This sermon was given by Greg Williams, Board President of PA IPL, at his home church, St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Altoona, PA, on February 4, 2018, the fifth Sunday after the Epiphany, Year B (lectionary page) and is part of the 1000 Teachings #EachGeneration movement. We’re delighted to share it with all of you.

In preparing to give today’s homily, I was particularly struck by the reading from Isaiah. Isaiah has always stood out for me because of the beauty of the images and poetry of the writing, all written at several very dark times for the Israelites — times of despair not unlike our present times. This passage in in Isaiah 40 stood out for me:

It is the Holy One who sits above the circle of the earth,
The Holy One who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to live in:

In this description of The Holy One, Isaiah paints a picture of an omnipotent, creator God who somehow made the vast panoply of stars that fill the night skies. Human lights have now Continue reading 1000 Teachings Sermon: One in one thousand.

This sermon was given by The Rev. Rebecca S. Myers, LSW, at The Church of the Nativity and St. Stephen’s, Newport, PA, on January 21, 2018, the third Sunday after the Epiphany, Year B (lectionary page) and is part of the 1000 Teachings #EachGeneration movement, and we’re delighted that she has shared it with all of us.

Audio version of the sermon.

And immediately they left their nets and followed him. Mark 1:18

Earlier this week, The New York Times reported that 2017 was one of the warmest years on record since weather records have been kept, which began in 1880. Kay Cramer also sent the Environmental Stewardship Committee a link to a carbon calculator and I once again calculated my carbon footprint.

I have been trying to reduce my personal carbon footprint over the past few years. I drive a pretty fuel efficient vehicle and often walk to the church rather than drive. I love to hang my clothes out to dry when the weather is conducive to do so. I choose sustainable electricity through PA PowerSwitch. If offered, I choose carbon offsets when I fly or take the train. And last summer, I installed a heating/cooling system similar to what we have here in the church. The new system runs on electricity, which in my case is using a sustainable electricity source. My fuel oil furnace is a backup when it’s especially cold.

So, while I’ve personally reduced my carbon footprint, it turns out it’s still 17.30 metric tons. What’s known as

Continue reading 1000 Teachings sermon: Urgency

It is the Holy One who sits above the circle of the earth, The Holy One who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to live in:

It is the Holy One who sits above the circle of the earth,
The Holy One who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to live in: