May 2025 – Wicomico Presbyterian Church

Light

May 28, 2025
by Maggie Gillespie

John14:23-29 Revelation 21:10; 21:22-22:5 There is a question that is often in my mind – a question that I spend much time mulling over and wondering about: What is the place of the church in this nation? We have a long history of understanding our nation to be one that separates religion from government, for the purpose of ensuring freedom of religion for all people. It has, generally speaking, served us quite well. And we have a unique point of view on this matter, because of our history. Wicomico Presbyterian was first established in 1672, and that was well before we were a nation, well before we had a constitution that established freedom of religion. In 1672, when this was a colony ruled by the king of England, we were granted permission to gather at the Wicomico River for Presbyterian worship. And so we did, and Wicomico Presbyterian Church has been […]

The Home of God

May 21, 2025
by Maggie Gillespie

John 13:31-35 Revelation 21:1-6 One of my great privileges as a pastor is to walk with those who are making the final leg of their journey on this earth. A sacred journey. And, while there are plenty of things to dislike about a long, drawn-out death, there are sometimes gifts in that process. I will never forget being in a hospice room with a man who was dying, while he was experiencing a vision. He was able to describe it to us; in the moment it was happening. He said, “There is a white picket fence. And there are people on the other side of the fence. There is a church there, too. And the people are talking to me.” He was experiencing a glorious vision, and he very much wanted us to see it too. His description of it was extraordinary, although I have no doubt that it could […]

A New Kind of Power

John 10:22-30 Revelation 7:9-17 Last week at the Vatican the Roman Catholic Church selected a new pope to succeed Francis. This one took the name Leo. The name chosen by a new pope says something about how he might want to frame his ministry. The last Leo was Pope Leo XIII, who sat on the papal throne from 1878 to 1903. Leo XIII is known as the father of Catholic Social Teaching, a doctrine of the church that concerns itself with the common good in society and basic human dignity. It’s worth taking a minute to look at these teachings. It begins with prioritizing the common good. It affirms that every human being is made in the image of God and therefore has worth and dignity. It teaches that we all have the right and responsibility to work together in society for the common good – caring for others and […]

We Begin Again

Acts 9:1-6 John 21:1-19 If you have ever experienced a point in life that felt like an ending, then you know something about how the disciples felt in these post-resurrection days. They are trying to figure out how to begin again. Because they have been following Jesus a few years now, continuously. They walked away from the lives they had before and began something new. It was a jarring, abrupt experience for all of them. Peter, James, and John walked away from their boats, their nets, the catch of fish waiting to be sold; their families, their community. Jesus said to them, “Follow me,” and that was that. Matthew walked away from his booth, leaving his business behind – accounts receivable, accounts payable, and so on. Jesus said to him, “Follow me,” and that was that. Philip, Nathanael, Andrew – in every case it was the same: Jesus said, “Follow […]