Jeremiah 2:4-13 The content of this sermon is difficult, and includes references to gun violence, war, and famine. Footnotes have been provided not as an exhaustive list of resources, but as a starting place for those who wish to learn more about the facts of gun violence and its contributing factors. For steps to takeContinue reading “What Doesn’t Hold Water”
Author Archives: amcaudill27
Called & Equipped
Jeremiah 1:4-10 I recently learned that Jeremiah is often referred to by scholars as “the Weeping Prophet” because of how vulnerable, honest, and anguished he often is in the service of the Lord. Throughout the book of the Prophet Jeremiah, one of the longest books in the Bible, the prophet brings hard words to theContinue reading “Called & Equipped”
A World on Fire
Luke 12:49-56 A friend of mine recently sent around a picture of the front cover of her parish bulletin for today in a group message with other clergy. The graphic that her parish administrator had chosen for the front cover was a world on fire, the earth as seen from space but partially engulfed inContinue reading “A World on Fire”
A Life of Getting Ready
Luke 12:32-40 I am always overtaken at this time of year by a deep sense of nostalgia for the back-to-school excitement. I remember fondly the aisles of fresh pencils and bright pens and folders and notebooks in every color under the sun. I loved the feeling of finding the perfect backpack and opening a brand-newContinue reading “A Life of Getting Ready”
Recognizing Heaven
Luke 12:13-21 Robin Wall Kimmerer, indigenous botanist and author of Braiding Sweetgrass, recounts several traditional stories of her people that have been used for generations to teach important lessons and pass on cultural values. Many of the stories feature Nanabozho, the teacher in the Anishinaabe cosmology, as a central figure whose choices illustrate lessons aboutContinue reading “Recognizing Heaven”
Lord, Teach Us to Pray
Luke 11:1-13 Lord, teach us to pray. God bless the disciple who asked, no, demanded this lesson from Jesus. We don’t know how to pray, Lord, teach us. It is such a simple thing, and such a vulnerable thing for a religious person to admit. And yet, I hear it again and again in myContinue reading “Lord, Teach Us to Pray”
Rest, Rise, Refill
Luke 10:38-42 A few months ago, I had the opportunity to participate in a Bake & Pray workshop at St John’s in Lynchburg. Some members of St Mark’s also participated in the workshop, which was open to the community. My friend Maria, a talented baker and lay minister, led us in the art of bakingContinue reading “Rest, Rise, Refill”
An Unwanted Savior
Luke 10:25-37 The parable of the Good Samaritan looms large in the Christian imagination. The role of the “good Samaritan” is embedded in our cultural vernacular and enshrined in our legal codes. College students attend trainings when they arrive on their campuses in which they are encouraged to be a good Samaritan, an active bystanderContinue reading “An Unwanted Savior”
Freedom & Costly Grace
Galatians 5:1,13-25 For freedom Christ has set us free. As the red, white, and blue decorations go up and the flags wave and we prepare for our own celebration later this week, the topic of freedom is timely. This nation in which we live and whose birth we remember on the 4th of July everyContinue reading “Freedom & Costly Grace”
Listening Together
John 16:12-15 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.” Right there, in red letters, the Bible tells us that God has more to teach us than what could be said in the brief time that God walked the earth in human flesh. Jesus promises the apostles thatContinue reading “Listening Together”
Mother A Writes 