Date: March 31st, 2013 , 2013 (Easter 7)
Message Delivered at: The United Church of Underhill (UCC and UMC)
Key Text(s): John 17:20-26
Category Archives: Sermons
“Practicing Hospitality”
Date: May 5th, 2013 (Easter 6)
Message Delivered at: The United Church of Underhill (UCC and UMC)
Key Text(s): John 5:1-9
“Humpty Dumpty Sat on a Wall”
Date: April 21st, 2013 , 2013 (Easter 4)
Message Delivered at: The United Church of Underhill (UCC and UMC)
Key Text(s): Acts 9:36-40
“Exactly Right”
Date: April 14th, 2013, (Easter 3)
Message Delivered at: The United Church of Underhill (UCC and UMC)
Key Text(s): “Letter From Birmingham Jail”
On the Sunday before the 50th anniversary of MLK’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” (4/16/1963) we took time during our service to read some of the letter and to celebrate it’s wisdom, prophetic tone, and Christ-like words. My sermon is offered with humility and with an awareness that King’s words aren’t for “them” but for “me” and for “us.”
“The Most Important Thing”
Date: March 31st, 2013 (Easter)
Message Delivered at: The United Church of Underhill (UCC and UMC)
Key Text(s): Luke 24:1-12
Empty tomb! Resurrection! Good news of God’s love! Must be Easter!
Sacred Good Friday Concert: “7 Last Words of Christ on the Cross”
Date: March 29th, 2013 , 2013 (Good Friday)
Took place at: The United Church of Underhill (UCC and UMC)
Here you will find a treasure. This is a peformance of Haydn’s “7 Last Words of Christ on the Cross” performed as a Sacred Good Friday Concert in our sanctuary. This group has been performing this piece during Holy Week for 21 years and they are excellent. Thank you to Roger Gillim for bringing this worshipful music to us in this way.
“What Am I Supposed to Do Now?”
Date: March 24th, 2013 (Lent 6 – Palm/Passion Sunday )
Message Delivered at: The United Church of Underhill (UCC and UMC)
Key Text(s): Luke 22:14-23:56
Sorry for the two week gap. On 3/10 we were unable to get a recording. On 3/17 our choir led us in worship with a Lenten Cantata and I did not preach. This week though I offer a message in response to palms and Jesus’ passion.
“HOoooooo!”
Date: March 3rd, 2013 (Lent 3 )
Message Delivered at: The United Church of Underhill (UCC and UMC)
Key Text(s): Isaiah 55:1-9
“The Empty Way”
Date: February 24th, 2013 (Lent 2)
Message Delivered at: The United Church of Underhill (UCC and UMC)
Key Text(s): Philippians 3:17-4:1 (Philippians 2:5-8)
“Lent Again”
Date: February 17th, 2013 (Lent 1)
Message Delivered at: The United Church of Underhill (UCC and UMC)
Key Text(s): Luke 4:1-13
“Shaped by Surprise”
Date: February 10th, 2013 (Epiphany 5 – Transfiguration)
Meditation Delivered at: The United Church of Underhill (UCC and UMC)
Key Text(s): Luke 9:28-42a
“Green Jesus”
Date: February 3rd, 2013 (Epiphany 4)
Meditation Delivered at: The United Church of Underhill (UCC and UMC)
Key Text(s): Colossians 1:15-20
This week our church worshipped in a “Green Jesus” family service. As part of this service, I read while some of our young people pinned animals, stars, etc. to a piece of fabric to make a living banner. Thank you Julianne for your creativity on this service.
“Ezra, Nehemiah, and Us”
Date: January 27th, 2013 (Epiphany 3)
Sermon Delivered at: The United Church of Underhill (UCC and UMC)
Key Text(s): Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10
“…but I say to you…”
Date: January 20th, 2013 (Epiphany 2 – MLK Sunday)
Sermon Delivered at: The United Church of Underhill (UCC and UMC)
Key Text(s): Matthew 5:43-48
“What is Baptism?”
Date: January 13th, 2013 (Baptism of Christ)
Sermon Delivered at: The United Church of Underhill (UCC and UMC)
Key Text(s): Acts 8:14-17 and Luke 3:15-17; 21-22
“An Invitation”
Date: January 6th, 2013 (Epiphany)
Sermon Delivered at: The United Church of Underhill (UCC and UMC)
Key Text(s): Matthew 2:1-12
“Lessons and Carols”
Date: December 24th, 2012 (Christmas Eve)
Here is a recording of our service of Lessons and Carols, held at 8:00 PM. Joy to the World!
