An Open Letter from Rev. Clarence, 6/27/2020

Dear Members and Friends of St. James, I begin my weekly report with a quote from the letter of Paul to the Church at Corinth: “All things are lawful … but not all things are helpful.” (I Cor. 6:12) And so it is that I ask: Is there a dichotomy between transparency and truth-telling? My …

Sermon for 3 Pentecost, 6/21/20: Dissension in the Ranks

Ps. 86:1-10; Genesis 21:8-21; Romans 6:1b-11; Matthew 10:24-39   “I have come not to bring peace, but a sword.” Matt. 10:34b   In one of the authorized contemporary forms of our Eucharistic Liturgy, the Presider at Mass recites the following words:  Lord God of our Fathers; God of Abraham…and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ: …

An Open Letter from Rev. Clarence, 6/20/20

Dear Members and Friends of St. James Church, I attach [see Sunday’s post] my thoughts re: today’s lectionary readings and hope that they provide you with thoughts how we might address the issues [that] are literally before us on this third Sunday after Pentecost. I remain optimistic that we have the capacity as a nation, …

Sermon for 6/4/20: Unanticipated Outcomes of Hospitality

  Psalm 116: 1, 10–17; Genesis 18: 1–15; Romans 5: 1–8; Matthew 9: 35–10:8 Is anything too hard for the Lord?  (Genesis 18: 14a) I.  The Backstory: Art tells a Story When I matriculated at my undergraduate college, I declared myself to be a pre-med major, not that such a major existed.  One could major in …