The Church’s “One Thing” Pentecost 23, Proper 28, Year C Becky Robbins-Penniman What’s real? What’s the most real thing we have in our life? We typically start with the things we can sense with our amazing bodies. What we can see, hear, taste, touch, smell and feel: measurable stuff, what we usually label reality. Then […]
Be a Great Ancestor All Saints’ Day Pentecost 21, Proper 26, Year C Becky Robbins-Penniman How did you come to be in church today? I imagine a number of us are here for the same reason that Ava Gabrielle Faimalie is here this morning: she is continuing in a long line of people who first […]
Talkin’ to Myself Pentecost 20, Proper 25, Year C Becky Robbins-Penniman I’ve discovered something about myself that I probably shouldn’t admit: When I’m alone, I talk to myself. Out loud. I googled what this means. One impeccably researched article said it was a sign of dementia. Another impeccably researched article said it was a sign […]
Don’t Give Up! Pentecost 19, Proper 24, Year C Becky Robbins-Penniman We are used to thinking of judges in the context of American democracy; they are to be apolitical, impartial and, most especially, fair to all. They tend to be part of the social and governmental elite in our society, aloof and unapproachable. It’s understandable […]
This is Our Father’s World St Francis and Blessing of the Animals Pentecost 19, Proper 24, Year C Becky Robbins-Penniman Today we are celebrating the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, who lived about 800 years ago. He changed the church, and the world, then. His message may be even more relevant now. Of course, […]
Put a Bow on It Pentecost 16, Proper 21, Year C Becky Robbins-Penniman So, is Jesus right? If we don’t listen to Moses and the prophets, will we also refuse to be persuaded by one who rises from the dead? Now, most of us wouldn’t think of ourselves as being filthy rich like the people […]
Holy Cheetos! Pentecost 15, Year C Becky Robbins-Penniman Sometimes, Jesus makes us work really hard to figure out what he’s saying. The moral of the stories he tells in this passage is pretty obvious: there is joy in heaven when a sinner changes both heart and life. At first glance, who is causing all the […]
Do I Really Have To Hate You? Pentecost 13, Proper 18, Year C Becky Robbins-Penniman I hate you. It seems really, really odd for me to stand up here on a Sunday morning. and say that to you, my brothers and sisters in Christ. But, well, Jesus says I have to hate you. I […]
Not Again. What Do I Say This Time? Labor Day Pentecost 12, Year C Becky Robbins-Penniman I had a great preaching teacher in seminary, Dr. Paul Harms. Dr. Harms said that none of our parishioners was at all interested in the process that we used in coming up with our sermons. I am quite sure […]
Building a Temple for the Chosen People Pentecost 11, Year C Becky Robbins-Penniman For at least 10,000 years we’ve been dividing ourselves into armed camps, absolutely certain that we are right, they are wrong, and we must vanquish them. As we do this, we tell ourselves a story about OUR kind: WE are THE chosen […]
