Two pilgrims headed home from the festival with hearts weighed down. They are disappointed with church and state. Listen to their heartache: “Do you not know the news about: Jesus of Nazareth, who was recognized by God and the people as a prophet, but our chief priests and leaders handed  Jesus over to be crucified. […]

“With great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.” (Acts 4:33) What is your resurrection story? Where has life grown in places once inhabited by death? Has the Crucified One walked beside you in this long, lonely, pandemic valley? Did the risen […]

The Sabbath was over. The festival had ended. And very early in the morning just as the sun rose,  Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome (sa·luh·mei) bought spices so they could anoint Jesus’ crucified body. They had followed Jesus from Galilee, marched on Jerusalem, and supported Christ’s kin-dom with their prayers, presence […]

Easter is always a fun day to preach. I am usually a little overly excited and then slightly disappointed that I did not preach a perfect sermon. The church is packed. Small children are sitting throughout the sanctuary in the fanciest clothes they have ever worn on a Sunday morning. Nervous visitors don’t know that […]