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Baptism: We Are All God’s Children

“We Will See”
Sermon Celebrating the Baptism of Jack Field Munson
by Rev. Dr. Fritz Ritsch
April 19, 2015
I John 3:1-7

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” Matthew 5:8

Today we are making an extraordinary assertion. We are asserting that Jack Field Munson is not only the child of Tyler and Sydney—he is a child of God.

We take it so granted today, so I want to emphasize it again: We are saying that Jack is a child of God. What are we thinking?

In the liturgies of the early Christian church, when the congregation came to the Lord’s prayer, they were reminded what an amazing thing it is that we can dare to call God our Father. This was Jesus’ point as well when He taught us the prayer and told us to call God “Father.” His point is, this is an extraordinary statement. We have the right to claim it. But we must never ever take it for granted.Read More »Baptism: We Are All God’s Children

Hoping Against Hope

Hoping against Hope
Genesis 17: 1-7, 15-16
Romans 4: 13-25
Mark 8: 31-38

“We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.” – The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Several years ago I was feeling a bit depressed about my kids. You know how it is with kids: They’re born and it’s great, but it’s downhill from there. My daughter was getting ready to go off to college, and I was concerned that I hadn’t done enough to prepare her. It suddenly seemed that time had telescoped, and that I only had a few months to teach her everything she needed to know to be an adult, and that I should have done more to get her ready for the real world. I was talking to Shirley Meinen about it, and she said the most amazing thing. She said, “You know, our kids are in their forties, and our relationship to them is better than ever. It’s grown and changed over the years. Your relationship with your kids doesn’t end when they go off to college. You have it the rest of your lives.”Read More »Hoping Against Hope

What Do We Have in Common?

What Do We Have in Common?

Mark 1: 21-31

Friday night, a number of St. Stephen folks went to Congregation Beth El to celebrate their annual Sisterhood Shabbat, sponsored by the Women of Reform Judaism—like our Presbyterian Women. It was a beautiful evening. There were a number of us, but also some folks from Broadway Baptist. Rabbi Ralph Mecklenburger and I preached a dialogue sermon. There was the naming ceremony for a new baby girl, after which a quintet of women came up and sang a simply beautiful blessing to the baby—it brought tears to some folks’ eyes. Afterward, we all gathered for a seeming feast of desserts and socialized for about an hour. One of Jewish hosts commented to me, “I think there’s a Christian in every Jew, and a Jew in every Christian, don’t you?” All I can say is, I hope so. Jews and Christians clearly have a lot in common.Read More »What Do We Have in Common?

God is a Warrior? Dialogue Between Rabbi Mecklenburger and Dr. Ritsch

“God is a Warrior”

Rabbi Ralph Mecklenburger and Rev. Dr. Fritz Ritsch
Sisterhood Interfaith Shabbat, Jan. 30, 2015
Exodus 14: 3-15: 6, 11

Rev. Dr. Ritsch was invited to do a dialogue sermon with Rabbi Ralph Mecklenburger of Temple Beth El in Fort Worth. Each contributed a portion, to which the other responds. The Temple graciously hosted the event, at which many St. Stephen members were present.

Rabbi Ralph Mecklenburger:

That is quite a Torah portion from which we just read! The exultation which Moses, Miriam and the Israelites felt is understandable and very human. They had been slaves. They finally escaped. And then suddenly they saw the Egyptian armies chasing them–to kill them, or return them to slavery. But (we all know the story) they escape on dry land through the sea. The Egyptian armies chase after them. Just as they (we!) reach safety on the far shore, God commands the waters to return, drowning Pharaoh’s legions. So the Israelites break out in songs of jubilation.Read More »God is a Warrior? Dialogue Between Rabbi Mecklenburger and Dr. Ritsch