SERMONS

"The Transfiguration of Christ" by Carl Bloch, 1872  Even with the record warmth this week, we know winter is not yet over. There’s snow and cold to come—but we can feel the warmth in the sun. We can see the longer light in the evenings. We know that spring is not far off as we make the turn into Lent this week, the very name coming from the word “lengthen.” And so we are brought to today, the end of the church season of Epiphany, a funny word, but one that indicates a season

“You are the salt of the earth,” Jesus says. “You are the light of the world.” These days we summon light with the flick of a switch, and if we’re at all concerned about salt it’s that the doctor said we eat too much of it. But 2,000 years ago, salt and light were rare, precious, and indispensable for life. Our word “salary” comes from the time when salt was so precious, it was used as payment for work. And in a world without refrigeration, salt was crucial for preserving per

"The Presentation" by James Tissot Day in, and day out, he walked the courts of the Temple, contemplating the Word and Law of God, and living obediently. Trusting in the promises God made his people, he looked for the coming of God’s salvation.  The Holy Spirit whispered to him that before he died, he would see the Messiah with his own eyes. But it hasn’t happened yet, and Simeon is a very old man now.  The promise God made him surely wore on his heart not to mention his join