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“Only Small Things with Great Love”
This is the sermon I prepared for Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Beatrice, Neb., for the Festival of All Saints’ Sunday, Nov. 7, 2010. + + + Readings Daniel 7:1–3, 15–18 Psalm 149 Ephesians 1:11–23 Luke 6:20–31 + + + Prayer Loving Father in heaven, bless us with faith through your Holy Spirit, so that we…
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Love and Obedience
Introduction This is a wedding homily I preached for a couple in, Beatrice, Neb., on Saturday, Nov. 6, 2010. Readings Deuteronomy 28:1–2 1 Corinthians 12:31–13:13 Message In “Beautiful Boy,” John Lennon sang, “Life is just what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.” When we stop to think about all the twists and…
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Blessed and in the Book
Introduction This is a funeral homily I preached at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Beatrice, Neb., on Thursday, Nov. 4, 2010. Readings Isaiah 66:10–14 Psalm 61 Revelation 21:22–27 Luke 6:17–21 Message Every nurse knows that each patient is a whole person, with a history and a story, with unique needs and joys and fears. And the…
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Question Box: What About Bullies?
Introduction Holy Cross Lutheran Church offers individuals the chance to ask questions about the Church, faith, theology, and the Bible by putting their queries into a Question Box. A question and answer appears in each month’s newsletter. This is the November 2010 installment. Question How should a Christian respond to a bully? Answer That’s a…
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In the Meantime: All Good Gifts
Introduction This article is the November 2010 installment of my monthly message in the parish newsletter for Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Beatrice, Neb. Message All Good Gifts An old and familiar hymn leads us to sing a refrain together: All good gifts around us Are sent from heav’n above. Then thank the Lord, oh, thank…
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So Great a Cloud
Introduction This is a funeral homily I preached at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Beatrice, Neb., on Monday, Nov. 1, 2010. Readings Revelation 7:9–17 Psalm 34:1–10 1 John 3:1–3 Matthew 6:25–34 Message They are here. They are all around us. Alvina and Fred, husband and wife. Clara Bell, Freida, and Evelyn, her sisters. Ernest and Arnold,…
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Under the Hands of God
This is the sermon I prepared for Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Beatrice, Neb., for the Festival of the Reformation with the Rite of Confirmation, Oct. 31, 2010. + + + Readings Jeremiah 31:31–34 Psalm 46 Romans 3:19–28 John 8:31–36 + + + Prayer Place the hands of your Holy Spirit upon us, O Father, and…
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Reversals
This is the sermon I prepared for Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Beatrice, Neb., for the Twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost, Oct. 24, 2010. + + + Readings Jeremiah 14:7–10, 19–22 Psalm 84:1–7 (antiphon v. 5) 2 Timothy 4:6–8, 16–18 Luke 18:9–14 + + + Prayer Hear us, O Father, as we pray to you. By your…
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There Is Our Help
Introduction The Congregation Council at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Beatrice, Neb., where I am serving as interim pastor, opens its monthly meetings with devotions. These are the thoughts for the October 2010 meeting. The Psalm is the one appointed for Sunday, Oct. 17, the Twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost. The council reads it antiphonally in choirs.…
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When Gratitude is Only Skin-Deep
This is the sermon I prepared for Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Beatrice, Neb., for the Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost, Oct. 10, 2010. + + + Readings 2 Kings 5:1–3, 7–15c Psalm 111 (antiphon v.1) 2 Timothy 2:8–15 Luke 17:11–19 + + + Prayer Father in heaven, open our hearts to embrace your grace shown to…