“My task, which I am trying to achieve is, by the power of the written word, to make you hear, to make you feel—it is, before all, to make you see.” ― Joseph Conrad, Lord Jim
While ministers do a variety of things throughout the week, by and large, it is the Sunday sermon, or message, that is the most witnessed and commented on.
A good sermon should inspire, convict and encourage. Worship is perhaps the primary way the congregation feels connected to me and each other. Below are links to several recent sermons. These will give you an idea of what I say and how I say it.
New York Society for Ethical Culture
March 13, 2022 The Life of Pi
No, not the movie, the mathematical constant, which starts off with 3.14 and goes on into infinity. Because of this, March 14 is recognized as International Pi Day. So, for those math nerds and for those for whom math remains a nemesis, join us as Dr. Rost explores what pi can teach us about life and how to live it well.
September 10, 2023 Living Response-Ably in Community
On this Sunday, as we welcome the folx who have become members over the past few years, Dr. Rost examined what means to be a part of a community. What does it mean to belong? What are the gifts? What are the sacrifices? How do we know when to step up our involvement in our community and how do we know it’s time to step back? How do we, as a community, honor the gifts and time of our members? In this sermon I reference the song, Crowded Table by the Highwomen throughout. I’ve included a link to it here.
October 2, 2023 Behold I am Become Barbie, Destroyer of Worlds.
In this Platform address, Dr. Rost explores the lessons we can learn from the movies, Barbie and Oppenheimer.
November 26, 2023 Grace, Gratitude. and Gravy!
For many people, this weekend is synonymous with these words. We gathered around tables with family and friends for a day of gratitude. Many of us also said some form of table grace or went around the table saying what we are thankful for. And what would Thanksgiving be without heaps of gravy? What would happen if we treated grace not as a prayer to be mumbled, but a life to be lived? What would happen if we gave grace to those who have wronged or disappointed us? What happens when we withhold grace? How can we express gratitude in the midst of our messy human lives? In this Platform, Dr. Rost invited us to explore these questions and more.
The presidential election of 2016 left many of us reeling in shock and disbelief. Most of our congregations experienced a larger turnout than usual, as the shell-shocked came through our doors to seek solace, connection, hope. I knew this would be one of the most important sermons I would preach. Rather than waiting for the election results, I decided I would write my sermon before Tuesday’s results. I wanted the sermon to be not about who won, but what do we do next. For this service, I did a live-streaming on Facebook.
Of course, it’s important to get people to church in the first place! On that same Sunday, post-election I wanted to connect with my people in a different way; something that acknowledged our shared humanity and our shared pain and disbelief. As I was sitting up in bed, drinking my first cup of coffee, it came to: I’d make a video in all my early morning glory and share it on Facebook. And so the Sunday Morning Minister’s Pajama Chat was born. These occasional untouched videos showed an informal side to my ministry. It was for a season, as I tried to connect with folks in an informal way during turbulent times. Many people told me they would check Facebook on Sunday mornings to see if I had uploaded a video! While I no longer make these videos (at least for the moment!) you can access these very short videos here.