View Archived Sermons Listen to this Service Marilyn and John’s wedding Text: Ephesians 4,5 Mawage. Mawage is what bwings us togevah, too-day. Mawage, that bwessed event, That dweam wiffin a dweam I threatened them that I would start this way; so there you have it, nothing else to fear, right? For those of you who don’t recognize them, these are the classic lines delivered by the bishop in the 1987 movie The Princess Bride. The movie is…
View Archived Sermons Listen to this Sermon Genesis 32:22-31; Matthew 14:13-21; Romans 9:1-5 I have seen the wind. I have seen the wind on the Sumas prairie, where I grew up, near Abbotsford, BC. One fall, in the 1970s, we woke up after a night of the howling wind that picks up speed as it swoops down into the Fraser Valley near Chilliwack and into the Sumas flats. Our neighbour, half a kilometre away across the…
View Archived Sermons Listen to this Sermon Genesis 28:10-19a This week as I prepared my sermon I had the opportunity to “hang out” with or spend time with the biblical characters Isaac, and Rebecca, Jacob and Esau, Leah, Rachel, Bilhah, Zilpah, and Laban. If there is ever any comfort to be had in contemplating one’s own family dysfunctions, just spend some time with these characters in Genesis. Our text for today does not give you the big picture of…
View Archived Sermons Listen to this Sermon Matt. 13: 9-17 This morning I come to you both full and tired. Full of ideas, discussions, words, opinions expressed and stories shared – both public stories from the podium at the Assembly and private stories from new and renewed friends and acquaintances. I’m also full of the joy of worship at Assembly as well as full of the tensions and laments expressed over some of the decisions…
View Archived Sermons Listen to this Sermon Two week’s ago we celebrated Pentecost, remembering how the Spirit of God came like a rushing wind, equipping and empowering the frightened disciples to become instruments of God. In her Pentecost sermon, Marilyn invited us to consider where we have seen the wind, where we have seen the work of the Spirit. And she invited us to prepare for Pentecost moments of the Spirit by opening ourselves to receive the…
View Archived Sermons Listen to this Sermon Pentecost Acts 2: 1-21 Marilyn Zehr It is another good morning to be gathered together as the people of God on this Pentecost Sunday. The wind is blowing – have you seen it? Our summer theme, which we begin today, invites us to recall times when we have seen the wind. In biblical and doctrinal terms we are being invited to notice when and where we have seen evidence of…
View Archived Sermons Listen to this Sermon Lectionary Texts: John 14:1-14; Acts 7:55-60; 1 Peter 2:2-10 When I was in high school, a classmate of mine had a lot of trouble paying attention. At the end of most classes, after the teacher had explained a concept at length, he would invariably ask a question that had already been thoroughly answered, often just before he asked it. Sometimes the exact same question had…
View Archived Sermons Listen to this Sermon On the Road to Emmaus Luke 24:13-35 On the road to…. This past week has seen two momentous “end of the road” events, end of the road meaning both reaching one’s goal and “the end” of your road. Prime Minister Harper had been on the road toward his coveted majority for five years, and he reached his goal Monday night. Many Canadians responded in disbelief while…
View Archived Sermons NEW!!! Listen to this Sermon Global Positioning Systems Psalm 16:11 John 20:30,31 Today is a Good day. It’s the second Sunday of Easter and so we continue the celebration that began last Sunday. Also this is a Sunday where we welcome new members into our congregation. For this reason I have prepared a brief sermon so that we will have time to hear and savour the stories that Billy and Alicia Good will…
View Archived Sermons New!! Listen to this Sermon TUMC Easter Sermon 2011 The surprising importance of Negative Space John 20:1-18 I begin with the line of a hymn – Christ the Lord is Risen Today – Alleluia Our Easter hymns record the witness of the first apostles as well as the witness of many others who have encountered the Risen Christ in one way or another throughout the ages. In keeping with our recent practice of sharing…