Lessons: Acts 9:1-20 Revelation 5:11-14 John 21:1-19 Psalm 30 What do we mean when we use the word “Conversion”? In contemporary parlance, we mean a number of different things. Some of the meanings are mechanical: we can convert a car so that, instead of running on gasoline, it runs on diesel. Some of themContinueContinue reading “Third Sunday of Easter by The Rev. Martin Elfert”
Author Archives: gracememorialpdx
Doubting Thomas + Second Sunday of Easter by The Rev. Mary Anne Gard
Lessons: Acts 5:27-32 Revelation 1:4-8 John 20:19-31 Psalm 118:14-29 Today our Gospel scene opens with the disciples huddled and frozen with fear in the upper room. The doors and windows are barred. It is dark and the air is thick with depression, despair, and the worst of all – doubt. Despite the years, and travels,ContinueContinue reading “Doubting Thomas + Second Sunday of Easter by The Rev. Mary Anne Gard”
Easter Day by The Rev. Martin Elfert
Lessons: Isaiah 65:17-25 Acts 10:34-43 Luke 24:1-12 Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24 Alleluia, Christ is risen! Sixteen days ago, our longtime cat, Maggie, died. Maggie had been with my wife, Phoebe, and me since 1999, she was very nearly seventeen years old, and she was a kind of living link to another time in our lives:ContinueContinue reading “Easter Day by The Rev. Martin Elfert”
The Great Vigil of Easter by The Rev. Stephen Whitney-Wise
Lessons: Genesis 1:1-2:4a [The Story of Creation] Genesis 7:1-5, 11-18, 8:6-18, 9:8-13 [The Flood] Exodus 14:10-31; 15:20-21 [Israel’s deliverance at the Red Sea] Ezekiel 37:1-14 [The valley of dry bones] Zephaniah 3:14-20 [The gathering of God’s people] At The Eucharist: Romans 6:3-11 Luke 24:1-12
Good Friday by The Rev. Richard Toll
Lessons: Isaiah 52:13-53:12 Hebrews 10:16-25 John 18:1-19:42 Psalm 22 Jerusalem – in the 1st century – a city built on a hill looking out over the Jordan Desert with a distant view of the Dead Sea. A fabulous location. Thousands of pilgrims flocking to the city for religious reasons and to honor the role ofContinueContinue reading “Good Friday by The Rev. Richard Toll”
Maundy Thursday by The Rev. Martin Elfert
Lessons: Exodus 12:1-14 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 John 13:1-17, 31b-35 Psalm 116:1, 10-17 One of the many talents of my friend Doug was his ability to sound like an FM Radio Announcer. He would drop his voice down half an octave and, somehow, broadening and richening it, before declaring: Welcome to the drive at Five.ContinueContinue reading “Maundy Thursday by The Rev. Martin Elfert”
Palm Sunday & Sunday of the Passion by The Rev. Martin Elfert
Lessons: Isaiah 50:4-9a Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29 Philippians 2:5-11 Luke 19:28-40 * Then the whole multitude began to praise God joyfully, saying, Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Then they brought Jesus to the place the place of a skull. And they crucified him. I was a youngContinueContinue reading “Palm Sunday & Sunday of the Passion by The Rev. Martin Elfert”
Fifth Sunday in Lent by The Rev. Martin Elfert
Lessons: Isaiah 43:16-21 Philippians 3:4b-14 John 12:1-8 Psalm 126 Do you have a favourite smell? An odour that just delights you when it makes it to your nose? I have several smells that I really like. I love the smell that the earth makes when rain falls upon it on a hot day, theContinueContinue reading “Fifth Sunday in Lent by The Rev. Martin Elfert”
Fourth Sunday in Lent by The Rev. Carola von Wrangel
Lessons: Joshua 5:9-12 2 Corinthians 5:16-21 Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32 Psalm 32
Third Sunday in Lent by The Rev. Martin Elfert
Lessons: Exodus 3:1-15 1 Corinthians 10:1-13 Luke 13:1-9 Psalm 63:1-8 This is a story about you. In the book in which the story is written down, the lead character is given the name “Moses.” That’s because stories are easiest to tell – and easiest for you and for me to hear – when theContinueContinue reading “Third Sunday in Lent by The Rev. Martin Elfert”