Sermon Archive

Sept 5, 2010   Fr. Mark Selvey

Life has a way of leveling the playing fields over time. No denying there are some who have more than others -- more money, more status, more personal or spiritual gifts, but is there ever a time when those things don't matter? The apostle Paul writes a letter to his friend Philemon that begins with flattery and ends with a request that, if taken seriously, could result in chaos. (click here for the sermon)

August 22, 2010   Fr. Mark Selvey

It was Sabbath the day Jesus encountered the bent-over woman, and he did more than heal her and straighten her back and neck that day. He gave her dignity. He gave her status. He gave here a name...(click here to read the sermon)

August 15, 2010    Fr. Mark Selvey
There is no question that the Good News of Jesus Christ was radically new and exciting. But the part that is lost on us today is that it was also dangerous. Jesus talks about it in this morning's readings -- the idea that he did not come to bring some easy message of love and happiness, but to set even families against one another. This does not sound very much like our "Prince of Peace," does it? Fr. Mark tells a couple of stories and tries to sort this out a little. (click here for the link)

July 25, 2010   Fr. Mark Selvey
What kind of a parent would give their child a doggone scorpion? What kind of neighbor would refuse to get up out of bed to help a friend? What kind of prayer allowed Jesus to access the power of God? Plenty to chew on here...(Teach us to pray)

July 18, 2010   Fr. Mark Selvey

I have heard dozens of sermons on this passage from Luke about Martha and Mary. Most of them bad. Sometimes the preacher will ... (here's the rest of the sermon)

July 11, 2010     Fr. Mark Selvey
What can I possibly say that is fresh about what is the best known and most beloved parable Jesus ever taught? Probably very little, but I give it my best shot ... (click here to read the sermon)

July 4, 2010
Independence Day -- an odd day to preach, really. I am a proud American, but I serve God first and foremost. Is there a way to do that authentically? (Here's the sermon)

June 27, 2010    Fr. Mark Selvey
We make some decisions only after weighing all the alternatives and knowing all the possible costs and risks. But most of the decisions we make in life are less certain... (Click here for the full text of the sermon)

June 13, 2010
Nathan had a difficult truth to tell David. So he did what brave prophets and cowardly preachers have been doing for centuries -- he told a story instead. The problem with this strategy is that it so seldom works. Missing the point of a newspaper editorial is one thing. Missing God's is another. Fr. Mark tries to connect the dots between Nathan and David and Jesus and the the Pharisees and the woman with the alabaster jar. (click here for the sermon)

June 6, 2010
Have you ever looked at a picture of yourself, and said, "That can't be me! I'm so much younger than that!" Fr. Mark talks about his daughter's wedding, the pictures that came back, and the resurrection of Christ. See how it fits together here...

May 30, 2010 Trinity Sunday    Fr. Ron Whitmer
Fr. Ron works on the metaphors and meanings of the dance of God in relationship.   (click here to read this great sermon)

May 16, 2010    Fr. Mark Selvey
The so-called "priestly prayer" of Jesus in John's Gospel speaks to an astonishing promise. What does it have to do with Paul's escape from prison?  Click here to see Fr. Mark's message...

May 9, 2010    Fr. Mark Selvey
Did you know that your Bible is missing a verse? It's true -- go to the 5th chapter of John's gospel, and see if you can find verse 4...(here's the whole sermon)

Easter Morning, April 4, 2010    Fr. Mark Selvey
Jesus Christ is Risen Today! Alleluia!!!!   Now what?? (click here to read this sermon) **Warning** this is not a typical Easter sermon!

March 21, 2010    Fr. Mark Selvey

One year's wages. They say the oil that Mary used that night cost one year's wages.

Doesn't that seem like a lot of money for a little air freshener? (click here for the rest of the sermon)

March 14, 2010   Fr. Mark Selvey
A sermon on the Parable of the Prodigal Son, and the issue of inheritance, and some other stuff...(click to read the sermon.)

Mar 7, 2010    Fr. Mark Selvey 
We watch a lot of reality TV at our house. I suppose I should be embarrassed to say that, but I'm not. We watch things like ...(click here for the rest of the sermon)

Feb 21, 2010   Fr. Mark Selvey
A four year-old interprets the temptation of Jesus, and some thoughts about the temptor in our own lives. (Lent 1 Yr C 1.8.doc)

Feb 14, 2010   Fr. Mark Selvey
On Valentine's Day, a sermon about human relationship love. The Bible's take in three words. (Love sermon 1.9.doc)

February 7, 2010    Fr. Mark Selvey
The God of Second Chances invites us to consider trying again.....    (Epiphany 5 Yr C 3.0.doc)

January 31, 2010     Fr. Mark Selvey
Most of us have heard Paul's famous "Love Chapter" from his First Letter to the Church in Corinth. It is a stunning piece of poetry. But it is also brilliant theology, and the reason it shows up in the lectionary this morning, a full two weeks before Valentine's Day, may surprise you.      (click here to read Fr. Mark's sermon)

January 17, 2010    Fr. Mark Selvey
A couple of comments about weddings, and three questions about the Wedding in Cana,
starting with "Why so much, Jesus?"       (click here to read the sermon)

January 3, 2010    Fr. Mark Selvey
Family snapshots -- a young Messiah in the temple -- what is Luke getting at?  (full sermon)

December 20, 2009    Fr. Mark Selvey
A new year, a new Gospel -- God's scandalous plan for salvation....(click to download the sermon)

December 13, 2009     Fr. Mark Selvey

So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people."

Oh, John -- always spreading that Christmas cheer! Good news! There's unquenchable fire!  -- 

Rejoice!(here's the rest)

December 6, 2009     Fr. Mark Selvey

So no sooner do we say goodbye to Thanksgiving, than we enter, full-on, into Christmas.

Actually, I began to see Christmas stuff in Target before Halloween even, which tells you something about how we treat these holidays.

Aren't they all just starting to kind of run together?

It's nuts, really.
(here's the rest of the sermon)

November 15, 2009      Fr. Mark Selvey

What do you think of when you hear the word "apocalypse?"

The end of the world?

Book of Revelation?

Timothy LaHay and the Left Behind series?
(click here for the rest of the sermon)

November 8, 2009     Fr. Mark Selvey
Wow!. Some nice prophet, huh? Now, the

I don't know if you caught the gist of that story from First Kings,

Now, the context for this story is that the King has proven unworthy by allowing the worship of other Gods, including Baal,

And so Yahweh -- the jealous Hebrew God has caused a great drought in the land,

So the drought comes and the crops all fail, and Elijah the Tishbite, [not to be confused with Elisha, who comes along a little later]

click here for the rest