Calvary Church, United Methodist

The following sermon was delivered on June 5th, 2011 by Rev. Christine Elliott at Calvary Church, United Methodist.

When Pope John XXIII was elected more than 50 years ago, he was asked what he planned to do first as head of the Roman Catholic Church.  He replied:  “We are going to open the windows and let in some fresh air!”

The Scripture lessons from Luke-Acts this morning focus on Christ’s Ascension – not an aspect of our tradition that we normally spend a lot of time on!  We are told that after Easter morning, the risen Jesus appeared to his disciples and followers in many different ways for a period of time (40 days).  Then he took his final leave from them and ascended to Heaven.  But he did not do so without parting instructions – and those instructions were about opening the windows…and letting in the fresh air.

Jesus’ followers were directed to wait – to wait together – to wait together for the Holy Spirit.   The Spirit would empower them to be Christ’s witnesses – in their city, in their region, and out into the wider world.

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The following sermon was delivered on May 29th, 2011 by Rev. Christine Elliott at Calvary Church, United Methodist.

I wonder just how many of these coloring pages I completed in elementary school, featuring drawings of Greek gods and goddesses, as we learned the stories of Greek religion (then termed “mythology”). . . Athena, Poseidon, Zeus, Hera, Artemis (my favorite because she got to be out in the woods a lot.

Paul, the first Christian missionary, was struck by much more than bright Crayola colors as he walked around Athens in the year 52 of the Common Era – he saw statues erected to the Greek deities – altars everywhere he turned. Statues of gold, silver and precious stones.

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The following sermon was delivered by Rev. Christine Elliot on May, 15th, 2011 at Calvary Church, United Methodist in Arlington Massachusetts.

The 23rd Psalm is one of the best-known, most-loved pieces of the entire library known as the Holy Bible. Some say that in an age of increasing biblical illiteracy, the familiarity to many of this psalm is a very encouraging sign!

The fact that the psalm was written by, and for, an agrarian society – that its imagery is taken from the every day life of sheep herders – could potentially make it more difficult for people in our electronic age to grasp… (more…)

The following sermon was delivered by Rev. Christine Elliott May 1st, 2011 at Calvary Church, United Methodist.

I’ve met many people who explain their absence from church and characterize their spiritual life by saying that they do believe in God – and they like to spend time in Nature. In response to that I have begun to say 2 Yes-es and a But. Yes to belief in God, Yes to time in Nature BUT…

You see over time I have come to a clear and firm conviction:

You can believe in God all by yourself.

BUT you cannot be a Christian alone. (more…)

Please turn to your neighbor and describe the sky as it looks this morning. . .

Some years ago, a reporter carried out an interesting survey on the street.  Pedestrians were stopped at random and asked, without looking up, to describe the sky as it was that day.  Only a small percentage could give a description with reasonable accuracy!

William Arnold, who relates this incident, urges:  “One way to join the psalmist in marveling at God is by looking up!”

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