January 2025

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✠ Psalmody: Psalm 97:7b-8a, 1; Psalm 102:15–16; Psalm 148:2; Psalm 118:16-17; Luke 4:22b ✠ Lection: 2 Kings 5:1-15b; Romans 12:16b-21; Matthew 8:1-13 In the Name of the Father and of the ✠ Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Unless you are a member of the polar plunge club, who likes to subject your body to extremely cold water for who knows why, you’re likely not to be dipping yourself in Lake Erie right about now. The waters are not appealing in their rough frigidity and you wisely understand there’s no real sense in going down into them, regardless of how anyone tries to convince you. Now,Read More →

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✠ Psalmody: Psalm 66:4, 1-2; Psalm 107:20–21; Psalm 97:1; Psalm 66:1-2a, 16; John 2:7a, 8b, 9a, 10b, 11a ✠ Lection: Amos 9:11-15; Romans 12:6–16a; John 2:1–11 In the Name of the Father and of the ✠ Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. In the highlands of southwest Tanzania is a town in which we lived a number of years, Mbeya. Even though its population is reported to be 270,000, being in such a large place doesn’t exempt its residents from the country’s widespread poverty, for even the daily need of water requires much work. Our househelp, Mama Ima, told us of her children getting up veryRead More →

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✠ Psalmody: Psalm 72:1;Isaiah 60:6b, 1;Matthew 2:2b;Psalm 72:10–11 ✠ Lection: Isaiah 25:1;26:11a;28:5a;35:1a, 2b, 10a;41:18a, c;52:13b;12:3–5; Ephesians 1:13b–18;St. John 1:29–34 In the Name of the Father and of the ✠ Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. It is more than fitting to celebrate the Baptism of Jesus on the octave of the Epiphany, that is, on the eighth day after observing that feast as we did last Sunday. Such is true because He Who was revealed to the world, Jew and Gentile alike, as both God and Man, is shown on this day how the full counsel and intention of the Holy Trinity, Father, Son, and HolyRead More →

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✠ Psalmody: Malachi 3:1;1 Chronicles 29:12;Psalm 72:1;Isaiah 60:6b, 1;St. Matthew 2:2;Psalm 72:10–11;St. Matthew 2:2 ✠ Lection: Isaiah 60:1-6;Ephesians 3:2b-12;St. Matthew 2:1-12  In the Name of the Father and of the ✠ Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. In the midst of an ever-increasingly tumultuous world, when you come to church, you may be tempted to feel like you’re avoiding what’s going on around you by living in a bubble, by burying your head in the sand of religion, by being here this morning, in a place that is intentionally different than the ways of the world. Yet, you do no wrong to seek Christ’s ‘bubble’ whereRead More →