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"In the Wilderness" |
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Written by Susan Warrener Smith
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Sunday, 01 February 2009 |
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February 5, 2009 Mark 1:9-15
Some of you know that I am something of an armchair explorer. I am fascinated by people who have no fear of the wilderness, and I can happily spend hours reading about how they courageously have explored or trekked through remote, treacherous, or dangerous territory. I have read about Ed Viesturs who is one of a select group that has traveled the world and, in doing so, has climbed without oxygen all fourteen mountains over 8000 meters. I have read of Ernest Shackleton’s exploration of Antarctica and Jon Krakauer’s incredible solo climb of the Devil’s Thumb in Alaska, 6000 vertical feet of granite and ice. I have read about Ferdinand Magellan’s expedition to circumnavigate the world and Lewis and Clark’s Voyage of Discovery into the American wilderness. Then there is my godson’s wife, who last summer traveled 5 days by boat and 3 days on foot into the rain forest in Ecuador. Although a grand adventure it was not without its giant bugs, poisonous snakes, and unknown creatures coming out of the rustic showerhead in their make-shift camp. I am by all accounts nothing more than an armchair explorer, and while I enjoy going out into the woods for an afternoon walk, that is about as far into the wilderness as I seem to get. In fact, many years ago I found myself rushing into the safety of the house when I encountered my first woodchuck.
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 11 February 2009 )
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The Kingdom at Hand |
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Written by Skip Jackson
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Sunday, 25 January 2009 |
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Sydney V. (Skip) Jackson — January 25, 2009
Indianola Presbyterian Church, Columbus, Ohio
Texts: Jonah 3:1-5, 10; Mark 1:14-20
Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the good news.” — Mark 1:14-15 Jesus said, “Follow me and I will make you fish for people.” — Mark 1:17 Following Barack Obama’s inaugural address on Tuesday, I went to that all-knowing oracle, Google®, for a transcript. One of the first things I found was a “word cloud” of the speech. A word cloud represents a text visually with the sizes of the words reflecting how often they’re used (see wordle.net ). In the bulletin you’ll find a word cloud for Obama’s address. The most used words, like “nation,” “America,” “new,” “people,” and “every,” are no surprise given the occasion. He addresses a wider, more inclusive audience with words like “world,” “common,” and “generation.” And as he calls people to action, a real sense of urgency comes through from words like “now,” “today,” “time,” “crisis,” “must” and “work.” |
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 28 January 2009 )
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"Held in the Hands of God" |
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Written by Susan Warrener Smith
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Sunday, 18 January 2009 |
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January 18, 2009 1 Samuel 3:1-20
I expect if we wanted to, we could all sing right here and now without any trouble the old song “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands.” Jerry would know the tune and probably could play it in his sleep, and we would all know the words. The rhythm of the tune and the repetition of the words make it an easy song to sing and remember. But I’m guessing that the main reason for its popularity over the ages is the assurance we get from its words. All of us want to be reassured that all things ultimately are in God’s hands - wind and rain, sun and moon, the little bitty baby, everyone, even you and I. And that is even true for an old priest and a young boy who lived thousands of years ago.
We have just heard one of the best known stories from the Hebrew scriptures. The old priest Eli is lying down in his room at the sacred shrine of Shiloh where he and his ancestors have dutifully tended the ark of the covenant for generations. Samuel, the young boy - a na’ar, the scripture calls him, a boy somewhere between about 12 and 20 - is lying in the temple not far from Eli. The lamp of God, which burns in the sanctuary from dusk to dawn, casts a glow about the place, and there is a feeling of quiet and a sense of solitude. There is, however, despite our immediate perception more than stillness in the air.
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 27 January 2009 )
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Sharing Stories, Sharing Faith |
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Written by Skip Jackson
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Sunday, 11 January 2009 |
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A Sermon by Sydney V. (Skip) Jackson — January 11, 2009
Indianola Presbyterian Church, Columbus, Ohio
Texts: Genesis 1:1-5; Mark 1:1-15 — Baptism of the Lord
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth… — Genesis 1:1
The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ the Son of God. — Mark 1:1
Mark is in such a rush to get the story of Jesus out! In just 15 verses he arrives to the same point in Jesus’ story that Matthew and Luke each take all of three or four chapters to get to. We need to listen a lot faster to Mark, for every word seems to count double or triple. For instance, both Matthew and Luke take two full chapters to get Jesus on the scene, with wonder-filled birth stories and detailed genealogies. The Adult Sunday School class has spent the last six classes looking at the spiritual, and political content of Matthew’s and Luke’s birth narratives of Jesus. Two chapters each—but for Mark, twelve words are enough, just seven words in Greek. |
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 14 January 2009 )
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"Star of Delight" |
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Written by Susan Warrener Smith
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Sunday, 04 January 2009 |
January 4, 2009 Matthew 2:1-12 For some of you this will be the third time in ten days that you have heard this reading from Matthew. We heard the story of the wise men on Christmas Eve, taking its place in the narrative of Christ’s birth. We heard the story last Sunday and reflected particularly on what it might mean for us to kneel like the wise men before the Christ child in Bethlehem and truly worship him. This is about the fifth time I have preached on this scripture, and over the years I have spent time reflecting upon its various messages - sometimes focusing on Herod as the personification of the pitfalls, threats, and challenges we all face as we seek Christ . . . sometimes looking for light in our darkness, focusing on the quest for the living Christ in our world today with all its violence, oppression, wars, dishonesty, and hardships . . . sometimes comparing the magi, Herod, and Christ as types of “kings” and then reflecting on what it means to use the image of Christ as ushering in a new kingdom. This year, however, I could not escape the theme of “the journey.”
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 14 January 2009 )
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