Sermon for the First Sunday of Advent Lectionary Readings here O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord! (You may be seated) I must admit that I struggled to write this sermon. I kept trying to interpret today’s prophetic and apocalyptic lectionary readings through the lens of the increasingly violent news of … Continue reading Sermon: Origin Stories
Author: Leah Wise
A Prayer for Midterm Elections
Photo by Element5 Digital on Pexels.com "He has told you, O mortal, what is good, and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God?" Let us pray for God’s kingdom to come, responding: “Your will be done” Merciful and loving God, we … Continue reading A Prayer for Midterm Elections
Risking the Way of Love
Sermon for the 10th Sunday After Pentecost Readings May I speak in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen. On the evening of August 11, 2017, I was locked inside my church with 500 other people. As the interfaith service began to wind down, the worship leader suddenly walked to the back … Continue reading Risking the Way of Love
Things Above
A Sermon for the 8th Sunday After Pentecost Readings Let your continual mercy, O Lord, cleanse and defend your Church; and, because it cannot continue in safety without your help, protect and govern it always by your goodness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, … Continue reading Things Above
I Will Never Again Pass Them By
Photo by Kamaji Ogino on Pexels.com A Sermon Given on the 6th Sunday After Pentecost In today’s collect we pray: …grant that we may know and understand what things we ought to do… Figuring out “what we ought to do” feels just as pressing as ever. I don’t think it’s a stretch to assume that … Continue reading I Will Never Again Pass Them By
A Good Friday Meditation
May the words of my mouthand the meditations of our hearts be pleasing in your sight,O Lord, our strength and our Redeemer.Amen. I was recently talking with a friend about his mother’s death. She had been diagnosed with a terminal illness. And for weeks leading up to her death, as the family kept vigil in … Continue reading A Good Friday Meditation
A Homily on Lamentations
Our ancestors sinned; they are no more, and we bear their iniquities. – Lamentations 5:7 Children crying in the street, water shortages, bombed-out buildings, and mass graves. The displacement occurs at a scale beyond our comprehension. I am talking about Judah. In 586 BCE, Judah was invaded by Babylon. It took nearly 70 years for its … Continue reading A Homily on Lamentations
Maundy Thursday Sermon 2021
Photo by mas_hha on Pexels.com A Sermon Preached on Maundy Thursday 2021 They did not know, as we do now,though empires rise and fall,your Kingdom shall not cease to growtill love embraces all. The words I just quoted come from the hymn, “To Mock Your Reign, O Dearest Lord.” I wanted to start my sermon … Continue reading Maundy Thursday Sermon 2021
Leah Wise 