Sermons

A sermon by Senior Minister John B. McCall, September 16, 2007 Luke 15:1-10 There’s been a recent flurry of media attention around a small book called “Come Be My Light,” containing personal letters from Mother Teresa, the tiny woman with a gigantic love who died in 1997 after 70 years of ministering among the poor, […]

A sermon by Associate Minister Elsa A. Peters, September 9, 2007 Philemon: 1-9 Elsa: Whew. Who chose this lesson for today? John: Elsa, we both chose it. (Elsa looks sheepish). But, like us, there are probably others that are not sure what to do with this story from the New Testament. • It’s a short

A sermon by Associate Minister Elsa A. Peters, September 2, 2007 Luke 14:1, 7-14 I can’t remember which member of the search committee said it. But, I definitely remember their words: “Now that you are moving to Portland, no more Starbucks.” And it’s true. There are so many locally owned coffee shops in Portland… But,

A sermon by Senior Minister John B. McCall, August 26, 2007 John 5:1-8 Somewhere, on a back road in New Hampshire I’m told that every year near the end of winter, a local land owner posts a sign that says “Choose your rut carefully. You’re going to be in it for a long time.” Good

A sermon by Senior Minister John B. McCall, August 19, 2007 Jeremiah 2:1-13 The cartoon strip, “For Better or For Worse” showed the family stopping for a picnic in a beautiful spot, only to find that the ground is covered with litter dropped by others. “Why do people do this?!” asked Michael, one of the

A sermon by William C. Hiss, Vice President for External Affairs, Bates College, August 12, 2007 Genesis 2:2-4 Matthew 13:1-35 There is a little poem by the Spanish poet Antonio Machado of which I am very fond. In Spanish, it goes like this: Érase de un marinero Que hizo un jardín junto al mar y

A sermon by Senior Minister John B. McCall, August 5, 2007 Ezekiel 18:1-9, 30-32 John 9:1-13 We who live in Maine year-round often feel like we’re managing a bed and breakfast during summer months. Last week my middle son Jeremiah and his wife were with us from Ohio. I was struck at the mannerisms and

A sermon by Associate Minister Elsa A. Peters, July 29, 2007 Colossians 2:10, 15-19 Luke 11:1-13 Your Kingdom Come. We think we know what that means. We think we know what this Kingdom will look like because we know this familiar prayer so well. “Your Kingdom come…” Right. “On Earth as it is Heaven.” The

A sermon by Associate Minister Elsa A. Peters, July 22, 2007 Luke 10:38-42 The sea pronounces something, over and over, in a hoarse whisper; I cannot quite make it out. But God knows I have tried. Over and over, we hear that hoarse whisper. We can’t help it. It’s where we live. Some of us

A sermon by Senior Minister John B. McCall, July 8, 2007 Psalms 92:5-15 Luke 9:23-25 Last Wednesday on Independence Day I heard two readings of the Declaration of Independence – once on Public Radio, and once down at Legion Square by Dick Bernard, who’s made it a tradition over several years to dress as Thomas