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Sermon by Reverend Fred Kinsey, "Whose Perspective?"

7/30/2018

Readings for Pentecost 10B, Proper 12, Lectionary 17, July 29, 2018

Whose Perspective? Rev. Fred Kinsey
The gospel stories were almost not written! The story of Jesus was almost a footnote of history, acknowledged in the writings of Josephus, for example, a prolific Jewish historian of the 1st century, as just a passing comment, describing Jesus’ brother, James. Otherwise, Josephus, as brilliant as he was, saw history as every other historian – from the perspective of the winners.

Jesus – friend of the poor, the outcast, and sinner, who proclaimed and enacted the realm and kingdom of God – was not at first considered a winner. Rome won, as it always had, in struggles of power. And, like every other Jewish brigand who valiantly stood up to Rome, Jesus was made an example of. Executed in a most horrific and public way, to be forgotten, silenced, like all those before him.

But by the early 2nd century, four Christian communities, separately produced written accounts that began to be circulated among followers of ‘the Way,’ as Christianity was first called. And the story of God’s Messiah got the name gospel, or good news. The narrative of a crucified-loser was subverted, and transformed into a message that was deeply counter-cultural: it was told – not from the perspective of the winners – but from the view of the victims of history – a role that God had been revealing throughout Israel’s history – thru the prophets and wisdom writers – but never so boldly proclaimed until God’s anointed, Jesus, was understood by his closest followers and disciples, after his crucifixion appearances – and who began to testify: The last shall be first; the poor shall be lifted up; the imprisoned set free; and, the kings among us shall be as servants!

In Jesus the Servant, many saw shades of the great King David, whose story we have been following this summer in our semi-continuous First readings. Jesus too was a shepherd-king, like David, who came from humble roots. We heard, that at the beginning of David’s story, he was the youngest of 7 brothers, and least likely to be chosen and anointed by Samuel, as a worthy prospect to replace Saul, as king of Israel!

But soon, David was showing his leadership qualities, subverting the normal order of power! In the face of Goliath, young David used only his shepherd’s sling-shot to bring down the mighty giant, and forever enshrine the hope of the little guy triumphing over the big bully!

Afterwards, David continued to be great in battle, expanding the country’s boundaries as far as they would ever go, in Israel’s history. He was unbeaten.

But today in our First Reading, there is a crucial turning point, in the story of king David. Having achieved everything he set out to do in battle, and in securing the promise of a Temple to be built in Jerusalem -to be called the city of David- he kicks back to savor his fame and fortune, and he’s pictured as one of the ‘idle rich,’, forgetting how he had, in all things, always ‘given God the glory,’ and now commits one of his greatest sins.

It happens “in the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle,” says 2nd Samuel. “But David remained in Jerusalem.” Kings were always supposed to lead their armies in battle. And David always had, before this. But the consequences of such a seemingly small thing, are disastrous. David abuses his power, and ruins the life of Bathsheba.

Bathsheba’s story is relevant today, of course, in this time of the #METOO movement, because, all this time later, the stories of victimization are finally being believed by a critical mass of people. Even men are realizing how this could be their wives or daughters. And those today who have abused their power, like Harvey Weinstein, Bill Cosby, Bill O’Reilley and others, have not gotten away with it, because we’re listening to the stories from the perspective of the victims (of abuse).

What if we heard the story of Bathsheba from her perspective? What would that be like – to hear it from the one who lost, who was the victim? In 2nd Samuel, she utters not one word. We still hear the story from the perspective of the winner. From David. It is pretty amazing that such a negative portrait of David was even included in the bible. But, in the end, he still gets away with it.

Bathsheba was married to Uriah the Hittite, one of David’s best officers and warriors. One day, she was following Israelite law and purifying herself after her period, when David sees her through his palace window, having no idea what’s in his heart. Bathsheba was just minding her own business, doing everything according to the law. Which is, of course, just how the story of Jesus begins, his parents doing all the religious rituals required of them, to bring Jesus up properly.

So why was she, Bathsheba, being summoned to the king’s palace? Why was she alone with him in his chambers? David was already married. How afraid must Bathsheba have been? What would she have said, if she was allowed to tell her own story?

When she finds that she is pregnant, she does what many women do, especially when they have few resources. She reaches out to her abuser. Where else can she turn? She hopes that the king can fix it. But David fixes it, for himself.

