As we enter into the paradox of Holy Week, I want us to consider what it means to follow a God whose story includes both the brutality of crucifixion and the mysterious wonder of resurrection? And what bearing does following this Both-And God have on our lives? On one side of the paradox, we are […]
On The Way
Sermon preached Sunday, August 8, 2021 at Ypsilanti Free Methodist ChurchAudio recording available here We are in the middle of a fantastic series called The Table, where we’ve been exploring how to follow in the way of Jesus by practicing hospitality. This is one of my absolute favorite topics to learn and read about, to […]
God With Us: Mary’s Story
Take a deep breath and close your eyes for a just a moment. Travel with me back in time to a place of dusty roads and leaky roofs, a small town where everyone knows everyone’s business. The homes are fashioned from mortar and stone, the windows let the night sounds and biting bugs inside, the […]
Not my will
On this final week of Advent, we are invited to be a silent participant in the annunciation, the story of Gabriel’s visit to Mary announcing that she would conceive and bear the Son of God. I want us to pay close attention to Mary’s response to this life-altering news and invite us to consider how […]
A different sort of power
What comes to mind when you think of Kingdom? A monarchy, an all-powerful king or queen. Castles and guards and strong walls of protection. Separation from the working people. Infinite wealth: money, jewels, crowns, heirlooms, priceless art, entire lands under one authority. All of these simple examples and so many more are precisely what humanity […]
Make a Choice
The story of humanity at every point in history is about finding our place in the world. Some of you are applying for college, discerning God’s place for you in a community of learners for the next 4ish years. Some of you are scouring the internet for job postings, trying to find the right fit […]
The Soul of Community
It’s All Saints Day, a day inviting us to remember our loved ones who’ve passed on and tell stories of how their lives changed ours. This is surely one of the most bittersweet moments of death: a time to gather in the living room or at the funeral home or around the graveside to tell […]
Repentance for the Sake of the World
sermon preached at Monroe Free Methodist church on Feb 9, 2020 How often do we think of our faith as being a private practice, a personal relationship between me and God? Certainly personal practices are essential to our spiritual formation, our growing up to look like Jesus, but that’s not all there is. In fact, […]
Hearing & Seeing God’s Way
The Beatitudes are one of the best-known teachings of Jesus. On one hand I think that is a very good thing; obviously these are crucial statements. BUT the problem of being so familiar with these words is that they often fall on deaf ears. One of Kevin’s mom’s favorite anecdotes kind of gets at the […]
Life After Baptism
sermon preached January 12, 2020 Today is the Sunday of the Baptism of Jesus, a pivotal moment for the work God was doing in the world. In today’s Gospel passage, Jesus demonstrates what his mission is all about: humility and submission, allowing himself to be baptized by John. Then, the fullness of Jesus’ identity is […]