Sermon - August 7, 2011

8^th Sunday after Pentecost (Year A) - Sunday, August 7, 2011

Matthew 14:22-33

This past week, my first week in Lancaster, has been memorable in several ways. Personally, I have been struck by the love and kindness you all have shown me in welcoming me to this place. As some of you might know, your former vicar Brett is now my wife and so Christ Lutheran to me is not entirely new. I am so grateful to finally be here each day in person and to begin getting to know each of you.

It's been memorable in another way, though, not nearly as positive. Wave after wave of misfortune and tragedy seem to have crashed into the people of this city, this nation and the world. As a people, as individual persons, and as a common humanity we seem to be weathering a time of high wind and huge waves battering our boat as we struggle to keep afloat.

Jello Salad in Zambia

When I first took a look at the texts for this (now past) Sunday's worship, the story of Jesus walking on water and Peter sinking below only to be saved by Jesus' quick grasp, I was carried back to a memory from the other side of the world. In March 2008, I journeyed with my home congregation, St. Paul's Lutheran in Washington, D.C., to Zambia where we lived and served at an AIDS orphanage. One of the things we did was to run a vacation Bible school for the kids, and my job was to teach Bible stories along with a snack. It just so happened that I was teaching this same story about Jesus saving Peter on the water.

Our American-made curriculum called for snacks themed to the story, and so we made little cups of blue jello with two "Sour Patch Kids" candies (which looked like people, kind of) stuck in the jello. Of course, one of the candies we placed into the jello before it hardened (Peter) and one rested comfortably on the surface (Jesus). By the time we were serving this to Zambian children, we realized this was probably the first time they had eaten either jello or Sour Patch Kids. But, we got to share a little bit of American Lutheranism - jello salad - to the other side of the world. I don't know if those children will ever remember that. I hope they do. But let us remember, even if through something as silly as jello and candy, that Jesus is the One who strides above waves, and we the ones who reach out for his saving hand.

Greetings!

Good morning!

This is Evan Davis, the new vicar here at Christ Lutheran. I am blessed to be here among you now in Lancaster and to greet you with peace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

I have spent a couple days in the office learning my up from down and finding my way around, and I am thankful for all of you who have gone out of your way to make me feel welcome. As many of you know, I am now married to the former vicar, Brett Wilson (now Brett Davis!), and so I feel as though I am entering a familiar place.

As I have transitioned into maintaining this blog, I have changed the name to "Vicar Evan." Unfortunately, this has put my name on all previous posts which I did not write. Everything through June 2011 was prepared by Vicar Brett, regardless of what the website is telling you now. Just a little disclaimer to avoid any errors in attribution! :)

I look forward to sharing my thoughts, sermons, prayers and discernment with you as together we hear the Word of God speaking to us each week through our worship, the scriptures and our conversations and experiences with each other. Please feel free to leave comments or ask a question. Questions often arise as our faith seeks understanding, and I personally welcome them as I hope you will welcome mine.

God's blessings,
Vicar Evan

Second Sunday after Pentecost

Sunday, June 26 was the second Sunday after Pentecost, and my (Vicar Brett) last Sunday as vicar of Christ Lutheran.  This blog will be maintained by Vicar Evan when he begins August 1.  The sermon is based on the gospel text, Matthew 10:40-42.  Click below to read the sermon.

Pentecost Sermon

For Pentecost, the sermon was perhaps a little different.  It's based on this video from some professors at Luther Seminary - which you can view at the bottom of the sermon.  Click below to read the sermon.

Pentecost is Coming . . .

This Sunday, June 12, is the festival of Pentecost, one of the highest days of the church year.  You can read the story of Pentecost in Acts 2. 

A prayer as we approach Pentecost:

Perplexing, Pentecostal God,

you infuse us with your Spirit,

urging us to vision and dream.
May the gift of your presence
find voice in our lives,
that our babbling may be transformed into discernment

and the flickering of many tongues

light an unquenchable fire of compassion and justice. Amen.

(The prayer is taken from here.)

Ascension of Our Lord

Ascension of Our Lord (obs) – Acts/Luke – 6/5/11 – Emmanuel Luth., Lancaster – Vicar Brett Wilson



When I was a little girl I had a big backyard. I loved to lay down in the grass, or lean way back in a swing, and look at the clouds move against the blue sky. I was brought up going to Sunday School each week, and taught that Jesus is always with me and looks down on me, and loves me. And having a vague idea from cartoons or somewhere that God is in the sky, I decided Jesus was up there too. So I can remember as a kid spending fair amounts of time in the backyard trying to see Jesus in the clouds. I mean, if he stands on the cloud, maybe sometimes he gets close enough to an edge, and if I just were to look at the right angle, I'd have to glimpse the top of his head!  I must've been a weird kid, hours spent in this search. . .

In retrospect, maybe I got this idea from hearing the readings on one Ascension Sunday. Acts reads, “When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.”