October 22, 2018 Peg Weissbrod
The day after I gave my first sermon as a church intern, I went sky-diving. I found jumping out of an airplane to be a lot easier than walking into a pulpit. So, will you please pray with me… Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: 2pac, courage, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, Esther, fear, Freeman Hrabowski, Khalil, Mordecai, star, Starr, The Hate U Give, witnessAugust 5, 2018 Peg Weissbrod
If we take the reading from 1 Timothy, that Dorothy Herd just read, literally–this could be a very short sermon. By way of explanation, that verse is part of our Picks from the Pews sermon series where you all have suggested interesting or difficult passages as sermon topics. I am, however, responding to Peg Weissbrod’s request that I not keep silent today, but rather speak about this troubling text from 1 Timothy. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: 1 Timothy 2: 11-15, 2 Corinthians 3: 4-6, Acts 10, barriers, biblical interpretation, bigotry, call, challenging texts, fear, gender, Holy Spirit, ignorance, Jack Haberer, Jurgen Moltmann, Mary Magdalene, mythologies, Scripture, slavery, stories, women, women disciplesJuly 15, 2018 Peg Weissbrod
Let’s start this sermon with a little audience participation. Here’s the question: having listened to our Scripture reading with whom do you most identify? Who here is Team Mary? Who here is Team Martha? Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: anxiety, connection, contemplation, empathy, equipping, fear, hospitality, inspiration, Inward/Outward Journey, Luke, Luke 10: 38-42, Martha, Mary, nature, peace, power, prayer, relationship, rest, service, stress, study, trauma, walking the walk, wholeness, worryApril 8, 2018 Peg Weissbrod
Before I begin, I was speaking to the Pathways kids this morning, as a member of the Co-pastor Nominating Committee, to update them on our progress. I asked them to write some advice for our new Co-pastor, whoever she will be. As for preaching, they said: Don’t give wordy and seemingly endless sermons. Make them interesting, engage the audience. Make sad topics funny, no one wants to be too sad. Well, I can promise none of those, today, but I will do my best. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: doubt, Doubting Thomas, Easter, faith, fear, John 20: 19-31, love, resurrection, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Thomas, uncertaintyApril 1, 2018 Peg Weissbrod
Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! What a proclamation – it really does change everything. How we look at the world and our engagement in it. Just think: a small band of disciples absolutely devastated –the “show” was over, their leader crucified; they were in danger. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Chicago, ease on down, Easter, Emma Gonzalez, fear, Galilee, Ke-Shon Newman, move, move from fear to faith, ParklandJanuary 21, 2018 Peg Weissbrod
You all know the story of Jonah, right? He is called to go to Nineveh and tell them to repent. Jonah doesn’t want to go and so he hires a ship that sails in the opposite direction – across the Mediterranean towards Spain! A big storm hits, the crew decide that it is Jonah’s fault and so they throw him overboard. He gets swallowed by a big fish and is vomited on the shores of Nineveh, and finally Jonah figures out that God is serious. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: catalysts, change, discerning God's call, fear, gifts, Jonah, Jonah 3, light, Mark 1:14-20, Moving Providence, Providence, Psalm 62:5-12December 10, 2017 Peg Weissbrod
There was once a young preacher who was given this advice: If, in the middle of your sermon, you forget your train of thought, just step back, pound the podium, and repeat the title of the sermon – and that will get you back on track! Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: acting, action, advent, beloved, Christmas, comfort, community, dis-ease, discomfort, ease, fear, hope, Isaiah 40:1-11, love, Mark 1:1-8, Right in Your Lap, tension, waitingNovember 19, 2017 Peg Weissbrod
Before we get into today’s scripture, I want you to keep three things in mind: This scripture passage in Matthew is a parable. It is part of a collection of parables that Matthew selected and edited and placed in this part of his narrative – right before Jesus faces his death. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: "Use It or Lose It", Anne Morrow Lindberg, Cherub Choir, Emily Dickenson, extravagance, failure, fear, jealousy, Kathleen Norris, literalism, Marilynne Robinson, parables, risk, Scottish Penny Song, Sine Nomine Choir, stewardship, The Parable of the Talents, Viktor Frankl, Voices in BronzeSeptember 24, 2017 Peg Weissbrod
I need to start this sermon by making a confession. I did not come up with the title. My dear husband did. It’s one of the perks of being a clergy couple–we frequently talk about sermons and other aspects of our ministries over morning coffee. A few weeks ago as we were contemplating the lectionary texts for today Richard said, “I think a good title for a sermon on this text would be “Bread and Whine.” (And not the kind of wine you drink…) Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: abundance, bread, Exodus 16, faith, fear, gratitude, hunger, whine, wilderness, wineMay 22, 2016 Peg Weissbrod
One of my mentors at Yale Divinity School used to remind me that the old English word “parson” is an apt way to think of a priestly vocation. The word derives from the Scottish word for person and it’s helpful to remember that clergy are just people. We’re not superheroes, we’re not perfect (a fact that has surely not escaped your notice) and we don’t have all the answers. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Advocate, brokenness, encouragement, fear, Holy Spirit, John 14, limitationsSerenity Prayer, loss, not as the world gives, pain, peace, support, Trinity Sunday, world
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