How Shall We Then Live?

So, as part of my “Ministry Portfolio” that is needed as I look for ministry positions within the Church, we are supposed to post a link in our online portfolio to examples of sermons.  Most Episcopal Churches do not record the sermons of preachers, although more are doing so.  There isn’t the “tape ministry” turn “.mp3” recordings of preachers sermons culture within the Episcopal Church as has been common for a long time among Evangelical churches.

Anyway, I’ve started recording some of my sermons… because that is what is expected these days by those who make up search committees.  Here is my sermon at St. Paul’s Church Carroll St. in Brooklyn, NY.  The text comes from James, Proper 20 of the Revised Common Lectionary.

Meet Jillian Jensen

These things can be so sappy.  This isn’t so much – and she certainly isn’t.  What we do to our kids and allow to be done to them!

Give a listen (3:45 is when her song/singing actually begin)…

Here she is singing this song in an early performance:

The song is by Jessie J, an English performer.  Here is a video of Jessie J singing her song “Who You Are”:

DETROPIA Trailer

This is an American problem. It is a problem with the lack of vision and with the American psyche at this time. It is a problem with those who refuse to consider the civic good over what profits the self or “my little group”, only. It is a problem of not being able to conceive of a 21-century America that will be very, very different than the 20-century America.

It is all being upended, and there is great potential and great hope for those who can understand it and move within these new days of new realities (and it doesn’t matter whether you’re rich or poor, of whatever race or ethnicity, etc., but a matter of understanding, attitude, and determination). We have to be able to remake ourselves, transform ourselves and our communities, and evolve rather than trying to cling to an imagined, idealized “America” that is quickly ending.  Where do we go from here?

(It isn’t just notions of self-sufficiency offered by conservatives or government-sponsored anything offered by liberals, but the need for a different way of approaching the problems and conceiving of the future. It is all predicated on cooperation and compromise – nasty words in today’s social and political climate.)

What the trailer for the new Detropia movie.  This may be Detroit, but I see the same in Lima – town where my parents and my sister’s family live, home of the fictionalized “Glee.”

DETROPIA Trailer from Loki Films on Vimeo.

http://vimeo.com/45929284?action=share&post_id=521576524_168269353310529#_=_