Recent Sermons
from Revs. Janet and Jerry Duggins
From "First Love" based on 1 John 4:7-21 ~ Rev. Janet Duggins ~ May 13, 2012
Theologians, children, seekers, skeptics,
people like you and me
throughout all of history
have asked the question:
“What is God like?”
That’s the central question the writer is addressing
in this letter written in to a Christian community
probably in
probably by someone closely associated with the writer of the gospel that bears John’s name.
Not much is known about the recipients of this letter except that like us
they wondered “What is God like?”
The writer undertakes to answer that question.
Now there are many things he might have said:
“God is power.”
Aren’t there times when we wish for a God who is all about power?
Controlling the forces of nature, preventing illness, protecting us from harm.
“God is order.”
In a complicated and confusing world, there are times when we want a God who will
“lay down the law with complete clarity and hold everyone accountable”
-with appropriate consequences for the wrongdoers and rewards for the faithful, of course.
“God is truth.”
Some of us look for a God who will provide answers to all our questions:
a list of “must have” beliefs or a mystical insight into the meaning of life and the secrets of the universe.
“God is generosity.”
Just picture a God of prosperity who promises material blessings and security
if we just follow a few simple principles.
Whatever we might say about
God’s power
God’s righteousness
God’s wisdom
God’s generosity…
none of that is what the writer of this letter cares about.
The heart of what we need to know about God is love.
From "The Perfect Climate" based on Psalm 133 and 1 John 1:1 - 2:2 ~ Rev. Jerry Duggins ~ May 6, 2012
“Wouldn’t
it be nice if everyone… thought like me?” Ever felt like this before? You
wanted to spend vacation at a beach along the gulf shore. The rest of your
family wants to tour civil war battlefields in
Most
of us belong to a variety of groups, groups that we sometimes become
disenchanted with because of disagreement about what to do or how to do it.
It’s not that you really want everyone to be just like you, but it can be
disorienting when you seem to clash with the groups to which you belong. They
don’t have to agree with you, but you do wonder why we just can’t all get
along.
From "Shepherds,Hired Hands, and Sheep" based on John 10:11-18 ~ Rev. Jerry Duggins ~ April 29, 2012
Green
pastures, still waters;
well,
not still exactly, a bubbling brook is what you want,
stagnant
water too easily contaminates.
For
cool refreshing water: slow movement and a stable bank.
So
a lush green meadow with a slow stream winding its way,
tall
spreading trees to provide shade for the hottest part of the day.
A
gentle breeze to complete this scene, a life of luxury
… for a sheep.
But
I don’t want to be a sheep, not even in this wooly paradise.
I
like green meadows, but not to take a nap in or grab a bite to eat.
I
don’t want my water running sweetly over the rocks.
The
only rocks I want with my water is are a few ice cubes
and
maybe a lemon slice to spruce up the flavor.
No,
I don’t want to be a sheep; not even with Jesus as my shepherd.
I
don’t follow well: not directions, not advice, not recommendations.
I
understand what it means to belong to Jesus’ flock.
Love
your enemies. Take up your cross.
Don’t
worry about tomorrow. No one can serve two masters.
I
know that Jesus invites us to lay our burdens down before him,
that
he intends his followers to have abundant lives;
but
the expectations can be daunting.
No,
don’t expect me to come running, just because he calls my name.
From 'Waste Not, Want Not" based on Psalm 23 and Matthew 14:14-20 ~ Rev. Janet Duggins ~ April 22, 2012
The story of Jesus feeding the crowd with just a few loaves of bread and a couple fish may seem like an odd choice to read for Earth Day. What drew me to it was that last bit about the twelve baskets of leftovers. Such a strange detail! The purpose, I suppose, is to reiterate the magnitude of the miracle and make sure the reader knows everyone had enough to eat. But still, it seems funny when you think about it; does Jesus really need to save leftovers? This made me think of my mom, always putting away all the leftovers – and I do mean all, even it was just five green beans or a tablespoon of coleslaw – in little containers, which would come out of the fridge the next night, and the next, and the next, until it was gone. My parents grew up in the depression, and wasting food – or anything else –was something you just didn’t do if you could help it.
I don’t think those habits are so common anymore. In fact, wasting is almost a way of life
these days. I read that Americans end up
throwing away close to 25 per cent of the food we prepare – which amounts to 96
billion pounds a year! But it’s not
just food. Every year, each one of us on
average uses the equivalent of a 100-ft tall fir tree in paper and wood
products. Over 100 million trees are cut
every year to make junk mail alone, 40 percent of which is thrown away without
being read. The World Resources
Institute says that every person in the
We are about 4 per cent of the world population and use 25 per cent of the world’s energy. We can hardly imagine using less, but 25-30 per cent of the world lives without use of any fossil fuels at all. We use 26 billion liters of bottled water every day (at a mere $10 per gallon cost, not to mention a huge use of energy to bottle and transport). Meanwhile, over 1 billion people in the world don’t have a safe and secure water supply.
Statistics like this make my head spin. They also remind me of a line in a prayer we sometimes use: “Look mercifully on us, God, for the temptation to waste is powerful in our world.” So true!
"Behind Locked Doors" based on John 20:19-31 ~ Rev. Jerry Duggins ~ April 15, 2012
The
point of his gospel, writes John, is “that through believing, you may have life
in his name…” living not in fear but in Jesus… living not behind locked doors,
but living the life intended for us by God
From "Why We Need the Resurrection" based on John 20:1-18 ~ Rev. Janet Duggins ~ April 8, 2012: Easter Sunday, 11:15 a.m.
