With heroes like the ones our popular culture has imagned, who needs villains?

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

You have heard it said the gospel isn't political, is but a personal matter. But I say unto you, can't it be both?

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

The Transfiguraton is a vision of the end broken into time, enered into the  middle that might encourage is our living--and Lord knows we need encouragement, and moreover courage, these days. 

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Reasons for fretting are rife. Reasons for faith?

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

The Holy Spirit is with the people.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Take a minunte. Consider yourself. Then do the works of love.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Good news to the poor? Check.

Recovery  of sight to the blind? Check.

Day of vengeance for our God? Not so much.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

This is a talk I prepared for a 2024 honoring of MLK Day, which I reworked for a gathering in 2025.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Those empty cisterns need to be filled.

Montery Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Fire isn't settled as to its meaning in scripture. So be not afraid.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Some get, some don't. Is that okay with you?

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Christmas harks us to a gauzy past. It should rather poress us into an imperitive future.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Wrong again! What a gift!

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

And all flesh shall see it together!

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Melodious Accord came to Church on the Hill to sing in Advent. 

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenonx (UCC)

"What is truth?" Pilate asks, not recognizing that truth is there in the room with him.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill Lenox (UCC)

Jesus' counsel was clear: resist, don't revolt. Time for rebuilding for the sake of better justice is coming.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

The poor widow wasn't to be praised. Rather, the Tample was to be shamed. We're not morally upright when we cooperate with power structures that exploit. Jesus meant something else altogether.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

We will be forgotten. We are remembered. 

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

This last encounter of Jesus' ministry wastes no time. Bartimeaus is ready to go.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

You say you want a revolution? Well, we all want to change the world. But is revolution our best option?

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox

Possessing instread of allowing yourself to be possessed: you might lack this one thing too.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

There can be joy in being wrong.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

This one goes out to Thomas Hobbes, Mark Lilla, Jeffery Goldberg, and my next door neighbor from long ago whose name I can't remember but whose question to me I do.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

You catch more flies with honey than vwith vinegar. So why does Jesus front with vinegar?

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Can indeed the Lord dwell on earth?

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Jesus can take it. He seems actually to really want to take it.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

People love their gardens--and some are even willing to work for them. Others just want a hammock to swing in.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

An ironic podcast, offered in the hope that in its mechanical reproduction it doesn't too much decay.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

John understands the power of the people to be the source of temptation, doing  the devil's work, as it were.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

What are we supposed to do?

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Take your rest. God's purpose is being accomplished.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

When your power to act is frustrated by liomitation, consider if God's love rather than some terrible offense.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

What a wild idea.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

It's happening. Do you not perceive it? Do you not want to join in on it?

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

We're back in Ordinary Time, the steady of walk of faith through the many weeks of the season after Pentecost. With this, we take a breather following many litugical high points. Just in time for some summer rest.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Trinity Sunday: the annual reminder that this isn't a doctine, it's a dynamic.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Happy birthday, church.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Who loses when we bring such calous disregard to our institutions? 

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

For those who are cut off or isolatyed or cast out of all generation, the Church is a body for new possiblity.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Taking up the cross isn't to hammer others with it but to excercise a willingness to be the one hanging from it.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Requesting to see the wounds isn't doubt, and isn't morbiod fascination. It's Thomas leading us away from his own nationalism into real faith.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Happy Easter!

Now, let's get going.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

The day is surely coming, but until it's here this will do.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

The church gathers for what may be, and by this we give occasion for it to be. Impossible love! Imperitive love.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Time offers a different sort of temple in which the church can gather. It requires a lot less maintanance.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Who requires the suffering of Christ? We've often gotten that important quesiton wrong.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Maybe it's time to changeg our minds about God, that God isn't about ruin but about repair.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Sometimes what's shiny objects to our refusal to allow it to be more than that.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

We all want to change the world. The question is what end we'd hope such change will bring about.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

We're not usually this sick, but sometimes we do really need strong mediine.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Your attention is your most precious resource. Pay it to something worthy.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

The call is coming from inside the house--or not.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

This is a special edition of the podcast, a talk I will give at a concert in honor of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. near his birthday..

The Magi should frighten us--for how do they know what they know, and how do we know what this new revelation makes known and how do we know we can trust it? When orthodoxy falls by the wayside, how do you find a new--and true--way?

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Here's a homily to follow the gospel readings of the nativity.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

The Virgin Birth: maybe the queston shouldn't be whether it's true but should be, "If it's true, what does it mean?"

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Advent is so short; Advent is so long!

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Repentance might sound scary. It's so much more than that.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Advent begins adventure. And there's no going back.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

The end of the church year brings us to what endures: love.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

The question is whether we're going for with the mission or burying it for safe keeping.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

We're but in the mdidle of it.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Would you take a course in the art of following.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

God's sovereinty is one more scanalandous claim of the Christian faith. History provides so many reasons to think otherwise.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Here's a sermon about true signs as opposed to graven images.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Church as sanctuary. Is this purpose enough to save us?

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Will you do what you say you won't, or will you refuse but come around eventually?

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Monterey Church, UCC

Fairness or grace: which do you want? Becasue you can't have both.,

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

The forgiven must forgive.

It could have been a much shorter sermon that it is.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

How to be community with out butting in. That's a tough one.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

God begs us to pay our attention to what's worthy of it. 

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

When religious people are short on faith.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

What are you doing here? 

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

God plays in the world as sufficiency. Enough can be a blessing.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

The kingdom of heaven is as...

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

But which is which? 

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Following Jesus won't necessarily make your life easier or your relationships better. Some social structures would rather you compromise the truth than live into it. 

You've been warned.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Sarah laughed, gave birth to Laughter, making us sons and daughters of laughter. So laugh it up, Fuzzball. Let your lung be filled with God.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

As we embark into Ordinary Time, we'll be spending it together, which is itself the point.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Authority is the power to name what's real.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Prepared for surprise: the church is full of contradictions. 

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

The ten-day wait between Jesus ascending and the Holy Spirit: we endure it once again. 

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

The church isn't abut heroics, it's about creating communities where heroics are less in demand.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Jesus is going, but he is also staying.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

The gospel has embodied imperitives. 

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Hope comes calling, so get ready to move.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Real time.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Is it possible Jesus got attached to this life?

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Jesus has come to complete the creation as it is not yet finished. It's going well, of course. But it could be better.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

God can be not a lot to go on it, but enough.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

God's people are always called out of the familair. And God's people are also always out there.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Lent is a good time to put it all back together, these shards of knowledge and suspicion, into a whole renewed wisdom.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

It's Transfiguration Sunday, and maybe we're ready.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

The church: we're supposed to be doing something, right?

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

Don't hold back. 

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

You get what you get, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't get upset.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

When you don't know what you think you should know, it's hard to learn what you need to know. 

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)

You can't always get what you want. But with Jesus as beloved, we get what we need.

Monterey Church, UCC

Church on the Hill, Lenox (UCC)