This post is the working copy of a sermon I gave at Edwards Church, UCC in Framingham, MA on August 20, 2017. The live version deviates a bit, in that I was not reading from these notes. (PDF)
“For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another.” (Romans 12:4-5, NRSV)
This post is the working copy of a sermon I gave at Edwards Church, UCC in Framingham, MA on August 7, 2016. The live version deviates a bit, in that I was not reading from these notes. (PDF)
“I believe all religions pursue the same goals, that of cultivating human goodness and bringing happiness to all human beings. Though the means might appear different the ends are the same.” (The Dalai Lama, 1989)
It’s been well-stated that I can suffer from a distracted mind. I focus on “what’s next” and how quickly I can get through the current activity or task. Sometimes that is to my great advantage. I’ve been heralded by every supervisor I’ve ever had for being the “most efficient” employee each has ever seen. And I don’t doubt that’s true. At work, one of my greatest strengths is being able to live with an existing system for a certain period of time, before I instinctively determine what is essential, and what can be altered. Soon enough I have a new workflow which may reduce production time (and headaches) several-fold. Then, I get to enjoy the task of seeing what else can be crammed into a work day that previously had seemed like it had too few hours.
So often, I ponder something I’ve come up with and wonder “Am I on to something? Or do I just not get it?” I’ve been asking those questions to myself a lot this month.
… or, “How a Massive Data Loss Turned Me Around.”
I have a tendency to worry. The earliest example of this trend has become the stuff of family lore. There I was, a child of five, sobbing in front of my mom, “I don’t know who I’m gonna marry!” The fears and concerns have matured over the years. I’ve even said they are the “right” things to be worried about, and that I am being a responsible adult to focus my thoughts accordingly. But today, I feel different.
Depending on how it’s tallied, at some point around last week I spun my 200th classical music piece for the grand experiment that I thought may never have gotten out of the starting blocks.
This post is the working copy of a sermon I gave at Edwards Church, UCC in Framingham, MA on June 7, 2015. The live version deviates a bit, in that I was not reading from these notes. (PDF)
“Truly I tell you, if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.” (Matthew 18:19-20, NSRV)
Why are you here?
Yesterday, I was honored to play the funeral of a long-standing member of our church. I hadn’t seen him a lot in recent years, but hold his wife as one of my biggest supporters and love having light conversation with her nearly every week. It was an honor to be asked. My position as choir director does not involve regularly accompanying services, and as such, I had never played a funeral before.
I’m putting in time this weekend. My wife is a delegate to the 215th Annual Meeting of the Massachusetts Conference of the United Church of Christ, and I tagged along. It’s been my kind of day. I have gone for walks, eaten out, played on the computer, and otherwise roamed around the conference center and hotel.
