Sermons

Speak, LORD, for your Servant is Listening

Sermon for January 18, 2015 (Second Sunday after the Epiphany)
Rev. Amy Welin:
Have you ever needed an expert to help you resolve a problem? At St John’s, I lean on Cindy and Tony, and on Dave and Don, and sometimes we need to call the experts. Expertise has its merits. This week, the RePurposing Task Force met with a representative of the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), which helps local non-profits build communities where people can thrive. The woman who met with us has experience as a developer, and she had many insights to share with us. We were grateful for her expertise and her questions, and we think that we will benefit from exploring some options for development of our property. We hope that she will connect us with other experts, who can assist St John’s in securing a future here. Read More Read more • Leer más → “Speak, LORD, for your Servant is Listening”
Sermons

You are my beloved; With you I am well pleased

Sermon for January 11, 2015 (First Sunday after the Epiphany)
Rev. Amy Welin:
What would it do in our lives if we knew - really knew, all the way down in our bones - that we are beloved by God? Beloved - cherished - as we are - with our weaknesses, faults, and any of the good bits we would like to boast about. Personally, I think it would be a foundationally healing and transformational awareness, even better than being born into a loving family, even better than winning awards, even better than hitting the lottery. Read More Read more • Leer más → “You are my beloved; With you I am well pleased”
Sermons

My Favorite Things

Sermon for December 28, 2014 (First Sunday After Christmas)
Rev. Amy Welin:
Imagine the following sermon sung to the tune of My Favorite Things, from the musical The Sound of Music.
 
Poinsettias decorate the sanctuary. Thinking the snow won’t start ‘til January. Gold bows and white candles and choirs that sing These are a few of my favorite things. Read More Read more • Leer más → “My Favorite Things”
Sermons

Are you ready to sing “Joy to the World”?

Sermon for December 25, 2014 (Christmas Day)
Rev. Amy Welin: Which nativity character are you? Are you ready to sing "Joy to the World"? My friend Catherine and I were discussing (on Facebook!) the generally cheerful chaos and occasional insanity of the Christmas season: the challenges of working and preparing for the holiday, the delights and stresses of family and children, adventures in baking, and so on. Catherine says that for her, the joy and sparkle and wonder of Christmas is what keeps her going. She often uses #Blessed on her facebook page. Are joy and sparkle and wonder a part of your Christmas? Would you be inclined to use #Blessed to identify your feelings about this season? Read More Read more • Leer más → “Are you ready to sing “Joy to the World”?”
Sermons

Who gets to be Mary?

Sermon for December 21, 2014 (Fourth Sunday in Advent)
Rev. Amy Welin (4 Advent): Who gets to be Mary? In some parishes, that question generates a great deal of competition. Little girls and their mothers posture for the honor of being asked to play the Virgin Mary in the annual Christmas pageant. Everyone wants to be Mary because it is considered an honor to portray the Mother of God. But in the scripture, it seems that even Miriam of Nazareth (that is probably her real name - it is changed in the Greek of the gospels) is not so sure that she wants to be Mary. Read More Read more • Leer más → “Who gets to be Mary?”
Sermons

Sermon: Third Sunday in Advent

Sermon for December 14, 2014 (Third Sunday in Advent)
Rev. Amy Welin: Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances . . . Today is the third Sunday in Advent. In the early church, today was called Gaudete Sunday – (Anglicans call it Rejoicing Sunday because we don’t use a lot of Latin). We are more than half way through the season of Advent, when we remember that God came into the world (advent means to “come into”). This Sunday is set apart for special rejoicing, because we know that the Lord is near. And so we light rose colored candles on Advent wreaths, and some priests put on rose colored vestments, as a visible sign of an invisible reality. Read More Read more • Leer más → “Sermon: Third Sunday in Advent”
Sermons

Advent reminds us that we need to reorganize our lives and re-think what is most important to us

Sermon for December 7, 2014 (Second Sunday in Advent)
Rev. Amy Welin:
Advent reminds us that we need to reorganize our lives and re-think what is most important to us. We are going to celebrate the birth of the Messiah. The Christ. The one who took away the sins of the world and the one who has given us eternal life. Life is often difficult and the headlines are usually depressing. And we have every good reason to be hopeful. Not optimistic. Hopeful. How shall we show the world where we put our hope? Read More Read more • Leer más → “Advent reminds us that we need to reorganize our lives and re-think what is most important to us”
Sermons

Give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light

Sermon for November 30, 2014 (First Sunday in Advent)
Rev. Amy Welin:
Today we begin Advent, the first season of the church year, which is dedicated to our spiritual preparation for the coming of God. We wait – and we wait actively, not passively. We are supposed to cast away the works of darkness and use the armor of light to transform ourselves and the world. It is difficult for me to consider new beginnings without also considering what we need to leave behind. And there is a lot that we need to leave behind, because our lives depend on it! We live in times when the fragile light of our shared humanity seems to be disappearing in works of darkness. Read More Read more • Leer más → “Give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light”
Sermons

Stewardship Ingathering

Sermon for November 16, 2014 (23rd Sunday After Pentecost)
Rev. Amy Welin:
All of the blessings of our lives – our families and friends, our work, every good thing – and all the blessings of this parish – the worship, the outreach and educational programs, the staff, the beautiful building – are gifts from God. Sharing in the blessing demands a commitment to financial generosity for the sake of God. We can all whine about the bills, the cost of maintenance, and the diocesan requirements. Yet the real bottom line is this: stewardship is not about the budget. It is about getting ourselves into the right sort of relationship of thanksgiving to God. Read More Read more • Leer más → “Stewardship Ingathering”