Ernest F. Campbell Selected Sermons

Proper 8 (Year A) Now That's What I Call Religion! July 2, 2017 By Rev. Ernest F. Campbell Today's short reading from Matthew's Gospel ends on a positive note: "Truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward." Even giving a cup of cold water to someone who is thirsty makes you an apprentice of Jesus Christ. The dictionary defines reward as "a return made for something done." For example: Her hard work and positive attitude were rewarded with a promotion. His laziness and constant complaining were rewarded with his dismissal. Jesus was always urging His disciples to reach out in the name of love. It doesn't matter whether those you are reaching out to are important leaders or the poor and powerless—simply reach out in love. And, Jesus would add, reaching out doesn't require a capital fund drive. A cup of cold water will convey love's message: You are welcome here. Our son Dave, as the director of a church camp, goes a step beyond a cu...

Proper 6 (C) Did You Enjoy it? July 2, 1995 By Rev. Ernest F. Campbell I have a Jewish friend in Walla Walla who believes that in the last analysis God will judge us according to our deeds. If our constructive good deeds outweigh our destructive evil deeds, we can expect that God will have us.  I have known many people who think of themselves as Christians who believe the same thing. Their aim is to make themselves right with God by their own actions. We have to jump through all the hoops we think that God has put in front of us. (We do it out of pride). There are two major problems with this approach; 1) It doesn’t work. 2) It hammers the joy out of living.  There are only three options open to those who believe the must achieve perfection by keeping God’s laws;      1) Option one, they are honest enough to admit their human frailties and stay away.       Example) My Dad used to say that the reason he didn’t go to church was because the ro...

After Ascension (A) He Will (Has) Come Again. June 1, 2014 By Rev. Ernest F. Campbell If I were to ask you to point to heaven which way would most of us point? “ Up ” of course. We get some clues from today’s readings. From Acts; “When He said this, as they were watching He was lifted up, and a cloud took Him out of their sight. While He was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, two men in white robes stood by them. They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven?”  Then why do so many invocators at our Rotary meetings call us to prayer by saying, “Let us bow our heads.” And why is it now OK in the Episcopal Church to pray while standing instead of kneeling? (Since both postures are OK our presiding Bishop John Allen said that the important thing is that the one kneeling or standing are not glowering at each other). And why, on occasions like “ Rogation Sunday ” do we pray in procession while looking all over the place?  Note: Rogation Sunday is...

Trinity Sunday (A) Created in His Image June 14, 1981 By Rev. Ernest F. Campbell I wonder how many people have said to me, “Well, you know Father, when it all comes out in the wash – in the end – we all believe in the same God.” So, they say, “There is no need to get all hot and bothered about our religious differences. We’re all going to end up in the same place anyway.” And with that simple, broad, general statement, they are comforted…. that everyone, including themselves, will somehow fit into God’s ultimate, loving scheme of things. “Frankly Father,” they would say, “The way I see it, we are all headed for the same place.”   My guess is that most of us usually don’t bite on a statement like that. We back off because we suspect that the discussion will get all mired down in our stumbling religious vocabulary, and we will end up loosing a potential friend arguing about a loving God. So, we respond with something like, “Let’s hope the place we are all going to end up is heaven, a...

Pentecost (ABC) The Joy of Being with People You Love May 27, 2012 By Rev. Ernest F. Campbell On the Garrison Keeler , Prairie Home Companion Radio show , Garrison talks about the annual 4 th of July exercise of forming a human American flag. All the citizens of Lake Woebegone , wearing red, white, or blue T-Shirts, arrange themselves into our Red, White and Blue flag. Then in order to let everyone get a “bird’s-eye-view” of the flag, they excuse themselves one-at-a-time, so they can say they saw the human American flag on the 4 th of July. I was reminded of that story when I realized that none of you can see the full effect of the color red in the nave of this church. (Instead of coming up one-at-a-time, I’d like to take your picture and then post it for your enjoyment). Does the color red insight any special meaning to you? On our liturgical church calendar, the color red is used to remind us of the blood shed by martyrs. Today, the feast of Pentecost , the color red reminds us of ...

Easter 7 (A) It’s Knowing Where to Look June 5, 2011 By Rev. Ernest F. Campbell Have you ever stepped outside in the early cool of a summer’s day and breathed in the fresh morning air? Can you remember the sensation of that moment on your skin? It’s as though your whole body is saying, thank you, this is perfect! Then all the other senses come alive and you feel like dancing…. well…. maybe skipping. Yes, you say, God is in His heaven and all is right with the world.  Evelyn Underhill , who was one of the world’s guiding spiritual lights, encouraged her students to look more often for the deeper secret in our daily experience. “Look for holiness” she said, “Look for the holiness welling up from beyond the world of visible life.”  What most of us would call “ordinary experiences” she would call, “windows to heaven.” Sometimes seen (she would say) in the most unexpected situations.  I would like to share one of those moments from my own life’s experience for us to think abou...