As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. —John 17: 18 Continue reading
“Sent” A Sermon for the Seventh Sunday of Easter
“You did not choose me but I chose you” A Sermon for the Sixth Sunday of Easter
Jesus said to his disciples, “You did not choose me but I chose you, and appointed you that you should be a fruit and your fruit should abide.” —John 15:16 Continue reading
“The Model Shepherd” A Sermon on John 10: 11-18
“I am the good shepherd,” Jesus said to them. “The good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep.” Later, after he was crucified, the disciples recalled his words and realized that he was the good shepherd, the one who loved and cared for the sheep, even at the cost of his own life. Continue reading
“Unfinished Business, Unfinished Christians” A Sermon for the Third Sunday of Easter
It is so good to be with you once again. Those three months in 2019 when I lead you in worship were such a rich and full and happy time for me. I came to know and love many of you, so I was excited to accept when your deacons asked me to fill in during Rebecca’s sabbatical. Continue reading
Baked Sea Scallops with Tarragon and Panko
The best way to cook sea scallops is to sear them in a hot cast-iron pan, but when you are cooking for a crowd, baking is a good second best, and much less labor intensive. These were delicious. Continue reading
Rick’s Mediterranean Sheet Pan Roast Chicken
Since COVID has enlarged our family bubble, I have rediscovered ways of cooking for a crowd. The slow-cooker is my friend. And I have been having fun roasting things on sheet pans. Lo, and behold, the New York Times just had an article about this as a trend. When you think of trendy, I’m sure you think of me.
So, tonight I roasted some bone-in skin-on chicken thighs with some vaguely Mediterranean flavors and it came out pretty good.
Rick’s Berkshire Jambalaya
For tonight’s Shrove Tuesday dinner my son requested that we have both pancakes and jambalaya, which is a thing their church in Alexandria does. “Dad, do you have a jambalaya in you?” he asked last week. It was in rotation during his childhood, but I seldom make it anymore because it is a pile of food, and until the pandemic, it was just the two of us.
A Meditation on Divine Providence and Human Freedom: Luke 13: 1-9
I went to my 50th high school reunion in 2017, and several of us agreed that if our lives were measured like a football game, we would be in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter. That, of course, is something we can only surmise, and, indeed, some of that cohort have died since that time.
The COVID-19 Pandemic has made it more difficult to avoid thinking about one’s mortality, whatever quarter of the game we might imagine we are in.
I turn to the 13th Chapter of the Gospel of Luke to reflect on the mysterious interplay between divine providence and human freedom, and what Jesus might have to say to us about our living of these days, however many of them we are blessed to have remaining.
My Top Ten Posts in 2020
Once again, as the old year passes and the new year beckons, it has been my custom to look back at my most popular posts of the year. Continue reading
Christmas Eve Reflections
I lead a little weekly Bible Study on Zoom and yesterday we had the story of the birth of Jesus from Luke Chapter 2. The Christmas story is a good one in which to ponder how we read Scripture since it is so familiar to us. After nearly a half century of studying Scripture for preaching I am still finding discoveries in texts that I thought were “settled.” The Christmas story is one such text.
When I Survey . . . 