Sermons from September 2021
The Book of Esther
The Book of Esther The book of Esther is a Jewish novella, a work of literature, set among the Jewish diaspora community in in the Persian empire under the rule of Xerxes, 486-465 BCE. Did you know that there are two versions of the book in the bible? One is in the Old Testament section, another, the Greek version, is in the apocryphal section of the bible. Some Protestant bibles don’t include the apocrypha, but study bibles usually do. If…
Blessed are the peacemakers
Blessed are the peacemakers Jesus knows that he will die in Jerusalem. He also knows that the kingdom of God does not come through taking up arms and fighting back, but only through sacrifice. Jesus knows you cannot win. All you can do is walk down the path of peace and let the other’s pick up their crosses and follow you. Conflict does not make you happy. Conflict does not make you whole. It leads to tears, pain and loneliness.…
How to be a Servant Leader
How to be a Servant Leader In the Gospel Passage, Mark 8:27-38, Jesus asks: “Who do people say that I am?” My answer this Sunday is: Jesus is a servant-leader. How can we follow Jesus on that path of service? Participating in God’s Work our Hand is a great way to do it. But ultimately service-leaders should be who we are, rather than what we do. Rev. Kristin-Luana Baumann, sermon, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Port Angeles WA. Check out our…
Jesus is Our Healer
Jesus is Our Healer The Season of Creation has begun! Sept 1- Oct 4, a worldwide community of churches will explore the theme: A Home for all? Renewing the Oikos (Household) of God. Dr. Don Corson, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church
Truth and Reconciliation
Truth and Reconciliation You do well if you really fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you show partiality, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. (James 2:8-9) I it so very important to honour the dead. Every Sunday, we remember those who have gone before us in the last petition of the prayers of intercession. And in the rite of communion we unite with our…
Seeing Past Our Bellies
Seeing Past Our Bellies I love bread! I love all kinds of bread: soft squishy dinner rolls, dark crusty rye bread, pumpkin bread, tortillas, naan, and sourdough bread, to name just a few. I could make a meal out of bread! Bread is a staple of life in so many cultures. So it seems like it would have been a very positive image when Jesus proclaimed, “I am the bread of life.” And yet as he explored that metaphor, it…
Mary, Mother of our Lord
Mary, Mother of our Lord Today, we celebrate the Feast Day of Mary, Mother of our Lord While the bible does not tell us very much about Mary, she does show up regularly throughout the gospels and at the beginning of the Book of Acts. Her life is inextricably interwoven with the life of Jesus, her son, and our Lord. Who is this woman, who we call in Greek Theotokos, God bearer? Rev. Kristin-Luana Baumann, sermon, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church,…
Yelling at Neighbors
Yelling at Neighbors “So then, putting away falsehood, let all of us speak the truth to our neighbors, for we are members of one another.” (Ephesians 4:25) I can totally imagine what that looks like in our current climate. I see a bunch of self-righteous people who think they finally have license to do away with the constrains of polite society and political correctness and get into the faces of their neighbors to yell them back onto the path of…
God’s Way to Feed Us
God’s Way to Feed Us The readings today, and throughout this month are about God finding ways to feed us. – God feeds us with manna in the desert. Jesus is the bread of life – the basic nourishment for us in this world and beyond! The bread we eat to nourish our body, and the teachings we receive to nourish our souls and minds sustain us. St. Catherine of Siena (1347-1380) wrote the prayer above to reveal how feeding…