At first David tries a cover-up, by bringing Uriah home from the battlefield and urging him to go down to his house and “wash his feet,” a euphemism for making love with his wife, to obscure the paternity of Bathsheba’s child. David even provides a nice gift for Uriah, to give her! But Uriah is so diligent in his loyalty, that he is unwilling to take on the comforts of home while his fellow soldiers are still battling in the field, and sleeps outside David’s door, his commander.

So David goes to the ultimate length of treachery, and arranges to have Uriah killed in battle. And Bathsheba is doubly victimized by King David.

Bathsheba’s final indignity it to become David’s wife. How might we tell the rest of her story? What did she feel through all this trauma? What did she tell her child as it grew up?

And, how can we, the church, provide a place of safety and become a refuge for those who have been victimized?

If we learn from the gospel message, to see from a new perspective, we begin to have our eyes opened to David’s misuse of power, and our ears opened to what Bathsheba is crying out to us.

The hopeful message, is that God is working through us, even today, that we can be bearers of good news for those who have suffered at the hands of all those “David’s” who have misused their power. That, as Gennifer Benjamin Brooks says, “Bathsheba’s is also a story of courage and strength whereby she speaks for all people, both female and male who suffer abuse and have that suffering compounded as they are further victimized…”
(https://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=3725)

Jesus feeding the 5,000 was a way of standing with the poor, all those who were victims of the land owners who bleed them to death with outrageous taxes and Pay Day lender type debt.

The disciples came to understand these things after Jesus died and appeared to them alive again. The story of Jesus’ death became the story of a victim, whom God vindicated, by raising him up to new life. ‘The last shall be first. The blind shall see. The mighty shall be brought low. And the meek shall inherit the earth.’

The gospel stories were almost not written, the perspective of the victim almost buried. But God lifts up the lowly, giving us bread to eat, forever. The power of ‘Rome’ is subverted and revealed as the abuse it actually is. And instead, the gospel story of Christ Jesus, has changed the world!

In the stories of the victims, we hear the perspective of the realm and kingdom of God – and reparations are being prepared!

Let us rejoice, and become bearers, of this good news!

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Sermon by The Rev Fred Kinsey, "Dividing Walls Undone"

7/24/2018

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Readings for 9th Sunday after Pentecost, July 22, 2018

"Dividing Walls Undone" Rev. Kinsey
“For Christ is our peace;” says St Paul in his letter to the Ephesians, “in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us.”

There are many ways to build walls between peoples. And usually, as Paul says, they foreshadow hostility and division.

Last Thursday I couldn’t help but join Kim at the demonstration she told me about, taking place in front of Rahm Emanuel’s house. It just so happens that he lives right on one of my biking routes, from home to Unity. Even when I ride by and there's no demonstrators, there’s always a few police stationed outside the Mayor’s house on Hermitage, between Berteau and Montrose. But for this protest, I think there were as many, or more, than we encounter at our big actions downtown. Don’t worry, I didn’t get arrested! No one did. Even though there was intense emotion, it was completely peaceful, and super organized.

It’s a typical, quiet, little residential Chicago street. And it was a picture perfect, summer day! The group, which filled the street, was tight and disciplined – loud chants one minute, but when the signal was given, perfectly quiet the next. You could hear a pin drop, as speaker after speaker came to testify before a line of media and camera’s. In telling their truth about police misconduct in Chicago, there were tears, and defiance, in the wake of yet another young black family man, Harith Augustus, needlessly killed.

Why is it that this can happen to African Americans, time after time, but rarely if ever happens to white folks, even if they carry a gun? The crowd – black, brown, and white – chanted “that ain’t right!”

There must have been almost 2 dozen Police, armed and lined up like a retaining wall, in front of the Mayors house – dozens more reinforcements, on both ends of the block. The only weapons the demonstrator’s had were a couple of upturned plastic buckets, for drums, and their words: pleading for justice and peace.

One speaker recalled the deaths of other black leaders, like Martin Luther King and Fred Hampton, and wondered, how long? Why have things not changed yet?

On that beautiful morning, there were no visible walls, but the barriers of hostility that divided us seemed impenetrable! And I prayed for “Christ our peace,” to make us one.

