My Pastoral Ponderings

My Pastoral Ponderings
Skip to content
  • Home
  • About Me
  • Sermons
  • Devotions
  • Poetry
  • Contact

Tag: Advent

Posted on December 12, 2020December 9, 2020 by Rev. James E. Laurence · 2 Comments

Unquenchable Joy: My Sermon on Gaudete Sunday

Finding joy in a challenging year can be difficult, but we can always find joy in the Lord. Here is my sermon for the Third Sunday of Advent, Gaudete Sunday.

Posted on December 5, 2020December 3, 2020 by Rev. James E. Laurence · 5 Comments

Raising Our Hearts and Making Straight the Path

Prepare the way of the Lord, John the baptizer declares to us at the beginning of Mark's Gospel, by making his paths straight. How? Here is my sermon on Mark 1:1-8 reflecting on that question.

Posted on December 2, 2020December 3, 2020 by Rev. James E. Laurence · 3 Comments

A Glimpse of the Light of God

Here are a few thoughts to share with you about this unusual season of Advent in which we find ourselves, followed by a poem by Ann Weems, as part of my ongoing series of "Poems, Prayers, Psalms, and Promises."

Posted on November 28, 2020November 27, 2020 by Rev. James E. Laurence · 7 Comments

O My Soul, Keep Awake!

What is the great malady of our time? It is arguably the "loss of soul." Here is my sermon on Mark 13:24-37, exploring what it might mean for us to pay renewed attention to our souls.

Posted on December 23, 2019April 13, 2020 by Rev. James E. Laurence

The Surprise of Christmas: My Sermon on December 22, 2019

Advent may be predictable, but the Christmas story shows us that God is full of surprises! Here is my sermon on Matthew 1:18-25.

Posted on December 19, 2019April 13, 2020 by Rev. James E. Laurence

Let Your Face Shine: A Reflection on Psalm 80

What a lovely prayer we find in Psalm 80! "Let your face shine." Here is my reflection on it, shared during last night's Advent Vespers Service.

Posted on December 16, 2019April 13, 2020 by Rev. James E. Laurence

Are You the One? My Sermon on December 15, 2019

Have you ever wondered whether Jesus really is the one? If so, you are not alone. In this Sunday's gospel reading, John the Baptist asks this very question. Here is my sermon on Matthew 11:2-11.

Posted on December 12, 2019April 13, 2020 by Rev. James E. Laurence

Thy Kingdom Come: A Reflection on Psalm 72

Here is a reflection on a psalm fit for a king, Psalm 72. This was shared during last night's Advent Vespers Service.

Posted on December 9, 2019April 13, 2020 by Rev. James E. Laurence

Change Your Mind! My Sermon on December 8, 2019

John the Baptist tells us that the best way to get ready for Christmas, and for Christ's promised return, is to change our minds. Here is my sermon on Matthew 3:1-12.

Posted on December 5, 2019April 13, 2020 by Rev. James E. Laurence

Glad to Go to the House of the Lord: A Reflection on Psalm 122

Here is a reflection on a beloved psalm, sung by countless pilgrims on the journey of faith. Let us go the house of the Lord!

Post navigation

Older posts
1 of 2
Follow My Pastoral Ponderings on WordPress.com

Categories

  • Book Reviews
  • Devotions
    • Poems, Prayers, Psalms, and Promises
    • Poetry
  • Favorite Quotes
  • Other Ponderings
  • Sermons
  • Spiritual Formation

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 583 other followers

Follow Me

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Bible Gateway

Thank You BibleGateway.com for your many biblical resources and for your network of Christian faith-based bloggers

Tags

1 Corinthians 1 Peter 1 Thessalonians Acts of the Apostles Advent All Saints Sunday Ann Weems Ash Wednesday Baptism Baptism of Our Lord Beatitudes Blessed Blogging C. S. Lewis Christian Poetry Christina Rossetti Christmas Colossians Coronavirus Dietrich Bonhoeffer Easter Emily Dickinson Ephesians Eugene Peterson Evening Prayer Exodus Favorite Quotes frederick buechner George Herbert Gospel of John Gospel of Luke Gospel of Mark Gospel of Matthew Henri Nouwen Holy Week Howard Thurman Isaiah Jeremiah John Henry Newman John the Baptist Jonah Lamentations Lent Luci Shaw Lutheran Madeleine L'Engle Malcolm Guite Martin Luther Martin Luther King Jr. Mary Oliver Maundy Thursday Nonet Palm Sunday Philippians Poetry Prayer Psalms R.S. Thomas Racial Reconciliation Reformation Richard Branson Romans Running Seven Last Words Sonnets stewardship Tanzania The Imitation of Christ Thomas Merton Thomas à Kempis Vespers vocation Walking Wendell Berry Worship

Archives

  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
Blog at WordPress.com.
Cancel