easter – Mother A Writes

We Are All Here

Acts 16:16-34 Content Warning: This sermon addresses suicide, mental illness, and death. The photo associated with this post is a photo I took at the excavated prison cell in Philippi where Paul was imprisoned as depicted in Acts. When I saw the readings assigned for today, I was deeply moved. This reading from Acts isContinue reading “We Are All Here”

The Promise of Home

Revelation 21:1-6 See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them as their God; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them; he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the firstContinue reading “The Promise of Home”

Wearing Ministry

Hands that show signs of age feeding fabric through a sewing machine, taken from the perspective of someone looking over the shoulder of the textile worker

Acts 9:36-43 When I was newly ordained, a woman in my first parish died and I was to preside at her funeral. Instead of flowers, her children told me they would be bringing some things she had made to adorn the altar. She was a quilter, and an embroiderer, with an artist’s eye. The dayContinue reading “Wearing Ministry”

Changing Minds

A vibrantly colored painting of a man in the middle of falling from the back of a horse, looking up at a bright yellow figure of Jesus with arms outstretched as if on the cross

Acts 9:1-6, (7-20) I am convinced that one of the hardest things to do in this world is change your mind. Something that might be even harder is admitting aloud that your belief or opinion has changed from what you once fervently professed. We are not rewarded for it, either socially or by our ownContinue reading “Changing Minds”

Scars & Tattoos

John 20:19-31 After the events of Holy Week, and the impossible news of Easter, I can’t blame the disciples for hiding away together. As a pastor, I understand the instinct. The events of Jesus’s final days before his death, the sham trial and gruesome execution, the long day of waiting and the baffling witness ofContinue reading “Scars & Tattoos”

Being Made New

Luke 24:1-12 Why do you look for the living among the dead? The messengers of God may be dazzling, but they don’t seem to have much tact. The women come to the tomb carrying spices, after weeping their way through the Sabbath, faces tear stained and eyes puffy, with the intention of seeing their friendContinue reading “Being Made New”

Death Made Beautiful

Luke 24:36b-48 One of my favorite Easter traditions from my childhood was the flowering of the cross. On Easter Sunday, all the children were given flowers in a beautiful rainbow of colors, and at the start of the service we processed with our flowers toward a cross that had been riddled with holes. One byContinue reading “Death Made Beautiful”

What is to Prevent Me?

Acts 8:26-40 The Ethiopian eunuch is one of my favorite people in scripture. I know that might sound strange, since he is only mentioned in this one passage, he never meets Jesus in person, and we don’t even know his name. But I love him, and I want to tell you why. This man, thisContinue reading “What is to Prevent Me?”

To Be Heroes

1 John 3:16-24 We know love by this, that he laid down his life for us– and we ought to lay down our lives for one another. How does God’s love abide in anyone who has the world’s goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses help? Little children, let usContinue reading “To Be Heroes”

Dwelling in Unity

Psalm 133 & John 20:19-31 & Acts 4:32-35 Psalm 133 is very close to my heart. Ecce quam bonum, the first line of the Psalm in Latin, is the school motto of the University of the South, where I did my seminary studies and where I met my husband. Ecce quam bonum, Behold how good,Continue reading “Dwelling in Unity”