In our 2nd Reading, St Paul asks us to remember back to the time before we were grafted on to the tree of our Judeo-Christian faith, through Abraham and Sarah – when we were as yet, separated from God. We are 1,000’s of years away from that today. But even in Paul’s time, there was a naiveté amongst the early Christians. Naturally, they didn’t remember or think of themselves as polytheists any longer, worshiping many gods. But even though there was tension between Gentile-Christians and Jewish-Christians – or because of it – Paul wants them to remember that it was God who chose them, and not the other way around.

The separation for them was a wrenching debate, marked by male circumcision. “Remember,” says Paul, “that at one time you Gentiles by birth (that’s us too), called “the uncircumcision” by those who are called “the circumcision” …remember (says Paul) that you were at that time without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.”

So why the hostility, says Paul?! God chose the Jews first, then the Gentiles, through the cross of Christ. Why erect dividing walls?

Many Lutheran scholars are coming to see that this passage may be even closer to the heart of the gospel message, than ‘justification by faith,’ which Martin Luther developed in his reading of Paul! ‘Saved by faith’ has all too often turned into a good work, that all we need is the right words, to just, confess the doctrine rightly, and not have to really worry about our actions. Which is why Lutheran Theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer, writing from his prison cell in WWII Germany, called for a ‘costly grace’ instead of a ‘cheap grace’ – that we are saved ‘through faith by God’s grace’ – through the way of following Jesus, that takes action and risk, for the sake of the gospel, in our lives.

Or, if we return to Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, “…Christ created in himself one new humanity in place of the two, thus making peace…” …“So then (and here’s the Good News!) you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone.”

In other words, the only walls, are spiritual walls, built to include all, not to exclude or divide. “In Christ,” says Paul, “the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built together spiritually into a dwelling place for God.”

Our spiritual dwelling is the fellowship and comradery of others, in a “new humanity.”

It’s significant, I think, that when Paul talks about the ‘justification of faith’ in Romans, the example he gives, is of Abraham, who he calls the “father of many nations.” In Christ Jesus, says Paul, God’s promise to Abraham, that Gentiles shall one day be included, is fulfilled. In other words, all humanity! The dividing walls are brought down – Christ is our peace. This is what it means to be ‘justified’ by the faith of Christ.

“Remember that at one time… you were without Christ,” Paul reminded his congregation in Ephesus. But now, we “are no longer strangers and aliens, but we are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God… a holy temple… built together spiritually…”

In a sense, Paul is asking us to remember back to a time we never experienced, but which is, none-the-less, formative. It makes me remember those days after I lost my first parent, about 8 years ago. I poured through pictures of my dad’s family – my grandparents and great-grandparents – hungry for the stories that led up to making me who I am today.

Thankfully, there are very few stories of division that I could find, in my family. There was one great-uncle who was ostracized for being “different,” and moved to California, who I suspect may have had an unacceptable sexual orientation, and couldn’t abide the parochial expectations of marriage for him on the farm, back then. Other dividing walls are ones we erected, perhaps unknowingly, creating hostility, for example, by claiming Homestead’s in Iowa, which walled-out Native Americans from their homes and lives. And the benefits of home ownership and free college through the GI bill, that were unavailable to black Americans under the oppression of Jim Crow – walls that contribute to segregation and unequal treatment by police, and other institutions, to this very day.

How long? When will the dividing walls be undone? When will the doctrines we believe in, the promises we take for granted from our Savior and Lord, be done on earth as in heaven? How can we live costly grace, and fulfill our calling as God’s chosen people today?

I believe, we, are the leaders God is looking for, the followers of Jesus, ready and willing to grow “the whole spiritual structure,” as Paul said, so that “one new humanity” may live together.

So, let the walls come tumbling down!

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Sermon by Rev Fredric Kinsey, "Stranger at Home"

7/9/2018

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Readings for the 7th Sunday after Pentecost, July 8, 2018

"Stranger at Home" + Pastor Kinsey
This is not the first time Jesus enters a synagogue and is rejected. Three chapters earlier, in Mark 3, Jesus heals the man with a withered hand on the Sabbath, in a synagogue, and “immediately” the religious leaders plot together how they can “destroy him.”