Every year I hear it from somewhere or other, not always in the same words, but some form of the question: Why do we need Easter? Can’t we have a perfectly ok faith, integrity and sound values, a sense of God’s presence, a meaningful spiritual life, a way of life that’s both loving and Christ-like, and a community that follows Jesus without something so difficult to explain as the resurrection? Why ask people to believe in something that defies all logic and everything we understand about the way the world works? Do we really need the miraculous and supernatural elements that form this story? Why not just downplay it and focus the energy of the church on doing good and teaching people to love like Jesus did? Why keep on telling this crazy story year after year?
A couple of weeks ago, I happened across a website on which several people were asked to write their own personal responses on the topic “Why I need the resurrection.”
... They stand in a long line of people who know the resurrection not as dogma, history, or metaphor to be discussed but as an experienced reality that makes a difference in their lives. In that sense, they are very much in the tradition of Mary Magdalene.
Mary Magdalene met Jesus that first Easter morning. She didn’t recognize him at first, or understand what she was experiencing. But when she heard him say her name, she did know. If she had a tendency to skepticism, we don’t see it here. If she asked any probing questions about what happened, we aren’t told. Her acceptance of a new reality is as complete as it is sudden. It seems clear she would like to stay in the moment, get a firm grasp on Jesus, and be assured that henceforth all would be well. But that’s not what the resurrection offers. Not proof, not stability, not an escape. Instead, it sends us out with a new perspective and a story to tell. It is testimony and transformation and a new path.
From "Choosing to Live Again" based on John 20:1-18 ~ Rev. Jerry Duggins ~ April 8, 2012: Easter Sunday, 9 a.m.
The
cross tells us that God took on human flesh, lived in our world, and accepted
the consequences of living in that world. From this we know that God loves us
and accepts us as we are, and will always accept us as we are. But the cross
only hints at what God wants for us, what God wants us to become. The
resurrection says that we need not be satisfied with this “as we are.”
From "The Ears of Christ: Hearing those in Need" based on Luke 11:5-13 and Mark 10:46-52 ~ Rev. Jerry Duggins ~ March 25, 2012
God
wants us to pay attention….
The
problem is that there is so much competing for our attention. I’m noticing this especially in the last week with
the arrival of spring. There are the things that are just to enjoy: the
magnolia, cornelian and weeping cherry, redbud, maple and forsythia. The
crocuses are pretty much done, but daffodils, hyacinths, hellebores, myrtle and
tulips are all in bloom.
We
are of course happy to notice these things, but there are other things crying
out for attention, more demanding things: the weeds are as early as the
flowers, the beds need to have the leaves raked from them. The grass is
greening and growing nicely, meaning it’s time for start-up maintenance on the
lawnmower. Cutting down the sedum and ornamental grasses, pruning the grapes
are other chores whispering my name.
I
am mostly happy to comply with these demands for the most part. After all,
gardening is something I do for myself, to reduce my stress. Noticing and
attending to the beauty of God’s creation is not usually among the challenging
things that God wants us to pay attention to.
God
will want to know whether we noticed the small child sitting on her front step,
head down, silently crying. Did we see the thin man pushing his grocery cart
full of all his worldly possessions through the park? Did we notice the little
boy sitting off by himself in a playground filled with frolicking children? Did
we hear the depressed tone in our spouse’s voice after a long day at the
office? The despair behind a friend’s tale of parenting challenges? Did we
sense the distraction beneath the other driver’s rude and dangerous behavior?
God
will want to know how much our careless regard contributed to the demise of the
planet. What call do we hear in the growing disparity between rich and poor?
What do we know of the politics that divide countries, one from another? The
responsibilities that flow from attending to the cries of our world are
overwhelming.
From "The Eyes of Christ: Seeing with Love" based on Mark 10:13-22 and Luke 19:1-10 ~ Rev. Janet Duggins ~ March 18, 2012
How we see something or someone makes all the difference in the world!
Could this be a new opportunity, filled with exciting possibilities? or a scary change that might lead to a host of unforeseen problems?
From "The Mouth of Christ: Words of Grace and Power" based on Luke 4:31-39 and James 3:1-12 ~ Rev. Janet Duggins ~ March 11, 2012
I’ve been thinking a lot about our Lenten theme, “the body of Christ,” and about what it means to us, as a community of faith here and now. We know – we’ve heard – that the church is “the body of Christ”; but does what does that have to do with who we are and how we live our lives?It seems to me that in Christian communities like ours, where we generally think of ourselves as progressive, open-minded, and thinking people, we feel like we’re on familiar ground when we pursue knowledge about Jesus - asking what we can know about the facts of Jesus’ life or what he really said, learning about the cultural background in which he lived and taught. We also feel at home with the teachings of Jesus – God’s love reaches out to the lost and the lowly, loving God and your neighbor are the most important things, people’s needs matter more than rules, even a little faith is powerful, true greatness is not found in wealth and power. We even feel reasonably comfortable with trying to do the things Jesus asks his followers to do or that we believe Jesus would do, or want us to do – help the poor, work for justice, love children. What I often feel we are less comfortable with is the idea of being, ourselves, us, like Jesus.
