Susan Warrener Smith

August 27, 2006 Ephesians 6:10-20

While our culture has no men in shining armor - at least not in the literal sense - the image drawn in the letter to the Ephesians is one I think we all can quickly see in our mind's eye. Not just history books and museums but movies and toy stores expose all of us - even at an early age - to the knight in armor. And certainly the Ephesians could resonate with such martial imagery, living under the dominance of the Roman Empire and the pervasiveness of its military strength.

A Sermon by Sydney V. (Skip) Jackson – August 13, 2006

Texts: John 7:53-8:11; Psalm 40

I have not hidden your saving help within my heart, I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation; I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness from the great congregation. – Psalm 40:10

A Sermon by Sydney V. (Skip) Jackson — August 6, 2006

Texts: Exodus 23:1-9; Matthew 7:13-14 — COMMUNION

You must not be led into wrongdoing by the majority. — Exodus 23:2

Susan Warrener Smith

July 30, 2006 Ephesians 2:11-22

One of my favorite places in this world is Venice, Italy. I have not been there for over thirty years, but I remember it as a repository not only of great art and architecture but as a testimony to the imagination and ingenuity of humankind. Centuries ago people fled to the islands off the northeastern coast of Italy to escape the barbarian attacks from the north. As this civilization of fishermen and traders grew, the city was expanded out over the Adriatic Sea by sinking pilings into the ocean floor. On top of these pilings a brilliant and beautiful city grew, but as tides have risen over the years, and as pilings have settled, the city has become threatened in an alarming way. A multi-billion dollar project to build floodgates began in 2003 and includes the dredging of 3.8 million cubic meters of clay from the bed of the lagoon which is now being replaced with 9 million tons of rock and concrete to provide a sturdy foundation in which 79 steel floodgates - each one bigger than a football field and weighing 300 tons - will be planted. In spite of these gargantuan efforts, however, there is some archaeological evidence indicating that these floodgates will probably only make matters worse.