a young woman's pilgrimage in ordained ministry
A Sermon for Advent 3 Year B Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11 John 1:6-8, 19-28 Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?... Continue Reading →
A Reflection for an ecumenical Thanksgiving Service Psalm 107:1-16, 23-32 As a baptized member of the body of Christ, I have always felt that water has such palpable, mystical properties. And over my couple of months here, I have quickly realized that the waters of Tahoe are mightier than I ever could have imagined. It is it's... Continue Reading →
Sermon for Year A Proper 27 Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25 Matthew 25:1-13 My friends, the past couple of months spent here in Tahoe have been such a blessing for me and for my family. Everyday I feel abundantly grateful to live in this beautiful place—enjoying early snow showers skimming the nearby peaks; loving the serenity of... Continue Reading →
Sermon for Year A Proper 25 Matthew 22:34-46, NRSV It would be great if human beings were great at being human, And if all of humankind were made up of kind women and kind men. It would be wonderful if common knowledge was knowledge commonly known, And if the light from being enlightened into every... Continue Reading →
Sermon for Year A Proper 20; Exodus 16:2-15, NRSV When I signed up to take nine high school youth on a Confirmation pilgrimage just this past August, only a little over a month ago, I had no idea how much I would be fed on the journey, on our cross-country travel to Navajoland. I had... Continue Reading →
A sermon for Year A Proper 23; Matthew 22:1-14 Having been a bride only shortly over a year ago, for me the most difficult part of the planning process, was not picking the dress, or the cake, or the music, but it was actually hand selecting who would be invited to my wedding. Nate and... Continue Reading →
A celebration of St. Francis of Assisi; Psalm 148:7-14; Matthew 11:25-30 A Prayer Attributed to St. Francis: Lord, make us instruments of your peace. Where there is hatred, let us sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is discord, union; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is... Continue Reading →
Palm Sunday Sermon, April 9, 2017 audio without the beautiful congregational singing: http://www.gracechurchamherst.org/the-rev-sarah-syer-4917/ "Were you there when they crucified my Lord? Were you there when they crucified my Lord? O-o-o-o sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble. Were you there when they crucified my Lord?" Tremble. Tremble. Tremble. What did the authors of this... Continue Reading →
Listen to the audio: http://www.gracechurchamherst.org/the-rev-sarah-syer-12217/ Several times in seminary, I heard there were two dualistic types of discipleship: the actives and the contemplatives. The actives being the go-getters: creating new programs, organizing peoples, perhaps even initiating marches across the country and across the world. The contemplatives being the spiritually centered ones: spending time reading, reflecting, and praying... Continue Reading →
“The light shines forth in the darkness, And the darkness has not overcome it.” At Christmas I always feel super nostalgic, and so today I wanted to share some past memories with you. As a child I was afraid of the dark. For everything seemed much more terrifying in the dark: the normal all of a sudden paranormal. Whenever... Continue Reading →
The Magdalene's Call 