Evangelical Lutheran Church of Poestenkill

05/31/2026

We need diverse images of God because we,
in all our diversity of being,
are images of the Divine One.

Today's sermon:

We are divine.

05/24/2026

"It’s been making me think a bit this week
about how many of you, particularly- but not exclusively- women,
said last week during our sermon discussion that you don’t see yourselves as divine.
Completely new concept or idea,
rooted in what so many of us have grown up being told:
that God is divine, and humans are sinners.

Our own beings created in the image of divinity…
meh."

Today's sermon: https://open.spotify.com/episode/77zRDMnuIISKnoS6XevEOs?si=PqM7BIOlSBWFdspHgNi4sw

Curiosity. Faith. Questions. · Episode

05/10/2026

"But I like what Nigerian-American writer, Enuma Okoro, says Paul is speaking to the human experience of seeking divinity,
and, by quoting their poetry, their literature, appeals to them personally.
He acknowledges their journey and what they have found;
then he shares his own spiritual journey,
believing that he has found something essential,
and that within that experience he is compelled to share it with others."

Today's sermon:

Acts 17:22-31

05/03/2026

Ever wonder about the first Christian martyr? Here's a chance to find out!
Today's sermon:

Whoops! noticed partway through reading the gospel I hadn't hit record. (We don't talk about it today anyway; come to a funeral to hear it discussed.)Read Acts, esp. 6:1-8:2 for the Stephen stuff. (Assigned lectionary: 7:55-60.)

04/26/2026

In the Greco-Roman world of the time,
and among specific Jewish groups,
holding all things in common is how they lived.

What would it be like for us to hold all things in common
so that each person got according to their need,
regardless of ability to “pay”?

We get a glimpse of these possibilities in our public libraries.
All those books! and other materials that we all have access to- for just a few dollars of tax money a year!
Sure, technically the materials are “property of” the library,
but they’re also held in common by the community.

Today's sermon:

Forgot to hit record before reading the gospel. But I didn't talk about it anyway. Read Acts 2:42-47.

04/05/2026

"On that first Easter morning,
as the stone was rolled away with the supernatural power of earth and heaven,
Mary and Mary bore witness to the limits of political power.

The world didn’t outwardly change.
The Roman empire stayed in power for a few hundred more years,
replaced by another,
and they by another,
on down through history into today’s own empires and oligarchies.

We labor for others’ wealth while scraping by ourselves,
picking and choosing our own costs of living,
our men are sent to war,
our children exploited and abused,
and women are crushed, holding all these things.

But the world did change for Mary and Mary,
the first witnesses to the end of all things."

Today's Resurrection Sunday sermon:

My latest wondering.

03/29/2026

Today we gather in worship,
waving palms,
shouting, “Hosanna! Save us!”

Not quite two thousand years ago the people shouted to be saved from Caesar, from violent occupation, domination.

Eight years ago, kids led the cries for salvation from gun violence in their schools, homes, public places.

Yesterday people across the continent, shouted
“Save us from
kings
war
dictatorship
fascism
climate change
violence
tyranny
abuse
corruption …

and on and on and on.

Today's sermon:

03/22/2026

"We don’t know how Philemon answered Paul,
how he received Onesimus, Paul’s “own heart,”
or if he rejected his former slave altogether.

But we know how we answer one another’s prayers for love and grace,
how we receive- or reject- the hearts of others sent to us in faith and hope.

We know how we respond to God speaking in and through us to turn away from our own sin and misdeeds,
how we have or have not changed for the better over the course of our lives."

Today's sermon:

Read Paul's letter to Philemon. It's short.

03/08/2026

"Solomon prayed for wisdom to lead,
to see the people he was anointed to serve
in all their holy humanity
regardless of circumstances.

We all lead
and are led.

Are we wise and discerning leaders,
compassionate and emulating Jesus?
Or do we lead to get what we want?

Do we follow wise and discerning leaders,
who seek justice and peace,
who pursue the common good and seek to lift the “least” of us?
Or do we defend words and actions that are antithetical to the life of Christ?

Prayer is not just a conversation,
but part of an ongoing, lifelong, relationship with God
that is lived out through being in right relationship with everyone around us."

Today's sermon:

1 Kings 3:1-15 (I forgot to flip my insert and read v.15)

03/04/2026

"We pray when we’re desperate,
angry,
feeling abandoned,
need something,
don’t know what else to do or say.

Underneath all of it is faith- trust in someone or something “out there”
hearing us
holding us

in our lowest lows."

Sunday's sermon:

1 Samuel 1:9-19