Maybe it feels too presumptuous. Maybe it feels too impossible. Maybe it just takes too much soul-searching. Maybe it doesn’t seem important, since God loves us just the way we are. Maybe it seems like a too-personal or individualistic Maybe it feels old-fashioned or overly-emotional. At any rate, it seems to me that the notion of us being Christ-like isn’t something we pay a lot of attention to. We kind of shy away from any efforts aimed at making us more Christ-like.
But this “being the body of Christ” idea is about much more than the beliefs we affirm, and the things we do; it’s about how we are, and who we are. It’s about identity, and character. Maybe it’s also about a certain surrender of ourselves to Christ – possibly another reason why the call to Christ-like-ness is hard for us; we hate to give up being the captains of our own ships.
From "The Hands of Christ: Working and Serving" based on Matthew 8:1-4 and 12:9-14 ~ Rev. Jerry Duggins ~ March 4, 2012
We
save boxes at our house. Not every box of course. Some we recycle and others,
the ones that look about the right size, we take to the basement. The right
size for what, you may ask. Well if it fits neatly inside another box, we may
keep it because it takes very little storage space and you never know when the
right size is just a little smaller than the one already saved. Mostly what we
want them for is mailing care packages around holidays. So we’ll gather
together what we want to send and I’ll walk down to the basement in search of a
box that’s the right size.
What
if the church gathered together the things that it does, what size box would be
required to hold them? At
We
collect and distribute school supplies for teachers. We supply fruit baskets
for seniors in the community, poinsettia and Easter Lilies for our elderly. We
collect food for Loaves and Fishes; collaborate with other agencies to help
with emergency housing assistance. We’ve done blood drives, mission fairs, been
an emergency Red Cross shelter, and house an adult day care program. We
participate in the four Presbyterian Special Offerings, give a Peace Prize,
participate in the Foods Resource Bank. We write letters with Bread for the
World advocating for hunger relief programs.
From "The Feet of Christ: Following in the way of Jesus" based on Romans 10:10-15 and Luke 9:1-6 ~ Rev. Jerry Duggins ~ February 26, 2012
“We
are the body of Christ.” When Paul
writes this to the church at
“We
are the body of Christ.” I wonder if we are startled by these words, shaken by them? Or are we among the
many who have taken them for granted or even forgotten them? For the next five
weeks Janet and I want to take us on a journey through this foundational
metaphor for the church. We will explore its meaning and challenge us to take
it seriously in our life together.
We
begin with the feet. My preaching professor once talked about the importance of
the feet for preaching. They are what ground us. We should plant them firmly on
the floor and feel the earth beneath, drawing from it the power of the gospel.
The
feet are, of course, very important in athletics. The basketball coach is
constantly reminding her players to “move the feet” when guarding an opponent.
In baseball, hitters plant their back foot firmly, thus creating a solid base
from which they derive their power. The placement of the feet and holding them
relatively still are critical for a consistent golf swing.
It shouldn’t be surprising that we speak of “being steady on one’s feet” in describing someone who is self-assured and confident in life. Balance and power are functions of the feet.
From "Unity in Rejoicing" and "Keeping On" based on Philippians 4 ~ Rev. Janet Duggins ~ February 19, 2012
“Rejoice in the Lord, always; again I will say, rejoice! .. the peace of God which surpasses all understanding… whatever is true, honorable, just, pure,… think about these things.” In the first few sentences of the 4th chapter of Philippians, we get some of the most beautiful and exalted language of faith in the New Testament: And we also get a little glimpse of something else: church conflict. No church – no human community of any kind – can escape it, and the Philippian church was no exception. We have no idea what the disagreement between Euodia and Syntyche was about, whether it was something small, like what to serve at coffee hour or something big, like prioritizing the mission budget; whether it was something practical like how to organize the Sunday morning tasks, or something theological like how to interpret what Jesus said about forgiveness, or something ethical such as when one must speak up about wrongdoing. Maybe it was just a personality clash or a disagreement about who was in charge of what. We’ll never know. But we do know that Paul saw it as something that mattered; it was important because it affected the peace and unity of the community.
From "I Want to Know Christ...." and "Pressing On" based on Philippians 3 ~ Rev. Jerry Duggins ~ February 5, 2012
Why
should a race won 37 years ago still make me smile today? Why should a
checkmate against a 12 year old feel like a great accomplishment? Proverbs
tells us that “pride goes before a fall,” but sometimes I see it as the prelude
to a great joy. Perhaps it sets us up for future disappointment, but in the
moment of victory, doesn’t it feel good? And don’t these nostalgic moments of
past excellence shore up one’s feeling of self-worth?
Of
course, if all our accomplishments lie wholly in the past, the present can begin
to feel a little deflating. If we are to have a healthy self-image, we will
want to be aware of present talents and abilities. For instance, I take pride
in my knowledge and understanding of scripture. I am generally open to and have
been blessed by other viewpoints on particular texts, but when someone begins
with, “the Bible says,,,” thinking this will enlighten me, I can become quite
uncooperative. I don’t become overtly nasty in my conversation, but an unholy indignation will sometimes possess
my thoughts, making it difficult to sort out the rational response from the
desire to put down the other person. The good feeling about this gift
transforms itself into the desire to feel superior. There’s the pride that
supports a sense of self-respect and brings joy, but there’s also this pride
that seeks superiority over others and brings anxiety.
From "If there is any encouragement in Christ...." and "God is at work" based on Philippians 2 ~ Rev. Janet Duggins ~ January 29, 2012
IS there any encouragement in Christ?
