My grace is sufficient for you… —2 Corinthians 12:9 In the moments of our greatest weakness, God (through Christ) provides the strength to sustain us. Even when things seem impossible, His grace is enough. We are invited into the service this morning with an acknowledgement that God will “graciously give us all things.” We respond by singing that our “desires…
Those of you who are anglophiles may recognize the music to The Lord Has Spoken To My Lord—Psalm 110, though you probably know it with different words. William Blake wrote “And did those feet in ancient time” in 1804, as a part of the preface to his epic poem Milton. The poem is odd and fantastical, beginning with Jesus Christ…
At the beginning of 2 Corinthians 11, Paul expresses his zeal for the purity of the church by comparing her to Eve in the garden. Just as our first mother was deceived by the serpent, so the Corinthian believers are being deceived by false teachers. Many of this morning’s readings and hymns explore images of marital fidelity as metaphors for…
You’ve probably noticed, this being the month of June, that contemporary society has taken to aggressively promoting the sin of pride. Governments, mass media, and major corporations all line up to celebrate pride (only provided it is pride in one of the currently socially favored identities, ethnicities, or lifestyles). By contrast, Paul in 2 Corinthians gives us a portrait of…
Thanks be to God for His inexpressible gift! —2 Corinthians 9:15 This morning, along with the rest of the Western church, we remember the events of the day of Pentecost recorded in Acts 2. Known as Whitsunday in the English-speaking world, this celebration focuses on the giving of the Holy Spirit to the church. Red is used on the bulletin…
Today, we observe Ascension Sunday, perhaps the most neglected of the “five evangelical feasts” which are celebrated in most Christian traditions (along with Christmas, Easter, Good Friday, and Pentecost). This day marks the commemoration of the events of Acts 1:6-11 when Jesus completed His earthly ministry by ascending into Heaven and sitting down at the right hand of the Father.…
Isn’t it wonderful how often God gives the gift of His love wrapped in people? There’s a great example of this in the sermon text, where Paul describes his zeal to care for the Corinthians, and how they in turn should care for Titus. Likewise, the hymns in this morning’s service reflect on God’s care for us and call us…
Even if you have been coming to Parish for a while, you may not often read the small text under the header of each section in the bulletin that gives some explanation for the various elements of worship. At the top of page 10, you’ll find these words: “Our praying, serving, and giving are essential aspects of worship. It is…
This morning’s service draws our attention to the relationship of joy, comfort, and affliction in the Christian life. We are invited into worship with a passage from 1 Thessalonians, which implores us to “rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances.” The opening two hymns both call us to “join in glad adoration” and “Rejoice in [our] King”—but…
G.K. Chesterton was once asked what was wrong with the world, and he responded, “Dear Sirs, I am.” Chesterton is in good company. In the gospel invitation this morning from 1 Timothy, Paul competes with Chesterton saying, “Christ came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.” Each of us could submit an application for the…
