George Hermanson

Light Cannot Be Divided

Year A, Season of Epiphany
Epiphany 3
Sunday Between January 21 and January 27 Inclusive
January 23, 2011

Faith-provoking, historical insights into the lesson by David Ewart, Matthew 4:12-23.

January 27, 2008
Edwards (Knox) United Church
Third After Epiphany

Isaiah 9:1-4
Read the passage: The Message   or   The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

1 Corinthians 1:10-18
Read the passage: The Message   or   The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Matthew 4:12-23
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The Rev. Dr. George Hermanson

[Read 1 Corinthians 1:10-18]

We have all heard that our age is defined as one of pluralism.  It is the idea that there are many different paths to truth.  It relativizes truth; thus an individual’s religious or political allegiance becomes a matter of personal truth.

Come and See

Year A, Season of Epiphany
Epiphany 2
Sunday Between January 14 and January 20 Inclusive
January 16, 2011

Faith-provoking, historical insights into the lesson by David Ewart, John 1:29-42.

January 20, 2008
Edwards (Knox) United Church
Second After Epiphany

Isaiah 49:1-7
Read the passage: The Message   or   The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

John 1:29-42
Read the passage: The Message   or   The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

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The Rev. Dr. George Hermanson

U2 has a great song called “Still haven’t found what I am looking for.”    It seems to me it sums up, and is a response to a Peggy Lee song, “Is that all there is?”.  These songs reflect the perennial existential question of what makes humanity flourish?  We come to the questions  about what is worthy of us at different stages of our life.  Context shapes our question of what is it that we want to define us.

[Note: If you have QuickTime installed as a plugin with your browser, you will see a control and be able to play these songs:
U2 - "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" 
Peggy Lee - "Is That All There Is?"
Or you can download MP3 files here:
U2 - MP3 - Download U2 I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
Peggle Lee - MP3 - Download Peggy Lee Is That All There Is?]

Being Bathed in the Light

Year A, Season of Epiphany
Epiphany 1
Baptism of the Lord
Sunday Between January 7 and January 13 Inclusive
January 9, 2011

Faith-provoking, historical insights into the lesson by David Ewart, Matthew 3:13-17.

January 13, 2008
Edwards (Knox) United Church
Baptism of Jesus Sunday

Isaiah 42:1-9
Read the passage: The Message   or   The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Matthew 3:13-17
Read the passage: The Message   or   The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

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The Rev. Dr. George Hermanson

Did you notice how quickly society moved on from Christmas?  We had boxing day sales and the lights and trees came down.  As the Christmas wrapping paper was sent off to recycling our society turned off the lights.

Yet this church did something so counter.  Our Epiphany symbols remained. Now you might not think this is unusual, but several of my colleagues had to tell their worship committees to leave up the symbols of epiphany.  Like secular society, the celebration of the light of God breaking into history was moved off stage.  And here we kept preparing ourselves for the brilliance of God’s love.  We continued to be bathed in the light.

Joy That Brings Change

Year A, B, C, Season of Epiphany
Epiphany of the Lord
January 6  or  First Sunday in January

Faith-provoking, historical insights into the lesson by David Ewart, Matthew 2:1-12.

January 6, 2008
Edwards (Knox) United Church
Epiphany Sunday

Isaiah 60:1-6
Read the passage: The Message   or   The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Matthew 2:1-12
Read the passage: The Message   or   The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

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The Rev. Dr. George Hermanson

All of us are called upon to make decisions.  This can be a decision that is very personal - about how we are to live in harmony with others.  And those decisions that appear to be personal also have a wider impact on others.  Life style decisions can effect what kind of world we will have.  And life style decisions have an impact our political decisions.