When it’s hard to keep going? When you do the right thing and get only grief for it? When your efforts don’t seem to make a difference? When you feel hopeless about the future? When you are grieving or overwhelmed by life? When God feels far away? When you don’t know what to do?
Is there any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy?
Many of us would say yes. Why? Because we have experienced it.
In so many ways, we have known that encouragement. We have been consoled. We have found others who understand what we’re going through and people to listen to our confusion. We have been helped through illnesses, loneliness, and the challenges of parenthood. We gotten fresh perspectives on the meaning of life and faith. We’ve been prayed for. We’ve been reminded of the love of God.
From "Divine Purpose" and "Standing Firm" based on Philippians 1:12-30 ~ Rev. Jerry Duggins ~ January 22, 2012
After
making clear to the church at
We
don’t often reflect on the activity of God in our lives. When we do, it takes
the form of either a brief acknowledgment of God’s blessings or an implicit
complaint concerning God’s failure to order our lives in the way that we
deserve. At most, we might consider God for best supporting actor in the drama
of life.
We
would never put it like this of course, but we are not Joseph, and many of us
in fact would take offense at Joseph’s understanding. We are not Paul, whom we
also feel free to criticize on a number of points. We belong to the 21st
century and we have a far better understanding of the universe. Many things
previously assigned to the workings of God, we know to be quite “natural”
phenomena in the world.
Dietrich
Bonnhoeffer remarked in a letter from yet a different
prison that it was our responsibility to act in the world as though “God did
not exist.” He meant by this not to encourage atheism, but to move the
followers of Christ to take full responsibility for justice and the welfare of
the earth. This was part of his rationale for participating in a plot to
assassinate Hitler.
I
find myself sympathetic to his point of view and consider his words very good
advice for those whose only interest in religion is the pass key to heaven. I
can’t imagine that Jesus would be very pleased if we left the world to its own
devices.
From "Philippians: A Letter to Friends" and "Rejoicing in the Communion of Saints" based on Philippians 1:1-11 ~ Rev. Janet Duggins ~ January 15, 2012
So far as we know, Paul only was in
At the time of writing this letter to the Philippian church, Paul was under house arrest far away in Rome, but the Philippians hadn’t forgotten him; in fact, they had sent him a generous gift of money to help meet his needs, and one of his purposes in this letter was to say thanks.
But this letter is more than a thank you note, and more than an update on the latest in Paul’s life. If it had been no more than that, it wouldn’t have lived on and become part of the scripture that forms the faith of the Christian church. What makes it more is that Paul and the Philippian Christians share a spiritual partnership that transcends not only a great distance but even time, such that we get to be in on it too.
From "Where We Find the Child" based on Matthew 2:1-12 ~ Rev. Jerry Duggins ~ Epiphany Sunday: January 8, 2012
What
a great story! A wondrous phenomenon in the night sky, mysterious kings, a
fantastic journey, marvelous gifts. The last to arrive, the magi finally join
the shepherds, the angels, Mary and Joseph, the animals and a number of other
villagers beside the manger where the infant Jesus lay. The several week
journey across the mantel is only representative of the years they seemed to
have traveled in Matthew’s gospel. They are so late in fact that the shepherds
are gone as well as the angels. There is no manger and no infant, no stable.
Mary and Joseph have moved into a house and the babe has grown into a terrific
two or three year old. They followed the star for quite some time when it
finally came to rest over the place where the child was.
We have traveled further but none of us have taken a journey that lasted so long. I doubt that we can really comprehend their joy at finally reaching their destination. And yet, I do not understand why they did it and what they got out of it. They stay only long enough to deposit their gifts and then return home, never to be heard from again in the gospel.
From "Journeys, Questions, and Prayers" based on Luke 2:15-20,23-32; Psalm 139:1-12; John 15:1-5 ~ Rev. Janet Duggins ~ New Year's Day: January 1, 2012
Have you ever noticed how many journeys there are in the
Christmas story, in both Luke’s and Matthew’s very different accounts? To begin with, angels make what we might
presume is a significant journey from the holy light of God’s presence to some
rather obscure corners of our world to make announcements, first to Zechariah
about the coming birth of John the Baptist, then to Mary about the child she
will have, and later to the shepherds.
Mary takes a trip to visit her cousin Elizabeth, Zechariah’s wife. Mary and Joseph travel to
Later still, magi make a long trek from a far-away country
looking for a child whose birth they somehow discerned from their study of the
stars, and go back to their homes by a different route. Not long after that, Mary and Joseph and the
baby flee to
And I suppose we could say that in coming to be born intothe life of the world, into the family of humanity, Jesus himself made the greatest journey of all, from the heart of God into an existence of vulnerability, need, and pain.
Almost the whole story is made up of a series of journeys.
From "The Manger in Bethlehem" based on Luke 2:1-20 ~ Rev. Jerry Duggins ~ Christmas Eve: December 24, 2011
Christmas
day is a slow day in our household. Not that we get to sleep in much. Someone
in the family insists that we not dawdle too long in getting out of bed, but
frequently we’re still in pajamas and robes well into the morning. We put the
kettle on for tea to start with, gather in the living room, each with our own
stocking, and we mosey our way through them one item at a time to see what
Santa has brought us. When we’re done or nearly done, we put the French
Breakfast Puffs in the oven to bake, and scramble up some eggs. We may have mimosas or another cup of tea.
