Preached at Lutheran Church of the Cross in Arlington Heights, IL.  The week before this sermon there was a congregational meeting for the church to explore their future options.  It was hard on many people, and this sermon is an attempt to find Jesus and hope in the midst of pain and the unknown.  Listen and share with those you think need to hear this message. Text was John 6:56-69, where some disciples leave because they can't believe what Jesus is doing. 

Will Jesus EVER stop talking about Bread?  Not sure, but John 10 is full of lots of different ways to think about bread and communion.  This week I talk about eternal life, and how communion allows me to have spiritual healing with my life of chronic illness and disability. 

Sermon based onJohn 10:51-58, Preached at Lutheran Church of the Cross in Arlington Heights on August 19, 2018.

Preached at Glen Elyn, IL at St. Luke's Lutheran Church on August 12, 2018. 
You can click on these passages to read them.  John 31, 41-51 and 1 Kings 19: 4-8.

Sermon on John 6:24-35, Preached at St. Luke in Glen Elyn on August 5, 2018.  

Sermon Preached at Prince of Peace in Schaumburg on July 22, 2018.  Texts includedJeremiah 23:1-6 and Mark 6:30-34 and 53-56. Prince of Peace is our family's home congregation.  

Pastor Lenny Ducan's sermon is more important than mine, as the things happening in the world around us affect him more directly.  You should listen to his words, and watch his short facebook video that is a call to action.  

David dances naked in 2 Samuel 6:1-5, 12b-19, and Herod has a party in Mark 6:14-29.  Although we should party in church, both of these Biblical parties are not without complications.  Listen to learn some Bible stories, and to see how they might relate to life today.  

We all can't be activists, and we all can't leave our lives and go to events.  However, many of us can share our resources with those working for change in the world.  I invite you to share your resources generously with these two groups.  

Follow Black Lives Matter Chicago on Facebook and attend some of their rallies.  

Black Lives Matter Chicago's demands for Harith Augustus (Found at this link.)

No justice, no peace!
Come out Monday at 6 to demand justice for Harith “Snoop” Augustus. He was shot and killed in South Shore. he was a barber, beloved community member, and father of a 5 year old daughter. He was shot 7 times in the back because officers said he was “exhibiting the characteristics of an armed man”

When people began to protest at the scene on 71st and Jeffrey, CPD responded by aggressively pushing the crowd. They jumped their own barricades to beat protesters with batons. There were 100 police officers using full force against peaceful demonstrators. People were shoved and attacked, and some people were arrested. Check out this twitter thread from Nader Issa, Suntimes Reporter, for videos and pics from Saturday night: https://twitter.com/naderdissa/status/1018284580250488832?s=21


We demand:
-the release of the officer’s name 
-her immediate arrest
-the release of the names of all officers that attacked protesters last night and their arrest
-drop the charges against all protesters 
-#CPACNow!

From Monica Trinidad at this link. 
His name was Harith Augustus, but went by Snoop. He was a local barber in the South Shore neighborhood. He had a 5 year old daughter that he often brought to work with him. He was shot and killed by CPD today.
As soon as I arrived to the scene and starting giving hugs to friends, the cops rushed their own barricade and charged at us, batons swinging in the air. I was shoved to the ground while running away, but others got it extremely worse, including dear friends and co-organizers of ours.
What You Can Do Right Now:
1) Donate to Black Lives Matter Chicago. Any and all donations received will be used to bail any folks out. All remaining will be donated to the revolving bail fund by Chicago Community Bond Fund. PayPal.me/BLMCHI
2) Go to the vigil tonight (7/15) at 5pm. 71st and Chappel, where Snoop was killed.
3) Come to a press conference about yesterday’s shooting and the brutality that followed on Monday morning at 9am at 71st and Jeffrey.
4) Keep working and organizing towards a world without police.

There are groups working toward solving community problems without violence and militarized police.  They advocate for things such as mental health response teams, and building up resources in communities so that people have options outside of violence to get ahead or feel safe in life. The link below is a facebook post of mine with MANY more resources on this topic.  I know the topic is new for many people, so please do your research before you judge.  

This sermon is mostly about Jesus and church renewal.  We can look at how Jesus spread his message in his day and time, and figure out how to reset our churches now.  The disciples told stories, and told his disciples to stay away from those places where the message could not be accepted.  

Most of us fear rejection by our family and friends.  Even Jesus was rejected in his home town.  We are in good company.  The church today can see what happens when those in the community were unable to listen or to tell the story.  

Who's life can you learn more about today?  Who might feel rejected and not listened to in your congregation?  Who's stories are heard, and who's stories are missing?  

Listen to this sermon and explore with me concepts related to telling the story and listening to others. 

Sermon on Mark 6:1-13 preached at Trinity, Des Plaines, IL. 

Preached at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Aurora, IL on June 24, 2018 on Mark 4:35-41.  Notice how when the disciples are anxious, they blame Jesus.  Blaming each other doesn't often help.  But what will?

Preached on Mark 4:26-34, which you can read here and can listen to me read below.  I was at Pilgrim Lutheran Church in Chicago, IL.  Topics include immigration, asylum, humanity, mustard, and the Kingdom of God.