St. Andrew's St. Andrew's

All Saints Sunday, Yr B (2024) The Rev. Karen C. Barfield

“I saw a new heaven and a new earth,
            for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away….”

“And the one who was seated on the throne said,
           ‘See, I am making all things new….’”

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St. Andrew's St. Andrew's

Proper 24, Yr B (2024) The Rev. Karen C. Barfield

When my children were little,

I would occasionally feel a tug on the hem of my shirt,

                        and when I would turn to look,

      I would see beautiful, big, brown eyes and a smile looking up at me…

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St. Andrew's St. Andrew's

Proper 22, Yr B (2024) The Rev. Karen C. Barfield

Sometimes clergy receive phone calls from out-of-town clergy asking if we will go visit their parishioner in the local hospital.   

A few years ago, I received such a call asking if I could go visit a 13 year-old boy and his mother....

 

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St. Andrew's St. Andrew's

Proper 19, Yr B (2024) The Rev. Karen C. Barfield

“Who do you say that I am?

I remember attending the funeral of a colleague and friend named Deborah.

As we celebrated her life and witness, I heard anew Deborah’s invitation to come and follow Jesus....

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St. Andrew's St. Andrew's

Proper 12, Yr B (2024) The Rev. Karen C. Barfield

Today we hear two miracle stories from the gospel of John.

In John’s gospel Jesus knows exactly who he is: the Son of God…
           but the disciples are still trying to figure things out.
Just like, perhaps, we’re still trying to figure things out….

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St. Andrew's St. Andrew's

Proper 11, Yr B (2024) The Rev. Karen C. Barfield

I don’t have anything earth-shattering to share with you this morning,
            but I do have an invitation for you:
     “Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.”

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St. Andrew's St. Andrew's

Proper 9, Yr B (2024) The Rev. Karen C. Barfield

There is a line in today’s Scripture passages that jumped out to me.

These are the words Paul recounts that God said to him:
           “My grace is sufficient for you,
for power is made perfect in weakness….”

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St. Andrew's St. Andrew's

Proper 8, Yr B (2024) The Rev. Karen C. Barfield

As I was reflecting on today’s gospel texts,
          and the story of the hemorrhaging woman, in particular,
       I wondered about the effects of isolation
on the human soul
and the human community….

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St. Andrew's St. Andrew's

Proper 7, Yr B (2024) The Rev. Karen C. Barfield

As a child I was terrified of storms.

There was a huge, old oak tree outside my bedroom,
          and I was afraid a strong wind or lightning
would bring the tree crashing through the roof and onto my head….

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St. Andrew's St. Andrew's

Proper 5, Yr B (2024) The Rev. Karen C. Barfield

Many years ago, when I was in my mid-20s and wasn’t afraid to open my front door to strangers, I heard a knock and opened the door to find several well-dressed folks standing on our front stoop….

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