Text: Luke 10:1-20 (“The harvest is plentiful”) When I lived in Saskatchewan from July 2011 until December 2013, I was immersed in rural culture. The three churches I served were connected by 40 km of highway along the border with Montana. Driving between them each week kept me up-to-date with the progress of fields of … [Read more…]
Text: Luke 9:51-62 (the costs of discipleship) What does it cost to belong to the church? There is the money we put on the offering plate, money that could otherwise be used for household expenses, luxuries, or savings. Then there is time we spend — at Sunday worship services, at outreach programs like The Bread … [Read more…]
Text: 1 Kings 18:17-39 (Elijah calls down fire) Saskatchewan loves the Roughriders. This was one of the first things I learned when I moved there five years ago. It was five years ago this week that I moved from Toronto to Coronach to begin my career as an ordained minister. I loved many things about … [Read more…]
Text: 1 Kings 19:3-15 (Elijah in the desert) In today’s reading, Elijah flees to the desert looking for safety. The Queen of Israel is threatening to kill him in a religious dispute. Elijah imagines that he will find God in the desert. And he does. But Elijah doesn’t find God in the strong winds. He … [Read more…]
Text: Galatians 2:15-21 (“Christ lives in me”) Imagine a hike in Jasper Park. It is a late morning in springtime and you have been walking through forest glades and up mountain trails for an hour. As you pause to bask in sunshine and warmth, you notice a side-path going steeply up. When you get to … [Read more…]
Text: 1 Kings 17:8-24 (Elijah revives a widow’s son) At the Communion table, bread and wine remind us of our connection to God. In January, I reflected on a story in which Jesus turns water into wine. Today the focus is on bread. In today’s story from First Kings, ravens provide bread to the Prophet … [Read more…]
Text: Acts 2:1-21 (the Spirit comes on the Day of Pentecost) Forty years ago, when Mill Woods was a new neighbourhood and United Church people began meeting in Grace Martin School, what inspired them to create a new congregation? Did the Holy Spirit visit them the way it did the first disciples on Pentecost in … [Read more…]
Texts: Revelation 22 (the River of Life), John 17:20-26 (“that all may be one”) Today is the last Sunday in Easter; and for many people, these seven weeks of spring form their favourite season of the year. I am glad that we end Easter today the same way we began it on March 27 — … [Read more…]
Here are some of Rev. Ian Kellogg’s most recent sermons and themes from recent services. The sermons here are hosted at Rev. Kellogg’s blog “Sermons from Mill Woods“. His sermons will soon be hosted here at our site as well. May 1, 2016 — “The last Christian in Europe?” — On Sunday, we heard a story … [Read more…]
Rev. Ian Kellogg publishes the text of his sermons each Sunday at “Sermons from Mill Woods“. However, we are also going to start to feature written versions of his sermons, right here on our website. Keep checking back for more!