Sermon for the 3rd Sunday in Lent (A) - 3/27/2011

Greetings as we approach the middle of Lent. It was a late winter’s day at church and no four footed visitors today. We had a guest vocalist, Miss Amanda Brandenburg, today and she provided a graceful portion of our chanted Great Litany and a solo at the Offertory. She helped us have a blessed worship service. Many thanks to our keyboard player, Ms. Nellwyn Beamon, she has added a lot of musical variety to our services and has helped enhance the worship experience. I’ve attached a link to today’s sermon, “What is our response when we ‘harken to God’s voice’?”

I pray everyone is having a blessed Lenten journey and bid you God's peace,

Les

http://chirb.it/b4gmp2

Sermon for Lent 2 (Year A) - March 20, 2011

Greetings on the second Sunday in Lent. It was a blessed day today and we had a special visitor in our midst today – a baby flying squirrel. Quite the surprise for a few in the congregation but successfully released. Today’s sermon topic was “Our Lenten journey requires real work but that work will be blessed by our relationship with God.”

Blessings,

Les+

http://chirb.it/rqLMgL

Sermon for the 1st Sunday in Lent - 3/13/2011

It was a beautiful day in Chuckatuck today. It was nice to celebrate our first Sunday in Lent on a nice spring's day (but not for long); we had plenty of sun and lots of people (even with the time change). Also had a good kick off to our Education forum before service. There were 8 for education hour and we had lots of good conversations.

Attached is a copy of today's sermon, "Our Lenten journey begins with sin and our greatest sin: Fear."

Grace to you,

Les

http://chirb.it/kxeaJL

Ash Wednesday Sermons - March 9, 2011

Welcome to Lent. Yesterday's Ash Wednesday remembrance was a blessed event. There were two moving services where the parish was invited to participate in a Holy Lent. I have attached the two sermons preached yesterday - they are a little different but essentially the same.

As part of our communal Lenten discipline we will begin Formation Classes this Sunday morning at 9:15 am (yes - even with the time change... SPRING AHEAD) and Wednesday evening soup supper and program for the coming 5 weeks of Lent. Join us in our Lenten discipline.

Peace,
Les+

http://chirb.it/D8GMMw

http://chirb.it/kwE4xp

Shrove Tuesday - March 8, 2011

A wonderful celebration of Shrove Tuesday was celebrated at St. John's on March 8. We served a variety of pancakes made by the hand of our expert cook and Senior Warden - Mr. Jim Tankovich. We feasted on three kinds of pancakes: grain and nut wheat-free (spelt and rye) pancakes, grain and nut whole wheat pancakes, and regular pancakes. We also had hand made sausages from Gates County North Carolina along with Bob Evans sausages.

There were a total of 71 people in attendance and we drew from as close as our next-door neighbor all the way to Smithfield and Ward's Corner Norfolk. We also had representation from the three Chuckatuck churches, Oakland Christian Church and Wesley United Methodist Church.

The celebration led us to the beginning of a holy Lenten season.  Come join us during Lent and see what we have to offer - in addition to our wonderful food.

Les+

Sermon for the Last Sunday after the Epiphany 2011

Friends:

It was a blessed and damp day at St. John's this morning. I think the rain may have kept some people away and I hope that all who were away are well.

We draw a close to the Epiphany Season in 2011. Today's service marks the end of our Epiphany journey and the beginning of our reflections during Lent.  Today's sermon was entitled "The mountaintop is not the end but the beginning of our journey."

Peace,
Les+

http://chirb.it/v0vGK7