Praying and Acting - Matthew 6:1-18 - Pentecost - 5-19-24

 

Sermon podcast from the Pentecost, 5-19-24 worship service - Peace Memorial Church, UCC in Palos Park, IL. Matthew 6:1-18

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"Praying and Acting" sermon podcast

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Amazed and Astonished - Acts 2:1-21 - Pentecost - 6-5-22

 

Sermon podcast from the Pentecost Sunday,  6-5-22 worship service - St. Paul's UCC in Downers Grove, IL. Acts 2:1-21

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"Amazed and Astonished" podcast

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Spirit - Acts 2:1-21 - Pentecost - 5-23-21

 

Sermon podcast from the Pentecost Sunday, 5-23-21 online worship service - St. Paul's UCC in Downers Grove, IL. Acts 2:1-21

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"Spirit" podcast

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Amazed - Acts 2 1-21 - Pentecost - 5-31-20

Sermon podcast from our 5-31-20 online worship service - St. Paul's UCC in Downers Grove, IL.Acts 2:1-21

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"Amazed" podcast

The whole worship service livestream recording

Spirit

Pentecost and Mental Health Sunday 2018 sermon from St. Paul's UCC in Downers Grove, IL. Acts 2:1-21. The church has remained silent for too long about mental health.

Sermon preview video
"Spirit" podcast

Amazed

Pentecost sermon podcast from St. Paul's UCC in Downers Grove, IL.  Acts 2:1-21. Includes the original song, "My Soul Thirsts for You" (Psalm 63)
"Amazed" podcast

Gathered and Scattered

Pentecost and Mental Health Sunday sermon podcast from St. Paul's UCC in Downers Grove, IL
"Gathered and Scattered" podcast

Emotions

On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit arrived in dramatic fashion. This week’s Bible reading from Acts 2:1-21 describes a violent wind, divided tongues as of fire, spontaneous language, amazement and questions.

This artwork from Jesus Mafa expresses a wide range of emtions. I see joy, concern, amazement, surprise, fear, awe, confusion, curiousity, glee and even indifference.

What emotions do you see? What emotions do you experience?

Questions

When the day of Pentecost had come . . . there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house.

The description of the arrival of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2:1-21 is vivid, dramatic, and powerful.  The rush of a violent wind, tongues of fire, bewilderment and astonishment dominate the narrative.

Artists have been seeking ways to depict the vivid, dramatic, and powerful narrative for more than 1000 years.  I’ve seen many that bring about astonished emotions in me.  Estella Lousia M Canziani’s Pentecost is captivating.

• How is the swirling wind affecting the people?
• I see fear, worry, pain, serenity, and awe.  What other emotions to do you see?
• How does the fire and wind woven together change your image of Pentecost?
• What does this painting feel like?

What questions does the art bring to you?

Wind

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.  (Acts 2:1-4)

Violent wind, divided tongues as of fire, spontaneous language, amazement and questions, joy, concern, amazement, surprise, fear, awe, confusion, curiosity, glee, and even indifference.

What else do you see?  

What Does This Mean?

This week's Bible reflection (Church-ese) provides some of the language for the Pentecost Sunday 2012 Sermon at St. Paul's United Church of Christ in Downers Grove, IL.

"What Does This Mean?" text
"What Does This Mean?" podcast

Amazed

This week's Bible reflection (Rush) is about the same subject, but that post is barely visible in what is now Sunday's Pentecost sermon at Union Congregational United Church of Christ in Somonauk, IL.
"Amazed" text
"Amazed" podcast

Rush

Here's this week's Bible reflection:

When the day of Pentecost had come . . . there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house.

The description of the arrival of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2:1-21 is vivid, dramatic, and powerful.  The rush of a violent wind, tongues of fire, bewilderment and astonishment dominate the narrative.

Artists have been seeking ways to depict the vivid, dramatic, and powerful narrative for more than 1000 years.  I’ve seen many that bring about astonished emotions in me.  A relatively recent painting has my attention lately. Estella Lousia M Canziani’s Pentecost is captivating.  I view and ponder the art and several questions come to mind.

• How is the swirling wind affecting the people?
• I see fear, worry, pain, serenity, and awe.  What other emotions to do you see?
• How does the fire and wind woven together change your image of Pentecost?
• What does this painting feel like?

