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Sermons of the Rev. Allison T. Bauer, Pastor of Second Presbyterian Church in Portsmouth, OH
Episodes
Wednesday Mar 14, 2018
Wednesday Mar 14, 2018
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Read along with Ephesians 2:1-10.
Included in this podcast:
1. Old Testament reading: Numbers 21:4-9
2. The Psalter: Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22
3. Gospel reading: John 3:14-21
4. Anthem: "God So Loved the World" (John Stainer)
5. Epistle reading: Ephesians 2:1-10
6. Covenant Renewal Service: Celebrating Ordination
Sermon excerpt:
It is my hope that spending this season of Lent reflecting on God’s faithfulness to the everlasting covenants he has made with us will encourage each one of us to recommit ourselves to living up to our side of the covenant as faithfully as we can.
Seen through this lens, the “after” picture of being made alive in Christ in Ephesians 2 is part of our response to God’s covenant: a pledge to become who God has made us to be – one created in Christ Jesus for good works to bring God glory.
In this morning’s “covenant renewal service,” we will particularly celebrate the good works that are done in the name of Christ Jesus by those who have been ordained as leaders in the congregation. In this way, ordination is one of the ways we are able to choose to do good works out of gratitude for God’s grace as a sign of our faithfulness to God’s covenant.
Thursday Mar 08, 2018
Thursday Mar 08, 2018
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Read along with Exodus 20:1-17.
In this podcast:
1. Epistle readng: 1 Corinthians 8:18-25
2. The Psalter: Psalm 19
3. Gospel reading: John 2:13-22
4. Anthem of the Day: "King of Glory, King of Peace" (words by George Herbert; music by Eric Thiman)
5. Old Testament reading: Exodus 20:1-17
6. The sermon
7. Covenant renewal service: recognizing long-time Second Pres members
8. Sung response: "All Are Welcome"
9. Unison Prayer
Sermon synopsis
What if, instead of a giant checklist of do's and don'ts, the 10 Commandments are actually a mission statement for God's people, defining who they are and what they value?
If you read it that way, then the 10 Commandments mean this: “Above all things, we value a relationship with God, whom we know as the one who brought us out of slavery; we will worship no other except the Lord our God.”
It means, “We are a community of faith that values the holiness of Sabbath. God has given us good work to do for six days but on the seventh, we shall rest because God rested on the seventh day.”
And it means, “We will not ‘think of ourselves more highly than we ought to think,’ and will honor others above ourselves. We will speak well of our neighbors and value them for who they are, not for the things they possess.”
In essence, it means, “We will love others as God has loved us.”
Tuesday Feb 27, 2018
Tuesday Feb 27, 2018
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Read along with Genesis 17:1-16.
Included in this podcast:
1. Prayer of illumination
2. Epistle reading: Romans 4:13-25
3. The Psalter: Psalm 22:23-31
4. Gospel reading: Mark 8:31-38
5. Old Testament reading: Genesis 17:1-16
6. Hymn "To Abraham and Sarah"
7. The sermon
8. Covenant renewal service: remembering and renewing our baptism
Prayer
Covenant-keeping God, I am no longer my own, but yours. Put me to what you will, rank me with whom you will. Put me to doing; put me to suffering. Let me be employed for you or laid aside for you, exalted for you or brought low for you. Let me be full; let me be empty. Let me have all things; let me have nothing. And now, glorious and blessed God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, you are mine, and I am yours. Amen.
Sermon excerpt:
There is something beautiful and true about the image of a helpless baby being drawn into the family of God through the waters of baptism. It’s a reminder that all of us, sinners saved by God’s grace, are weak and unable to save ourselves but willingly put ourselves in the loving hands of our God.[1]
It is good for us, from time to time, to be reminded of the promises that were made at our baptisms, and to make those same promises again as our faith grows deeper and our knowledge of Jesus Christ becomes more intimate.
[1] "Presbyterian Questions, Presbyterian Answers," Donald McKim, p. 81.
Wednesday Feb 21, 2018
Wednesday Feb 21, 2018
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Read along with Genesis 9:8-17.
