My sermon at St. Swithin's Episcopal Church today.
Several years ago, I took scuba diving lessons. One of my classmates
was a member of a group that all went on adventures together – bungee
jumping, what have you. Scuba diving was the latest adventure they all
wanted to try. The last one they tried was skydiving.
My friend told me that skydiving class was very thorough. They spent
many hours in the classroom, learning the equipment inside and out.
They learned what forces would be acting on their bodies when they
finally took the dive, and how to cope with them. They learned how to
deal with emergencies, what to do if the chute wouldn’t open, and what
to do if THAT failed. Everything they would possibly face was drilled
into their heads, and they were as prepared for this as they were for
anything in their lives.
Still, he said … the day of the first dive … that walk from their
preparation area to the plane was the longest walk of his life.
Continue reading "Palm Sunday " »
So it's Friday night, and after phone consultation with Dr. Wife, we decide that I'll grab takeout at Sharkey's, one of our favorite "casual dining" places. I wheel Dot in her stroller -- Henry likes to run up and down the ramp inside the restaurant.
For a Friday, it's pretty darn quiet -- only a couple of people at the tables. Ahead of me at the counter: another dad, waiting for his takeout, while his 7-year-old son loads up with salsa in those tiny little urine sample cups.
While the counter staff takes my order, Dot is flirting with the other dad, who flirts back -- she grabs his proferred fingers so he can wheel her back and forth in the stroller. And then it hits me: Other Dad is Bradley Whitford.
Continue reading "Studio 60 on Lake Avenue" »
(Note: Father C called me last week -- the priest preaching at the 7:45 service bailed, could I fill in? Sure, I said. I didn't know he was sticking me with an apocalypse!)
Advent 1
Sermon at St. Swithin's
Luke 21:25-31
Happy New Year!
No, I haven’t taken leave of my senses, nor have you
been in a coma for a month. This is the first Sunday in Advent, and as
we light that first purple candle, we start a new Christian year – a
time when we gather as a community, open up a new Gospel – Luke this
year – and tell our story all over again, from the beginning.
Now,
the Christian year does not start with the birth of Christ. Let me
digress for a moment: I’m sure you know that Christmas is not Jesus’
birthday.
Continue reading "On the Move" »