Patricia Templeton | Dec 1, 2019 | Sermons, Tricia's Sermons
In recent years, researching one’s family tree has become a very popular hobby, aided by genealogy websites on line. Finding out about one’s ancestors and history can help give us a sense of who we are, where we came from, what transpired in history to bring us to... by Patricia Templeton | Nov 24, 2019 | Sermons, Tricia's Sermons
When I was young, one of my favorite books was Anna and the King of Siam. I read this tale of the young Englishwoman who taught in the exotic Far East country of Siam, now known as Thailand, over and over and over again. One of the things that intrigued me most about...