sermons, theological musings, and other ramblings of a queer lutheran pastor in brew city
Lutheran Church of the Cross, Arlington Heights 29 July 2018 + Lectionary 17B (Pentecost 10) John 6.1-21 Last week, I preached a sermon about rest. In the midst of so much busyness and hurry and important but exhausting work, Jesus bids his disciples to come away and rest… And in the midst of our own …
Continue reading Food, Grace, Abundance: A Sermon for Bread of Life Sunday #1
Lutheran Church of the Cross, Arlington Heights 22 July 2018 + Lectionary 16B (Pentecost 9) Mark 6.30-34, 53-56 What gives you rest? Maybe it’s listening to your favorite radio station or podcast on your way home from work. Or coming home to a home-cooked meal (or having a pizza delivered!) and unwinding after a stressful …
Augustana Lutheran Church 25 September 2016 + Lectionary 26C Luke 16.19-31; 1 Timothy 6.6-19 One of my favorite scenes in the film adaptation of the popular rock musical Rent opens on an impoverished-looking apartment complex in Manhattan’s East Village, where we are introduced to two roommates, Mark and Roger, and their former roommate and friend-turned-landlord, …
Continue reading A(nother!) Sermon about Wealth and Chasm-Crossing
Augustana Lutheran Church 11 September 2016 + Lectionary 24C Exodus 32.7-14 Liturgical whiplash. It’s the result of a hearing a bizarre pairing of seemingly disparate lectionary texts. On the one hand, there’s the angry vengeful God ready to smite the Israelites in Exodus—and yet, it’s precisely that kind of rash judgment toward “sinners” that Jesus …
Augustana Lutheran Church 28 August 2016 + Lectionary 22C Luke 14.1, 7-14 Wash your hands. Pray before you eat. Don’t chew with your mouth open. Keep your elbows off the table. All phrases that I imagine each of us has heard as children that teach us table manners. And the fancier the meal, these table …
Continue reading A Sermon for Those Who Have Been Told to Take the Lowest Place
This Sunday, I had the opportunity to worship with the people of God at First Lutheran Church, a neighboring ELCA congregation not far from Augustana. You can read more about the ministry FLC is up to in Omaha on their website. First Lutheran Church, Omaha, NE 21 August 2016 + Lectionary 21C Luke 13.10-17 Some …
Continue reading A Sermon about Keeping the Sabbath (and Why It’s So Hard)
Augustana Lutheran Church 31 July 2016 + Lectionary 18C Luke 12.13-21 [22-34] It’s all a little bit overwhelming, isn’t it? This election season, that is. We’ve certainly witnessed a mix of exciting and interesting moments. One moment in particular caught my attention this past Tuesday as delegates at the Democratic National Convention cast their votes, …
Continue reading Overwhelmed: A Sermon for Lectionary 18C / Pentecost 11C
