FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST 2016 LUKE 7:36-8:3 There's something about eating with people that opens up a world of beautiful things. It's no coincidence that when Jesus had his most intimate heart-to-heart conversation with his friends, he chose a meal as the setting. And it's no coincidence that in our Anglican tradition our worship is centered on a meal – the reenactment of that ancient supper. At dinner people lower their defenses, they let others glimpse their hearts. They let their hair down. The biggest perk of my job is that I get invited to lots of dinner parties. And sure enough, as we eat, so the hosts and other guests become relaxed, open up, and share things they probably wouldn't over coffee hour. This is where I get much of my sermon material. The sound of backpedaling is deafening. It's like the backwards Tour de France. People offer me more food and drink and even money in the hope that they won't become a sermon starter. So, if you receive an invitation to dinner from me just understand that I'm not being hospitable, I'm in need of new material.

She let her hair down. I was .... (Read the full Sermon here: Let_your_hair_down.pdf )