Year: 2004

Scripture: Matthew 2:1-12Reading: “The Work of Christmas” by Howard Thurman So let’s see, where were we? Whenever I go away—even though I’m not really away, and even though it’s not for very long—I feel a little disoriented when I come back, like I need to look around and ask myself, where was I? Where were … Read more

Scripture: John 1:1-5, 14 I said something in the sermon last week about how here at Sojourners we are pretty good at avoiding theological rigidity, and then jokingly commented that some people would probably say that we avoid theology altogether. I realized as I was saying that, that I was probably issuing a challenge to … Read more

Scripture: Luke 4:16-21 I’m still trying to finish a sermon I began two weeks ago. At first I thought I would finish it two weeks ago, but it turned out that what I wanted to say on the subject of incarnation wouldn’t fit into one sermon, so I had to carry it over to another … Read more

Scripture: John 3:1-10 Today is February 1. That means several things to me. It means that it’s the exact beginning of black history month, which we will be celebrating in various ways as the month goes on, not so much today maybe, but more in the weeks ahead. It also means, since the first falls … Read more

Scripture: Matthew 16:21-28 Some of us were moving books around the office earlier this week trying to get a small library set up for the use of Sojourners, especially books relating to our leading concern of racial justice and our emphasis on combating heterosexism. Trying and succeeding. We do now have some books available. The … Read more

Scripture: Mark 8:22-26 The sermon for this morning is inspired by Black History Month, although it doesn’t have much to do with black history. It has some to do with white history, though I guess I should explain what I’m meaning by these terms. One approach to black history and Black History Month, one very … Read more

Scripture: Mark 1:35-40 Jesus, the scripture says, before he did anything else in the way of public ministry, went off into the wilderness and spent forty days in conversation with God, in conversation with Satan, and in conversation with himself, the point of the story being, at least one point being, presumably, that there were … Read more

Scripture: 2Corinthians 7:5-13 I realize that sermons are not always memorable events. I am aware that sometimes people don’t remember everything I said in a sermon, or anything I said in a sermon, don’t remember the main point, don’t remember even what it was about. I am rarely offended by this, and one of the … Read more

(A Sermon in Two Voices with Karen Wilcox Beiber) Part One: (Jim’s words) Scripture: Luke 13:5-13 This is sort of a church day for Sojourners. Receiving Brenda into membership in the church. Saying good-bye to the Copelands. And in between Karen Wilcox and I thought we would reflect on what it would mean, or look … Read more

Scripture: Psalm 77 As I was writing my words about feminism and the church last week, I was thinking about a couple of things that I decided not to pursue then but want to pursue a little bit today. Having feminism as a sermon topic may be something that wouldn’t phase most Sojourners and at … Read more