What questions does the art bring to you?

Amazed and Astonished

It's Pentecost! This week's (only a tiny-bit Elvis-y) Bible study blog post for i.ucc.org (A little more conversation- a little less argument, please.) provides inspiration for what is Sunday's rambunctious sermon at Union Congregational United Church of Christ in Somonauk, IL
"Amazed and Astonished" text
"Amazed and Astonished" podcast

A little more conversation- a little less argument, please.

Here's this week's i.ucc.org Bible study blog post:

This week’s Bible readings team up the story of the story of Babel (Genesis 11:1-9) and the story of the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. (Acts 2:1-21) One describes confused languages and scattering while the other looks to renewed understanding and gathering.

Why can’t we have more, and better, conversations?

In church we may gather with what folks call a common language, but why speak so exclusively that no one else can understand? And why do we argue so much among ourselves?

Outside the church walls folks talk at each other so much that it all becomes unintelligible banter that seeks domination instead of understanding.

It seems everyone knows the truth and no one is willing to listen to anything that may be different from their version of it.

Can we rediscover the life-changing art of conversation?

Come, Holy Spirit.

Speaking in Tongues

This week's Bible study blog entry for i.ucc (Miracles) provides the beginning for what has turned out to be a pretty involved sermon for Pentecost tomorrow at Union Congregational United Church of Christ in Somonauk, Illinois.

"Speaking in Tongues" text

"Speaking in Tongues" podcast

Miracles

Here's this week's Bible study blog entry for i.ucc:

This week I’ve been reading the book: Signs and Wonders: Why Pentecostalism is the World’s Fastest Growing Faith. It wasn’t the first book on my “I really have to read this” list. But how does one not notice 1) The UCC’s Greg Brekke just reviewed the book. 2) The link to the review has prominent placement on the UCC website and 3) Much loved theologian Martin Marty wrote the introduction and 4) This Sunday is Pentecost and I’m wondering how this week’s sermon will take shape.

Some would say, “All this happening at the same time is evidence of one of God’s miracles.” Others would say “The marketing people have done their job well. You bought the book right?”
Yes. I bought the book. But I haven’t yet finished it.

So far I see an author, from the inside of Pentecostalism – and who is both a believer and a skeptic, exploring the appeal of this Christian movement. It’s a movement that has it’s roots right in this week’s Pentecost Bible reading from Acts 2:1-21.

Miracles, and the telling the story of miracles that have happened, are important in Pentecostalism. They are part of, it not the main source of, the attraction of the movement. (I can’t speak with certainty about what the author, Paul Alexander, will say, since I haven’t finished the book.)

But I would like to pose a couple of questions as they relate to the book and to this week’s reading.

• What stories do you share about miracles?
• What emotions does the term, “Pentecostal” bring up in you?
• What’s your experience of Pentecost?

The Movement of the Spirit: Three Case Studies

Guest podcast this week: Yesterday Rev. Craig Rennebohm - Mental Health Chaplain from Seattle and author of the new book, Souls in the Hands of a Tender God, delivered a moving and spirit-filled sermon at Union Congregational Church, United Church of Christ in Somonauk. No text -- anyone want to do a full transcription?
"The Movement of the Spirit: Three Case Studies" podcast

Spirited emotions

Here's this week's Pentecost Bible study blog entry for i.ucc:

On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit arrived in dramatic fashion. This week’s Bible reading from Acts 2:1-21 describes a violent wind, divided tongues as of fire, spontaneous language, amazement and questions. Take a look at this artwork from Jesus Mafa. What emotions do you see expressed in the artist’s rendition of Pentecost?

I see joy, concern, amazement, surprise, fear, awe, confusion, curiousity, glee and even indifference. What emotions do you see? What emotions do you experience when thinking about the Holy Spirit’s dramatic arrival. What about emotions you feel with the thought of the spirit’s presence?

Much more than a gentle breeze

The blog post from Tuesday (Wind, breath, spirit) was a beginning, but I'm not sure how much of it has remained as I finished this Sunday's sermon at Union Congregational Church. It's a reworking, retooling and revisioning (lots of the same or similar elements, but not simply a copy) of a sermon I delivered in 2005 in Wheaton.
"Much More than a Gentle Breeze" text
"Much More than a Gentle Breeze" podcast