Rev. Stephen Sinclair

revstephensinclair — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 05:41:21 +0000

Summer clean-up at a neighborhood school.

revstephensinclair — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 05:35:44 +0000

Summer service project with some of the youth.

revstephensinclair — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 17:44:29 +0000

Baptizing and blessing three brothers.

Living in the Moment

revstephensinclair — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 17:57:35 +0000

By being mindful and aware of the breath we can live in the moment which then allows us to be fully present for our precious life and allows us to be of service to God and to others.

Living in the Moment

Matthew 24:36

“But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

Matthew 6:25-34

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. “So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

For the Lord himself, with a cry of command, with the archangel’s call and with the sound of God’s trumpet, will descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up in the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the air; and so we will be with the Lord forever.

Gospel of Thomas 113

His disciples asked him: When is the Kingdom coming? He replied: It is not coming n an easily observable manner. People will not be saying, “Look, it’s over here” or “Look, it’s over there.” Rather, the Kingdom of the Father is already spread out on the earth, and people aren’t aware of it.

By Thich Nhat Hanh from his book Touching Peace: Practicing the Art of Mindful Living.

Our true home is in the present moment. To live in the present moment is a miracle. The miracle is not to walk on water. The miracle is to walk on the green Earth in the present moment, To appreciate the peace and beauty that are available now. Peace is all around us-in the world and in nature-and within us-in our bodies and our spirits. Once we learn to touch this peace, We will be healed and transformed. It is not a matter of faith; It is a matter of practice.

Happiness

revstephensinclair — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 21:30:25 +0000

We continually hear people say they want to be happy, as though happiness is a thing that is bestowed upon one. In truth, happiness is felt when one is alignment with God and with humankind. Rather than searching for happiness there are things we can do and ways we can be so that happiness does not elude us.

Happiness

Psalm 41

Happy are those who consider the poor; the Lord delivers them in the day of trouble.
The Lord protects them and keeps them alive; they are called happy in the land. You do not give them up to the will of their enemies.
The Lord sustains them on their sickbed; in their illness you heal all their infirmities.

Proverbs 3:3-18

Do not let loyalty and faithfulness forsake you;
bind them around your neck,
write them on the tablet of your heart.
So you will find favor and good repute
in the sight of God and of people. Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not rely on your own insight.
In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.
Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.
It will be a healing for your flesh
and a refreshment for your body. Honor the Lord with your substance
and with the first fruits of all your produce;
then your barns will be filled with plenty,
and your vats will be bursting with wine. My child, do not despise the Lord’s discipline
or be weary of his reproof,
for the Lord reproves the one he loves,
as a father the son in whom he delights. Happy are those who find wisdom,
and those who get understanding,
for her income is better than silver,
and her revenue better than gold.
She is more precious than jewels,
and nothing you desire can compare with her.
Long life is in her right hand;
in her left hand are riches and honor.
Her ways are ways of pleasantness,
and all her paths are peace.
She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her;
those who hold her fast are called happy.

When I Heard at the Close of the Day

By Walt Whitman

When I heard at the close of the day how my name had been receiv’d with plaudits in the capitol, still it was not a happy night for me that follow’d,
And else when I carous’d, or when my plans were accomplish’d, still I was not happy,
But the day when I rose at dawn from the bed of perfect health, refresh’d, singing, inhaling the ripe breath of autumn,
When I saw the full moon in the west grow pale and disappear in the morning light,
When I wander’d alone over the beach, and undressing bathed, laughing with the cool waters, and saw the sun rise,
And when I thought how my dear friend my lover was on his way coming, O then I was happy,
O then each breath tasted sweeter, and all that day my food nourish’d me more, and the beautiful day pass’d well,
And the next came with equal joy, and with the next at evening came my friend,
And that night while all was still I heard the waters roll slowly continually up the shores,
I heard the hissing rustle of the liquid and sands as directed to me whispering to congratulate me,
For the one I love most lay sleeping by me under the same cover in the cool night,
In the stillness in the autumn moonbeams his face was inclined toward me,
And his arm lay lightly around my breast – and that night I was happy.

The Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi

Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.
Amen.

Leading Us To Life

revstephensinclair — Sat, 19 Jan 2013 18:02:18 +0000

Life is inherently challenging, but if we quit struggling and accept that life is about suffering, prepare ourselves each day through prayer and mindfulness, and then let go and let God, we will know peace.

Leading Us To Life

Matthew 17:13-14

Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it.

Accepting Your Life

revstephensinclair — Sat, 19 Jan 2013 01:02:03 +0000

We often spend our time imagining what it would be like if we had a different life or had been born into different circumstances–all those “What if’s?” When we do this we neglect the reality of our own precious lives and the lessons and opportunities which lie with them. Acceptance is the answer.

Accepting Your Life

Video clip from the 1991 documentary film Paris Is Burning by Jennie Livingston.

Letting Go

revstephensinclair — Sat, 19 Jan 2013 00:13:29 +0000

The baggage that we carry around with us keeps us from living life fully and being the people that God wants us to be. This is the beginning of a sermon series, Making Room for Life.

Letting Go

The video is from Central Christian Church of Henderson, Nevada.

Psalm 55:22 “Cast your burden on the Lord and he will sustain you.”

“We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned, so as to accept the life that is waiting for us.” ~ Joseph Campbell

Open the Door!

revstephensinclair — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 01:24:47 +0000

On facebook yesterday, a Unitarian Universalist colleague posted about a phone message he had received from a family wanting to have their child baptized.

Forgiveness

revstephensinclair — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 03:07:42 +0000

Forgiveness

Matthew 18:21-35

Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times. “For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. When he began the reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him; and, as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, and payment to be made. So the slave fell on his knees before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the debt. But that same slave, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat, he said, ‘Pay what you owe.’ Then his fellow slave fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ But he refused; then he went and threw him into prison until he would pay the debt. When his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. Then his lord summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?’ And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he would pay his entire debt. So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”