Most weeks, our worship leader offers a 15–20 minute sermon based on the Scripture texts for the day.
Our regular preacher is pretty versatile. She’ll tell stories, pull together different ideas, lead a meditation, give the congregation an “assignment” to talk about in twos or threes, show a slide show or video, or sometimes even sing to the congregation. The sermon functions to deepen our reflection on the Scripture themes of the day, and often leaves us with a challenge or a question.
Scripture texts are outlined in the Revised Common Lectionary.
Tipping the Balance
For the third Sunday in Lent, Rev. Cari preached on the story of Jesus turning the tables in the Temple, as found in John 2:13-22. As she explains, this is not your typical version of the turning of the tables, as found in the Synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark & Luke). Eventually, we land on Jesus…
It’s Not Fair
For the second Sunday in Lent, the Rev. Edith Baird preached on Mark 8:31-38, in which Jesus begins to orient the disciples to the reality of the cross. Edith points out the difference between a common misunderstanding of the “crosses we bear” and Jesus’ true invitation. Following Jesus, we can choose, like him, to experience…
Lent: Ground Orientation
For the first Sunday of Lent, Rev. Cari preached on Mark’s succinct version of the story of Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness, from Mk 1:9-15. Our journey with Jesus through the wilderness began on a snowy February morning in North Delta. Some of the plans for the day needed changing because not everyone could make…
Everyone’s Looking
This morning’s sermon followed along right where last week’s left off… just as did the text, from Mark 1:29-39. Simon (Peter) and Andrew say to Jesus “Everyone is looking for you!” when they find him off in a deserted place early in the morning praying… And Rev. Cari wonders in this sermon, “What is “everyone”…
A Good Exorcism
Today’s sermon broaches the topic of “the demonic” in relation to Mark 1:21-28. A companion sermon to last week’s (because this week’s text follows last week’s), Rev. Cari addresses a topic that is not often surveyed in United Church circles. However, our world today needs to be free of the forces that belittle, disparage, tear…
The Shortest Sermon Ever
Today’s sermon on Mark 1:14-20, apparently the first that Rev. Cari has ever preached on this text in 20 years of ministry, focusses on the question of conversion. “How do people change their minds and hearts?” Rev. Cari shared 3 “glimpses” from her week, including a reference to a peace demonstration for the Koreas, a…
“Dear Spencer”
The “sermon” for this Sunday was actually a letter, written to very small Spencer, who was about to be baptized. He sat quite happily on his mom’s lap through the sermon, looking quite intently at Rev. Cari and (no doubt) taking it all in, in preparation for his first sermon down the road! Our text…
Word Enfleshed
This Christmas Eve sermon is focussed on the prologue of John’s gospel: John 1:1-14, and celebrates the power of language to serve God’s purposes of truth and grace (that is to say, love). There is an accompanying pdf with the slides that were shown during the sermon… take a look!
Theotokos
This sermon on the story of Mary’s visit by an angel invites everyone to consider what part of the Christ-life we are being asked to bear this Christmas. Theotokos is the Greek title often used for Mary in the ancient eastern church — it means the “God-bearer” and Rev. Cari invited us all to consider in…
Blue Christmas
This short reflection is from our annual Blue Christmas worship, a quiet service that offers those attending a safe place to acknowledge losses and sorrows at Christmastime.