Ralph Connor Memorial United Church

The Little White Church on Main Street, Canmore, Alberta

Paul

Sermon: September 18, 2022 – 1 Corinthians 1: 18-31

> a sermon preached at Rundle Memorial United Church, Banff AB I have a particularly strong, positive emotional connection with some scriptures. When I see them coming up in the Sunday Lectionary, I can feel my response, a lightness combined with positive anticipation.  Most often, it’s scriptures that are, by nature, quite emotional: the parable of the prodigal son, or the parable of the good Samaritan, for example. Curiously, I have that same kind of connection with today’s reading from …

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Sermon: May 29, 2022 – Acts 16: 16-34

“The true measure of your character is what you do when nobody’s watching.” First attributed to Charles Caleb Colton nearly 200 years ago, there have been versions of this quote repeated far and wide since then, most notably by legendary UCLA Basketball Coach John Wooden, who wanted his players to understand that integrity matters off the court and on the court.   As an aside, I think of a quote attributed to Abraham Lincoln, “Don’t believe everything you read on the …

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Sermon: May 1, 2022 – Acts 9: 1-19

There are few things more inspiring to me, than stories of radical transformation.  You know, the stories of a person whose prior choices were destructive to themselves and those around them, whose life turned around into one that was life-giving and admirable.   Or, on a group level, stories of feisty resilience and grass-roots changes that have transformed the life of a troubled neighbourhood, institution, or nation.  Perhaps it’s just because I enjoy “underdog” stories, but I think it’s more than …

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Sermon: January 30, 2022 – 1 Corinthians 12: 4-27

Note: I am greatly indebted to my spouse, Rev Shannon Mang, for much of the groundwork that went into today’s sermon.  Some of these words are hers, some are mine, some are quoted from or influenced by other authors, and I trust that the Holy Spirit has been at work knitting it all together! – GW Watch at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXaOe44PDcs  Download PDF: Sermon_30January2022 The community of Jesus followers at Corinth were a messy bunch.  The apostle Paul loved them deeply, but …

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Sermon: June 27, 2021 – 2 Corinthians 8: 7-15

As I approach this reading from 2nd Corinthians, chapter 8, it strikes me that the ministry of the Apostle Paul has similarities to the online ministry that we and many Churches have exerted during these past fifteen months. In his own day and in his own way, rather than being entirely reliant on in-person gatherings, Paul’s ministry utilized the technologies available to him. Watch at https://youtu.be/uPbQkjcadEw    download PDF: Sermon_27June2021 Any of us who had Bibles with colour plates, can …

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Sermon: June 13, 2021 – 2 Corinthians 5: 6-17

Occasionally, a Sunday Scripture from the Lectionary will sort of stand there, defiantly, as if to dare the preacher to say something about it. And occasionally I will look back at it with my shoulders in full shrug and reply, “like what?” This week’s reading from Paul’s second letter to the Church at Corinth was like that – talking about faith and courage, life in the body vs. eternal life, seeking God’s favour without becoming boastful, and the newness of …

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Sermon: August 16, 2020 – 1 Corinthians 11: 23-26

When we are at our best, Christians embody their faith.  We look to Jesus Christ as an embodiment, or incarnation, of the Divine, referred to in the gospel of John as “the Word made Flesh.”  God’s presence in the person of Jesus, expresses that this physical world and these physical bodies are places where we experience holiness, sacredness, Divine acceptance, and love.  Theologians like Marcus Borg (pp.39-54) encourage us to view salvation, not as some deferred exit plan from life, …

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Sermon: February 16, 2020 – 1 Corinthians 3: 1-9

Last Sunday night was the annual broadcast of the Academy Awards.  As usual, we tuned in to about half of it and as usual, we’ve seen perhaps two of the films that generated nominees, but that doesn’t lessen our enjoyment of the evening.  It is frustrating that the Academy just can’t bring itself to nominate female directors or non-white actors, which points to bigger issues in the industry and society  around whose stories get told, and by whom, but that …

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Sermon: May 5, 2019 – Acts 9 and John 21

Sermon: May 5, 2019 – Acts 9: 1-6 and John 21: 1-14 Ralph Connor Memorial United Church, Canmore AB – Rev Greg Wooley click here to download PDF This morning feels very much like the first school day back after an extended summer holiday, with the task in front of me the classic “What I did on my summer vacation” assignment.    And I suspect that parts of sermons for months to come, will have a bit of that sense to …

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