As the pandemic slowly enfolded VTS like a cloud, it was apparent that my class would not ever worship together again. No meals together either. There were no Holy Week celebrations, no in-person Commencement. Many classmates understandably did not return from spring break once classes went online, and most of the rest of us slowly…
Good morning, my younger Emmanuel friends!! Thanks for listening and watching my story this morning! Did you just wake up? Are you still sleepy? Me too!! Today in the gospel Jesus tells the story of the sower. A sower is someone who plants seeds. Like a gardener or a farmer. Maybe you have planted some…
Read more Healing Words & Sleeping Seeds: A Children’s Homily
“Though I may speak with bravest fire, And have the gift to all inspire, And have not love, my words are vain, As sounding brass, and hopeless gain.” I can remember how my college organ professor started my very first lesson. “With great power, comes great responsibility.” Just like Uncle Ben in Spiderman. I can recall going with…
Hi everyone. Happy 4th of July weekend. I hope you’re able to celebrate some of the usual holiday aspects of this special day, including maybe having some fireworks, hotdogs, hamburgers and watermelon of your own. Please tell me s’mores are involved! As we celebrate this national holiday, I know we’re all reminded that “freedom isn’t free” so a…
Good morning, Emmanuel! Today’s gospel is Jesus’ Parable of the Sower. The seeds of God’s Word are scattered in all directions, blown where the Spirit may blow them, hopefully falling where they can take root and bear fruit. It’s about the gift of words. Healing words. And today’s homily is called “Chatty Cathy’s Words to…
“What does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” Micah 6:8 I’ve always felt comfort taking in this verse from Micah. It is firm yet pliant. Prescriptive yet open to interpretation. My name is Christian Simpson, and my family has been at…
Happy Father’s Day! Happy Summer Solstice! I am hoping this Sunday will be just gorgeous outside so that you can worship under the sun. (I am recording this a bit early as I am currently on vacation! So, for all I know it might be pouring down rain outside!) And before I begin “Of the…
I would not consider myself the smartest man in the room. I know lots of folks who really are the smartest people in the room. I have a lot of respect for those “brainiacs.” I would, however, consider myself a reasonable man. A good man. A kind man. A compassionate man. An Irish-American man who…
Have you ever seen someone who is attached to a parachute … float down to the ground? That sort of happening catches our attention, partly because it seems peaceful, but also exciting. Although many people use parachutes to assist them with their work, such as members of the military who sometimes need parachutes to do…
Oh my goodness! How many weeks have we been worshipping at home now? Sixteen, can you believe it? Please, pandemic, go away. We are so tired of the virus but as Dr. Fauci reminds us, the virus is not yet tired of us. So we continue for the good of our neighbors to worship at…
Good morning, my younger Emmanuel friends! First things first! Before you listen to my homily, go get a cold cup of water from your kitchen. (With your parent’s permission, of course!) I will wait while you go get one. Waiting….. Got it! Great! You can sip on that cool cup of water while you listen.…
Emmanuel’s Guitar Circle: Beth Boland, Stewart Bartley, Bucky Mills & Jennifer Jones perform the Celtic hymn, “Be Thou My Vision.“ Socially distanced recorded. Ryan Fitch, Producer. Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heartNaught be all else to me, save that Thou artThou my best Thought, by day or by nightWaking or sleeping, Thy…
Emmanuel’s Guitar Circle: Beth Boland, Stewart Bartley, Bucky Mills & Jennifer Jones perform “Alleluia No. 1” Socially distanced recorded. Ryan Fitch, Producer. Chorus Alleluia alleluiaGive thanks to the Risen LordAlleluia alleluiaGive praise to His Name Verse 1 Jesus is Lord of all the earthHe is the King of creation Verse 2 Spread the good news…
Read more The Guitar Circle: “Alleluia, Alleluia, Give Thanks to the Risen Lord”