It’s all very leisurely. No hurry, not going anywhere.
This
year the Christmas Day service will of course interrupt this schedule, but I am
hopeful that it will not interrupt the spirit of the day; it’s a sabbath kind
of day, a pondering things in the heart kind of day.
I
will not be thinking about the crowds in
I
will not be thinking about angel messengers who “bring good news of great joy
for all the people,” but I will certainly be mindful of the blessing of being
with those most dear to me and say a prayer for those who have not found a
sense of peace and joy in the presence of their families.
From "Welcoming the Holy Child ... into our Hearts" based on Luke 1:26-55 ~ Rev. Jerry Duggins ~ December 18, 2011
What
is it that unlocks our hearts? What transforms noise into song? What unleashes
the generous and celebratory spirit hidden beneath a calloused heart? I don’t
imagine that any of us are really any competition for the super-grump Grinch or
the miserly Ebenezer, but we each have our moments. We foster some impediments
to Christmas cheer. We hesitate to open wide the door to the Christ-child.
Though our hearts may not be cold, they’re not as warm as they might be.
But then Mary makes a rather slow beginning. She doesn’t appear to be thinking clearly. When the angel Gabriel appears before her, she doesn’t ponder the oddity of an angel appearing to her, but the “sort of greeting” he offers. She finds his way of saying “hello” a bit strange.
From "Welcoming the Holy Child... to our Homes" based on Isaiah 40:1-11 ~ Rev. Janet Duggins ~ December 4, 2011
The idea of “home” and images of home figure pretty prominently in the way we think about this season of the year. “There’s no place like home for the holidays” one song says. “I’ll be home for Christmas” says another. Never mind that many of us have never lived in a house with an open fire, and probably wouldn’t have a clue how to roast chestnuts on it anyway… these word pictures somehow tap into deep feelings about being in a place where we belong, are loved, and feel at home.
These may be idealized visions that don’t reflect the reality of our homes and families, but we still feel the tug of longing for that place, that experience, those feelings, those kinds of relationships. This is a very Advent-ish feeling, actually. Advent is all about acknowledging the longings and needs that are ever-with-us but often buried. So no wonder this time of year evokes a desire for that environment or experience that represents a true home for us.
But … there are a couple of big obstacles to be reckoned with.
From "Welcoming the Holy Child... to our World" based on Isaiah 64:1-9 ~ Rev. Jerry Duggins ~ November 27, 2011
Now
that we’ve been well-fed, had our tryptophan-induced naps, watched the
obligatory turkey day football and braved, or avoided, the mad rush of “Black
Friday,” it is time to begin the serious preparation for Christmas.
Some
things that puzzle me as we enter this season that the church calls Advent and
the culture views as the holiday shopping season: Why do so many people find it
challenging to figure out what to get mom and dad this year? Why do parents
always say “Don’t get me anything” when you know they’d be hurt if you took
them seriously? Why do some people look at shoppers as unsophisticated,
shallow, betrayers of the real meaning of Christmas, while some shoppers look
at their critics as ungrateful curmudgeons? Why do some people enter the season
with that spirit of celebration that sees every event as generating energy for
the climactic Christmas Day, while others view them as a series of obligations
that leave them drained by the time Christmas finally arrives? Why do some see
it as the “most wonderful time” of the year while others experience it as the
most stressful?
From "Living Blind" based on Matthew 25:31-46 ~ Rev. Jerry Duggins ~ November 20, 2011
I
was really quite taken with this image and the idea it implied, that we follow
Christ one loaf of bread, one cup of water, one embrace of the stranger, one
bowl of chicken soup, one angel tree gift… at a time. It’s simple. It’s
beautiful. It’s achievable. It gives faith a practical turn. We love to talk
about faith in action…. We want it to depend on these things that we can and do
do. Some of us have fallen in love with this social justice litmus test of
faith. What’s not to like about this text?
Try this: some days I feel like a goat, not a sheep. Ever feel like you’ve just been giving and giving and giving and that you’re going to shoot the next person that asks you to do something for her or him? Ever worry that Jesus is going to show up on a “goat” day and not a “sheep” day? Ever wonder how sheep got to be sheep? Do you even get much say in the matter? Wouldn’t everyone be a sheep if they could or is there something in our world that inclines people to behave like goats? Ever notice that inclination in yourself? After a long day? When nothing went your way?
From "Together" based on Philippians 2:1-13 ~ Rev. Janet Duggins ~ November 13, 2011
A couple of weeks ago, my friend Barb and I spent most of a day making applesauce. It took most of the day because we started with about two bushels of apples, twice as many as I had last year. When we were done, we had lots of delicious applesauce for our families to enjoy this winter. After Barb took hers home, I ended up putting just about the same number of containers in our freezer as last year. But here’s the funny thing. Last year, I cut and cooked and mashed the apples myself, and although I did it over several days rather than all at once, every time I ended up with an aching back and a sore arm, my feet tired from standing, feeling just exhausted, and wondering why I ever introduced my family to the pleasure of homemade applesauce. This year, though, even after working all day, I didn’t feel at all tired and sore. In fact, I felt pretty good. I’m not sure just what made the difference - taking turns with different tasks, being more efficient with two people than one, or just having companionship and conversation… but the difference between doing this project alone and doing it together was remarkable.
Well, it was just applesauce. But it was a great reminder to me about the difference between alone and together. If even making applesauce is easier, more enjoyable and meaningful, and healthier when the work is shared, then certainly that’s true of other endeavors as well. It seems obvious, doesn’t it?
