A Sermon for Sunday, September 15, 2024. Emory Presbyterian Church. M ark 8:27-38. Our text this morning from Mark’s gospel is quite weighty; there is much going on that needs to be unpacked. The first thing that should be acknowledged is that Jesus’ message about messiahship and discipleship is vital and challenging for us today ..read more

A Sermon for Sunday September 8, 2024. Emory Presbyterian Church. James 2:1-10 and 14-20 (Eugene Peterson’s The Message). James, the stepbrother of Jesus and one of the first leaders in the early Christian church, is greatly bothered by the behavior of a faith community in Alexandria who are showing favoritism to wealthy individuals and shaming ..read more

A Sermon for Sunday, August 18, 2024. Emory Presbyterian Church. Ephesians 5:15-20. Let’s talk about liminal space —one of my all-time favorite concepts to ponder and discuss. If you’re unfamiliar with the term, liminal space, that’s ok, because I can guarantee that you have experienced liminal space. Here’s an online definition:[1] Liminal space is the uncertain transition between ..read more

A Sermon for Sunday August 11, 2024. Emory Presbyterian Church. Ephesians 4:25-5:2 It’s been famously said that “imitation is the sincerest form of flattery,” and also, I might add, it’s the primary means by which we learn and grow and thrive as human beings and as God’s people. If you’ve ever spent any time with ..read more

A Sermon for Sunday August 4, 2024. Emory Presbyterian Church. Ephesians 4:1-7, 11-16 One of my favorite songs to hear during worship at youth and adult PC(USA) conferences is “For Everyone Born/A Place at the Table,” written in 1996 by Shirley Erena Murray[1]. The hymn was inspired by The United Nations’ 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights ..read more

A Sermon for Sunday July 28, 2024. Emory Presbyterian Church. John 6:1-15. Whenever I have traveled with my kids for family vacation, they always get excited when we cross the state line and see the large welcome sign because it means we are closer to our destination and a week of relaxation and fun. And ..read more

A Sermon for Sunday July 21, 2024. Emory Presbyterian Church. Mark 6:30-34, 53-56 One of the things I’ve come to value most in ministry is the practice of prayer…mindfulness…self-care…and rest. In the midst of the busyness of ministry and life, it’s important to find moments to center oneself in the presence of God. The guided ..read more

A Sermon for Sunday, July 14, 2024. Emory Presbyterian Church. Mark 6:14-29. Introduction: In the spirit of full transparency, on Saturday, I was in the middle of recycling a sermon on Mark 6:14-29 that I preached here on July 11, 2021, when I heard about the tragic shooting in Pennsylvania. I then revised the sermon some more and I pray that it will provide hope and comfort in the days ahead. Let us pray: Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of each and every one of your hearts be acceptable in your sight, oh Lord, our rock and our redeemer, amen. The established lectionary reading ..read more

A Sermon for Sunday, June 30, 2024. Emory Presbyterian Church. Mark 5:25-34. Many years ago, when I was taking a preaching class at Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, professors, Chuck Campbell and Anna Carter Florence, taught us that it was important for pastors to read and ponder the scriptures in their communities. They said such a practice makes the biblical stories come alive and helps the pastor to be more aware of how the texts are relatable in certain contexts. Consider, for example, how the words of Psalm 22 resonate when you read them while volunteering at a homeless shelter ..read more

A Sermon for Sunday, June 23, 2024. Emory Presbyterian Church. I Samuel 17, selected verses. Humanity relishes a riveting underdog story; they have pervaded society and culture for centuries, particularly in sports and film: –The Appalachian State football team’s upset win over ranked juggernaut, Michigan in 2007. –The United States hockey team’s defeat of the Soviet Union in the 1980 Winter Olympics. — Muhammed Ali’s demolishing of boxing champion Sonny Liston in February 1964. –Katherine Johnson, the NASA mathematician, who pushed against systemic racism and misogyny in her efforts to ge ..read more