We all sit under trees we didn’t plant. We all drink from wells that other people dug. It was the faithful Christian Episcopalians in Salem who provided the structure so that as I grew up I would learn and have my faith strengthened. It is thanks to the giving and work and faithfulness of previous members of St. Mary’s going back 170 years that there is a structure here for a faithful community to strengthen my faith, and uphold and support me, Dorothy, our children and our grandchildren in their faith. For all of that I am most grateful.
Learning to Trust
I do worry about the impact on our ability to trust in general and the implications of that. Surveys also indicate that we do not trust each other – our neighbors and our fellow citizens as much. And how does that general distrust impact our ability to trust in God? Have we lost the ability to trust?
Listen to or read Bingham’s entire sermon by clicking “Read More.”
Hospitality and Welcome
We find in today’s Gospel one of the most familiar Biblical stories of hospitality. Lazarus may have come home early to let his sisters know that Jesus and his friends were coming for dinner. Mary and Martha tidied up the house and began dinner preparations. The guests arrived as one sister prepared the meal and the other sister welcomed the guests and shared in the pre-dinner conversation. This is a scene very familiar to us, especially those of us who have homes without open concept, where one or more are preparing food in the kitchen and the others are in the living room making lively conversation so the guests feel at home.
Listen to or read Deacon Nancy Crawford’s entire sermon by clicking “Read More.”
Who Is Our Neighbor
Now I’m not stupid, and I am human. As committed as I am to the Great Commandment, as hard as I try to live into our Baptismal Covenant, I know I don’t treat everyone I encounter in an equally loving manner. But I have noticed over the years, if I just allow myself to be open to it, situations arise when the invisible barrier that may have existed between me and someone else disappears.
Read Sharon’s entire sermon for the Fifth Sunday after Pentecost by clicking “Read More.”
Strength on Our Journey
With everything that’s been going on in our world lately, and that continues to go on with no clear end in sight, today’s prophetic words from Isaiah about the power of joy and celebration in the midst of anger, pain, and suffering, hit home. In times of despair, it’s not as simple as, “Just believe!” Or, “Have faith!” Or, “Pray harder!” In fact, those sayings do more harm than good.
Listen to or read Ryan’s entire sermon for the Fourth Sunday after Pentecost by clicking “Read More.”
Love: Foundation and Cornerstone of Our Faith
I don’t know about you, but it feels like love is in short supply these days. Two years of a pandemic made us all grumpier, a little shorter with each other, it’s harder to pull that love together. We realize this was going on before the pandemic. If you read history, you know it has always been this way. Love has always been in short supply, even among those of us who profess to follow a God who is love
Listen to or read Bingham’s entire sermon for the Third Sunday after Pentecost by clicking “Read More.”
Beloved Is Your Name
this grace and mercy, the restorative, healing power of Jesus, does not discriminate. It is available to all. In Jesus, our binary distinctions and separators, our groupings of ins and out, in fact ALL dichotomies, are done away with. None of that has any effect on the love of God for all of God’s beloved children, for we are all one in the love of Christ.
To hear or read Ryan’s entire sermon for the Second Sunday after Pentecost, click “Read More.”
