Sermons
Faith’s Foundation
The words are said at the beginning of every funeral in the Episcopal Church. And no matter how many hundreds of times I have heard or spoken them, they never fail to move me with their powerful proclamation of faith and defiance in the face of death. “As for me, I...
Pushing Boundaries for God
Today is All Saints’ Day, one of the major feast days of the Church, and one of my favorite days of the year. This first Sunday in November is the day that we remember the saints of the church – all of them, those who are important and have their own day on the church...
Dreaming With God
It has not been a good time for the people of Israel when the prophet Joel enters the scene. Wave upon wave of locusts have descended upon the country, each causing more and more destruction, until finally nothing is left. “The fields are devastated, the ground...
Nevertheless, She Persisted
One afternoon this week I began my sermon writing ritual. Spread out on my desk were a Bible open to today’s scripture passage, several commentaries, and a notepad. I was just getting absorbed in the work when Dunstan suddenly appeared. For those of you who are new to...
Singing God’s Song in a Strange Land
It was not the word from the Lord that the Israelites were hoping or expecting to hear. God is addressing the survivors of the Babylonian invasion of Israel, almost 600 years before the birth of Christ. Those who survived the...
Who Are the Prophets?
Amos 6: 1a, 4-7 Grace to you and peace in the name of God, Creator, Redeemer, and Holy Comforter. Amen Nearly 800 years before the birth of Jesus, the land of Israel was enjoying a long and peaceful period of prosperity under the reign of King Jeroboam. The...
The Resourceful Rascal
Luke 16: 1-13 In the name of God, Creator, Redeemer and Holy Comforter. Amen Last Spring, it seemed as if everyone was watching Jeopardy because James Holzhauer was something of a national phenomenon. When James was first introduced as a professional sports...
Lostness
Luke 15: 1-10 In the name of God, Creator, Redeemer and Holy Comforter. Amen. The gospels are always talking about sheep and shepherds, but there are very few of us at St. Dunstan’s in the 21st Century who know sheep up close and personal. I have had a personal...
Discernment
Luke 14:25-33 In the name of God, Creator, Redeemer, and Holy Comforter. Amen. Have you ever gotten started on a project and realized it was going to be a lot more work than you thought at first? Sometimes this happens on Christmas Eve around midnight when you’re...
Proper 14C Sermon
By The Rev. Bill Deneke A call to confession and hope belong together in Isaiah’s prophetic vision. Speaking for God, the prophet/poet proclaims God’s distaste for worship that denies the realities of poverty and injustice. God is tired of hearing your songs of...
Transfiguration Sunday
by The Rev. Deborah Silver I love mountains. When I was growing up at the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains in Southern California, I could look out of our kitchen window and see Mt. San Antonio or what we affectionately called Mt. Baldy because it had no trees...
The Feast of the Ascension
by The Rev. Dr. Deborah Silver I have always loved rocks. My grandson inherited this love of the earth and of rocks. When he was younger, whenever we took my dog Toby for a walk, we’d inevitably come home with hands and pockets full of rocks. If you come to my house,...
Surprised by the Spirit
Easter 5C It is the very first church controversy, and like the hundreds, if not thousands, since then, it threatens to tear apart the church. The controversy is ancient, but its content could be pulled from today’s newspapers – who should be allowed in the church and...
A Life Without Fear
Easter 6C It sounded like it was going to be such a nice, feel-good story. “A Life Without Fear,” the NPR announcer called it. This will be good, I thought. But what I expected to be an inspiring story of courage and bravery instead turned out to be – well,...
Herding Cats
Easter 4C It is my favorite tv commercial of all time. A group of cowboys gallop across the screen on their horses, dust flying everywhere, whips snapping in the air, yelling at each other as they try to guide the herd across the dusty plains. Then you notice the...