Even more interesting, I think, is that Jesus responds in much the same way, to each of these rejections. Not with despair, or to crush them in return, but by gathering his disciples and organizing them to go out and spread the good news of the mission that Jesus stands for – including, to cast out demons, and anoint and heal the sick.

There was only once, in my family growing up, that stands out to me now, when I really caused a stir in my family! My role as the middle child was to be ‘the accommodator.’ I was 2 years younger than my sister, the responsible one; and 1 year older than my brother, the clown and our comic relief! I was the nice guy in the middle, who made the peace. By the way, the name Fredric means, peaceful ruler.

Anyway, I was barely into High School, the day I stepped out of my traditional role, and blew up the natural expectations of how our family operated. It happened after dinner, when we always had family devotions together. We used to use resources like the CIOH devotionals, but this one had discussion questions too. I can’t remember what the bible passage was, any more. But I remember the discussion! Because, one of the examples was about nuclear power plants. This was the 70’s mind you! But instead of agreeing – being the accommodator – I took a contrarian position, because I had actually done some reading about how much water pollution nuclear power plants were responsible for, and that the real cost of producing its electricity is often much higher, once you factor in the extra safety features that have to have. Stuff like that! But before I could even get the discussion going very far, my usually, unflappable father, got up from the dinner table and walked out – something he had never, ever, done before. And that was the end of our devotion time. No final prayer, no, ‘ok, time to do your homework.’ Just a feeling of brokenness, and rejection.

By stepping out of my normal family role, I had put the whole system out of balance and caused a rebellion. And rebellion was not my dad’s usual role at all! Maybe compared to your family, this seems small. But in mine, it was about as bad as it gets.

In a way, this is what Jesus does when he goes back to his hometown. The ‘astounding teaching’ of Jesus in his synagogue, that Mark notes, surprised those who knew him. “What is this wisdom that has been given to him?” they asked. But, ‘he’s just a carpenter, right – Mary’s boy. We’ve known him since he was a kid. We know his brothers, James, Justus, Jude, and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us? Who does he think he is? And they took offense at him.’

The good carpenter boy, the blue collar young worker that they knew, kind of blew their minds, that day. And they wanted to put him in his place by reminding him that he was just ‘the son of Mary,’ he came from a fatherless family, and that he should still be at home helping to support his mother, as a carpenter. Not out gallivanting around the countryside, pretending to be a prophet. Jesus broke the family-hometown-mold, and it caused dishonor and rejection.

Jesus notes that, ‘prophets are not without honor, except in their hometown, and among their own kin, and in their own house.’ And Mark says, ‘he could do no deed of power there… and was amazed at their unbelief.’

Jesus had changed. But those who knew him, once upon a time, were not equipped, or otherwise, not ready, to be open to change, in their lives, in response to the challenging and disruptive Good News Jesus preached. Jesus had been called away from his family by God, to heal the sick, release the captives, and proclaim the year of Jubilee. And if we are not open to that, it is bound to stir up trouble and rejection.

Change is hard. And change, just for the sake of change, to fit a fashion, or privilege only one’s self, is not helpful. But change that comes from the Holy Spirit is change that can heal and transform us, if we’re open to it. Even then – the change that Jesus introduced into his family and his town, his nation and his religion – even though it was, of the Holy Spirit, still, it was rejected. He was treated as a bringer of scandal, and Jesus paid the ultimate price for it, giving his life on the cross.

But what if we didn’t take offense at one another, but found a way to change and adapt to new growth in our families, in our churches, mosques and synagogues, in our towns and countries, and, between religions and nations? What would that look like? How do we prepare ourselves to be open to change, and to be ready for the working of the Holy Spirit in our lives?

If the Spirit blows where it will and we know the sound of it, but not from where it’s coming or going – the first thing we learn is that, we, are not in control. God is. And this means we have to develop a reservoir of trust for one another. We have to believe in the Golden Rule that Jesus, and all the great religious leaders taught, ‘to do unto others as we’d want them to do unto us.’ This kind of trust that we learn from the Holy Spirit, takes an adaptability on our part, to see and recognize all people as human – not perfect, but basically wanting the same security, and the same freedoms, we too want.

