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7th Sunday after Pentecost July 27, 2014 Matthew 13:31-33; 44-52 Peder Stenslie I can remember, when I was young teenager, occasionally assessing my chances at getting others to think I was cool.  For example, I remember one time a family friend gave me a pair of hand-me-down jeans.  They were different from anything I’d had before.  There was probably a name for them, but I don’t have any idea what it was.  The pant legs were very wide.  I guess it was like a bell-bottom, except that... more»

5th Sunday After Pentecost; Year A Isaiah 44.6-8; Psalm 86.11-17; Romans 8.12-25; Matthew 13.24-30, 36-43 Pastor Renee Splichal Larson   Grace and peace to you from the One who has defeated evil in his death and resurrection, Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen. On Thursday this past week Paul Brandels Raushenbush, a writer with Huffington Post wrote: What a horrible day. Israel has begun a ground offensive in Gaza, the White House is on lockdown, and a plane has been shot down in Ukraine.... more»

4th Sunday after Pentecost, July 6, 2014; Year A Zechariah 9.9-12; Psalm 145.8-14; Romans 7.15-25a; Matthew 11.16-19, 25-30 Pastor Renee Splichal Larson   Grace to you and peace from the One who invites us to come to him, Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen. I heard the voice of Jesus say, “Come unto me and rest; lay down, O weary one, lay down your head upon my breast.” I came to Jesus as I was, so weary, worn, and sad; I found in him a resting-place, and he has made me glad. This... more»

We ought to pay close attention to Peter in today’s Gospel lesson, because he is all of us.  Like Peter, we all belong to God.  We all have known shame and failure in our lives.  And we all have been and always will be called forward by God’s Spirit to new life.  The beautiful words of this passage are not for Peter alone.  They are for all of us.  From “I do not know him” to “Feed my sheep.”  From a life of failure and shame to a life of love and service, that is the... more»