Sermons

Caught by Grace

Luke 5:1-11

February 7, 2010

Rev. Nancy Pfaltzgraf

The end of the day, that's what it was for Simon, James and John and the other fishermen who spent their nights working and their days sleeping. That was my schedule before seminary, when I was a nurse; except for the sleeping during the day part. When I went back to work full time after my second child was born, I chose to work the 11pm-7am shift so that I would be gone while my 3½ year old daughter and my infant son were sleeping and at home to care for them during their waking hours. I would catch a nap when my daughter was at pre-school and my son took his nap and then head to bed when their father came home to take over the child care responsibilities. It wasn't so bad at first, but when my son gave up his morning nap and their afternoon nap times never seemed to be in sink, I found myself completely exhausted most of the time. More often than I care to remember I would leave the hospital at the end of my shift and find myself driving into my driveway -some 10 miles away- with no conscious memory of having driven home.

Divine Fingerprints

Luke 4:14-21

January 31, 2010

Rev. Nancy Pfaltzgraf

I love a good mystery. I love the process of unraveling the clues and discovering "who-done-it". Perhaps that's one of the reasons that I enjoy watching CSI and CSI-New York. I am fascinated by the process of discovering "trace evidence" and the search for fingerprints and DNA. It boggles my mind to think that with 6.8 billion people in the world there are no two fingerprints or DNA profiles that are exactly the same. It amazes me that everywhere I go and everything I touch I leave little bits of me behind, trace evidence that I have been there!

So I was instantly captivated at the workshop Tom and I attended earlier this month when our presenter, Rev. Dr. Rob Voyle, began talking about "spiritual fingerprints". In a book Rob co-authored with his wife Kim the concept is described this way:

Today's sermon consists of several readings and reflections with time in between for prayer and meditation:

Invitation to Worship

One: Please join me in our responsive invitation to worship. Please note that there are some parts for just the women, some for the men and some for all of us together. There's a season for everything under the sun,

All:   a time to do and a time to be done,

One: a time to laugh,

All:   a time to cry,

One: a time to live

All:  and a time to die.

MEN: A time for dying and a time for rebirth.

WOMEN:    A time for spirit and a time for earth.

MEN: A time for laughter, a time for tears.

WOMEN:    A time for courage and a time for fear.

MEN: A time to cling and a time to release.

WOMEN:    A time for war and a time for peace.

MEN: A time to talk and a time to be still.

WOMEN:    A time to care and a time to kill.

MEN: A time to keep. A time to lose.

WOMEN:    A time to be told. A time to choose.

MEN: A time to tear down. A time to rebuild.

WOMEN:    A time to be empty. A time to be filled.

MEN: A time to welcome and to send away.

WOMEN:    A time to complain and a time to pray.

MEN: A time to share and a time to save.

WOMEN:    A time to break rules. A time to behave.

MEN: A time to free and a time to bind.

WOMEN:    A time to search and a time to find.

MEN: A time to plant and a time to uproot.

WOMEN:    A time to be barren. A time to bear fruit.

MEN: A time of plenty.

WOMEN:    A time of need.

MEN: A time to follow.

WOMEN:    A time to lead.

MEN: A time to give.

WOMEN:    A time to take.

MEN: A time to bend.

WOMEN:    A time to break.

MEN: A time to hurt.

WOMEN:    A time to heal.

MEN: A time for secrets.

WOMEN:    A time to reveal.

MEN: A time to let go.

WOMEN:    A time to hold.

MEN: A time to be young.

WOMEN:    A time to grow old.

MEN: A time rip open.

WOMEN:    A time to mend.

MEN: A time to begin.

WOMEN:    A time to end.

One: There's a season for everything under the sun,

All:   a time to do and a time to be done,

One: a time to laugh,

All:   a time to cry,

One: a time to live

All:  and a time to die.

Refiner's Fire

Malachi 3:1-4

2^nd Sunday in Advent - Peace

December 6, 2009

Rev Nancy Pfaltzgraf

Are you ready for Christmas? Do you have your house decorated? Your cookies baked? Your shopping done? Your cards sent? Depending on when your family celebrates Christmas you only have 18 or 19 days left, you know. So are you ready for Christmas? Are you ready to celebrate the birth of the Christ Child? Are you ready to receive once again the good news of the angels, run with anticipation like the shepherds and journey with the openness of the magi? Are you ready for Christmas? Or is there some cleaning up and polishing that still needs to be done in your home and your heart? Are you ready for Christmas? Are you ready for the coming of the One who will baptize your soul with fire?