I think this explains why Jesus did what he did, even when he was rejected in the synagogue on two separate occasions! Jesus, didn’t retaliate, but decided to share and spread out, his mission, by engaging his followers. ‘He sent them out two by two’ and ordered them to take, very little, with them, so that they would have to depend on those who welcomed them into their homes. That takes a huge level of trust, on both sides of the doors they knocked on. But in taking that risk of going out, a safe space was created, and the good news could be communicated and passed on. Not that everyone eagerly received the disciples. Jesus anticipated those who would reject them, just like he was rejected, and told them to stand strong in their mission, and just move on to the next household.

As Ched Myers notes, ‘when Jesus was rendered a “stranger at home,”’ that is, a stranger in his hometown synagogue, still, ‘Jesus is instructing his community to learn to be “at home among strangers,”’ as they go out into the world.

In our polarized society today, this is more difficult to imagine implementing, than ever! But it is nowhere more effective than in the concerted efforts, of people-of-faith, who know how to share the message of good news, in our relationships with one another, wherever and whoever we are with. Creating the realm and kingdom of God is what we do every day, as the Holy Spirit directs us, and blows us about, this way and that!

There is rarely, change or transformation – that is, faith – without conflict in our relationships. But conflict doesn’t have to blow us up – figuratively or literally. We can learn to recognize that conflict is a challenge, to our adaptability. And the call of the Holy Spirit is really a blessing, if we listen and choose to go in the new direction that God has in store for us.

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Sermon by Rev Fred Kinsey, "Healthcare"

7/3/2018

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Readings for 6th Sunday after Pentecost, July 1, 2018

Healthcare, Pastor Kinsey
In April of last year (2017), Jimmy Kimmel’s son almost died a few hours after his wife gave birth to their second child. An attentive nurse noticed the infant’s color was purplish, and when they did some tests, found out that his heart’s tiny little pulmonary artery was blocked, plus there was a hole between the chambers of his heart. Very serious, but totally correctable! And, transferred to the Children’s Hospital, they did immediate surgery on the blockage, and would have a 2nd surgery in 3 to 6 months.

That week, Jimmy Kimmel Live, was all reruns while he attended to his family. But when he returned the next week, he used his whole monologue to tell the story of what happened: choking up, shedding a few tears, his voice cracking, as he recounted it, because the emergency was still so close and raw.

After more than 10 minutes on this personal story, Mr. Kimmel ended with this observation: That despite the Administration trying to cut health care, at the time, don’t we all agree, he asked, that when a newborn child has a life threatening condition, and it can be fixed medically, it shouldn’t matter if you’re rich or poor? Everyone should have access to the same medical care!?! And then they showed a shot of the audience and band – all clapping and cheering.

Our gospel is a series of two healings stories, sandwiched together. First, Jesus is called to an elite leader’s house to heal the man’s daughter, when Jesus is then interrupted by a 2nd desperately poor woman, reaching out to him.

It starts the minute Jesus has arrived back from the other side of the Sea of Galilee, returning to the Jewish side, probably at Capernaum, the home-base of the disciples, where Peter and Andrew lived. One of the leaders of the synagogue in town, Jairus, came to him, and fell down at Jesus’ feet, a sign of respect, and show of supplication, when approaching a holy man. And Jairus begged Jesus repeatedly to come and lay his hands on his daughter, who he feared, was so sick, she was lying on her death-bed. Come! You can make her well again!

So, off they go, with a ‘large crowd following.’ And ‘the following’ pressed in on them all. And, as they went, suddenly Jesus ‘was aware,’ could feel, ‘that power had gone forth from him.’ And Jesus stops and looks, twirling around: “who touched my clothes?” he calls out.

And the first derisive laugh, in our gospel story, comes from Jesus’ own disciples! “You see how great the crowd is, pressing in on us. How can you say, ‘who touched me?” ‘How are we supposed to know,’ the disciples seem to say, snorting at what they considered a ridiculous question.

But the woman comes forward, on her own. The woman, ‘who suffered from hemorrhages for 12 years,’ who is considered ritually unclean by the laws of the time. She should not even be in crowds, in public – which explains why she basically decided to sneak-up on Jesus. We also know that she endured much going to many doctors for those 12 years – if you can imagine, continually doctoring that long – and maybe you have, or, know someone else who does, or did. And she has spent all the money she had trying to find a cure. But in fact, all her life-savings, and all her doctoring, didn’t help. Instead she actually “grew worse!” Her story is unusually detailed and well developed.

