Sermons from 2007

By the Very Rev. Sherry CromptonDecember 30, 2007 (Christmas Eve)Read: Why The Bells Chimed by Raymond MacDonald Alden(This story is found all over the Internet and apparently comes originally from Alden’s Why the Chimes Rang and Other Stories, (The Bobbs-Merrill Co., Inc.)) Christmas Day is past, but it is still the season of Christmas and today I want to share a wonderful Christmas tale written by Raymond MacDonald Alden many years ago. It is a story that is delightful and…

By the Very Rev. Sherry CromptonDecember 24, 2007 (Christmas Eve)Read: Luke 1:1-20 Heidi Neumark tells of her ride down Bright Angel Trail in the Grand Canyon. Before my 11-year-old son Hans and I could begin a trip down the Grand Canyon on mule back, I had to sign documents indicating that I understood that the National Parks Service did not guarantee the safety of any participant and was not responsible for any injury, major or minor, brain damage or death,…

By the Very Rev. Sherry CromptonDecember 23, 2007Read: Matthew 1:18-25 Stephen Beck told about crossing a narrow bridge on a country road. It was one of those narrow, one-lane bridges. Two cars cannot pass each other on those bridges. If there was a car on the bridge when you got there, you had to stop and wait for it to finish crossing before you could go. If you and another car got on the bridge at the same time, you…

By the Very Rev. Sherry CromptonDecember 16, 2007Read: Matthew 11:2-11 Today I want to tell you about my buddy, Matthew. When Matthew was 3 he asked Santa for a teddy bear. His parents were surprised because he already had a teddy bear that he took everywhere with him—to bed, to day care, shopping. When he was sent to his room for time out, he had his teddy bear..his best friend, Koko. So, when Matthew asked for a second teddy bear…

By the Very Rev. Sherry CromptonDecember 2, 2007Read: Isaiah 2:1-5, Romans 13:11-14, Matthew 24:36-44 You may have heard about the idea of the Rapture….The Rapture where, at the end of time, some people are spirited away, they just disappear, and others are left behind. It is today’s reading from Matthew that can give that idea. Except, I think these readings for the First Sunday of Advent are much more challenging than that. First, in the prophet Isaiah, we read about…

By the Very Rev. Sherry CromptonNovember 25, 2007Read: Colossians 1:11-20 and Luke 22:33-43 I hope you all had a good Thanksgiving. I was personally grateful for some time; for some quiet time; different time. It seems appropriate at this time in our church year. It’s the last Sunday in this season we call Pentecost—it is Christ the King Sunday—and the season of Advent begins next week. So, today is the last Sunday of the church year and Advent marks the…

By Pat KirknerNovember 18, 2007Read: Malachi 3:13-4:2a, 5-6, 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13 Two of the readings today are from very small books in the Bible. But some pretty important stuff is said in them. In Malachi today, we heard of a warning from God that a day would come, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers shall be stubble; leaving them neither root nor branch. I like the word ‘ARROGANT’…it still has meaning; still carries some weight…

By the Very Rev. Sherry CromptonOctober 28, 2007Read: Luke 18:9-14 The parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector. It would be so easy to read and hear this parable and understand it simply as instructions for prayer. In other words, we are to be like the tax collector who sits at the back of the church (which many of you already do) and pray the magic words, “God, be merciful to me a sinner!”. We would also like to…

By the Very Rev. Sherry CromptonSeptember 30, 2007Read: Luke 16:19-31 My friend Barbara says that “each of us has things we tell ourselves to protect us from the pain of those around us. For example: If only he had not dropped out of high school. If only she had not had so many babies. If he would just learn more English. If she would only stop drinking. It’s human nature to find some reason why people are the way they…

By the Very Rev. Sherry CromptonSeptember 23, 2007Read: Luke 16:1-13 So our parable from Luke’s gospel is one of the most difficult to figure out. But, I think we all understand the initial story. If Jesus told the story today, it might go something like this: A wealthy loan shark was told that his accountant was lining his own pockets with some of the money he took in. He called the accountant and said, “What is this I hear? Bring…

By the Very Rev. Sherry CromptonSeptember 9, 2007Read: Luke 14:25-33 Barbara Brown Taylor suggests that Jesus would have made a poor parish minister. “Talk to any church growth expert today and they will tell you how important it is to create a safe, caring environment where people believe their concerns will be heard and their needs will be met. The basic idea is to find out what people are looking for and give it to them, so that they decide…

By the Very Rev. Sherry CromptonSeptember 2, 2007Read: Luke 14:1, 7-14 There is certainly a common thread in today’s readings and it has to do with humility. But what is humility? What is Jesus talking about? Does it mean to be inferior? Does it mean to put yourself down? Does it mean to be timid? To be a mouse in the corner? To be afraid to say anything to anyone? No, it doesn’t. Humility is the opposite of pride or…