Let’s Grow
February 28, 2016
Christ Church Episcopal, Norcross, GA
3rd Sunday in Lent
Exodus 3:1-15; 1 Corinthians 10:1-13; Luke 13:1-9
Today we heard the familiar story of Moses and the burning bush. The burning bush has become the quintessential symbol of God’s call to do God’s work in the world. In the story, we’re told that Moses is tending the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro. He’s just doing an ordinary thing on an ordinary day. He’s taken the flock beyond the wilderness and finds himself at Horeb, the mountain of God. Then Moses sees something that catches his eye… a bush on fire, yet not being consumed. And what does Moses do?
He doesn’t run away. He doesn’t ignore it and return to his flock. Instead, he says “I must turn aside and look at this great sight…” Moses TURNS and takes a closer look.
[Quick Sidebar: Remember that the root of the word repentance is μετανοέω (metanoeó) – to change direction, to TURN toward God. We are in the season of Lent, so the theme of repentance, of turning toward God, is everywhere! Even in this burning bush story!]
Dazed, Confused and More Than a Little Concerned
February 18, 2016
My tendency is to use this site to post sermons I’ve preached. I’ve rarely used it for social commentary (other than what’s in my sermons), but I’m feeling compelled to do so today. I pray you will be able to walk with me for a moment. At the end of this road, we may not reach the same destination, but I hope that in walking together, perhaps new insights can be gained by both of us.
Opening Prayer: May all who enter here do so with an open heart, centered in love.
Let me begin by sharing my context as it relates to the United States political system and the election process. I grew up believing in the democratic system and believing that the elected leaders, whether from “our party” or not, had the best interest of the people at heart. Sunday dinner around grandmother’s table included aunts and uncles with a range of views, mostly Republicans then, though this has changed over time. My father switched to the Democratic Party in 1970 to run for Congress in a heavily Republican district in Houston, Texas, which he lost. Even so, we watched the State of the Union annually and showed respect to those who served our country. 
Read the rest of this entry »
Preparing to Bloom
February 10, 2016
Christ Church Episcopal, Norcross, GA
Ash Wednesday
Isaiah 58:1-12; 2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10; Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21
As many of you know, I lived in Houston, Texas most of my life. As with any city or town, Houston has its own unique rhythms, customs and colloquialisms that aren’t readily understood by outsiders. Not surprisingly, Atlanta and Georgia have their own, too, so when I moved here 6 years ago, I had a bit of a learning curve.
One of the things that I quickly discovered is that Liquor Stores are called Package Stores, but I didn’t know why. The name seemed so vague to me. So, one day I asked the guy behind the counter, “Why do they call this a Package Store, and not a Liquor Store?” 
He explained that in Georgia, liquor laws differentiate sales based on whether it is bought by the drink (by the glass) or by the package (by the bottle). Thus, the Package Store.
Since then, I’ve shared this tid-bit of knowledge with others. For many, even life-long Georgians, this was a revelation. They had no clue where the term Package Store came from, and frankly, never even thought about it. And that’s okay. There’s no requirement to know. It doesn’t change anything, really.
But, in the same way, many of us who grew up in the church, certainly in the Episcopal tradition, have encountered and lived with words and practices that we don’t really know the context for, we just do them. Lent can be one of those times. Read the rest of this entry »
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