Dave Buerstetta on striving to do justice and love others while walking humbly with God
My most recent sermon is the fourth installment of our summer series, "Privilege and Promise: This is America." I begin with a brief recap of the series thus far, but if you are interested in experiencing the full effect: Prologue, "The Past is Prologue" Part 1, "Moving Beyond Fear" by the Rev. Danita R. Anderson …
Continue reading ‘Privilege and Promise: This is America — Seeding Growth’
It was my turn to preach again Sunday. (We are on a break from the "Privilege and Promise: This is America" sermon series. But it returns soon. Of course, it is objectively obvious that racism does not take a break, so let’s not stop striving every day to be actively antiracist.) The lectionary gave us …
This summer at Woodridge United Methodist Church, our Lead Pastor Rev. Danita Anderson and I are offering a sermon series on racism we call, “Privilege and Promise: This is America.” We are committed to examining the extant racism around us (and in us!) and moving toward being actively antiracist — both as individuals and as …
Continue reading “Privilege and Promise: This is America — Being Colorblind”
My sermon on Sunday was based on the Lectionary texts for the week: Exodus 19 and Matthew 9. We've begun reading Exodus in the weekly bible study I facilitate, so that added to the fun. Pastor Danita and I are starting a new monthly series on being antiracist...so there may be some subtext to my …
Recently I've used this space to share how I've asked my city leaders to do just that: lead. And I've shared ways they responded. (I'm not saying they made those public statements because I asked them to. But I'd like to think I at least help nudge them toward doing so.) So what about me? …
I expected this to be a week to have a little extra fun with my sermon. The texts for last week highlighted divisions that occurred in the Christian movement, even in its earliest days. I seem to derive (perverse?) pleasure in dispelling the notion of a golden age for the church. My hope is that …
Yes, indeed. For now at least. Due to the previously-arranged preaching schedule, the previous Sunday was my first opportunity to offer a sermon during our stay-safe-at-home time here in Illinois. So, yes, I spend the first few minutes talking about just how weird that feels. Probably too much time on that. But I strive to …
"It's Friday...but Sunday's comin'!" That's a popular refrain among Christians on these final days of Holy Week. But we might reasonably respond in our most skeptical tone, "Yeah, right!" Over on my favorite blog, Slacktivist, Fred Clark posted Holy Saturday. First seen in 2010, he's reposted it every year. Fred has written a ton of …
Turns out Ash Wednesday was only [checks notes] three weeks ago. I don't know about you, but it sure feels to me more like three years ago. I mean, what a world we were living in way, way back in February. Think of all the things we did that month: I saw a movie...in a …
The short answer?Because I joined 99 other clergy -- two from each state -- in signing an open letter to Congress. That letter ran in Thursday's (October 17th) Washington Post. The more complete answer?I know there are hundreds (at least) of incidents of injustice in our communities, our states, our country, and our world. I …
All That I Can't Leave Unsaid 