Ralph Connor Memorial United Church

The Little White Church on Main Street, Canmore, Alberta

unity

Sermon: June 26, 2022 – Galatians 3: 23-29

When bad news & good news are intertwined, what do we hear? Download PDF:  Sermon_26June2022  Watch: https://youtu.be/nQXKlcqedLI Seventeen years ago, when I was coaching my son’s Little League baseball team, one of his teammates was a really athletic boy who was fairly new to baseball, and whose self-image was, shall we say, “a work in progress”.  As coaches, we were encouraged to help each child develop confidence at a number of different positions, including pitcher if they were so inclined, …

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Sermon: Pentecost Sunday, June 5, 2022 – Acts 2: 1-21

At Pentecost we see evidence that diversity and unity can coexist.  At the first Christian Pentecost, two different groups gathered with Holy intent in Jerusalem, at the same time: the followers of Jesus, mostly from Galilee, anticipating the gift of the Spirit; and Jewish people from around the Mediterranean who had come for the festival of Shavuot.  Soon the Spirit was there as wind, as tongues of fire and as a variety of tongues being spoken and understood.  There was …

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Sermon: October 3, 2021 – Ephesians 2: 13-22

Such dividedness. Insiders and outsiders.  Ethnic and Religious splits. Positions strongly held, to the point of erecting walls of hostility between one another. Differences, even, in what is considered authoritative and true. Watch at https://youtu.be/C9XfrJ_u-7o     Download PDF here: Sermon_03October2021 No, I’m not talking about Alberta or Canada or the US in the year 2021, though I clearly could be.  This paragraph describes the situation addressed by the second chapter of Ephesians. Traditionally considered a letter of the apostle Paul, …

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Sermon: September 12, 2021 – Psalm 19

Figuring out one’s priorities is no easy feat. Do I focus on my own needs, the needs of those closest to me, the needs of communities that I am part of, or the needs of all living beings and the planet itself?  With so many needs, how do I best align my choices with God’s hopes – especially at a time when many of us feel that our capacity is at a low ebb? Watch at https://youtu.be/4j35tkU9vAI   Download PDF:  Sermon_12September2021 …

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Sermon: October 25, 2020 – Matthew 22: 34-40

LOVE is at the core of today’s gospel lesson. The first three gospels all recount the same story, of Jesus being asked which commandment is greatest, and in the fourth gospel Jesus volunteers some thoughts expressing the same sentiment. View at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQoyXyzgGug  Download PDF at Sermon_25October2020 In today’s reading from Matthew, and in the 12th chapter of Mark, the setting is the same as it was in last week’s gospel reading:  Jesus, recently and not-too-quietly arrived in Jerusalem, is asked …

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Sermon: June 7, 2020 – Ephesians 4: 1-16

In this week when the United Church of Canada reaches the 95-year milestone, my wonderings have gone to what it means to be United, and how we can view unity, not just as practical and efficient, but as an aspect of who we are in Christ. YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/hEqynq64MBI Click here  for a PDF of this Sermon First, a few quick notes regarding this particular form of unity – what it is and what it is not.  There are some related words, …

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Sermon: Ascension Sunday May 24, 2020 – Acts 1: 1-11

One of the ways to tease out a Christian denomination’s priorities and theology, is to look at how they name their Churches.   If a denomination tends to use phrases like “Crown of Glory Christian Fellowship” that suggests a very different approach than “Historic Holy Trinity Parish” and that suggests a very different approach than “your subdivision named here, Church”. Video link: https://youtu.be/ysU15cRvzrU PDF link: Sermon_24May2020 So on this Sunday when we mark the going up, or “Ascension” of Christ into …

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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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