Recent Sermons

Rev. Ellen Jennings
~ Isaiah 41:17-20, John 2:13-17 ~

When I first listened to Holy Now, I cried.  It was so close to my own experience of transformation it hit me right in the heart. 

It used to be a world half there
Heaven’s second-rate hand-me-down
But I walk it with a reverent air
Cause everything is holy now

As I’ve said before, I grew up in a fairly moderate Episcopal Church.  And my family was incredibly outdoorsy (we

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Rev. Ellen Jennings
~ Isaiah 55:1-3a, Luke 13:6-9 ~

I’ve never liked the fig tree parable.  It makes me sad, and kind of mad at Jesus, who seems unduly harsh.  I mean, isn’t he supposed to champion “the least of these?”  And yet, this story features a character who threatens to cut down the little ficus simply because it’s not “productive” enough!

But then I remember: it’s a parable.  It was never meant to be taken literally.  This story

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Rev. Ellen Jennings
~ Ecclesiastes 1:1-7, Micah 6:8 ~

How many of you remember the song, “Dust in the Wind,” by the group, Kansas, in the late 70s?

I close my eyes, only for a moment, and the moment’s gone
All my dreams pass before my eyes, a curiosity
Dust in the wind
All they are is dust in the wind

It goes on…

Same old song, just a drop of water in an endless sea
All we do crumbles

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~ Isaiah 58:9b-12, Luke 6:17-23 ~

Yesterday’s benefit concert was magical- in so many ways.  The choir and musicians were masterful and inspiring, the reception lovely and enticing, and the crowd larger than we dared hope.  Central to it all were three speakers, each asylum seekers, who talked about their own experiences, along with the help they’ve received from ASAP, the Asylum Seeker Assistance Project. 

There were many things they said that touched my heart and educated my head, such

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Service for All Ages
Rev. Ellen Jennings

What’s this?  A tennis ball!  I used to love playing tennis, but now I mostly use it to play fetch with my dogs. 

Who else plays tennis?  Can you tell us what it’s called when you have zero points in a game?  “Love.”  Isn’t that an odd way to say, “zero?”  I think so.  Hence, I googled it, and guess what?  No one knows for sure why the word “love” is used to

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