Sermons from 2009 (Page 3)

By The Very Rev. Sherry Crompton April 26, 2009 Read: Luke 2:36b-48 Jesus was the talk of the town! Everyone wondered what the events in Jerusalem meant. What were they to make of the disaster of that Friday and the mystery of that Sunday? And now rumors abounded that Jesus was still alive. The disciples and the others gathered in Jerusalem were immersed in chaos and confusion—fear, frustration, guilt, grief, doubt, anxiety, suspicion, distrust, restlessness, despondency and terror. Their leader…

By The Very Rev. Sherry Crompton Easter Sunday – April 12, 2009 Read: John 20:1-18 Our gospel story today begins with the words…. “early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb.” Mark’s version is also on your insert, although we didn’t read it this morning. It begins “very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen.” While it was still dark and at early…

By The Very Rev. Sherry Crompton March 29, 2009 Read: John 12:20-33 Nice Greek girls are supposed to do three things in life,” says Toula’s father in My Big Fat Greek Wedding. “Marry a nice Greek boy, make babies, and feed everyone till the day we die.” Not that Toula, a thirty-something single needs reminding. Day after boring day, she toils in the family Greek diner, her lank hair falling around her face, her body hidden in a sackcloth dress.…

By The Very Rev. Sherry Crompton March 22, 2009 Read: Numbers 21:4-9 and John 3:14-21 In this morning’s passage from Numbers we hear about snakes; serpents. Poisonous snakes. Yuck. A recent Harris poll on “What We Are Afraid Of?” discovered that 36 percent of all adults in the United States list snakes as their number one fear. I, for one, am not fond of snakes. In a recent visit to the Inn at Freedom Village, I entered the front doors…

By The Very Rev. Sherry Crompton March 15, 2009 Children’s Sermon Are any of you familiar with the book series written by Stan and Jan Berenstain called the Berenstain Bears?¹ The stories are all wonderful lessons of life for young people as Mama and Papa Berenstain Bear along with Brother Bear and Sister Bear encounter things like a bad dream, trouble at school and going to the dentist.There is a story “The Berenstain Bears and the Messy Room.” It is…

By The Very Rev. Sherry Crompton March 8, 2009 Read: Mark 8:31-38 Early in Jesus ministry, he chose 12 people to go with him into the future together. They were going to be leaders, proclaiming good news and preaching in front of throngs of people. And the early days of ministry were wildly successful. Together, they helped Jesus feed the 5000. They were there for the healing of sick people, the winning of debates against critics. They were learning from…

By The Very Rev. Sherry Crompton March 1, 2009 Read: Mark 1:9-15; Genesis 9:8-17; 1 Peter 3:18-22 This is the first Sunday of Lent and the readings are simply packed full of meaning and are very nicely tied together. Lent is the church season, the 40-days, in which we intentionally focus on self-examination. Today we’ll focus on the wilderness experience as the basis for that self-eximation. A friend once received a postcard. He said, “On one side was a picture…

By The Very Rev. Sherry Crompton February 22, 2009 Read: Mark 9:2-9 This morning I’m going to begin with a little meditation. So I ask that you close your eyes, relax, listen to my words and let your imagination put yourself in the story. Walk up the hill with Jesus, Peter, John and James…..Feel the hot afternoon sun on your face…..Listen to feet hit the dusty path….Shoo away a few pesky bugs…You finally reach the top and wonder why you’re…

By The Very Rev. Sherry Crompton February 8, 2009 Read: Isaiah 40:21-31 and Mark 1:29-39 We hear again this week about healing and demons in Mark’s gospel. Here in Coatesville, we are still faced with the terroristic acts of an arsonist or arsonists. It is difficult to sleep well at night, wondering about each little sound that is heard in the darkness. We don’t know what motivates someone to do this to an entire community; what we do know is…

By The Very Rev. Sherry Crompton February 1, 2008 Read: Mark 1: 21-28 I’m not sure where to begin with today’s gospel reading. Jesus is in a holy place, a synagogue, where the people were astounded because he teaches as one with authority. And then a man with an unclean spirit, in the synagogue, recognizes Jesus for who he is, the Son of God. And Jesus commands that spirit to be silent, and come out of the man. Again, the…

By The Very Rev. Sherry Crompton January 25, 2009 Read: Mark 1:14-20 “Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent and believe in the good news.” The time is fulfilled. Again, the Greek for time here is kairos….meaning this is significant time; the moment of truth; a decisive moment; God’s time. Jesus says the time is fulfilled but…

By The Very Rev. Sherry Crompton January 11, 2009 Read: Genesis 1:1-5 and Mark 1:4-11 “In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters.” (Genesis 1:1-2) In the beginning. And from Mark…“.. just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending…