When we, the unworthy, accept the invitation and show up for the wedding, we are supposed to “put on” this special garment as we come in the door. AND – it is something that the Lord our King will provide for us, if we only chose to accept it.
Ordinary Time
Giving and Recieving
(sometimes I choose to preach from an outline rather than a manuscript… someday, maybe I’ll feel freer and can do it more often!) 1. Intro: talk about giving and receiving 2. A parable about dependence… we do not own the land, we do not own the fruit. Apply that to our faith and we remember…
Carnival Mirrors
Two summers ago, our family was on vacation at Lake Okaboji in northwest Iowa. We had this tiny little house rented and with six adults and two kids and a baby, we needed to be out and about as much as we could! One of the days we were there, we went to Arnold’s Park…
It is all grace…
For much of the summer, we have been sitting with the Apostle Paul and wrestling with his letter to the Romans. But as fall approaches – and boy does it feel like fall out there! – we are turning our eyes back to Jesus for a while. In fact, for the remainder of this fall,…
The Long Hurt
The second most difficult thing in the world to do is to harbor anger and pain. This week, I read the story of a woman who had refused to forgive. As John van de Laar tells the story: Whenever a visitor came for a cup of tea or coffee, she would pour the drinks and…
Loving Your Neighbor…Now
(Community Worship in the Park) It is so beautiful out, and all of you look so wonderful gathered here in community. Although it takes some work to get this service together, this community worship in the park is one of my favorite services of the year. Just look around – these are our friends and…
Who, Me?
As we start off this morning, I want you to find a blank corner of your bulletin or the hymn sheet and scriptures, and I want you to write on that corner one thing that you are personally good at. What is one thing that you know how to do and do fairly well. Turn…
Hand-me-down Faith
How many of you had to wear hand me down clothes as you were growing up? One of my favorite mental images of hand me down clothes comes from my brothers. They are three years apart in age and both of them have school pictures from second grade in the exact same gray and blue…