Mindful Leader

May 28th -- A Call to Unity

This the ravings of a lunatic on behalf of God urging unity.  

The text is Galatians 3: 23-29 and the sermon primarily dwells on Paul's context with a strong focus on the baptismal formula he is using about Jews/Gentiles, Free/Slave and Man/Woman.  I could NOT pull up the word "crescent" when discussing the various symbols on graves for those being remembered on Memorial Day -- Cross (check), Star of David (check), and Crescent and Star (all I got out was Star, didn't get the Crescent).  Forgive me.  

I obviously have gotten to a place where I think we are too often, majoring in the minors.  I know there are many who find me deluded.  

It is my style to preach elements of the sermon in the statement of the theme, the scripture reading, the message itself, and then during the benediction.  

This is from the 10:30 service and the "Smith" party is a 95th Birthday Celebration with Pearl Smith.  

Hilltop Musicians: Brass, Bells and Congregation

 

Various ensembles and congregational singing at Hilltop on Easter Sunday.  

Hilltop Chancel Choir -- Born to Die

Easter Sunday Anthem - Born to Die.  

Luke 24: 1-12 Easter Sunday

This is the 9:00 Service at Hilltop.  I am indebted to David Watson and N. T. Wright for good quotes here.  

Luke 18: 35 to 19: 10 -- Seeing Jesus

The sermon is on the Luke 18: 35 to 19: 10.  I am not 100% sure why we read the passage before except maybe for the forecast of Calvary.  I used this as an opportunity to review where we had been over the earlier four weeks and try, key word - try, to put a cherry on top of those four reflections.  

Lazarus and the Rich Man -- Luke 16: 19-31

 

My take on this episode is that it is about privilege.  How do we leave it behind us?  Part of it is that we need to see those around us who are in need.  I do hope that Father Abraham is incorrect in that we can indeed understand God's message by listening to one who has returned from the dead.  

narrative Lectionary -- New Testament Week Thirteen -- Industrial Strength Joy

 

This reflection is drawn from the Luke 15, three parables.  The liturgist will only read the first two to provide context, and then I re-tell the third one.  A parable familiar to us.  

Narrative Lectionary -- New Testament Week Twelve -- Jesus in his humanness

 

The scripture for the week is shown below.  I didn't get a recording of the liturgist reading it this particular Sunday.  

 

Luke 13: 31-35

31 At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, "Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you." 32 He said to them, "Go and tell that fox for me, "Listen, I am casting out demons and performing cures today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish my work. 33 Yet today, tomorrow, and the next day I must be on my way, because it is impossible for a prophet to be killed outside of Jerusalem.' 34 Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! 35 See, your house is left to you. And I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say, "Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.' "

 

Narrative Lectionary -- New Testament Week Eleven -- The Scandalous Samaritan

 

This is the familiar story of the Good Samaritan.  This was acrtually extremely scandalous for Jesus to use this imagery.  Amy Jill Levine, Jewish New Testament Scholar at Vanderbilt, suggests that the image is someone coming to your rescue, that was so detested, that you would just as soon die rather than be helped by him.  Wow.  

This is an excellent text for us to examine in this most hostile of times.  How do we learn to listen to each other in a way to understand rather than to hate and reject?  

Narrative Lectionary -- New Testament Week Nine -- The Woman Washes Jesus' Feet -- 900 version