Seekers recognizes that any member of the community may be called upon by God to give us the Word, and thus we have an open pulpit with a different preacher each week. Sermons preached at Seekers, as well as sermons preached by Seekers at other churches or events, are posted here, beginning with the most recent.
Click here for an archive of our sermons.
Feel free to use what is helpful from these sermons. We only ask that when substantial portions are abstracted or used in a written work, please credit Seekers Church and the author, and cite the URL.
“8th Anniversary of the Interfaith Sacred Conversation on Race & Diversity” by Sandra Miller, Trish Nemore, and Rev. Maybelle Taylor Bennett
May 22, 2016
Trinity Sunday
Sandra Miller
Good morning. As I always do, as did Kate Cudlipp, and in her honor for the years she was part of the Sacred Conversation, let me start with this prayer from Psalm 19:
“May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Holy One, my rock and my redeemer”
Today is Trinity Sunday, and so it is rather humorous that there is a trio of intrepid travelers bringing you the Word as we have heard it. Maybelle, Trish and I comprise the current makeup of the Interfaith Sacred Conversation on Race & Diversity Planning Committee. (We would happy to welcome other committed members. Talk to one or all of us.)
On May 18th, 2008 I stood here for the public initiation of the Sacred Conversation, and introduced you to Maybelle Taylor Bennett, now Rev. Bennett, and Rev. Paulette Imani, who so graciously shared part of their personal stories around issues of racism. That was 8 years ago. It was the start of an incredibly rich journey that began with my answering an opportunity Pat offered to Seekers in response to one that the United Church of Christ issued to its churches, in turn a response to Obama’s March 18th, 2008 campaign speech on race that he delivered in Philadelphia, to be community, to talk with each other.
“Spiritual Awakening” by Teresa Ramsey
May 15, 2016
Day of Pentecost
Good morning. Happy Pentecost Sunday. I am always a bit intimidated to share the word here at Seekers because I compare myself unfavorably to the many highly skilled speakers who speak here regularly. Today, I am asking Jesus for grace in this effort because there is much I want to share with you and so little time. I wish to speak about the spiritual awakening of the apostles, my own spiritual awakening, how the apostles called others to God and community, and how we might do the same, in twenty minutes or less.
“Praying to God and Listening to Others” by Joan M. Dodge
May 8, 2016
Seventh Sunday of Easter
First a confession…I’ve been struggling with how to put the many pieces of this sermon together in some logical form…Over the last few weeks, there have been moments of clarity and then fog sets in. So I ask myself, how does what I want to say about the John passage, and two books that have been important to me recently fit into a coherent whole. I think my latest sense is that it is all about loving relationships and prayer…our relationship to God the Creator through Jesus; our relationship to each other within the Seekers community, and into the wider community; and our relationship to our own feelings, interests, and anxieties. So bottom line, its all about relationships and knowing from these that we are loved and taking the time to pray for All. So I’m starting with the ending BUT wanted to share with you how I got there and some questions on my way. (I always seem to have many more questions than answers when I jump into these issues).
A Sermon by Jim Dickerson
May 1, 2016 Sixth Sunday of Easter INTRODUCTION Jim Dickerson, the founder of Manna, Inc., a nonprofit deveoper of quality. affordable housing the the District of Columbia and also the founder and pastor of New Community Church, offered a sermon which focused in particular on the work of Manna in the Anacostia area. The full text is not available.
“A New Commandment: Love One Another” by Peter Bankson
April 24, 2016
Fifth Sunday of Easter
INTRODUCTION
Our theme this Easter season has been “Transforming Faith.” The ambiguity was intentional. Often, as we are on the Way with Christ, we are transformed by faith: we trust what is beyond “proof” and find our way to some deeper understanding. But there are times when, as a small part of the Body of Christ, we discover that love changes the faith that guides us and those around us. This growth is often challenging and uncomfortable, requiring some deep letting go. Most of us have examples of love changing or enlarging our faith, examples that come quickly to mind – our efforts to be creative and inclusive … racial reconciliation … peacemaking.