|
Text: 2 Kings 4:42-44; Ephesians 3:14-21; John 6:1-21
Telling stories is an art. Especially when it’s not exactly a new story. It’s even more challenging when your audience is all over the map in terms of interest level and capacity to listen.
0 Comments
A Pastoral Reflection, Pentecost Week Nine, a Second Summer of Pandemic Living — July 23, 20217/25/2021 I’ve been re-reading a favorite Christian writer. She’s my go-to when I need a little infusion of spiritual oomph. Julian lived in Norwich, England in the twelfth century, but her wisdom is unbounded by time or culture.
Texts: Jeremiah 23:1-6; Ephesians 2:11-22; Mark 6:30-34, 53-56
I just heard a story about a kid who’s bicycling across the country raising money, which as I recall is for medical research. I happen to know the kid’s mother, and she shared this story. A Pastoral Reflection, Pentecost Week Eight, A Second Summer of Pandemic Living — June 16, 20217/18/2021 It’s the end of the week, crabbing season has just opened and the harbor and local waters are brimming with boats. That’s probably why I’m hearing the ferry horn so frequently of late. Usually it’s the charming three note tune that signal a ferry entering or departing the dock.
Texts: Amos 7:7-15; Ephesians 1:3-14; Mark 6:14-29
Everyone has an opinion on the beginning point of a disaster, and in the case of Amos the disaster of exile in Assyria began with Israel forgetting the covenant with God. Specifically, their God-given responsibility to care for the poor. And so the covenant with God was broken. A Pastoral Reflection, Pentecost Week Seven, A Second Summer of Pandemic Living — July 9, 20217/12/2021 Singing. Who knew that singing together would be one of the slowest things to be restored to us in the gradual lifting of protective restrictions? But here we are. Slowly working our way back into gatherings of prayer and communion (with care), and where music is also returning.
Texts: Ezekiel 2:1-5; 2 Corinthians 12:2-10; Mark 6:1-13
Once there was a family. It started out very small as families usually do. The family was very adventurous. They traveled far every year. (I wonder if you can guess how many people were in that family.) Summer is picnic time, and perhaps the most iconic of summer picnics is our nation’s annual birthday celebration – the fourth of July. With the lifting of all restrictions (no masks!) and the ability to gather freely, we’re really ready to picnic and party. Bring it on!
Texts: Job 38:1-11; 2 Corinthians 6:1-13; Mark 4:35-41
Some of the best experiences in my young life were in the Scouts. I started with Brownies and graduated into the Girl Scouts. But after the cooking badge and the embroidery badge I began to lose heart. What about the camping badge or the woodcraft badge? Sadly those were not the gifts of my leaders. I just couldn’t face the sewing badge though so I gave up. Pastoral Reflection, Pentecost Week Four, A Second Summer of Pandemic Living, June 18, 20216/19/2021 Joy and pain. They come together sometimes. And this is one of those times. As I write this, we are exactly between two important days.
|
Author
The Rev. Beth Purdum Eden is an ordained minister in the Evangelical Lutheran Church. She has served in more than 6 parishes in the Western United States for 30 years. Archives
July 2021
Sermons
|
RSS Feed