Thanksgiving Day
	Year A RCL

 Thanksgiving Day 2011 Sermon Audio

Deuteronomy 8:7-18
Psalm 65
2 Corinthians 9:6-15
Luke 17:11-19

	Sunday September 11, 2011
	Year A Proper 19 RCL

Sermon Audio-Sunday September 2011

Exodus 14:19-31

Psalm 114

Romans 14:1-12

Matthew 18:21-35

I heard a snippet of this story on Fresh Air the other day,

I’ll be the first to admit that until this weekend I had only known of Amy Winehouse by her bad girl behavior. When I got word of her death, I remember thinking, “in other news, the sun rose this morning in the east.” That was unkind and a more than a bit flip. Not because the fact don’t fit the analogy, but because I knew on some level that I was judging what I didn’t know.

That became abundantly clear to me when I read Tony Bennett’s comment about her death after recording with her on his forthcoming Duets II:

“Amy Winehouse was an artist of immense proportions, and I am deeply saddened to learn of her tragic passing,” Bennett said. “She was an extraordinary musician with a rare intuition as a vocalist, and I am truly devastated that her exceptional talent has come to such an early end. She was a lovely and intelligent person, and when we recorded together she gave a soulful and extraordinary performance. I was honored to have the opportunity to sing with her. It had been my sincere hope that she would be able to overcome the issues she was battling and I send my deepest sympathy to her father Mitchell, her entire family and all of those who loved her.”

For me, Tony Bennett has always been about fairness, class and compassion. As the news continued to emerge about Amy Winehouse and her talents, I did what I should have done from the very beginning, I listened to her music.

Just as her near-contemporary, Adele, Winehouse was a powerhouse with a sense of American R&B mixed with her own particular talent and genius that was stunning to me. What set her apart from so many others was her voice to be sure, but also the emotional impact and raw honesty that her writing and lyrics conveyed.

To hear and really listen to the words of her recording of the year for 2008 Rehab, one can hear the depression, and hopelessness that accompanies addiction in these lines;

I don’t ever wanna drink again
I just, ooh, I just need a friend
I’m not gonna spend ten weeks
Have everyone think I’m on the mend

And it’s not just my pride
It’s just ’til these tears have dried

Tony Bennett, Russell Brand and others used the word ‘genius’ to describe Amy Winehouse and her work.  As I reflected on the demons that she clearly could not shake, I was struck by the work of Ray Charles, another master who was tormented by substance abuse.

Ray Charles’ last album, released posthumously was aptly entitled Genius Loves Company. Which was, ironically, a series of duets with unlikely collaborators with some measure of genius in their own right.

It seems as though in the midst of what so many saw as Amy Winehouse’s obvious and tragic decline, she was keenly aware in the previously mentioned lyrics form Rehab that she needed friendship and some company.  I do hope she will find the peace in death that she so desperately seemed to seek in this life.

Here’s a stripped down version of Amy Winehouse’s Rehab. Before watching it I’d ask you to consider this prayer as one for all those who struggle with addiction and who’s names we’ll never know. They, indeed all of us, need friends more than we’ll ever know. And, if we’re honest, we’re all addicted to one thing or another.

Blessed Lord, you ministered to all who came to you: Look with compassion upon all who through addiction have lost their health and freedom. Restore to them the assurance of your unfailing mercy; remove from them the fears that beset them; strengthen them in the work of their recovery; and to those who care for them, give patient understanding and persevering love. Amen. (from the Book of Common Prayer, 1979)

	Sunday closest to July 13
	Proper 10 Year A RCL

 Sermon Audio from July 10, 2011 by The Rev’d Warren Hicks

Genesis 25:19-34

Psalm 119:105-112

Romans 8:1-11

Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23

	Second Sunday in Lent
	Year A RCL

March 20, 2011 Sermon Audio-The Rev’d Warren Hicks

Genesis 12:1-4a
Romans 4:1-5, 13-17
John 3:1-17
Psalm 121

Momma said there’d be days like that!

Yesterday started with the dishwasher crapping out, then when I took J to his math tutoring, M called saying the battery was dead in her car. While trying to jump start her car, I rolled down the passenger window of my truck to tell her to start the car and the window wouldn’t go up.

Yup, sounds about right.

So…..I went and changed her battery out at about 7 last night in 4 degree temps and then went off to Home Depot to get plastic and tape to cover my window. Guess what? Tape doesn’t like sticking to ANYTHING below about 25 degrees.

This morning, my ’8 o’clock into the office to catch up on the post-Annual meeting’ strategy was thwarted by cleaning off about 5 inches of the ‘skiff’ of snow that was forecast for the day and getting J to his bus. No sand on the roads and nary a plow in sight. The upside was that I was able to drive the car with the new battery in it.

Next task-call the mechanic and beg to see if he can at least get my window up to keep out the cold. (The plastic keeps the snow out pretty good, but seeing out of it to cross intersections is challenging, to say the least).

“We don’t do that sort of work, call N Auto Glass, tell ‘em Bruce sent you. They can probably do it while you wait.” I took it in. They said they could fix So I waited and watched someone just about park in the showroom of the locksmith shop across the street. Still no plows to be seen.

Patience paid off and in ninety minutes I left with a functioning window. Woo hoo!

Traffic is hideous and I’ve told M that I’ll take her to work. Another hour, but the right thing to do. Several other drivers on my journey drove as though there was plastic on their windows, but no accidents. Another blessing!

I walk in the door at 11 am and start on the phone messages, emails and incoming calls.

Weather says another storm headed our way! I’m positively giddy with excitement now (ok, not so much).

