There are many messages in the story of Jonah. But, really, how would you feel if asked to preach the message of repentance from the evil ways of deflation in Boston? Maybe just a little anxious and worried? Maybe this book is a message that God wants us to confront the causes of our anxieties and find ways to face our fears, because the outcomes may not be as bad as we imagine (and, at any rate, are almost certainly better than stewing in the belly of a fish).

Jesus’s baptism showed us how the Holy Spirit can come upon any one of us. The life of Martin Luther King, Jr. reminds us that the Holy Spirit’s presence makes the powerful uncomfortable, and that controversy often follows it. In this time when we celebrate a memory of Dr. King that does not recall the controversy, it is important to recognize that prophets are often not recognized when they are living, and that we must love deeply even when we are suspicious about motives and individuals. Recognizing flaws in ourselves and society gives us hope that we can change them.

What is it that makes us feel the presence of God, or the possibility of that presence? How can we create a worship space that encourages us to feel something that leaves us different than when we arrived?

Note: there was a problem with the lapel mic, so the audio is fairly faint.

As we celebrate 12 days of Christmas. Sing! We sing in celebration, and feel emotion, and give ourselves the opportunity to let loose. And when’s a better time to wear sequined suspenders?

Keeping Christmas well means keeping the lights burning, even after we think there is darkness. Remember, love, and tell stories.

We celebrate the shortest day of the year by reminding ourselves to pass on the light of Christ and bask in the light that came in the darkness.

The real sermon text is “The Shortest Day” by Susan Cooper.

Sometimes the burden of being perfect is a little much. Let’s listen to John’s words that you need not be the prophet or the king. You can just be there person in the wilderness, baking cookies.

Mark sets out showing that old words can be re-heard in new places. He reminds us that we may fulfill the prophecies in Isaiah and draw strength from the God whose love is assured. And so can we, in this world where our fear of black men remains a danger to their lives.

We are reminded in this commonly-cited passage that Christianity is a religion that speaks frequently of a judgement in the kingdom of God, even if we leave such judgements up to God. But as we try to build the kingdom of God, we also need to remember what Jesus has told us the kingdom will look like and what those who inherit it will have done: to treat all of God’s children as we would treat Jesus.

Deborah’s story reminds us that God has called men and women on an equal basis throughout history. For this reason, we try to train our mouths and brains to remember that through the use of inclusive language. We are also reminded that the challenges laid before God’s servants in earlier eras are no less than those laid before us as we try to bring about the kingdom of God.