The Rev. Dr. John Tamilio III, Pastor © 2023, Dr. Tamilio There is a character in ancient Greek mythology named Tiresias. His big appearance is in the play Oedipus Rex by Sophocles and in The Odyssey by Homer. Dante would incorporate him into his Inferno. He has also appeared in poems by Alfred Lord Tennyson, […]
A Prayer for Mystery Alex Killian Almighty God and Creator of all there is, we come to this place this morning to enter into your divine mystery. To enter your sanctuary, the sanctuaries that you have made within us, the holy temple that is the body of Christ in which we exist. We approach you […]
The Rev. Dr. John Tamilio III, Pastor © 2023, Dr. Tamilio The story of the woman at the well is a curious one. It appears early in John’s Gospel, and the context of the story (which is so far removed from us) makes it difficult for modern readers to fully understand (let alone appreciate) the […]
© 2023, Dr. Tamilio The first eleven chapters of the Book of Genesis are often referred to as the primordial history. This is where we hear stories about the Creation of the world, of Adam and Eve, of Noah and the great flood, of the tower of Babel. Starting with chapter twelve, we get the […]
The Rev. Dr. John Tamilio III, Pastor © 2023, Dr. Tamilio I came across some statistics recently that disturbed me greatly: a preacher was explaining why we are in the post-Christian age. The younger generation does not go to church. There are many reasons for this, but at the heart of it all: they believe […]
The Rev. Dr. John Tamilio III, Pastor © 2023, Dr. Tamilio Do you remember Hugh Hefner? (Did you ever think you’d hear a sermon begin with that question?) Hefner interviewed Jimmy Carter during the run-up to the 1976 Presidential election. Carter said, “I’ve looked on a lot of women with lust. I’ve committed adultery in […]
2023, Dr. Tamilio I came across the following story recently.[1] There is a mere strip of sand called Castle Island near the eastern end of the Bahamas archipelago. Few people are aware of it — and, as tiny and isolated as it is, Castle Island is important for the lighthouse that is its sole source […]
The Rev. Dr. John Tamilio III, Pastor © 2023, Dr. Tamilio I remember reading the book Tuesdays with Morrie when it was a bestseller years ago. It is the true story of sportswriter Mitch Albom spending time with his former college professor Morrie Schwartz as the latter was in the process of dying. It was, […]
The Rev. Dr. John Tamilio III, Pastor © 2023, Dr. Tamilio At the advice of my colleague, Rev. Dee Scott, and our Student Minister, Alex Killian, I started watching the series The Chosen last week. It is a series by the filmmaker Dallas Jenkins currently streaming on the Peacock network. It is a historical drama […]
The Rev. Dr. John Tamilio III, Pastor © 2023, Dr. Tamilio Antisemitism is on the rise in the United States. According to Mary Markos, it is up 42% in New England, particularly in our own state: good ol’ Massachusetts.[1] About a week ago, a swastika was painted on a sidewalk in Swampscott. Recently, the musician […]