May 7, 2017 Easter  4 Pastor Richard Holmer First Reading: Acts 2: 42-47 Second Reading: 1 Peter 2: 19-25 Gospel : John 10: 1-10 It’s no great surprise that in the Bible the Lord is often described as a shepherd.  After all, people are a lot like sheep–sheep in need of a shepherd. Like sheep, we go astray.  As the hymn verse suggests: “Prone to wander, Lord I feel it, Prone to leave the God I love.”  We can wander off, from one tuft of green grass to another, until

April 30, 2017    Easter  3   Pastor Richard Holmer First Reading: Acts 2: 14a-36-41 Second Reading: 1 Peter 1: 17:23     Gospel : Luke 24: 13-35 The city of Rome is full of churches.  Susan and I flew there the day after Easter, and we spent a good amount of time just wandering the streets of that city, taking in all the history and the amazing architecture.  There are over 900 churches within the city limits, 50 named for St Mary.  From St Peter to St John Lateran, which

April 16, 2017 Easter Sunday Pastor Richard Holmer First Reading: Acts 1-: 34-43 Second Reading: Colossians 3: 1-4 Gospel : John 10: 1-18   Light in the Darkness   The resurrection story is the concluding climax of John’s gospel. But way back at the beginning, in chapter one, John provides a huge clue as to how things will eventually turn out. So perhaps for first time readers, those who want to wait to see how the story will end, John should have provided a spoiler alert. For he says right

April 14, 2017 Good Friday First Reading:      Isaiah 52: 13-53:12 Second Reading: Hebrews 10: 16-2 Gospel:                            John 18: 1-19::42 Saved by Love The great temptation is always the same:  It’s common to us all.  It is our familiar stumbling block.  It is the temptation:  to love ourselves most of all, to love ourselves first and last, to seek our own good, above all else, above all others.  It’s a temptation that’s driven not only by our desire for pleasure, comfort and security, but also by fear:  fear that if

April 13, 2017   Maundy Thursday   Pastor Richard Holmer First Reading: Exodus 12:1-14    Second Reading: I Corinthians11:23-26  Gospel : John 13:1-17, 31b-35   In the final week of his earthly life, Jesus does some extraordinary and unexpected things:  He begins the week by riding into Jerusalem on a donkey.  When the crowds praised Jesus as their king and savior, the Pharisees told Jesus he should order them to stop.  Jesus replies: “If they were silent, the stones would shout out.”  Early in the week, he goes to the temple and

March 26, 2017–Lent 4 Pastor Richard Holmer–First Reading: 1 Samuel 16: 1-13–Second Reading: Ephesians 5: 8-14–Gospel : John 9: 1-41   Centuries before Jesus was born, prophets proclaimed that God would send a messiah.  This is what they said about the promised savior: “Here is your God…He will come and save you.  Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped.”  Isaiah 35:4-5 “He shall be a light to the nations, to open the eyes that are blind…”  Isaiah 42:7 The Lord sets

March 12, 2017/Lent 2/Pastor Richard Holmer First Reading: Genesis 12: 1-4a/Second Reading: Romans 4:1-5, 13-17/Gospel: John 3:1-17 How does somebody come to belong to the Kingdom of God?  There are many and various paths by which persons find their way.  Consider three different means by which individuals might enter the Kingdom: like a newborn baby?  Like an old man?  Or how about like a stray cat? When I was growing up in St. Louis, there was a stray cat that showed up and started hanging around our back porch.  It

March 5, 2017/Lent 1/Pastor Richard Holmer First Reading: Genesis 2: 15-17/Second Reading: 5: 12-19/Gospel : Matthew 4: 1-11 The average American consumes a ton of food each year.  (Astounding!)  Some eat more, some eat less – but on average, each of us eats 1,996 pounds of food per year.  That’s over five pounds a day.  On average our personal ton includes: 184 pounds of meat, 273 pounds of fruit, 31 pounds of cheese.  As well as: 29 pounds of French fries. 23 pounds of pizza, 24 pounds of ice cream,

March 1, 2017/ Ash Wednesday/ Pastor Richard Holmer First Reading: Joel 2: 101, 12-17/Second Reading: 2 Corinthians 5: 20b-6:10/Gospel : Matthew 6: 1-6, 16-21 Today we begin another Lent. It’s a season for reflection and preparation. It’s a time to simplify and to seek clarity about what matters most. In Lent we have the opportunity to focus and get clear on two essentials: Who we are; Who God is. Let’s begin with ourselves: when all is said and done, who are we? Psalm 51 makes it clear that, whatever else we may

August 27, 2016/ Pastor Richard Holmer Dean Holm Memorial We are never far from the goodness of God.  There is a banner hanging outside my office that is a daily reminder.  It reads:  “God is Good – All The Time.”  The 23rd Psalm offers up these beautiful words of assurance  “Surely your goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life..”  God’s goodness is available because Jesus, the Good Shepherd, is with us always.  This was his parting promise to his disciples  “I am with you always,