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Of Tears and Telling
Introduction St. Mark’s on the Campus Episcopal Church, Lincoln, Neb., celebrates the Holy Eucharist on Tuesdays at 12:30 p.m. The parish’s rector, Father Jerry Thompson, asked me to lead worship on Tuesday, April 26, 2011. This is Tuesday of Easter Week. Readings Acts 2:36–41 Psalm 118:19–24 John 20:11–18 Homily When we are weeping, our tears…
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Majesty and Grace
Introduction St. Mark’s on the Campus Episcopal Church, Lincoln, Neb., celebrates the Holy Eucharist on Tuesdays at 12:30 p.m. The parish’s practice is to observe commemorations at this service. The parish’s rector, Father Jerry Thompson, asked me to lead worship on Tuesday, March 22, 2011. This date is also the day on which Jonathan Edwards,…
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Listen to the Angel of the Lord
Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Beatrice, Neb., celebrated the Fourth Sunday of Advent, Dec. 19, 2010. This is my last Sunday serving as the congregation’s interim pastor. + + + Readings Isaiah 7:10–16 Psalm 80:1–7, 17–19 Romans 1:1–7 Matthew 1:18–25 + + + Prayer Come, Lord Jesus, and dwell with us. Ask your Father to stir…
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Baptized with Spirit and Fire
Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Beatrice, Neb., celebrated the Second Sunday of Advent, Dec. 5, 2010. + + + Readings Isaiah 11:1–10 Psalm 72:1–7, 18–19 (antiphon v.7) Romans 15:4–13 Matthew 3:1–12 + + + Prayer Cleanse us with your fire, O Lord, and stir up your Holy Spirit in us, so that we may abandon the…
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The Day is Coming
Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Beatrice, Neb., marked the beginning of the Church year on the First Sunday of Advent, Nov. 28, 2010. + + + Readings Isaiah 2:1–5 Psalm 122 (antiphon v. 1) Romans 13:11–14 Matthew 24:36–44 + + + Prayer Prepare us, heavenly Father, for the day that is coming, so that we may…
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The First of the Fruit
Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Beatrice, Neb., celebrated our nation’s Day of Thanksgiving on Wednesday evening, November 24, 2010. + + + Readings Deuteronomy 26:1–11 Psalm 100 Philippians 4:4–9 John 6:25–35 + + + Prayer We come to you, Holy God, and give to you what you have first given us: our lives, our talents, and…
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Rescued, Transferred, Redeemed
Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Beatrice, Neb., marked the end of the Church year on Christ the King Sunday, Nov. 21, 2010. + + + Readings Jeremiah 23:1–6 Psalm 46 (antiphon v.10) Colossians 1:11–20 Luke 23:33–43 + + + Prayer Gracious Father, you sacrificed your Son to cleanse the world of sin, to conquer the power…
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We Are God’s Servants
Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Beatrice, Neb., celebrated its Mission Festival and its Thankoffering for the Women of the ELCA on Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 13–14, 2010, the Twenty-fifth Sunday after Pentecost. I prepared this homily for the Saturday evening service. The readings are selected from the options for the Thankoffering liturgy. + + + Readings…
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Praising, Proclaiming, and Pondering the Lord
Introduction The Congregation Council at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Beatrice, Neb., where I am serving as interim pastor, opens its monthly meetings with devotions. These are the thoughts for the November 2010 meeting. The Psalm is the one appointed for the Thankoffering Service of the Women of the ELCA, which we’re observing the weekend of…
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“Only Small Things with Great Love”
This is the sermon I prepared for Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Beatrice, Neb., for the Festival of All Saints’ Sunday, Nov. 7, 2010. + + + Readings Daniel 7:1–3, 15–18 Psalm 149 Ephesians 1:11–23 Luke 6:20–31 + + + Prayer Loving Father in heaven, bless us with faith through your Holy Spirit, so that we…