Eve of Epiphany, January 5, 2014;  The Rev. Pamela L. Werntz

O God of light and love, grant us the wisdom, the strength, and the courage to seek always and everywhere after truth, come when it may and cost what it will.

Happy Epiphany Eve, everyone! Technically, this is the Second Sunday after Christmas Day and tonight is Twelfth Night – when the Lord of Misrule reigns and kings become peasants and vice versa! So it’s not quite Epiphany, and I generally don’t like to celebrate holidays before they arrive, but there is an exception to almost every rule. You probably know by now that pragmatism nearly always trumps idealism for me, and I didn’t think so many of you would be able to come to church tomorrow to celebrate the Feast of Epiphany! So whether you are still savoring the last day of Christmas or you’ve already packed up the decorations for another year, we are all on the cusp of moving from the season when we are called to rejoice in the light, to the season when we are called to show that light or reflect that light in our wider worlds. Continue reading →

Preached on May 29, 2011.  The Rev. Pamela L. Werntz

O God of our new songs, grant us the strength, the wisdom and the courage to seek always and everywhere after truth, come when it may, and cost what it will. Amen.

Chronological time comes nearly to a stop in the four chapters of the Gospel of John that get called “The Farewell Discourse.” One-fifth of the whole Gospel of John takes place in the evening time before Jesus’ arrest. Jesus’ parting words remind me of the instruction list that my mother used to leave before my parents went away for a trip (and I always feared that they would leave us orphaned). The long list was accompanied by their admonition for me to use my best judgment. Okay, fine, I would think, but do you know my brothers and my sister? Continue reading →