Meeting God in the Real World

Preached at First Congregational Church in Kalamazoo on July 18, 2018. Text: Mark 6:14-29 My spouse and I began dating almost 15 years ago. We were young! But we were pretty solidly embedded in an evangelical Christian culture that discouraged casual dating and put some pressure on young adults to figure out quickly whether or…

Do We Believe It is Good News?

A sermon delivered to the Presbytery of Lake Michigan on March 11, 2017 by the Rev. Sarah Schmidt-Lee Scripture: John 3:1-17 Good morning all! It’s good to be with you today. I’ve had a friend from college visiting with me this week, and it’s been delightful to catch up with her–to find out what has…

Lent Photo-a-Day Challenge

Truth Inner Peace begins with honest self-reflection. I cannot experience peace within myself until I accept the truth about myself. The truth of my wounds; the truth of my beauty; the truth of my flaws; the truth of my limits; the truth of my strength; the truth of my courage.

Truth-tellers (sermon for Sunday, April 28th, 2013)

Sermon text is Acts 11:1-18 When you hear the word “Truth,” what comes to mind? Is it a comforting word—something solid and trust-worthy? Is it attached to longing—something you seek for, or yearn for? Or is it suspicious—something that comes with a whole bunch of questions, like who is claiming to know the truth; what…

Thursday, First Week of Advent

“…as we come to God with our hurts–honestly, not superficially–something life changing can begin slowly to happen….true gratitude embraces all of life: the good and the bad, the joyful and the painful, the holy and the not-so-holy.” I have funerals on the brain this week, so I will share a funeral story from my own…