October 18, 2016 - Sunday was the 22nd Sunday after Pentecost.  We are nearing the end of the Christian year, and a new year will soon begin.  On October 30th, we Protestants will celebrate Reformation Sunday and the next day, All Hallowed Saints Eve. Then the first day of the new month is the wonderful Christian holy day—All Saints Day.  Christians around the world will remember the saints that died during this past year and also all the saints that have kept the faith alive throughout the years.

October 3, 2016 - Sunday was the 20th Sunday after Pentecost and the first Sunday in October. At Paxton we celebrated communion using the liturgy called “Table of Plenty.” Sunday was World Communion Sunday: The idea of a billion or more Christians celebrating communion Sunday morning is cool! During the month of October we will be collecting peanut butter and jelly for Community Christian Services. For my sermon I used the Old Testament Lesson from Lamentations 1: 1-6 and the Epistle Lesson from 2 Timothy 1: 3-14.

September 19, 2016 - Sunday was the 18th Sunday after Pentecost.  The Old Testament Lesson came from Jeremiah 8: 18-9:1 and it is a mournful passage.  Jeremiah speaks of God’s heart being broken.  The idea of God hurting has been debated from the time of the early church fathers and mothers.  In my own theology I can certainly understand God feeling pain and sadness at the terrible stewards of creation we sometimes are.  The passage ends with the question, “Is there no balm in Gilead?  Is there no physician?”    

September 6, 2016 - Sunday was the 16th Sunday after Pentecost.  This was the first Sunday of a new month and the Paxton Church celebrated Holy Communion.  This month, our church will be collecting macaroni and cheese for Community Christian Services.  The Gospel Lesson for this Sunday is the last part of Luke 14.  In last week’s Gospel, Jesus had been invited to dine at a leading Pharisee’s home.  Our lesson today takes up as Jesus leaves the house and a large crowd had come to hear this rabbi.  Jesus in no uncertain terms explains the high cost of being one of his disciples.

August 22, 2016 - Sunday was the 14th Sunday after Pentecost. The Gospel story is found only in Luke, but similar controversies dealing with the Sabbath are found elsewhere in Luke and in the other Gospels. Once again we must transport ourselves into a foreign time, a foreign place, and a foreign culture. Jesus is asked to reach from the scrolls at a synagogue and to teach. But as often happens with Jesus other events alter his plans and he has a chance to teach by example. The “good church folks” at the synagogue, as was often the case, didn’t like what Jesus did or said.