From "Two Questions for All Saints Day" based on 1 John 3:1-3 and Matthew 5:1-12 ~ Rev. Janet Duggins ~ November 6, 2011
All Saints Day is a day for pausing and putting aside the things we use to distract ourselves and taking time to be intentional about remembering. All of us have some instinct toward denial or avoidance when it comes to facing loss, and especially the loss that death brings. But sooner or later, we do have to face the reality of the losses we have experienced and the inevitability of death. All Saints Day offers us an opportunity to do this in the company of others who are on the same journey, struggling with the same pain, and claiming the same hope in Jesus Christ.
In the face of death, we have lots of questions, but it seems to me there are two questions that rise up amidst all the others to become, and remain, the most important.
The first is the question in that old song: “Will the circle be unbroken?”
We want to know that those we love have not just vanished into nothingness. We want to know that they are beyond pain and suffering, that they are whole and at peace. Be we also want to know that the connection we have with them isn’t severed forever like a disconnected phone line with no information about a new number. We want to know that God has them.
From "Reflections on Humility and Ability" based on Matthew 23:1-12 ~ Rev. Jerry Duggins ~ October 30, 2011
The
last two weeks, we’ve been following an encounter between Jesus and the various
religious leaders of the day: Herodians, Pharisees, Sadducees and scribes. The
encounter took the form of a question and answer session in which the leaders
played a much less friendly form of “stump the pastor.” Jesus proves himself an
able combatant, parrying the thrusts of his opponents’ swords, astounding the
crowd with his answers, but only deepening the bitterness and hatred that the
scribes and Pharisees felt toward him. The text does not say so, but we can
imagine these leaders slipping away to plot in private as Jesus turns to the
crowd and his disciples to begin a lecture, by which I mean not an academic
teaching but a scolding.
From "Something More Than a King" based on Matthew 22:34-46 ~ Rev. Jerry Duggins ~ October 23, 2011
What
sort of Savior are we looking for? The answers are as various in the church
today as they were in the synagogue when Jesus walked this earth. Some look to
a Jesus of their heart, a savior who offers forgiveness and entry into heaven
when they die. Some look to a Jesus with great ethical insight, a savior who
can teach us the right things to do. Some look to a Jesus of great social
conscience, a savior who calls for transformation of the many injustices in
life. Some restrict Jesus to private spheres of life, barring him from the
arenas of politics, vocation and the economy.
These leaders were trying to trap Jesus, to embarrass him, to discredit him… before they understood what he was about. They were never going to understand Jesus because they began with criticism. That’s why Jesus had such a poor relationship with them. That’s why we sometimes get into trouble with our relationships, even relationships in the church. We criticize before trying to understand.
From "What Belongs to God" based on Matthew 22:15-22 ~ Rev. Janet Duggins ~ October 16, 2011
The first thing you need to know is that the Pharisees and the Herodians didn’t normally see themselves as friends and allies.
The Herodians were supporters of Herod Antipas, who had been
named king of the Jews by the emperor of
This tribute or tax was supposed to be paid with a special coin. It has the head of Tiberius Caesar along with an inscription which reads “Tiberius Caesar, august and divine son of Augustus.”
The Pharisees were devoted and careful followers of the laws and commandments of God. Last Sunday, we heard about the Ten commandments, and if you were here, you might remember that the first two commandments go something like this:
“I am the Lord your God. You shall have no other Gods before me”
“You shall not make any images of anything to worship.”
The Pharisees considered the paying of tribute – especially with a coin declaring the emperor divine - a violation of those commandments.
You can see, I think, why the Herodians and Pharisees didn’t often see eye to eye.
But they could agree on one thing: Jesus was trouble. He was too ready to say outrageous things, challenge the status quo, to point out hypocrisy, to pay attention to the people on the margins of society, to ask uncomfortable questions. So they decide to collaborate and try to trick him into saying something that will get him into trouble, or at least discredit him and turn people against him. Bringing up a controversial issue involving taxes and politics probably seemed like a trap that couldn’t fail.
From "Stories of Hospitality, part 3" based on Matthew 14:13-21 ~ Rev. Jerry Duggins ~ October 2, 2011
The desire to extend hospitality rises up out of a deep sense of compassion and a profound understanding of abundance in circumstances of great need. This is not the hospitality of the entertainment industry that promises you a great meal or a luxurious room if you have the ability to pay. It is not even the hospitality extended by the hosts of wedding receptions and graduation parties. Hospitality is not fundamentally about celebration, but about welcome. It is not limited by the size of one’s pocketbook, but by the openness of one’s heart. It is led by compassion and reaches for abundance. To practice it one almost needs to believe in miracles.
From "Stories of Hospitality, part 2" based on 1 Kings 17:8-24 ~ Rev. Janet Duggins ~
September 25, 2011
This is a story that challenges us theologically and spiritually.
On the theological level, we may look at the miraculous elements in this story, and feel skeptical, or perhaps not, especially if we ourselves have had experiences that have convinced us of God’s intervention and healing and provision. But we can’t live in this world and not know that very often, in spite of faith and prayer, people do not get what they need to live and people who are too young do die. The hard theological question we wrestle with here is: why doesn’t this happen more often? why hasn’t God intervened like this for people I know and love? We don’t have answers for those questions, and this story doesn’t attempt to give them.
