Sermon, 12/5/21: Filtering out the Background Noise

2 AdventBaruch 5.1-9; Canticle 16: Luke 1:68-79; Philippians 1.3-1 1; Luke 3.1-6 The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord. (Luke 3:4b) How often have you heard from us preachers: ‘Advent is a time for spiritual reflection, as we prepare to receive Christ as a little child’? However, what …

Open Letter from Rev. Clarence, 12/5/21

Dear Members and Friends of St. James, As we make our way toward the celebration of the birth of Jesus, God’s Messiah, I report that the dedication of you all, but especially a few select volunteers, has demonstrated a tenacity that a 20-month absence due to COVID restrictions could not, and did not, weaken. Wreathes …

Open Letter from Rev. Clarence, 11/28/21

Dear Members and Friends of St. James, Almost as if by surprise, the Season of Advent is with us.  The appearance of wreaths, the lighting of the first candle of Advent, and a change in altar hangings and vestments were and are visual evidence of the beginning of another liturgical year.  Appropriately, the first Sunday …

Sermon, 11/21/21. Time: The Biggest Riddle of them all

Christ the King, Last Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 132:1–19; 2 Sam. 23.1–7; Rev.1:4b–8; John 18.33–37 For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:1 Many things fascinate us human beings.  We are intrigued by paradoxes.  You know, those things that seem contradictory to common sense and experience but …

Open Letter from Rev. Clarence, 11/21/21

Dear Members and Friends of St. James, Today we observe a feast day that, in liturgical speak, bears resemblance to the “neglected stepsister” in a Grimm nursery rhyme. With the homily that I offered today at Eucharist and attach here [see separate post] to my weekly greetings, I hope to open the possibility of a …

Sermon, 11/14/21: Do not believe everything that you think!

25 Pentecost Canticle: I Sam. 2:1–10; I Samuel 1:4–20; Hebrews 10:11–25; Mark 13: 1–8 As Jesus came out of the Temple, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings!’ Mark 13:1 At an electric traffic signal, while driving on Friday afternoon to the parish, I came along …

Open Letter from Rev. Clarence, 11/14/21

Dear Members and Friends of St. James, Today we did a test run.  Winter is before us, and to be met with almost frigid weather (50 degrees Fahrenheit) in our buildings presented us with a challenge.  As in 2015 (before my arrival on the scene in 2018, when confronted with a similar situation, documented by …

Sermon, 11/7/21: Architects and Building Contractors

24 Pentecost Psalm 127; Ruth 3:1–5; 4:13–17; Hebrews 9:24–28; Mark 12:38–44 Unless the Lord builds the house, their labor is in vain who build it.  Ps. 127:1 I begin my reflections this morning with two citations.  There are both from the Rev. Richard C. Halverson (1916–1995), a Presbyterian minister who was Chaplain to the United …

Open Letter from Rev. Clarence, 11/7/21

Dear Members and Friends of St. James, “Spring forward; Fall back!”  I am pleased to note that no one appeared to forget that jingle which alerts us semi-annually to change in times and change in seasons.  The major hurdle in “getting to the church on time,” inasmuch as we are an urban parish, remains still …