Ernest F. Campbell Selected Sermons

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...

Easter 6 (A) A Plethora of Idols May 16, 1993 By Rev. Ernest F. Campbell I’ve titled this sermon, “ A Plethora of Idols .” It was one of those ideas that just “popped” into my head after reading St. Paul’s reaction to the many “gods’ on display in Athens, Greece . When I looked up the definition of the word ‘ plethora ’ the dictionary said it referred to… “An often undesirable or hampering superfluity,” “something greatly beyond what is sufficient, necessary, or advantageous.”  Acts 17: 22-23 Paul stood in front of the Areopagus and said, “Athenians, I see how extremely religious you are in every way. For as I went through the city and looked carefully at the objects of your worship, I found among them an altar with the inscription, ‘To an unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. On his walk through the city, Paul observed how many idols he passed along the way. Idols to gods; to protect, to bring good crops, to promote love, to ensure procreati...