The heart of this story is a particular, risky act of hospitality which is also an act of trust, and what happens as a result.
The biggest challenge of this story, I think, is a spiritual challenge: Do we have the faith and the courage to take a risk like the woman in this story takes? Can we have that much trust? What would it be like? Is it possible for us to practice that kind of hospitality and generosity? Can we even consider it? Is it possible that tough times and limited resources don’t excuse us from the call to hospitality?
From "Stories of Hospitality, part 1" based on Genesis 18:1-15 and 19:1-11 ~ Rev. Janet Duggins ~ September 18, 2011
“Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that, some have entertained angels without knowing it.” (Hebrews 13:2)
You’ve probably heard this verse from Hebrews…but you may not know that it is a reference to the first story we heard, in which Abraham welcomed the three strangers who came to his camp… and found that he was playing host to messengers who brought not only amazing news but the very presence of God to his household.
As in many stories of hospitality, there are elements of mystery and surprise here. The three strangers at first are simply men; after a bit it begins to dawn that they may be divine messengers; then suddenly God is speaking to Abraham and Sarah. This is one of several stories in the Bible that I think of as “baby announcements”; that is such exciting news that everything else in the story seems to fade into the background … but when you go back and read again, you see how Abraham’s hospitality to the strangers paves the way for that promise to be given, and – eventually, after some initial skepticism – accepted by Abraham and Sarah.
When we look again at the story, we realize the hospitality is important because so much attention is paid to the details – all the things Abraham did for his guests. And we know – from the reference in Hebrews, among other things – that this became a key story in shaping Jewish and Christian understandings of what hospitality was all about. It links hospitality with the presence of God, with God’s promises and blessing.
The second story is kind of a companion piece to the first, but it’s a bit more … complicated. Hospitality is offered to strangers, but it doesn’t turn out well.
From "An Overture on Hospitality" based on Deuteronomy 10:12-22 and Luke 6:27-36 ~ Rev. Jerry Duggins ~ September 11, 2011
“Congregations
respond to this text in the same way my children respond to seeing cooked
spinach on their plate at dinner. No matter how much I explain the nutritional
value, no one around the table really wants to dig in.”
So
writes Vaughn Crowe-Tipton, chaplain and associate professor at
I
don’t believe I’ve ever heard someone respond to this text enthusiastically,
saying, “We should definitely do these things.” There are always questions.
What about women who have been beaten by their husbands for years? Doesn’t
giving money to beggars enable their addictions and indigence? Does Jesus
intend for nations to adopt this ethic? Surely we are not intended to bless
those who fly airplanes into tall buildings?
Aside
from these more serious questions, I would just as soon leave this “spinach” on
the plate. I admit to nursing injuries and personal slights, to imagining all
kinds of harm coming to those who hurt me, even to thinking unkind thoughts of
those who disagree with me. In these cases I know that this ethic would be good
for me, but as Tipton goes on to say about “the real problem with nutrition;
there is a vast difference between what we want and what we need.” (p.381)
The truth is that the church has seldom embraced this ethic. We are a “love your neighbor” institution. Loving one’s enemies is often considered too radical and largely impractical.
From "Charting New Territory" based on Exodus 19:1 - 20:2 ~ Rev. Jerry Duggins ~ September 4, 2011
Touch….
When I read this text from Exodus, the cautionary comments around “touching”
strike me as especially noteworthy. God tells Moses to make sure the people
understand that neither they nor their animals are to touch the mountain. Those
who do touch the mountain are to be put to death by a means that does not
involve “touching.” Furthermore, Moses tells the people – well, the men, presumably - not to go near a woman.
It’s
as if God is afraid of too much intimacy or feels the need to preserve the
boundaries of personal space. On the day when God appears on the mountain to
talk with Moses, God even puts it in terms of a violation of personal space:
“warn the people not to break through to the Lord… or the Lord will break out
against them.” Were the terms not so serious, I’d think we were dealing with a
pair of siblings bickering in the back seat over who has more room. Or is it
the lover who holds back for fear of being hurt?
Touch.
Clearly God wants to draw near to the people. The text speaks of God’s desire
to make them a “treasured possession out of all the peoples.” God did go
through a lot of trouble to bring these people to this place. “I am the Lord
your God, who brought you out of the
From "Dangers on the Journey" based on Exodus 17:8-16 and Exodus 18:7-23 ~ Rev. Janet Duggins ~ August 28, 2011
The part of the story that gives us the most to think about is the way Moses’ leadership seems to give strength to the Israelites as they fight off the Amalekites. It’s a little bit mysterious. Is Moses praying, there with his hands lifted up? Do his hands – or maybe his staff? - somehow convey – either symbolically or miraculously – divine power to help the people? Is Moses’ presence on the top of the hill a matter of morale or encouragement for his people as they fight? And how does Moses come up with this plan in the first place? (You may have noticed that we aren’t told anything about God giving him any instructions as happens in some other situations.) We can’t answer any of those questions with certainty.
But we can see that his leadership role here is important, essential in fact. When he holds his hands and staff high, his people fight on with strength and success. When he puts his hands down the tide of the battle turns against them. Something – courage, vision, confidence, God’s presence – is conveyed because they can see Moses there.
We also see from this story that Moses is not a god or superhero, not an invincible or infallible leader – which makes this story different from many other ancient stories of battles. The Bible is very realistic about even the greatest human leaders – they are not God; they are not perfect; their abilities are not unlimited. As critical as Moses presence on that hill is for his people, he needs some help to keep going. Aaron and Hur provide the support Moses needs to be the leader the people need.