“One Beggar to Another”
Date: December 16th, 2012 (Advent 3)
Sermon Delivered at: The United Church of Underhill (UCC and UMC)
Key Text(s): Luke 3:7-18
I will apologize for the sound quality this week. I failed to turn on my wireless microphone before the sermon and so the mic picking up the sound is quite far away. Turn up your volume or use headphones and you should be OK.
“Longest Night 2012″
Date: December 15th, 2012
Location: The United Church of Underhill, VT
Here is a recording of our first “Longest Night” Service. Thank you to Jericho UMC and Calvary Episcopal for partnering with us.
“Letting Go”
Date: December 9th, 2012 (Advent 2)
Sermon Delivered at: The United Church of Underhill (UCC and UMC)
Key Text(s): Luke 1:68-79
“Real Hope”
Date: December 2nd, 2012 (Advent 1)
Sermon Delivered at: The United Church of Underhill (UCC and UMC)
Key Text(s): 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13 & Luke 21-25-36
Festival of Choirs 2012
Date: December 1st, 2012
Performance Delivered at: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Essex, VT
Here are two choral pieces sung by the Choir of the United Church of Underhill, conducted by Janet Gallagher. The first piece is, “Why Do the Shepherds Sing,” by Lloyd Larson and the second piece is, “Come Down to Bethlehem,” by Pepper Choplin
“A Year, A King, and A Letter”
Date: November 25th, 2012 (Reign of Christ)
Sermon Delivered at: The United Church of Underhill (UCC and UMC)
Key Text(s): Revelation 1:4b-8 & John 18:33-37
“The Sounds of Shiloh”
Date: November 18th, 2012 (Pentecost 25)
Sermon Delivered at: The United Church of Underhill (UCC and UMC)
Key Text(s): 1 Samuel 1:4-2:10
“Sharing Boldly”
Date: November 11th, 2012 (Pentecost 24)
Sermon Delivered at: The United Church of Underhill (UCC and UMC)
Key Text(s): Acts 4:23-37
“Encountering Jesus: A Scribe”
Date: November 4th, 2012 (Pentecost 23)
Meditation Delivered at: The United Church of Underhill (UCC and UMC)
Key Text(s): Mark 12:28-34
Here is a short meditation on the Greatest Commandment on All Saints Sunday.
“Encountering Jesus: Blind Bartimaeus”
Date: October 28th, 2012 (Pentecost 22)
Sermon Delivered at: The United Church of Underhill (UCC and UMC)
Key Text(s): Mark 10:46-52
“Encountering Jesus: James and John”
Date: October 21st, 2012 (Pentecost 21)
Sermon Delivered at: The United Church of Underhill (UCC and UMC)
Key Text(s): Mark 10:35-45
“A Faith Worth Sharing”
Date: October 14th, 2012 (Pentecost 20)
Sermon Delivered at: The United Church of Underhill (UCC and UMC)
Key Text(s): Mark 7:31-37
“As Long As the Earth Endures”
Date: September 30th, 2012 (Pentecost 18)
Sermon Delivered at: The United Church of Underhill (UCC and UMC)
Key Text(s): Genesis 8:22
Here is a portion of our special annual Harvest Market worship service. Here you will find a poem titled “Pumpkin Hunting,” some singing and a short meditation.
“Tales of a Mexican Returned Peace Corps Volunteer”
Date: September 23rd, 2012 (Pentecost 17)
Sermon Delivered at: The United Church of Underhill (UCC and UMC)
Key Text(s): Matthew 9:35-10:16
Today we welcomed David Stephenson as our guest speaker. David is a member of our church and just recently back from Mexico where he spent 2 years as a Peace Corps. volunteer. He led us through a slideshow about his work and the people of Kilometer 58 (the village where he was based) in San Luis Potosi.
{build something}
Date: September 16th, 2012 (Pentecost 16)
Sermon Delivered at: The United Church of Underhill (UCC and UMC)
Key Text(s): Genesis 11:1-11; Matthew 28; Revelation 21:1-6
{feed. be fed.}
Date: September 9th, 2012 (Pentecost 15)
Sermon Delivered at: The United Church of Underhill (UCC and UMC)
Key Text(s): Act 6:1-7 and Mark 8:1-10
{grow}
Date: September 2nd, 2012 (Pentecost 14)
Sermon Delivered at: The United Church of Underhill (UCC and UMC)
Key Text(s): John 3:1-17 and John 19:38-42
Here is the 2nd in a 4-part sermon series. It is really an introduction to the Word from our confirmand who was confirmed this morning. Her remarks along with her faith expressed in music follow.
