Rev. Don Erickson

 I’d like to approach this topic a unique, hopefully fun way. The iconic Buddhist teacher to the West, Thich Nhat Hanh, wrote a couple books on the relationship between Buddhism and Christianity, the first the classic Living Buddha, Living Christ and the sequel, Going Home: The Buddha and Christ as Brothers. By the way, there’s no mandatory reading for these 3 classes, but those two books are a great suggested reading list, as is Jesus & Buddha, the Parallel Sayings, compiled and introduced by Marcus Borg Anyway, instead of Buddha and Christ as brothers, I’d like to a slightly different approach. Buddhism and Christianity as buddies in a buddy story. Here’s a little snippet from one of the best buddy tales ever that will get us in the right mindset as well as give us a fun way to introduce our two buddies.   In this buddy tale, we focus today on the Buddha and Buddhism, which we’ll dub Rico Buddhism. The name Richard, by the way, means brave in power. We’ll also meet...

As low-key as a Congregational church usually is, the practice of Communion can't escape the elements and the words the Lord uses. "This bread is my body." And "this wine [or juice] is my blood." The idea of eating and drinking bread that is Jesus' body and juice that is his blood is still rather radical from the outside looking in.  The church must confront the reality that as younger generations unfamiliar with church life come of age, Communion especially must be explained. Here's my explanation. Jesus was one of the most poetic teachers to ever teach the truth of God and faith. He was an expert at meptahor. He said, for example, "I am the vine." Or "I am the living water." Jesus is not actually a vine, but he produces a good attitude in us like a vine produces grapes. Jesus is not really water, but his teaching and the way of life he taught quenches our spiritual thirst.  Well, as Protestants, we believe that when Jesus says this ...

We return again this year to that renowned story of doubt, Thomas’ doubt.  Every year, on some Sunday after the unbelievable story of Jesus’ resurrection, the church calendar gives space to the story of someone having trouble believing the unbelievable.  Yes, Thomas with Jesus’ help resolves his doubt. But do you think Thomas lived the rest of his life without a single moment of doubt? Do you think this intelligent, probing figure never doubted again? Pardon the pun, but I doubt it. Any faith worth its weight will include moments of doubt. Doubt and faith roll together! If you’re not doubting, you’re not thinking. And if you’re not thinking, your faith is likely not as deep as maybe it could be. I’ll be honest with you this morning. I think I’ve said it before. Doubt comes easily to me.  I ask a lot of questions. I’ve always asked lots of questions. That cliché imperative – question everything – comes easy to me. I’m pretty confident any question you may have now about ou...

I’d like to begin this morning with Genesis. Our genesis, humanity’s beginnings.  In Genesis 2, the 2 nd description of our creation, God is said to have breathed life, ruach, divine spirit, into the lump of divine-like clay we humans once were. That breath of life enlivened us, gave us life, a life infused with God’s own breath. In the Eastern Orthodox tradition, there is a tradition known as iconography. The faithful venerate painted icons of Christ, Mary, the saints. This veneration of icons is rooted in the belief that the spirit of the depicted figures, such as Christ, the Virgin Mary, and the saints, somehow breathes through their icons; these channels of divine grace and living presence enable believers to commune with the holy figures they depict. Well, in Genesis 2, the idea is that we, each human being, is an icon of God. God’s spirit breathes life in us and through us.  Now, don’t get me wrong, that the life of God breathes in us doesn’t make us God. Not at all. No...

  A short word to begin. This meditation is not pinpointed for anyone in particular. I'll be speaking to a universal concern that I'd say we all struggle with, myself included. James, the brother of Jesus, in chapter 3 of his Epistle, offers these words about the power of words, which is what I’d like to reflect on a bit this morning. …the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great exploits. How great a forest is set ablaze by a such a small fire!  6  And the tongue is a fire…   7  For every species of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species,  8  but no one can tame the tongue—a restless evil, full of deadly poison.  9  With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse people, made in the likeness of God.  10  From the same mouth comes a blessing and a curse. My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so… 13  …Show by your good life that your ...