
Yesterday, I was installed as Associate Pastor at First Presbyterian Church here in Ashland, Oregon. In addition, I had the privilege of hearing my good friend Tony Hoshaw preach at my installation. For those of you who have been following my ordination journey since the beginning, you’ll remember that my initial invitation of Tony to preach at my ordination is what set things in motion for my ordination to be cancelled in 2008 and led to my transfer from Kendall Presbytery to the Presbytery of San Francisco.
So it was as if things had come full circle, and it was great for Tony to be welcomed to preach at First Presbyterian Church yesterday and for him to join the celebration. Below you will find both the audio of his sermon, as well as the text. I appreciated his message and his challenge to me through the sermon, and I offer it to you here. The three texts for the sermon were Isaiah 56:1-8, Romans 15:1-6 and Mark 9:33-37 (you can look at the complete bulletin here).
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Purpose Statement:
I propose to preach that weak force, the rejection of the politics of self-preservation for a messianic politics of weakness, is the way of life of all those seeking to faithfully discharge the office of pastor. I preach this to the end that hearers will be just, that is, be weak and welcome the weak – as the messiah Jesus was weak and welcomed the weak.





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