Words from Ian J. Burgess
Twelfth Sunday After Pentecost Proverbs 16:18-20, Psalm 112, Hebrews 13:1-8, Luke 14:1, 7-14 In the fall of 2013, Clarence died. I had met him in 2011 on a bench in front of the office the church I was serving. He was an alcoholic, and was often laid out on the bench somewhere between awake and… Continue reading Making God Known in Our Mundane Lives
Ninth Sunday After Pentecost Genesis 15:1-6, Psalm 33, Hebrews 11:1-16, Luke 12:32-40 I do not often throw my cell phone in a burst of frustration. I suppose this is one of the ways owning a smartphone might actually be sanctifying, because unless there is a large and welcoming couch nearby few few of us would… Continue reading Incurably Foreign
Second Sunday After Pentecost Zechariah 12:8-13:1, Psalm 63, Galatians 3:23-29, Luke 9:18-24 When we hear someone say "God bless America", do we know what they mean? Do they mean "may God's blessing be upon my neighbors"? Or do they mean "May God keep out anyone without proper paperwork"? Perhaps they mean to say "May God… Continue reading Pick it up and Follow
Third Sunday of Easter Acts 9:1-6, (7-20), Psalm 30, Revelation 5:11-14, John 21:1-19 One of the ways we can understand our order of worship each Sunday is to split it into two halves: The Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist, or Lord's Supper, or Mass, or Holy Communion. Now, that liturgy… Continue reading He Forgives Traitors
Fourth Sunday in Lent Joshua 4:19-5:12, Psalm 34, 2 Corinthians 5:17-21, Luke 15:11-32 A young person grows up in the church, the family of faith. They were a devourer of hymnals and Sunday school curriculum. They always carried themselves well and made their parents glow with pride. The Pastor loved watching this young person mature,… Continue reading The Foolish Father Or The Lost Son Or The Angry Brother
Last Sunday of Epiphany Exodus 34:29-35, Psalm 99, 1 Corinthians 12:27-13:13, Luke 9:28-36 I've lived in America long enough now that I understand that most people have their favorite president. For some its John F Kennedy, who in his brief time helped make Roman Catholicism a mainstream identity in America; maneuvered through the tension of… Continue reading Why Jesus Showed His Glory
Third Sunday After Epiphany Nehemiah 8:1-12, Psalm 113, 1 Corinthians 12:12-27, Luke 4:14-21 It is very easy to accept that God is speaking to us, when we hear something which soothes our troubled minds or spirits. When I have hurt someone, I love the comfort that "love keeps no record of wrongs" brings. When I… Continue reading God Speaks in Grace Always
First Sunday of Christmas Isaiah 61:10-62:5, Psalm 147:13-20, Galatians 3:23-4:7, John 1:1-18 A King has been born in Israel. Why should that matter to anyone else? In Advent we heard the mournful and hopeful oracles of the Prophets of Israel and Judah, who were proclaiming the words of God to the people in those lands… Continue reading Prologue
Third Sunday in Advent Zephaniah 3:14-20, Psalm 85, Philippians 4:4-9, Luke 3:7-20 Christmas isn't magic. Christmas is a miracle. I prefer to believe in magic. I want it to be the case that with my words and incantations, by owning special objects or talismans, by having some professional witch wave a hand over me, that… Continue reading Christmas Isn’t Magic
Christ the King Sunday Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14, Psalm 93, Revelation 1:4b-8, John 18:33-37 Confirmation is a rite in the Church which reflects what the first Apostles did in the book of Acts, when St. Peter went to visit the Samaritans who had received the Gospel and laid hands on them to receive the Holy Spirit,… Continue reading Christ the King
Finally Human 