Sermon Archives

November 15, 2015

Hospitality

I am possibly the worst person in this congregation to do a sermon on hospitality. I am one of the most inhospitable persons I know of. As an introvert, I prefer talking one-on-one with people instead of meeting with larger groups. I like to cook, even to cook for larger groups, but I’m not enthusiastic […]

November 10, 2015

Generosity

We continue with our worship series on the practices that bind us together as a congregation. We renewed our baptismal commitment, looked at honouring everyone, and last week, we looked at rituals of worship, specifically anointing. This week, the practice is generosity. To help us engage this topic, let’s look at this passage from 2 […]

November 1, 2015

Touching Jesus

Touching Jesus

Today we’re continuing a series of six worship services on congregational practices that make Berkey the congregation it is. Two weeks ago we renewed our baptisms and last Sunday we focused on honoring each other. Today we turn to rituals in worship. Numerous times, the focus group that we gathered to talk about congregational practices […]

September 27, 2015

Reconciliation is the Center of Our Work

Today is the final installment in our series on the three foundational beliefs of Anabaptist-Mennonites. They are: 1. Christ is the center of our faith. 2. Community is the center of our life. 3. Reconciliation is the center of our work. What does it mean to say that reconciliation is the center of our work? […]

September 20, 2015

Community is Center of our Lives

Erin Lane is the author of the book, Lessons in Belonging from a Church-Going Commitment Phobe, which she describes as a book for “people who like the idea of church but feel disillusioned by the reality of the people who make it up.” (p. 15) Early on in the book she re-tells this story: “A […]

September 13, 2015

Jesus is the Center of our Faith

Today Marilyn and I begin a series of sermons on the three central characteristics of Anabaptist Mennonites. About seven years ago Palmer Becker wrote a booklet published by Mennonite Mission Network that tries to describe what an Anabaptist Mennonite is. His description isn’t the only way to characterize our tradition of faith, but for our […]

August 23, 2015

The Disappearing Jesus

The children lined the doorways leading into the delegate hall on the day the 2 resolutions related to same-sex inclusion were to be discussed and voted on. As we approached the doors, they handed us these pieces of paper, with their handprints on them and the message, “We are praying for you!” I knew this […]

August 16, 2015

The Uncontrollable Spirit

For a long time Jenny and I have had this anxious little game we play when we come back home from being away on vacation. As we turn into our neighborhood we ask each other: “Will our house still be there? What if it burned down while we were gone, or a windstorm blew a […]

August 9, 2015

The Spirit and the Eunuch

Today I continue with our series on the Holy Spirit. So far we’ve noted the Spirit’s work in the grand sweep of nature and in the grand sweep of the world. We’ve seen that the Holy Spirit works in big picture arenas. But today I want to zoom in on the little picture, on the […]

August 2, 2015

Finding the Spirit Outside the Church

The (old) Mennonite church that I grew up in was deeply suspicious of the broader world. To keep North American society away, the church of my childhood tried to erect visible markers of difference. Women were to wear prayer coverings. Men were to dress plainly. Youth were to stay away from rock music because that […]

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