Then it sort of hits me. I slept in a warm house and had lots of choices for breakfast.

I could afford to get two cars fixed on short notice and had the resources to find the people to help me through-all by gift.

I have the mental capacity to face problems with the real hope of finding solutions-all by gift.

I have a wife and son to share my life with-all by gift.

I serve a congregation that understands that life happens, often times in spasms and floods-all by gift.

I have colleagues who’ll listen to me whine-all by gift.

I live in a state of constant grace, God’s unmerited favor–not because I’m smart but because God see’s me as Beloved and Belonging to him and worthy of sharing in the daunting task of helping to redeem and re-create goodness wherever I live and move and have my being.

ALL BY GIFT.

Long story short, battery changed, window fixed, credit limit lowered and God still loves me with unspeakable devotion and unwavering love.  It really is a good day.

A really good day!

I read this story and it occurred to me that redemption and grace function sort of like this.  What do you think?

LONDON (Reuters) – Visitors to London always have to be on the look out for pickpockets, but now there’s another, more positive phenomenon on the loose — putpockets.

Aware that people are suffering in the economic crisis, 20 former pickpockets have turned over a new leaf and are now trawling London’s tourist sites slipping money back into unsuspecting pockets.

Anything from 5 pounds ($8) to 20 pound notes is being surreptitiously deposited in unguarded pockets or open handbags in Trafalgar Square, Covent Garden and other busy spots.

The initiative, which runs until the end of August in London before being rolled out countrywide, is being funded by a broadbrand provider, which says it wants to brighten up people’s lives in unusual ways.

“It feels good to give something back for a change — and Britons certainly need it in the current economic climate,” said Chris Fitch, a former pickpocket who now heads TalkTalk’s putpocketing initiative.

“Every time I put money back in someone’s pocket, I feel less guilty about the fact I spent many years taking it out.”

London’s police have been briefed about the plan, which will see at least 100,000 pounds given away.

(Reporting by Luke Baker; Editing by Kate Kelland)

Today we remember in the Common of Lesser Feasts and Fasts Ephrem of Edessa (died 373).

Ephrem was a deacon of the church who was instrumental in the spread of the Gospel in Aramaic (Jesus’ native tongue) in the 4th Century.  Ephrem was a man of letters.  He wrote commentaries, poetry, homilies and hymns.  He was fluent in the language of the people, make no mistake.  He was also fluent in the language of God, namely that of the heart.

Ephrem had a great clarity about the nature and power of the Gospel and was able to communicate effectively to folks from many different segments of his society.

Despite dressing in a ‘cloak of patches sewn together’ his eccentric appearance was coupled with an engaging personality that encountered the people where they were.  His efforts to set the story of God in Christ to music was effective in helping folks ‘sing their way to faith’ as Sam Portaro puts it in Brightest and Best: A Companion to the Lesser Feasts and Fasts.

Perhaps it is simplistic, but it seems to me that Ephrem’s ‘Mission strategy’ for evangelization was to go around, get along, listen and learn about God’s people.  Too often today it seems that the goal of Outreach, Mission and Evanglism is to get people to ‘come around’ to our way of thinking, doing things and behaving.

Ephrem’s life and witness was about taking the world as it comes and trusting in the power of the Gospel and the Grace of God to be about the work of transformation.  It seems to me that we’d do well to imitate that sort of posture.

If we enter whatever mssionary endeavors we undertake from a posture of relative superiority we sell the Gospel and Grace short.  When I’ve been on ‘Mission’ trips and encountered the other with a beginner’s mind I find myself receiving at least as much as I imagined giving.  The power of the Gospel is transformational to the teller as well as the hearer.

In the spirit of Ephrem of Edessa, may we and all of God’s people be willing to listen as much as we speak, to be changed as much as we seek to change others and to be fed as much as we seek to feed others, in spirit and mind as well as our bodies.

My office windows look out, at roughly ground level, on the yard between the church and the rectory (where the rector and his family live).  I get to see the seasons pass before me. There’s much to learn from squirrels and birds if we pay attention.

Over the past couple of days, I’ve been watching young house sparrows and grey squirrels explore the world around them and learn about making their way in it.

I feed the birds intentionally.  The squirrels, not so much, but I feed them nonetheless.  Watching both species at my fancy ‘squirrel proof’ feeder is a real treat. 

The sparrows represent a scarcity mentality at its most fervent.  There are four feeding spots at this feeder. One would think that it would accommodate at least four sparrows at once.  Wrong!  Every time someone gets to the feeder and a second bird alights there as well, sparrow one freaks out and chases him off.  While that’s happening someone else flies in and snatches a seed or two while the vying is going on.  Pretty soon the feeder starts to sway a bit and birdseed winds up all over the place.  Interestingly enough, those who get to feed most peaceably and to their heart’s content seldom perch at the intended spot at all.

Sometimes we humans, even Christian ones are just like that.  We see abundance before us and expend more energy making sure that we get our share than we have to.  I like to think I’m pretty gracious with the wild bird mix in that feeder, but the frenzy mentality takes hold every time.  If I’m honest with myself, I’m often times more like a sparrow than one who trustsdeeply in Grace–God’s unmerited favor towards me.

Life in Christ is not competitive in the way of winners and losers.  We are called to an assured posture of God’s provision for us.  It seems to me that Jesus had a thing or two say about the first being last and the last being first.

God, give me the grace and courage to trust in you.  I suspect you care at least as much about feeding me and all of the rest of your Beloved as I do in feeding my sparrow friends.  Let my life and the lives of your faithful people reflect, demonstrate and proclaim that truth!