In the Dances of Universal Peace there is a song that begins with these words:

Sweep out the chambers of your heart

Make it ready, make it ready

To be the dwelling of the Beloved    

All in God's Good Time

Matthew 6:24-34

November 15, 2009

Rev. Nancy Pfaltzgraf

"What's the first emotion you feel when you think about money?" That's the question Susan McCarthy poses in an article titled The Truth About Money. Take a moment and think about it: "What's the first emotion you feel when you think about money?"

"For a lot of people," McCarthy continues, "it's anxiety. Money scares people because we have given it so much power in our lives. We fear making mistakes, losing our money, running out of it, being taken advantage of. We want money to solve our problems, and sometimes believe that to not have it makes us a failure. Money is a very good thing to have, of course. But it's not the key to a happy life."

Author and creator of the program Financial Peace University, Dave Ramsey echoes McCarthy's observations when he quotes statistics that assert "55% of the people in this country are always worried about money!"

Called to Love

2 Timothy 1:1-9a

November 1, 2009

All Saints Day

Rev Nancy Pfaltzgraf

It's getting to be that time of the year when I can light a fire in our fireplace. This is the first fireplace I've ever had and I love to snuggle up on a cold night with a blazing fire. But one of the things I have learned about a fire is that it needs tending. As time passes and the wood is consumed the blazing fire becomes smoldering embers and if you don't add more wood and stir up the flames it will eventually burn itself out.

Called to Serve

Esther 4:9-17(TNIV)

October 25, 2009

Rev. Nancy Pfaltzgraf

I love Esther's story; a powerful witness of courage and wisdom as she dares to answer God's call to use her gifts of beauty, cunning, patience and wisdom to serve God and save her people. It is set in the city of Susa then capital city of the Persian Empire. The story begins when Queen Vashti is dethroned and banished from the city because she dared to stand up to the king and refused to be put on display as a trophy wife. Through a long process Esther is prepared as a candidate for to replace Vashti as Queen. Because of her great beauty and wise heart Esther is chosen and joins the King's harem as Queen.

Called to Listen!

1 Samuel 3:1-10 (MSG)

October 11, 2009

Consecrating Stewards - week #1

Rev. Nancy Pfaltzgraf

As I was reading this very familiar story of Samuel's call to be a prophet -one who listens to God and then speaks for God- I thought of one of my favorite stories. It goes like this:

There was a preacher whose house was quickly surrounded by flood water so deep that there was no way he could walk or drive to safety. So he began to pray. Before long a rescue team in a row boat came along and called to him to get in the boat. "No," he said. "I'm not worried, God will save me."

Path of Wisdom - Talk the Walk

James 3:1-12, 17-18 & 4: 11-12 (The Message)

September 27, 2009

Rev. Nancy Pfaltzgraf

Here we are -week two of our exploration of the little book near the end of the Christian scriptures called the Letter or the Epistle of James. Last week we listened as James pointed us toward the truth that we must "walk the talk"; that is that we must be people of integrity whose actions make visible the faith that we proclaim. "For faith," James asserts, "without works is dead." In many and various ways each of us makes an effort to put our faith into action, so last week was, perhaps, a time when we smiled and said, (silently of course) "you got that right preacher." But this week, well this week may be a little more uncomfortable, at least it is for me. As one who teaches (and who among us does not) I stand in humility before the words of James, with the deep and profound prayer that my words will be born of God's wisdom. Please pray with me: "God, I trust that as I open my heart, mind and spirit to you, you will help me see as you see and fill my heart and my words with your wisdom. I thank you that you will also move among us, helping each of us receive the wisdom we need for our lives from the words I speak. Amen"

Path of Wisdom - Walk the Talk

James 1:19-21 & 2:1-8, 14-20 (MSG)

September 20, 2009

Rev. Nancy Pfaltzgraf

Some years ago there was a drought that threatened to destroy the crops and thus the livelihood of most of the residents in the village of Crete. "There isn't anything that will save us," the village priest said, "except a special litany for rain. Go home, spend this week fasting and then come next Sunday and I will do the litany."

The congregation listened to their priest, spent the week fasting and returned the next Sunday eager for the litany to begin. But as soon as the priest looked out at the people, he said, "Go home, I will not do the litany. You have no faith!"

"But Father" they protested, "we have faith."

"Faith" he cried! "then, where are your umbrellas?"