In this podcast:
1. Prayer of illumination
2. Epistle reading: 1 Peter 3:18-22
3. Chanting Psalm 25:1-10
4. Gospel reading: Mark 1:9-15
5. Anthem of the day: "Lord, Who Throughout These Forty Days" (Erik Meyer)
6. Old Testament reading: Genesis 9:8-17
7. Sermon: "Covenant 1: Profession of Faith"
8. Covenant Renewal Service
Sermon excerpt:
There is an ominous quality to this season of the church year, as we once again remember how Jesus walked through the lonesome valley all the way to the cross; an ominous quality reflected in the Scripture passages appointed for each of the Sundays in Lent.
But there is a thin thread of hope and light running through those same lectionary passages, the flip side of Lent, you might say.
And it is the hope found in the covenants God makes us with.
Henri Nouwen writes, “When God makes a covenant with us, God says: ‘I will love you with an everlasting love. I will be faithful to you, even when you run away from me, reject me, or betray me.’”[i]
[i] Henri J.M. Nouwen, Bread for the Journey.
Covenant Renewal Service
Opening litany
Leader: Our lives are full of choices but one choice informs all the others: who will be our God?
People: Who has been with us from before the beginning? Who has loved us and blessed us and sent us on our way? Who will celebrate with us when we have finished running the race and seek the comfort of eternity?
Leader: The holy One, the God of the covenant.
People: We choose this day to place our whole trust in the Holy One. We choose this day to commit our talents and resources to the One who first gave them to us. We choose this day to love the One who loved us first.
ALL: And today we renew the covenant you made with us: the promise that you will be our God and we will be your people.
Sung response
Unison Prayer
Covenant-keeping God, I am no longer my own, but yours. Put me to what you will, rank me with whom you will. Put me to doing; put me to suffering. Let me be employed for you or laid aside for you, exalted for you or brought low for you. Let me be full; let me be empty. Let me have all things; let me have nothing. And now, glorious and blessed God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, you are mine, and I am yours. Amen.
Sunday Feb 18, 2018
Sunday Feb 18, 2018
On Sat, Feb. 17, 2018 the Presbyterian Women of the Presbytery of Scioto Valley met for their winter gathering at the First Presbyterian Church in Waverly, OH.
The first half of the gathering featured a three-guest panel of leaders from Pike County answering questions concerning the current drug epidemic and what role the church can play in supporting the recovery movement. (This portion was open to the public and several community members were in attendance.)
Following the panel and a lovely soup and salad lunch, they gathered for worship led by Rev. Allison T. Bauer, pastor of Second Presbyterian Church in Portsmouth, OH.
In this podcast, you can listen to or download the audio from the sermon portion of the service.
Read along with the Old Testament reading: Ecclesiastes 4:9-12.
Read along with the New Testament reading: Romans 12:3-13.
Sermon: "Saving What We Love"
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Rev. Allison T. Bauer’s sermon, “Saving What We Love”
Sat, Feb 17, 2018 Presbyterian Women Gathering (Waverly, First)
Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2527336/quotes/?tab=qt&ref_=tt_trv_qu
Johann Hari. Chasing the Scream: The First and Last Days of the War on Drugs. Bloomsbury USA. 2015
For a summary of Chasing the Scream, see Hari’s TED talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/johann_hari_everything_you_think_you_know_about_addiction_is_wrong/transcript (transcript included)
Frederick Buechner. Quote about compassion found on http://www.frederickbuechner.com/quote-of-the-day/2016/11/15/compassion.
Originally published in his books Wishful Thinking and Beyond Words.
Holly Christine Hayes. From Basement to Sanctuary: Finding God’s Healing Power Through the Twelve Steps. WestBowPress. 2017.
https://www.amazon.com/Basement-Sanctuary-Finding-Healing-Through/dp/151279886X
Kristin Schell. The Turquoise Table: Finding Community and Connection in Your Own Front Yard. Thomas Nelson. 2017.
http://www.kristinschell.com/the-turquoise-table/
Monday Feb 12, 2018
Monday Feb 12, 2018
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Read along with Mark 9:2-9.
In this podcast:
1. Prayer of illumination
2. OT reading: 2 Kings 2:1-12
3. The Psalter: Psalm 50 responsive reading
4. Epistle reading: 2 Corinthians 4:3-6
5. Anthem of the day: "Christ, Whose Glory Fills the Skies" (T. Frederick H. Candyln)
6. NT reading: Mark 9:2-9
7. Sermon "Spiritual Geography: The Mountaintop" (Transfiguration Sunday)
Sermon excerpt
In that moment, they are able to forget the news Jesus shared with them the week before: the news that the Son of Man must undergo much suffering, be killed, and rise again. For a few moments, they are no longer haunted by Jesus’ teaching that to follow him is to deny oneself, to pick up one’s cross and follow him. Follow him all the way to the cross.
