“You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in you.”  St. Augustine (354-430).  So prayed St. Augustine some 1600 years ago.  There’s a reason for all those rest stops that appear every 50 – 60 miles along interstate highways.  There’s a reason why we sleep each day.  There’s a reason why God gave us the Sabbath.  We need to rest – all of us.  There are times when Jesus issues a call to discipleship when it sounds like a major

Do you have any regrets? When we look back, most of us can identify mistakes we made; persons we hurt (accidentally or on purpose); poor choices; good things we failed to do; fibs, white lies and real whoppers; wasted time and missed opportunities; compromised integrity; selfishness and vanity; indifference toward those in need; neglecting to love the ones who love us: friends, family and, of course, God.  As they say, hindsight is 20/20.  Looking back, we can see the folly and the futility of what may have seemed like a

“Freedom’s just another word for nothin’ left to lose.” (so went the song back in the 60’s) Is that so? Of course, many think of freedom is simply the right to do “whatever I darn well please”. However, it is in Jesus that we see what it is to be truly free. Jesus is the free-est person whoever walked on this earth.   Think about it. Jesus faced all the same boundaries and all the physical limitations as we do. Though he was fully divine—the Son of God—he freely humbled himself

June 11, 2017 Holy Trinity Pastor Richard Holmer First Reading: Genesis 1: 1-2:4a Second Reading: 2 Corinthians 13:11-13 Gospel : Matthew 28: 16-20 God is love.  So we hope – and so we believe.  These three words provide us with blessed assurance that can comfort and sustain us along life’s way.  Many things can be said about God – God is almighty, righteous, all-knowing, steadfast, eternal.  But the first and best thing that must be said is: God is love.  There are two significant implications that derive from this claim

June 4, 2017 /  Pentecost /Pastor Richard Holmer First Reading: Acts 2: 1-21 /   Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 12:3b-13 /             Gospel : John 20: 19-23 As some of you may recall, last Sunday my sermon was all about hope: why it is vital, what gives us hope, the importance of being able to articulate the hope that’s in us.  I hope some of you took time to do the homework assigned, to give words to the hope that is in you.  Today I want to reflect along with you on

May 28, 2017   Easter  7    Pastor Richard Holmer First Reading: Acts 1: 6-14   Second Reading: 1 Peter 4:12-14 5: 6-11             Gospel : John 17: 1-11   These past days the concept of HOPE has been on my mind and heart.  We are still in the Easter season, and hope is a central theme growing out of Christ’s resurrection.  It’s springtime, and despite the rain and the chilly weather, the blossoming abundance of creation all around us offers hope of the goodness of summer.  In the past three weeks I

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