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The First of the Fruit
Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Beatrice, Neb., celebrated our nation’s Day of Thanksgiving on Wednesday evening, November 24, 2010. + + + Readings Deuteronomy 26:1–11 Psalm 100 Philippians 4:4–9 John 6:25–35 + + + Prayer We come to you, Holy God, and give to you what you have first given us: our lives, our talents, and…
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Rescued, Transferred, Redeemed
Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Beatrice, Neb., marked the end of the Church year on Christ the King Sunday, Nov. 21, 2010. + + + Readings Jeremiah 23:1–6 Psalm 46 (antiphon v.10) Colossians 1:11–20 Luke 23:33–43 + + + Prayer Gracious Father, you sacrificed your Son to cleanse the world of sin, to conquer the power…
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We Are God’s Servants
Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Beatrice, Neb., celebrated its Mission Festival and its Thankoffering for the Women of the ELCA on Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 13–14, 2010, the Twenty-fifth Sunday after Pentecost. I prepared this homily for the Saturday evening service. The readings are selected from the options for the Thankoffering liturgy. + + + Readings…
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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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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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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…