. . . or fifth . . . or sixth . . .
SEARCH and ARCHIVES options are at the bottom of all website pages.
Below is a smattering of sermons preached and presentations made over the years.
Langley Mennonite Fellowship (our home Church) began a series called, God: Then & Now; Always & Eternal. The classic image used is Trinity (Троицa, romanized: Troitsa) by 15th-century Russian iconographer, Andrei Rublev. The series of six sermons is using for lift-off the “After Atheism: New Perspectives on God and Religion” interviews conducted by CBC Ideas broadcaster, David Cayley, that first aired in 2012.
Today, April 28, 2024, was our fourth go, titled “The God Who May Be”. Our pastor Ian Funk’s arrangement is (this time around) to have a story told about God (by Dr. Alex Bartel), then a sermon preached (by me).
The song sung is from Voices Together, # 440.
Here is the composer, David Bjorlin, singing the song, with the words below the video:
1. Ask the complicated questions,
do not fear to be found out;
for our God makes strong our weakness,
forging faith in fires of doubt.
2. Seek the disconcerting answers,
follow where the Spirit blows;
test competing truths for wisdom,
for in tension new life grows.
3. Knock on doors of new ideas,
test assumptions long grown stale;
for Christ calls from shores of wonder,
daring us to try and fail.
4. For in struggle we discover
truth both simple and profound;
in the knocking, asking, seeking,
we are opened, answered, found.
© 2017 GIA Publications, Inc.
An outline of the Current Worship Series is clickable.
Here is the story, song and sermon–The God Who May Be:
David Cayley has this to say about today’s subject:
Philosopher Richard Kearney, who leads off this series, had then just published a book called Anatheism: Returning to God after God. His new word, anatheism, gave a name to the condition I was interested in exploring — one that was neither theistic nor atheistic in the older sense of these terms. (The God Who May Be, an earlier series in which I first introduced Kearney on Ideas is also available on this site.)
The entire service, including Scripture readings from Exodus 3:1 – 14 (in the form of the children’s story) and Matthew 17:1 – 9, came together well. It is clickable below.
If you wish to know more about my novel mentioned in the sermon, including reading a PDF version, or listening to a recording, please click here: Chrysalis Crucible.
Finally, you may click on the manuscript, to which I stuck closely, given time constraints: LMF, Sunday, April 28, 2024: The God Who May Be
- Bruce Hiebert has been a co-parishioner at Langley Mennonite Fellowship, British Columbia, Canada, and fellow spiritual journeyer for many years. I simply am challenged (to take personal inventory) and delighted (to feel I’m somewhat on the right path) by the sermon Bruce gave, highlighted below, March 10, 2024. Blessings! (The whole deeply moving service may be clicked on here: https://youtu.be/UM-6TkuruwU.)
- One may wish to view the following interview about our Rwanda experience, also highlighted in the sermon of November 5, 2023. The reflections during the two months there (summer 2018), are here: Rwanda Dispatches May 18 to July 12, 2018 06-25-2018
- Peacemaking Journey With Others, Langley Mennonite Fellowship, November 5, 2023 (My notes were out of order, and I should have just worked off Esther’s! Sigh. . . A little distraction won’t hurt, I guess. As for me, Esther and I had to laugh–later!)
The whole service may be viewed by clicking here. My sermon begins at the 25:33 minute mark.
NOTE: Esther and I prepared and delivered the reflection together on the above date. The first time we have preached at a church in person in a long while! The pastor who led the service, played the piano, etc., and has a powerful singing voice, is Ian Funk. We greatly appreciate his ministry.
- Our co-presentation begins at the 37:10 point.
Langley Mennonite Fellowship, May 30, 2021 John 3:1 – 21–PowerPoint: The Quest of a Lifetime
-
- Restorative Justice Rwanda-Style, Eden Mennonite Church, September 29, 2019; Click for the PowerPointPDF. (See much more on our time in Rwanda here: Rwanda Dispatches: May 18 to July 12, 2018.