Sermons from 2011 (Page 3)

By The Rev. Sherry Crompton Trinity Sunday – June 19, 2011 Genesis 1:1-2:4 Have you ever experienced a trauma? Like the death of a spouse—or a child—or a best friend? Like coming home to an empty house and finding a note that reads, “I’ve left you.” Like living with an alcoholic. Like having the doctor say, “Cancer!” Like giving in to your boyfriend only to have him dump you. Think about a time when you suffered such an experience. Get…

By The Rev. Sherry Crompton Pentecost – June 12, 2011 Acts 2:1-21 Have you ever received a gift you were not sure you knew what to do with? I suspect we all have. Garish ties that you would not be caught dead in…rank perfumes or colognes that you would not wear for fear of dropping everyone in the room into a faint…horrible pictures from some rich, ugly old relative that are suitable only for the attic. There are some gifts…

By The Rev. Sherry Crompton June 5, 2011 Acts 1:6-14 Eleven men and maybe a few fellow travelers stood on a Palestinian hillside and watched in amazement as their teacher, their mentor, their leader disappeared into the clouds. One would think that by now they might have grown beyond amazement at the course their life had taken since they had met Jesus in Galilee. Perhaps it is true that wonders never cease. “I’ve lost control!” Have you ever said that?…

By The Rev. Sherry Crompton May 29, 2011 John 14:15-21 The word “in” is a tiny word. It seems as if it should not matter all that much. But today we hear Jesus promising to be “in” the people who keep his commandments and promising that the disciples will be “in” him too. So, is Jesus actually “in” us? And how would we know? The key may be that Advocate, that Paraclete, the Spirit of truth, who Jesus has promised…

By The Rev. Sherry Crompton May 22, 2011 John 14:1-14 Jesus says, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life”. He says this in response to Thomas’ honest questioning – “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” How can we know the way? If we’re honest with ourselves, we have the same question. How can we know the way?” Jesus is speaking of a way of life – in Jewish…

By The Rev. Sherry Crompton May 15, 2011 John What would you ask if granted one wish? A million dollars? A billion dollars? A beautiful woman? A handsome man? Would you ask to be president of a large company? President of the United States? Another Bill Gates? Or would you ask for a life of leisure–fun in the sun? Or renewed health? What would you ask if granted one wish? Your answer would reveal a great deal. It would tell…

By The Rev. Sherry Crompton May 8, 2011 Luke 24:13-35 Earlier this week we heard the news of Osama bin Laden’s death. It marks the end of a chapter. As someone who was in Manhattan at the time of 9/11 and helped out with the rescue efforts, I found myself having very mixed emotions about the news. Later, I read a reflection of Barbara Crafton’s that sums up some of my own ‘hard to label feelings’ and I share it…

By The Rev. Sherry Crompton May 1, 2011 John 20:19-31 Try to forget, for a moment, everything you thought you knew about Thomas. Notice that I didn’t say “Doubting Thomas,” because this nickname is the first thing we need to forget. So…forget that somewhere along the way you came to believe that Thomas’ primary attribute is doubt. Forget that you still think of him as a slightly inferior disciple. Forget that you’re pretty sure Jesus rebukes him for his lack…

By The Rev. Sherry Crompton Easter Sunday – April 24, 2011 John 20:1-18 “Is it true?” Is it true? This is the question that Karl Barth, one the great theologians, says brings people to worship. Is it true that God lives and gives us life? Is it true that God not only established a routine, what we call the laws of nature, but that one day God broke the routine and somehow raised Jesus from the dead? Is it true…

By The Rev. Sherry Crompton April 10, 2011 Read: John 11:1-45 The Lenten journey, which has taken us through the Valley of the Shadow of Death last Sunday, now leads us to the dry bones of Ezekiel and the tomb of Lazarus and the gift of life out of death. This morning’s gospel story began a few weeks earlier. The brother, Lazarus, was taken ill. We have no details, but the illness frightened his two sisters so much that they…

By The Rev. Sherry Crompton April 3, 2011 Read: John 9:1-41 This is another long gospel story this morning and I can’t begin to touch on all that’s here. But, sinfulness is a theme that runs through this powerful story. The Pharisees discuss Jesus’ sinfulness in several verses. In v. 34, they return to the sinfulness of the man born blind, with another reference to his birth in sin. But the story ends with Jesus’ condemnation of the Pharisees, whose…

By The Rev. Sherry Crompton March 27, 2011 Read: John 4:5-42 This was a rather long gospel reading this morning, this story of the woman at the well. It is actually one of Jesus’ longest recorded conversations and this Samaritan woman finds herself engaged with Jesus in a genuine and extended conversation in which she holds her own quite well. And, this story comes just after the story of Nicodemus. One can’t help but notice the sharp contrasts between the…