Church « Heatherhope Farm

Pentecost 9: The Meal That Satisfies

We long to return to restaurants and bars; but what is it that we are searching for? It is now most vital that we answer that question quickly for ourselves since pre-mature and thoughtless gathering without masks and distancing and sanitizing, is surely inviting the plague to return with a vengeance.

Yet, we need to break […]

Pentecost 6--A New Age People

The Second Reading for this coming Sunday is Romans 8:1-11, which begins with this:

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.

The late New Testament scholar, Joseph Fitzmyer, […]

Pentecost 3: Fear, Love, and Our New Family

Matthew 10:24-39

We have several pandemics going on. The most threatening is the pandemic of polarization. The Devil’s favorite weapon is polarization, or should we say scattering. Strike the shepherd and scatter the flock.

The forces of polarization peddle an alternate reality. They want to shake things up—sow confusion—divide and conquer. And the way they do this […]

Pentecost 2: Sheep into the Midst of Wolves

Gospel for Proper 6 (Pentecost 2) Series A

Matthew 9:35–10:8 (10:9–23)

This is the year of Matthew in the Revised Common Lectionary. But this is the Sunday we get our first real introduction to what it means to be Christ-followers—what it means to be a genuine part of the church.

And it isn’t pretty! And it is not […]

Easter 6A: What if God did send the virus?

The Psalm for Easter 6 A is Psalm 66. It includes this:

10For you, O God, have tested us;

you have tried us as silver is tried.

11You brought us into the net;

you laid burdens on our backs;

12you let people ride over our heads;

we went through fire and through water;

yet you have […]

Easter 5 A: Are You In or Out?

This Sunday’s second reading is 1 Peter 2.1-10

Do you think of yourself as “in,” or “out?”

I have always been extremely prone to resent arrogance. I remember being roundly turned off by the popular song of my younger days, “I’m In with the In-crowd.” Written by Billy Page, and first made popular by Dobie Gray’s rendition […]

Emmaus: The Way of Faith

My wife and I have done herding dog demonstrations with our Border Collies for many years. On those occasions countless people have come up to us, told us that they had some sort of a dog who might have herding instincts, and they would love to learn how to train and handle them. My consistent […]

Easter: To Rise With the Occasion

The Gospel Reading for Easter Day is John 20.1-18

The reading for this day, obviously, is about the empty tomb and the resurrected Lord speaking to Mary Magdalene and enabling her faith to develop.

I feel compelled by circumstances to focus on one particular verse in this beautiful story. Verse 9 tells us something powerful about the moment […]

Easter Vigil: You Have Only to Keep Still

For a true Easter Vigil service a great many Bible passages are suggested and appointed to lead us up to the glorious drama of the Resurrection.

Besides the Resurrection proclamation, the one required and appointed text is Exodus 14:10-31, about the miraculous redemption of the Hebrew people from bondage in Egypt.

Out of that reading, the verses […]

Good Friday: We Are On Trial

John’s Gospel is so different from all the others, because Jesus the spotlight is on his eternal divinity in all its power.

One dominant theme throughout the Passion according to John is that when Jesus is brought up on charges before the High Priest, before Pilate, and even before the crowds, it turns out that not […]

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