Sermons

The Second Sunday in Lent

March 1, 2026

On March 1, Ellie prepared a puppet sermon. Here is the script:

Ellie: Did you hear that John just said that God is speaking to us all the time?

All: yes

Ellie: Do you know what God’s voice sounds like?

The First Sunday in Lent

February 22, 2026

Just a little while ago, we affirmed these words:

In the midst of an imperfect world,
Jesus is the light of hope.

In this sermon, I want to contrast that language with the language of one of the readings this morning, which talks about sacrifice and justification.  This is going to involve a little theology, so I apologize in advance for two things: First, I am not a trained theologian, so I may get some stuff wrong, and I hope some of you will be listening carefully enough to correct me.  Second, if you don’t enjoy theology, I’m sorry and will try to keep it engaging.

I think most of us believe some version of what our Lenten liturgy declares, or at least the spirit of what it’s saying.  The world is indeed imperfect, and for us Christians Jesus represents something different, a beacon of hope that shows us that life can and will be better if we try to follow that light.

The Sixth Sunday After the Epiphany: Transfiguration Sunday

February 15, 2026

Today we mark the turn toward Lent, the season of Jesus choosing the path of sacrifice and transformation. His dazzling presence with the ancient prophets was a mysterious mark of coming changes. In our season of Epiphany, we have been looking at how change begins with us, and how, even as small as we are as individuals and as a family of faith, we can help start hope-filled times by working together for peace and justice.

Once we see a path of hope, once we respond to God’s call, we can begin to make a difference, nurturing the changes so desperately needed in our troubled times. Here I’m reminded of Kevin Barwick’s email signature block: quoting Mahatma Ghandi, Kevin reminds us that” We must be the change we wish to see in the world”

The Fifth Sunday After the Epiphany

February 8, 2026

Larry began by remembering his friend Erica and her dog Daisy, saying “Erika Easter was my friend and l loved her. She was the owner of Daisy, who l loved equally. They both passed away in December of 2025 and l will miss them both. My soul is broken along with my heart. May God bless them both.” He then continued:

You are the salt of the earth, Jesus tells us in today’s gospel reading. I have been thinking a lot about salt this week. I even read the introduction of a New York Times bestselling book on the history of salt called “Salt: A World History.” Salt, Mark Kurlansky reminds us, is the only rock that we eat, and its importance has shaped civilization in all sorts of important ways. We think of salt as something that we put on foods to give them a little more flavor, but the author of this book reminds us that “from the beginning of civilization until about 100 years ago, salt was one of the most sought-after commodities in human history.”

The Fourth Sunday After the Epiphany

February 1, 2026

I’d like the children and youth to take their piece of paper and write this word on the top:

            Epiphany

Now go halfway down the page and write this word:

            Manifest

Do any of you kids know what “epiphany” means? If you do, raise your hand.

Do you know what “manifest” means? If you do, raise your hand.

Now I’m going to ask the adults. What does “epiphany” mean? Raise your hand.