And, hearing about Jesus the physician, is almost like a last resort, much like Jairus’ request. So, she is going to risk it, go out in public, forget the taboo! She thinks, What do I have to lose? I’ve spent my last dime; but I’m only getting weaker, and I’m going to die if I keep hemorrhaging. She wants to be healed so badly, she breaks through all these barriers and fears. She goes for it. “If I but touch fringe of his cloak, I will be made well,” she prays!

And, at the same time that Jesus feels power going forth from him – the woman “felt in her body that she was healed of her disease.”

Then, as he stops to search for her, I’m not sure if Jesus is angry, or what. It’s so improper what she has done, or, the way she’s gone about it, that to me, it seems as if he might scold her.

And when she steps up of her own accord, not wanting to hide the truth from Jesus, she too falls down before him, openly confessing what she did, and why.

Jesus, however, gives her the high compliment: “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace…” Instead of chastising this un-named woman of low estate, Jesus names her as a daughter of Israel, gives her status, and confirms her courage and faith against such great odds, to reach out, for the gift of God, as she did.

What would it be like, if the lowest, were lifted up, and afforded the same medical care in our society today? In the richest country in the world, where so many have to beg for proper health care, when will we offer the same healing hand to the poor and the disenfranchised, like Jesus did for the woman with the curable disease for 12 years?

Which is why our Mental Health Justice Team is part of a national campaign to bring, Improved Medicare for All, led by, National Nurses United! We are at the beginning of a process to push for universal health care for all people, regardless of their income level, which will make our country stronger and healthier.

But after Jesus’ first amazing healing, we now hear news that the delay has resulted in the death of Jairus’ daughter. Jesus spent time with the un-named woman, and now, it seems, he missed his chance to help the town leader’s family!

But Jesus is undeterred. He doubles his pace now, taking only a skeleton crew with him from his inner circle of disciples – Peter, James and John. At Jairus’ house, the funeral mourners are already wailing. And going inside, Jesus claims the girl is only sleeping, why are you acting like she’s dead already?! Which prompts – for the second time – derisive laughter, directed at Jesus, by the crowd! But Jesus has no time for their un-belief. He puts them all out of the girl’s room, and only invites in the father and mother, along with his 3 disciples, takes the little girls hand and says (in Aramaic), Talitha cum – Little girl, get up! ‘And immediately she got up and began to walk about. At this they were overcome with amazement.’ And Mark adds: she was 12 years of age.

For 12 years, the girl had lived a comparably privileged life – while the un-named woman had been suffering those 12 long years, her health exploited, sending her into poverty. But Jesus brings the two together! Each are healed on the same day. They are both resurrected to new life, united by the power of their faith in God, who desires health and wholeness, for all.

In their time, these healings were totally scandalous! Yet Jesus engaged, and overcame the taboos of his time, in touching two unclean persons. And he restored them, not only to health, but to full status in the community, a community which had condemned them to being, untouchable, and to death, itself.

What are the taboos we still live with, that Jesus is calling us to reach out in faith and overcome? What or who are the ones that our society laughs at derisively?

I think of the women, who have created and who are participating in the ME TOO movement, who were in the shadows, but now, in reaching out to tell their stories, are being believed.

And, the teenagers from Margaret Stoneman Douglas H.S., who are leading the way to saner gun control laws, and pleading, that no more students become victims.

And more and more are speaking up for health care as human right for all, like Jimmy Kimmel did!

Jesus took time, to name the woman’s faith, who so bravely touched just the fringe of his cloak, who risked so much, in just reaching out, to be healed. He didn’t discount her, but lifted her up as an example to us all.

Until, and unless, we include everyone under the tent of healing and wholeness that God intends for all of creation, starting with the poor and excluded, as Jesus does, we cannot rejoice in the raising of the daughter’s of Jairus either, or be true followers of Jesus, who took such a risk against established taboos, and set us such an example.

Let us find the courage, to reach out, across every human-made barrier, to be the faithful disciples Jesus calls us to be.

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Sermon by Reverend Fred Kinsey, "Whose Perspective?"

Sermon by The Rev Fred Kinsey, "Dividing Walls Undone"

Sermon by Rev Fredric Kinsey, "Stranger at Home"

Sermon by Rev Fred Kinsey, "Healthcare"

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