“Ministry is Not For Sissies”: The Faithfulness of Jonathan Myrick Daniels

Readings for the Feast Day of Jonathan Myrick Daniels This reflection was shared at Sacred Saunter Outdoor Eucharist on Saturday August 14, 2021 at Sequoia Park in Eureka CA. Yesterday, my clergy coach the Rev. Dr. Mark Anschutz said, “Ministry is not for sissies.” And these words are appropriate for us today as we reflect upon […]

A Community of Complainers?

Readings for the Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 14) – Track 2 1 Kings 19:4-8 Psalm 34:1-8 Ephesians 4:25-5:2 John 6:35, 41-51 This sermon was preached at Christ Episcopal Church in Eureka CA on August 8, 2021. I’d like to begin my sermon this morning with a joke that my Jewish father used to liked. It’s about a […]

Transfiguration and the Rainbow Body

Readings for the Feast Day of Transfiguration Exodus 34:29-35 Psalm 99:5-9 Luke 9:28-36 This reflection was shared at Sacred Saunter Outdoor Eucharist on Saturday August 7, 2021 at Sequoia Park in Eureka CA. Today we are celebrating the Feast of the Transfiguration, when Jesus appeared wonderfully transfigured to chosen witnesses (Peter, James, and John), flanked […]

A Community of Companions Who Occasionally Need to Kvetch

Readings for the Tenth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 13) – Track 2 Exodus 16:2-4,9-15 Psalm 78:23-29 Ephesians 4:1-16 John 6:24-35 This sermon was preached at Christ Episcopal Church in Eureka CA on August 1, 2021. Like several of you, I receive daily meditations in my email inbox from Franciscan priest and author Richard Rohr. And on Wednesday […]

The Gifts of the Magi: Justice, Mercy, and Humility

Readings from the Message for the Second Day of Camp Micah 6:6-8 Psalm 82 Matthew 2:1-17 This sermon was preached by Fr. Daniel London at Camp Living Waters at Cookson Ranch in Blue Lake CA on Wednesday July 27, 2021. Camp Theme: “Christmas in July” Today our Gospel reading from Matthew introduces to an important set of […]

A Community of Companions Walking in the Camino of Christ’s Love

Readings for the Ninth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 12) This sermon was preached at Christ Episcopal Church in Eureka CA on July 25, 2021. Last Sunday, we celebrated the feast day of a close companion of Christ: Mary Magdalene; and today is the feast day of another close companion of Christ, an apostle who was part of […]

Salome and the Trees of Monticello

Readings for the Seventh Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 10) Year B – Track 2 Amos 7:7-15 Psalm 85:8-13 Ephesians 1:3-14 Mark 6:14-29 This sermon was preached at Christ Episcopal Church in Eureka CA on July 11, 2021. It’s very good to be back after spending time with family in upstate New York and the Eastern Shore of […]

St. Peter and the Rooster’s Wake-Up Call

A reflection on St. Peter the Apostle inspired by the oil painting of Fr. George Leonard Shultz (1896 – 1971). This same reflection was published in the Times-Standard on Saturday July 10, 2021 as “St. Peter and the Rooster’s Wake-Up Call“ On the feast day of Sts. Peter and Paul (June 29), Christ Episcopal Church Eureka completed […]

The God of Small Things

Readings for the Third Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 6) Ezekiel 17:22-24 Psalm 92:1-4,11-14 2 Corinthians 5:6-10,[11-13],14-17 Mark 4:26-34 This sermon was preached at Christ Episcopal Church in Eureka CA on June 13, 2021. I love the Scripture readings for this Sunday. They’re all advertisements for Sacred Saunter. They’re invitations to saunter in the forest, aren’t they? Ezekiel’s […]

Resting in the Garden of Our Belovedness

Readings for the Second Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 5) Genesis 3:8-15 Psalm 130 2 Corinthians 4:13 – 5:1 Mark 3:20-35 This sermon was preached at Christ Episcopal Church in Eureka CA on June 6, 2021. “The beginning of the fight against hatred, the basic Christian answer to hatred,” according to Trappist monk Thomas Merton, “is not the […]