Ernest F. Campbell Selected Sermons

Proper 22 C Worthy of love and Belonging October 2 2016 By Rev. Ernest F. Campbell Any of you who have been teachers or camp counselor would understand Our Lord’s disciples request to “increase our faith.” Students and campers are acquainted with the crippling effect of their human vulnerability. Who do you think they are?  As we enter a room, we wonder what are all those people looking at us thinking? By the time we reach the age of this group the sharp pain seems to have dissipated, but deep down we know that we are still vulnerable. Who do we think we are? When a young child is learning how to swim there is that scary moment when the instructor coaches them to take their feet off the bottom. Have faith, the instructor says, it really works. Trust what you can see for yourself. Our bodies are buoyant. We float, because that’s the way we’re made. St. Paul would say, “See we are surrounded by a crowd of witnesses. Trust in the truth of how God made us, and you are on your way to m...

                                     What is a Counselor? Teton Valley Ranch , Wyoming , 1959By Rev. Ernest F. Campbell (pictured back row, far right) [This was a talk give to counselors at the beginning of the camping season at the Teton Valley Ranch in Jackson Hole  Wyoming—Ernie’s remarks are an encouragement and a reminder of the great responsibility it is to be a camp counselor] Who is a Camp Counselor ? A camp counselor is not a “something” -- he or she is first, a somebody.  Many people think of counselors as being; storytellers, instructors, camping experts, etc. The truth is,  that the best counselors are not just outstanding because of skills they may have – but also because they  are great people. Before they were counselors, they ...

  Who was Ernie Campbell? Born on August 17 the , 1927 in Evanston, Illinois .  Ernie died, on March 27 the , 2023 at his home in Walla Walla, Washington . He was 95 years old.  Ernest Francis Campbell was a; son, brother, friend,  camper, counselor, singer, story-teller, mountain  climber, backpacker, priest, sailor, leader, Rotarian, mentor, husband, father and above all, a  good man. This blog is a collection of his writing, his  words, preached to various congregations, at  different times in history over the years that he  served as a priest in the Episcopal church . Why read these sermons? I once asked him, “Dad, what is a sermon?” He paused and then answered, “A sermon is me -- working  out my faith, out-loud.” Reading these sermons can give a glimpse into the life of a Godly man,  working out his faith, with honest reflection, for the people he served and loved. I believe that  spending time with him, in these sermons,...

  Youth Work Epiphany 4 C The Nearest Mission Field February 1, 2004 By Rev. Ernest F. Campbell Last Monday at our weekly staff meeting Fr. Woolley gave us all an assignment. He said, “While Diana and I are vacationing in beautiful Hawaii, I want each of you to describe, in writing, the characteristics of the youth minister we should be looking for, and the job we want him or her to embrace. After a moment of reflective silence, someone had to clarify what Fr. Woolley had just said; in other words, while you are having fun, you want us to work on this assignment? Fr. Woolley looked pleased to have such a discerning staff. When I read verse seventeen of today’s psalm ( Psalm 71 ), it dawned on me that I might accomplish two assignments with one preparation. Here’s the verse that caught my eye: Psalm 71:17 – “O God, you have taught me since I was young, and to this day I tell of your wonderful works.” When two things meet in space and time like the Rectors assignment and verse 17, I...

 Annual Meeting Epiphany 3 C Going His Way January 26, 1992 By Rev. Ernest F. Campbell I’ve been a priest for 40 years and I’ve been to my share of annual meetings. To be perfectly honest, I have not particularly enjoyed the responsibility of standing in front of a widely diversified, and in some cases, highly opinionated group of vote packing parishioner who now have the opportunity to talk back. I used to have this nightmarish fantasy that someone would jump up at the meeting and tear into something, or somebody, or me with breath taking precision. It never happened. In forty years, it never happened. But I submit to you that chairing the annual meeting was for me an annual test of my faith. I can see our Lord smiling at me, a teacher of faith, and saying, “Remember: I am with you always… no matter what… even at annual meetings.” The annual meeting, as I remember, with the smallest attendance, was at St. marks in Evanston, Ill. There the Rector insisted that everyone read their r...