The Morning After: A Pastoral Letter to our Congregation

To my beloved Brookmeade: I thank God for you*, dear Brookmeade, especially today. Your witness for justice and peace permeates your beautiful history and focuses your current ministries. Your extravagant welcome for all people is your very way of being. You are so unwaveringly authentic. You are a sweet snapshot of the realm of God, a…

United We Sing

Here is something about me as an American citizen pastor person:  I don’t “pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.”  My friends and family and churches may not even know that about me.  When people stand to make their pledge, I simply stand with everyone else as a sign of respect.…

Questions from Suffering: Is Resurrection Real?

******* Questions from Suffering series (#6) Job 42:7-17; Luke 6:20-23 A sermon preached August 7, 2016 for Brookmeade Congregational UCC ******* We finally get to the ending of the story of Job. It’s a story that began with a wager of sorts between God and the taunting Accuser about a certain man: Job. Job was the…

Questions from Suffering: Can You Hear Me Now?

******* Questions from Suffering Series (#5) Job 38:25-27, 41:1-8, 42:1-6; Matthew 7:7-8 A sermon preached July 31, 2016 for Brookmeade Congregational UCC ********* Let’s begin with a game called “Famous Questions in Advertising”: Does she . . . Or doesn’t she? (Clairol) How do you spell relief? (R-o-l-a-i-d-s) Aren’t you glad you use ___? (Dial)…