Sermons by “Rev’d Dr. Anita Louise Schell”

First Sunday of Lent: The Journey Begins, March 10, 2019

Ash Wednesday: You are Dust, March 6, 2019

You are Dust, and to Dust shall You Return

Last Sunday After Epiphany: Look and Listen, March 3, 2019

Seventh Sunday After the Epiphany: Love Your Enemies February 24th, 2019

As we end this month begun with our reading of Martin Luther King Jr., we can give thanks for the witness of Martin Luther King Jr., Frederick Douglass and thousands of others who in word and deed embodied Jesus’ words in today’s Gospel: “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. Do to others as you would have them do to you.” May we have the courage to do the same.

Third Sunday After the Epiphany: Jesus Reads in the Synagogue at Nazareth, January 27th 2019

This is the full service we held on Sunday, January 27, 2019 in the church office as the heat was inoperative in the rest of the church. National Grid was able to restore our heat Sunday afternoon.

Second Sunday after the Epiphany: The Wedding at Cana of Gallilee

The celebration of the feast of the Epiphany began in Egypt sometime during the third century and was traditionally celebrated in honor of 3 events: The Epiphany and of the adoration of the Magi; the baptism of Jesus and the first miracle at the wedding at Cana of Galilee. These 3 were all together in the third century’s celebration of Jesus’ divinity. Today we hear the story of the wedding at Cana of Galilee, the first miracle (called a sign) story in John’s Gospel and told only in John. The nearly 160 gallons of the finest wine symbolize God’s abundance

The Baptism of the Lord: Remember Your Baptism January 13th, 2019

On this First Sunday after the Feast of the Epiphany we always celebrate the baptism of Jesus by John in the River Jordan. Since we are in Year C, it’s Luke’s version that we read. As the evangelist most preoccupied with the formation of the church, Luke emphasizes the importance of the bestowal of the Holy Spirit in both his gospel and the history book of the New Testament (also written by Luke), the Book of Acts.
Sometimes, but not always, it is helpful to describe things by what they are not. Let’s try this with our baptisms.
1. Baptisms are not “christenings,” even though the word “Christ” is in its name. We christen boats; we baptize people.
2. Baptisms did not begin with Jesus or John the Baptist. Baptisms were an ancient custom in Judaism for purification of the body Baptism, next to circumcision and sacrifice, was an absolutely necessary condition to be fulfilled by a proselyte, or newcomer, to Judaism.
3. Purification from sins was also not a new idea with John. Baptism was practiced in ancient (Ḥasidic or Essene) Judaism.
4. Baptisms are not about dunking someone in water, though some traditions, ie.,American Baptists, practice full immersion, but usually not Episcopalians- though we can. The water is critical to baptisms, however. Interesting to note that in ancient Judaism, full immersion 3 times in water was a part of baptism.
In addition to naming the Holy Spirit and fire, beginning in the baptisms John performed, the church has used this joining, this “initiation rite, ” to name the child or adult about to be baptized. This too is different from its ancient roots.Names are the first means by which we are set apart.

Christmas 1: God Becomes Human