But when the fighting is over, Moses and the people
attribute their success to God’s presence with them - not simply to good leadership and the skill
of the troops. There’s a lot to
ponder here: Moses on the hill embodying
the divine calling and strength, Joshua and the men down below in the thick of
the action. This story exemplifies the
tension we always wrestle with when we try and discern the ways God works in
the world: God’s power is shown through
people… who nevertheless at the same time have their own power and freedom and
responsibility. There is no simple
formula to explain the relationship between God and us. The people of
From "Wilderness Challenge: Where is Water?" based on Exodus 15:22-27 and 17:1-7 ~ Rev. Janet Duggins ~ August 21, 2011
Have you ever been thirsty? really, really thirsty? What was that like?
When you’re really thirsty, you understand in a way that’s
not at all theoretical just how important water is. I went backpacking the desert in
Jerry and I just spent a week at Ghost Ranch, in the high
desert of northern
I mention this because although the conditions for the Israelites probably were a little different, the need for water was not. It’s easy to criticize the Israelites for whining too much, for being so ready to throw in the towel, for having so little trust in God, for not learning from their experiences of God’s care…. But the fact is, they were thirsty, and it’s almost impossible to think about anything else when you’re really thirsty. And this being without water wasn’t just a little inconvenience or discomfort, it was a dire predicament, a matter of life or death. No wonder they got upset– undoubtedly we would, too.
And can’t you just imagine the disappointment when, after three days with no water, they finally come to some, only to find it isn’t drinkable? They’d been through a lot already, then just when they thought they were safe, they found themselves with no water; and then to come across some and find it’s no good after all…. We know what that’s like, don’t we? Just when you think things are looking up, something else happens to pull you down.
From "What?! No Vegetables??" based on Exodus 16:1-35 ~ Rev. Jerry Duggins ~ August 14, 2011
Meat to eat
in the evening,
as quails came
up and covered the camp,
fill of
bread in the morning
on the surface
of the wilderness,
a fine flaky
substance,
fine as
frost on the ground.
What? No vegetables,
for the people of God on the move
through the wilderness?
From "Curses!" based on Psalms 55 and 109 ~ Rev. Janet Duggins ~ July 24, 2011
Jesus said, “Love your enemies. Pray for the people who persecute you.” That sounds like something Jesus would say, doesn’t it? It might even be a principle we can agree with, at least sometimes. It does sound like it might the best way to be, the way of “rising above” way. I think we can appreciate that it might be the way to de-escalate conflict and move toward peace in the world.
The problem is we aren’t Jesus. And a lot of the time “love your enemies” is not an
attitude we really feel like embracing.
Sometimes we don’t even have any interest in trying. “Love your enemies” can seem as remote and
impossible an idea as building a spaceship and flying to Mars, as ridiculous as
a suggestion that you might try turning scrap metal into gold or digging a hole
to get to
Of course we tent to not actually use the word “enemies” very often (except perhaps to refer to terrorists or soldiers from a country our country is at war with). But nobody gets through life without other people doing some bad things to you or to those you love. Nobody can help but see that there are folks whose greed and violence – or mere carelessness and selfishness – causes ripples of destruction that hurt others.
It might be a co-worker who took credit for your efforts, the company who let you go after years on the job, the spouse who left, the friend who broke a promise or lied to you, a person who spread an untrue rumor, neglectful parents, or manipulative siblings. It might be someone you counted on who let you down or someone who perpetrated a crime against you. It might be people who look down their noses at you (or actively practice discrimination) because of who you are, how you look, where you live, what you have, or your race, age, gender, sexual orientation. It might be groups who promote values that seem wrong to you or whose actions disrupt your peace of mind.
You know what I’m talking about: there are times when “love your enemies” sounds nice in theory but unrelated to real life. I don’t mean to sound like I’m arguing with Jesus here. It’s not that I don’t think he’s right in what he asks of us. I’m just pointing out that “love your enemies” can be a pretty long way from where we are sometimes.
From "Troubles and Tears: the Psalms of Lament" based on Psalms 6 and 44 ~ Rev. Janet Duggins ~ July 17, 2011
Imagine a relationship between two people – friends, family members, lovers – who say only nice, pleasant, positive things to each other. They don’t complain or disagree or argue. They don’t express anger or grief or disappointment. They don’t talk about the unfairness of the world or the way the bad things that happen affect them. They don’t share their stories of struggle or hurt. They keep their fears and worries to themselves. They both carefully hide their faults and weaknesses and needs from each other.
If you can even imagine such a relationship, you’d probably say that it isn’t much of a relationship, right? All that hiding and pretending, so little honesty and sharing – it’s superficial. There’s just nothing there to create the foundation of truth and trust that makes a genuine and deep relationship possible.
But that’s exactly the kind of relationship we are often trying to have with God.
Somehow many of us have imbibed the idea that for God we must be nice and pious, not negative, not selfish, and certainly not angry. We have a tendency to want to clean up our act, clean up our thoughts even, before we approach God. We have been told we are supposed to trust God, and so we either suppress our doubts and anxieties, or we perceive those doubts and anxieties as barriers separating us from God. We think we must be holy, reverent and nice before God or we cannot come into God’s presence at all.
The Psalms are here in our Bible to show us another way of being in relationship with God.
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