James Derkits

The Experience of the Transfiguration A sermon preached at Trinity by the Sea, February 7, 2016 The Last Sunday of Epiphany The Rev. J. James Derkits Gospel Reading: Luke 9:28-36 Introduction: Each year at the end of the Season of Epiphany, we hear a version of the story of the Transfiguration. It’s a story that’s captivated me since I started paying attention to it sometime in seminary. My preaching about, around, and toward the story continues to evolve; I've wondered what “really happened,” I've wondered if it was actually about Jesus’ crucifixion or his birth or his baptism. Now, I'm trying to just hear the story. In hearing this story, I remember some of my own mystical experiences, and how I struggle to articulate them. I remembered the cautionary words of my mentor, Pittman McGehee, warning me that the church sometimes works at protecting people from an authentic experience of God. So, this year, I sought to lead the people of Trinity by the Sea in a simp...

Late summer a handful of my good friends came to visit me in Port Aransas. Mostly guys with whom I went to college; they've known me for over 20 years. There's always a reunion quality to those visits, for me at least. Some of them live in the same town, but a few of us are flung further afield. Off to mountains, lakes, and beaches. Our time together is playful, sometimes literally. We play music and soccer. Sometimes mischievous, but not malicious. The visits are always intuitive. A friend who is a relative newcomer noticed two times in particular when we went from one activity to the next, never saying a word, just one person making the first move to touch the soccer ball or play a note, and then minutes later the rest of us joining in the fun. It's nice to be know and be known. We've spent our adult lives learning about trusting one another. We've witnessed one another forming relationships, and discerning vocations. That's part of the time, too. Checki...