Alleluia, Christ is risen! He is risen indeed, alleluia! Looking back at last Easter, I can’t believe how naïve I was. I thought this pandemic would last maybe a couple of months, and that we’d be able to worship again in our sanctuary come May or June, and just go back to ‘normal’. […]
Biweekly Newsletter, March 30th
Biweekly Newsletter March 30th
Sermon Matthew 21: 1-11; Palm Sunday – March 28th, 2021 by the Rev. Dr. Fred Weidmann
GOSPEL READING Matthew 21:1-11 When they had come near Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to me. If […]
‘A New Beginning, Again and Again’: Sermon John 12:20-33; 5th Sunday in Lent – March 21st, 2021
On this day, March 21st, in the year 1685 –Johann Sebastian Bach was born in Eisenach. He was the 8th and youngest child of Johann Ambrosius and Elisabeth Bach. Two days later, he was baptized, and consequently raised as a Lutheran. Johann Sebastian wasn’t the first musician in his family. This tradition went back […]
‘Not to condemn, but to heal’: Sermon John 3: 14-21; 4th Lent – March 14th, 2021
Our planet earth looks blue and beautiful from outer space. It’s the world we know. It’s our living space. And, by the way, it’s the only one we have. Mars is too dry, as we are seeing again – too lifeless. The world we know is populated by billions of people of different colors, […]
‘Righteous Anger’: Sermon John 2:13-25; 3rd Lent – March 7th, 2021
My husband Fred and I have been watching more TV than usual over the course of the last year – it happens when you don’t get out much. And so I’ve discovered – and got hooked on – a particular PBS show: ‘Finding Your Roots’ with historian Henry Louis Gates Jr. (show pic ‘Gates’). […]
Biweekly Newsletter for Feb. 28th Week
Biweekly Newsletter March 4
Self Denial – The Turn from Me to You: Sermon Mark 8:31-38 – 2nd Lent; February 28th, 2021
Have you ever been in denial about something? I am the first one to admit that there were times in my life when I was in denial. Until I got a physical recently, I was in denial about how many pandemic pounds I had put on, for example. Now what, […]
‘The Dark Night of the Soul’: Sermon Mark 1: 9-15; 1st Sunday in Lent – February 21st, 2021
As I was getting my annual physical a couple of weeks ago, the intake nurse asked me, among other things, ‘Have you felt down or depressed over the course of the last year?’ I must have given her an incredulous look, because she gave me a little, understanding smile. I said, ‘Who hasn’t?’ The […]
No Pain, No Gain: Reflection Matthew 6: 1-6, 16-21; Ash Wednesday – February 17th, 2021
This day, Ash Wednesday, marks the beginning of the Lenten season, which lasts for about seven weeks until Good Friday. In Christian tradition, Lent is a time of reflection, of repentance, and fasting. It is a time to reflect on the suffering and death of Jesus Christ – and we begin this season with […]
‘Movement versus Institution’: Sermon Mark 9:2-13 – Transfiguration Sunday; February 14th, 2021
Today’s gospel lesson is quite spectacular: Peter, James, and John witness how Jesus, their rabbi, son of a simple carpenter in the remote outpost of Nazareth, is transfigured, transformed before their eyes on the mountaintop. His face shines like the sun, his clothes, soiled from the long travel on the road, become dazzling […]
Take and Give: Sermon Mark 1: 29-39 – 5th Sunday after Epiphany; February 7th, 2021
You may have heard that there was a controversy about the choice of Time Magazine’s ‘Person / Persons of the Year’ 2020. Time Magazine chose to put then President elect Joe Biden and Vice-President elect Kamala Harris on the cover and declare them ‘Persons of the Year’. Which is not an unusual choice: Donald […]
‘Courage to be the Light’: Sermon Mark 1:14-20; 3rd Sunday after Epiphany – January 24th, 2021
‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near. Repent, and believe in the good news!’ These are the very first words that Jesus is reported saying in the gospel according to Mark. We hear about Jesus in the verses leading up to today’s gospel story – and it has to […]
Blind Spots: Sermon 1 Samuel 3: 1-10; John 1:35-42 – 2nd Sunday after Epiphany; January 17th, 2021
The Bible is full of interesting and multi-layered characters. The vast majority of them are not perfect – they are all human, after all, so why would they be? And wouldn’t perfection be boring? At least when it comes to storytelling? I am grabbed by one of the characters of our lesson from the Old […]
Out of the Water, Into the World: Sermon Mark 1: 4-11; 1st Sunday after the Epiphany / Baptism of Our Lord – January 10th, 2021
The Jordan River is not one of the mighty rivers of this world. Compared to other rivers, it is tiny: it’s merely 156 miles long and 60 feet across at its widest. It’s fairly shallow: its deepest point is about 17 feet. It’s never been navigable. It is formed by tributaries in the mountains […]
Bi-Weekly Newsletter Update
Biweekly Newsletter Jan. 7
Detour Ahead: Sermon Matthew 2: 1-12; 2nd Christmas / Epiphany – January 3rd, 2021
I want you to think back exactly one year, to the beginning of January 2020. What were your expectations for that year? What were your plans for that brand new year? I remember that, in January 2020, my husband Fred and I were seriously planning a trip to Spain, which was supposed to happen […]
Glory to God in the Deepest! Sermon Luke 2:1-20; Christmas Eve – December 24th, 2020
For the past 23 years, friends in Germany have been sending me a special gift every Advent: an Advent calendar called ‘Der andere Advent’, ‘The Other Advent’, with reflections and images for every day of the Advent and Christmas season. In this year’s calendar, there was one reflection that stood out to me: A […]
‘Mary knew’: Sermon Luke 1: 26-38; 4th Advent – December 20th, 2020
This is the season of holiday songs. There are certain radio stations here in the Bay Area that have played nothing but holiday songs for weeks now. What is your favorite Christmas song – or carol? That may be a tough question – I have to think hard about it, there are so many […]
To Be Continued… Sermon Mark 1: 1-8; 2nd Advent / St. Nicholas Day – December 6th, 2020
The gospel according to Mark stands out among the gospel accounts we have in our Bible. It is the one gospel story that cuts right to the chase. No mention of Mary and Joseph or any other of Jesus’ relatives, no birth story, no stories from Jesus’ childhood – no, after a one sentence […]