Turning Worlds Upside-Down 1

(unedited notes) Keynote on leadership Bishop Huie Methodism began as a movement. What does it mean to become a movement again? What does it take to be a leader in this movement? 1. Capacity- gift, skill set, equipping 2. Desire- clear about purpose, know and love the Holy 3. Courage- risk taking, facing conflict. Bishop…

To Press

While I'm (laptopless) in Florida, I leave you with a couple of things I've recently published. Ministry in the age of online networking (article for my Annual Conference's website) "The Birthing of a Mother-God" (essay for "Mama Says" a local publication for mothers, in their edition on mathoerhood and spirituality, re-work of an earlier blog…

You know the weather is bad when…

The Montpelierites are walking around downtown with skipoles. And I intentionally take a nose dive in a snow bank to avoid the car in front of me. My bags are packed for Jacksonville, and asuming I can get on the plane tomorrow, I'll be headed for the Quadrennial Training in sunny (albeit chilly) Florida. Will…

Sermon: What do you Know?

"What do you Know?" (January 25, 2009) When Jesus calls the disciples, he calls them to what they know--fishing--but applied in a new way for God's work in the world. So it is with us; God calls us through the gifts and passions and blessings we have. I share my own call story as an…

Split Personality

Sorry, gentle readers, about the black hole of post-Christmas, post-family-crisis time I slipped into. Thanks for tuning back in. Christmas Eve services at my two churches were special, each in their own way. The sermon was the same, and a lot of the hymns were good old standby Christmas hymns, and each ended with candle-lighting…

Sermon: Caller ID

"Caller ID" (January 18, 2009) Young Samuel hears a voice calling him, but doesn't recognize the voice of God. How do we discern when the voices we hear are one to which we should listen? How do we know when God is calling us? (1 Samuel 3:1-10)

Prayer to open a session of the Vermont State Senate

Eternal Source of wisdom and justice, we still our scattered thoughts for a few moments this morning to call to mind the things for which we are thankful: for the beauty of this place we call home, for sunlight caught on glittering tree branches; for the remarkable revelation of your love around us, for the…

Sermon: Into His Life

"Into His Life" (January 11, 2009) In our baptism, we are baptized not only into Christ's death and eternal life, but first and foremost into his life and ministry and teaching. What this means for us is clear... if not always easy. (Romans 6:3-11 , Mark 1:4-11)

Sermon: A Different Road

"A Different Road" (January 4, 2009) When the Magi come to see Jesus, they leave him having been changed a bit, and they return home by a different route. How has the encounter with Chrst changed us and set us on a new path? (Matthew 2:1-12)

In the midst of death, we also live.

I love my kid; she keeps life light. I was in the shower this morning, working on my eulogy (because that's where I always work on my sermons, don't you?). Arianna was obviously playing hide-and-seek with my brother-in-law, because just as I was reaching the second transition in the eulogy (and the conditioner), the bathroom…