{gather}
Date: August 26th, 2012 (Pentecost 13)
Sermon Delivered at: The United Church of Underhill (UCC and UMC)
Key Text(s): Selected
After a two week vacation, we begin a 4 week sermon series that is in conjunction with a 4 week advertising campaign we are conducting in our community. I pray that together these sermons will help us all to deepen our walk as followers of Jesus Christ…the one who calls us to {gather}, to {grow}, to {feed. be fed}, and to {build} God’s Kingdom of peace and justice. Please join us for these 4 sermons and beyond…
“The Best Part”
Date: August 5th, 2012 (Pentecost 10)
Sermon Delivered at: The United Church of Underhill (UCC and UMC)
Key Text(s): John 6:24-35
“A Higgs boson Big Deal”
Date: July 15th, 2012 (Pentecost 7)
Sermon Delivered at: The United Church of Underhill (UCC and UMC)
Key Text(s): Ephesians 1:3-14
After taking a week off of preaching for an ecumenical outdoor worship service, I return this week to consider the recent discovery of the Higgs boson particle. What does it tell us about God? What does it mean for people of faith? What does it mean for you?
“Listening to Psalm 130″
Date: July 1st, 2012 (Pentecost 5)
Sermon Delivered at: The United Church of Underhill (UCC and UMC)
Key Text(s): Psalm 130
“As We Are”
Date: June 24th, 2012 (Pentecost 4)
Sermon Delivered at: The United Church of Underhill (UCC and UMC)
Key Text(s): Mark 4:35-41
“Spark”
Date: June 17th, 2012 (Pentecost 3)
Sermon Delivered at: The United Church of Underhill (UCC and UMC)
Key Text(s): 1 Samuel15:34-16:13 and Mark 4:26-34
“Through Cleopas”
Date: May 27th, 2012 (Pentecost)
Delivered at: The United Church of Underhill (UCC and UMC)
Key Text(s): Acts 2:1-21
In this dramatic monologue, we hear from Cleopas who, according to ch. 24 of Luke’s Gospel, walked with Jesus for a time on the road to Emmaus after Jesus’ resurrection. Though the Bible does not say, perhaps Cleopas was also there at Jesus’ Ascension, and on the day of Pentecost. What would he have seen and experienced? What would he have been moved to go and do?
Thanks: Special thank you to the UCU Bell Choir for ringing during the reading of Acts, moving from cacophony to harmony, and to Howi Tiller for his script which I adapted for the dramatic monologue.
“Bigger”
Date: May 13th, 2012 (Easter 6)
Sermon Delivered at: The United Church of Underhill (UCC and UMC)
Key Text(s): Acts 10:44-48
After a week of vacation and a week away from the pulpit as part of our Association’s annual “pulpit exchange,” I’m back with Cornelius, and Peter, and a God who calls us to be “bigger.”
“5 PM”
Date: April 22nd, 2012 (Easter 3)
Sermon Delivered at: The United Church of Underhill (UCC and UMC)
Key Text(s): Luke 24:36b-48
“When Resurrection Becomes Community”
Date: April 15th, 2012 (Easter 2)
Sermon Delivered at: The United Church of Underhill (UCC and UMC)
Key Text(s): Acts 4:32-35
Maundy Thursday and Tenebrae Service
Date: April 5th, 2012 (Easter Sunday)
Service held at: The United Church of Underhill (UCC and UMC)
There was a problem on Easter with our .mp3 player and so the sermon was not recorded. In its place, I offer our Tenebrae Service from Maundy Thursday. Thank you to the people of the Jericho UMC who joined us for this service.
“Cross-Shaped”
Date: April 1st, 2012 (Palm/Passion Sunday – Lent 6)
Meditation Delivered at: The United Church of Underhill (UCC and UMC)
Key Text(s): Mark 11:1-11 and Mark 15
“From Silence to a Whisper”
Date: March 25th, 2012 (Lent 5)
Sermon Delivered at: The United Church of Underhill (UCC and UMC)
Key Text(s): Jeremiah 31:31-34
Sorry to miss 3/18. I did preach but we were trying a new recording system and the service did not quite get recorded.
NOTE: At the end of this sermon, I say “I forgive you, I know you, you’re my God, I love you.” I should have said, “I’m your God” or at least “you’re my people.”
“If We Let It…”
Date: March 11th, 2012 (Lent 3)
Sermon Delivered at: The United Church of Underhill (UCC and UMC)
Key Text(s): John 2:13-22
“Suffering with the Suffering”
Date: March 4th, 2012 (Lent 2)
Sermon Delivered at: The United Church of Underhill (UCC and UMC)
Key Text(s): Mark 8:31-38
“As For Me…”
Date:February 26th, 2012 (Lent 1)
Sermon Delivered at: The United Church of Underhill (UCC and UMC)
Key Text(s): Genesis 9:8-17