The disciples are reluctant to leave this holy mountaintop moment. Everything in them wants to cling to the glory of these moments when everything fits.
But Jesus knows that they can’t stay on the mountaintop. His road comes down the mountain and leads into the depths of suffering before the final revelation of glory.
Tuesday Feb 06, 2018
Tuesday Feb 06, 2018
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Read along with Mark 1:29-39.
Included in this podcast:
1. Anthem of the day: "Go, and Tell John" (Words and music by Lloyd Pfautsch)
2. Scripture reading
3. Sermon
Sermon excerpt:
The news of late has been filled with brutality, cruelty, and violence: the serial sexual abuse of over 160 young, female gymnasts by a team doctor; the torture of 13 children by their own parents; another school shooting (not so far from here) that has left students dead and lives shattered.[i]
Once again, the crowds are clamoring at the door, crying out for healing and help. Where is Jesus, they are asking us just like they asked the disciples. (pause)
Where is Jesus?
Jesus is closest to those who need him the most.
[i] http://pres-outlook.org/category/ministry-resources/looking-into-the-lectionary/ Looking into the Lectionary, Presbyterian Outlook, Jill Duffield
Sunday Jan 28, 2018
Sunday Jan 28, 2018
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Read along with Mark 1:21-28.
*APOLOGIES: I accidentally deleted the audio from the service, both the anthem and the sermon!
I re-recorded the sermon in the sanctuary after everyone went home. But recreating the anthem is not so easy. Instead, WATCH THIS for a video of some other choir singing it! (Hey, it's better than nothing, right?!)
Spiritual Geography: The Capernaum Synagogue
Sermon excerpt:
I believe Jesus deliberately chooses this modest little fishing village of Capernaum to be his ministry headquarters because it is so much like him: simple, humble, hard-working. It’s not the thriving metropolis of Jerusalem or other large cities full of hustle and bustle … but rather is a place where you can hear yourself think in the quiet, the kind of solitude Jesus frequently sought.
And I also believe he deliberately chooses to step into the spotlight in the synagogue. It is here, in the place of worship of the people of God, the place of prayer and Scripture and singing, where he first confronts and defeats the power of evil.[i]
[i] Williamson, p. 50.
Thursday Jan 25, 2018
Thursday Jan 25, 2018
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Read along with Mark 1:14-20.
Sermon excerpt:
In his 2014 novel named Hannah Coulter, author Wendell Berry wrote, "You can see that it is hard to mark the difference between our life and our place, our place and ourselves." He is a novelist, a poet, a Christian, a cultural critic, and an environmental activist who lives with his wife on a farm named “Lane’s Landing” in Henry County, Kentucky on the western bank of the Kentucky River.[i]
...
In all these stories, the Sea of Galilee is there, quietly shimmering in the background. It is a source of life-giving water to the people of Galilee and surrounding towns. It is the place where the disciples first drink from the Living water.
And throughout the story of Jesus, it is a touchstone, a place he comes back to again and again; a place of retreat far from the clamoring crowd looking for just one more healing or one more answered prayer.
For Mark, the story of Jesus begins on the banks of the Sea of Galilee: it is there that he says, “Come and follow me” for the very first time.
Thursday Jan 25, 2018
Thursday Jan 25, 2018
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Read along with 1 Samuel 3:1-20.
In this podcast:
1. Anthem of the day: "Here I Am, Lord"
2. Sermon: "What Does God's Voice Sound Like?"
Sermon excerpt:
As Eli watches his legacy diminish, he sees Samuel’s role as God’s new priest begin to flourish. Their roles are now reversed: Samuel who was once young and dependent on Eli is now the one with authority and a future.
But together they are obedient, just as they were at the beginning of the story though their circumstances are drastically different now. They accept God’s verdict, which offers power and authority to Samuel and nothing but grief and humiliation to Eli.[1] Eli has nurtured Samuel in obedience to God, and his final act is to encourage Samuel to choose obedience to God as his own way of living -- not because Eli is telling him to but because it is what Samuel wants to do.
[1] Brueggemmann, 1 and 2 Samuel, Interpretation, p. 26.