A Sad Tale to Tell

A Sad Tale to Tell Pentecost Pastor Mitch Coggin August 14, 2022 Pentecost 10 When I first read the lectionary passages for today, all I saw was failure. Many important things, however, cannot be said simply and directly. The stories in the Bible use images, metaphor, and poetic language to convey meaning. Such is the… Continue reading A Sad Tale to Tell

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Faith and Fear

Faith and Fear Pentecost Pastor Mitch Coggin August 7, 2022 Pentecost 9C I am afraid of failure. I am afraid of not doing what I say I am going to do. I am afraid of disappointing people. I know that all of us are afraid of a number of things. We are afraid of our… Continue reading Faith and Fear

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Pentecost Meditations

Three Meditations Pentecost Pastor Mitch Coggin July 31, 2022 Pentecost +8 The Blessing of not having enough Hearing the hymn, “Now Thank We All Our God,” we might not realize that this hymn of thanksgiving was forged during times of tragedy. The author Martin Rinkart was called as a Lutheran pastor in his native Ellenberg,… Continue reading Pentecost Meditations

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Prayer

Prayer Pentecost Pastor Mitch Coggin July 24, 2022 Pentecost 7C Frederick Buechner tells of meeting Agnes Sanford, who wrote books about healing prayer. What stuck with him was the vivid image she presented of Jesus standing in church services all over Christendom with his hands tied behind his back, unable to do any mighty work… Continue reading Prayer

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Baptism

Baptism Pentecost Dirk Ryneveld July 17, 2022 Pentecost +6 Last week we were privileged to participate in a double baptism in our church of baby Sophia and her adult father, Rob. This is an event that we have not enjoyed for some time at St. Andrew’s, partially because of the pandemic, and partially because of… Continue reading Baptism

Blessed, Beloved and Baptized

Blessed, Beloved and Baptized Pentecost Pastor Mitch Coggin July 10, 2022 Pentecost +5 I’m going to begin by reading from a children’s book: Today is a Baptism Day. I read this book when my grandson was baptized. The author, Anne Ostenso Moore writes that she is “aware that the Holy moment when a child is… Continue reading Blessed, Beloved and Baptized

I Need Help

I Need Help Pentecost Pastor Mitch Coggin July 3, 2022 Pentecost +4 As some of you know, I’ve been reading mysteries. Maybe you’ve read the series of mystery novels written by Canadian author Louise Penny. Chief Inspector Armand Gamache is the main character who has always held unfashionable beliefs. Armand finds goodness in the most… Continue reading I Need Help

But First…Love this way

But First… Love this Way Pentecost Pastor Mitch Coggin June 26, 2022 Pentecost +3 A pastor friend’s writing provides a beginning for our meditation today: My choices daily seem so casual and small; I spend so little time deciding how I live– yet step by step, and choice by choice, I build a pattern by… Continue reading But First…Love this way

Becoming One or Many

Becoming One or Many Pentecost Pastor Mitch Coggin June 19, 2022 Pentecost +2 What is most important about our relationship with God and each other? We might say its faithfulness to the church. We might say it is living out the commandments. We might say it is treating one another as we want to be… Continue reading Becoming One or Many

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