Sermons
Visit this page when you need inspiration from Pastor Michelle Fountain's sermons.
 Epistle Reading: 1 Corinthians 12: 1-13
The Gospel: Matthew 4: 18-25 Not having grown up with snow, I have always been fascinated by it. There is such incredible beauty in watching the individual flakes fall, whether gently floating down, a few at a time, or collectively coming down in a shower of flakes. Like a small child, I still like to stare out the window at the snow falling and to go outside and collect some on my tongue. I like to watch as a few white flakes land on my black coat, to see if I can make out their unique patterns before they disappear, turning to moisture on my jacket. Moving to Vermont, I loved learning about Snowflake Bentley. Wilson Bentley was a Vermont Farmer born in 1865 in Jericho, Vermont. “On January 15, 1885 he became the first person to photograph a single snow crystal. He would go on to photograph well over 5000 snow crystals (never finding two the same), and his documentation of this work advanced the study of meteorology in his time.” He said that, "Under the microscope, I found that snowflakes were miracles of beauty; and it seemed a shame that this beauty should not be seen and appreciated by others. Every crystal was a masterpiece of design and no one design was ever repeated., When a snowflake melted, that design was forever lost. Just that much beauty was gone, without leaving any record behind." (https://snowflakebentley.com/biography) However, this is where I disagree with Bentley. Yes, the individual snowflake is gone, but its beauty is absorbed into the other snowflakes that creates a more visible white blanket that decorates fir trees, rock walls, mountains, and fields. It is this collective blanket of billions of individual snowflakes that lets us ski, sled, build snow people and snow angels. While the individual flake indeed has its own unique patterns and beauty, it takes a community of snowflakes to create the spectacular winter landscapes that catch our breath in wonder, let us play, and even capture the water that will continue to refresh us through the warm seasons that follow. It takes a community of snowflakes coming together to sustain us. Like individual snowflakes, Peter, Andrew, James and John had their own beauty - their own individual gifts in catching fish to feed people, but as they came together with Jesus, their individual talents combined with Jesus’ teaching allowed them to collectively learn to feed more people: feeding them with hope, healing and the peace of Christ, reaching far more people than they could with their individual catches of fish. Together with all the other ancient and modern disciples, they created a beautiful blanket of hope like snow on the earth that continues to nourish us today. They learned that their gifts were multiplied when they gathered together as a community of faith. Our 1 Corinthians scripture reminds us that we all have a variety of gifts. Some of us are healers, others are teachers, designers, or builders. Some are bankers, administrators, cooks, servers, painters and so much more. Each of us, like an individual snowflake, has our own unique beauty, our own unique gifts. And that, by itself, is a wonderful thing. But we remember that gifts are to be shared. God did not put us here just to dazzle ourselves as we look in the mirror but to share our light, our individual gifts, with others. As 1 Corinthians 4-7 reminds us: “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” Let’s consider that last line again, “to each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” Here we are reminded that in addition to our individual and unique beauty and talents - one thing we all received from God is the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. Each of us has been given the desire and ability to contribute to the common good - it is the intersection of our unique gifts. We may work for the common good in different ways individually, or, like a pile of individual snowflakes that come together as a base for a sugar on snow party, we may work together for the common good or common joy. I believe God created this exquisite earth, not just to sustain us but to teach us. There are so many patterns in nature and habits of animals that we can learn from. Each of these is from God as a reminder of what is possible when we live in harmony as a community. Snowflakes are just one of the many teachers that God has provided for us. Wilson Bentley taught us of their individual beauty and we can easily see and experience their collective beauty but we also need to see ourselves as individual snowflakes - offering our unique gifts as a part of a greater community. Despite its splendor, a single snowflake is noticed but briefly, however, that single snowflake when gathered in community, can last for months: can become a surface for sliding, a base for sugar on snow, or sustenance for a river that will nourish us through the hot summer and beyond. I do know that the term “snowflake” has sometimes been used in a derogatory way to say that people are overly sensitive and lacking in resilience, implying that their current efforts will soon melt or fade away. However, this comparison leaves out both the value of the community of snowflakes and the water cycle. As individual snowflakes collect together, they become a greater whole but even this whole will melt away with time, just as our time as humans on this earth is limited. However, when snowflakes melt, they become water that flows into rivers, and is eventually evaporated by the heat of summer, forming water vapor which rises into the clouds and which will eventually rain or snow down again. I think snowflakes or any forms of water are some of the most resilient materials God makes. They are certainly not flaky in the sense that, that word is sometimes used. Part of being the unique individuals that God has created us to be is discovering our gifts, spiritual and otherwise, and then sharing them for the common good of all God’s people or just those in need at the moment. As a community of faith, we. like the disciples, look to Jesus as our guide. In his time as a human, he welcomed all, especially those who were marginalized; healed all, especially those for whom there seemed to be no hope of healing, and fed all with the gifts of the spirit, inviting them to share those unique gifts and talents. I invite you to look at this image of a snowflake cross. It is comprised of eleven uniquely beautiful individual snowflakes. Each one could be a work of art on its own, but put together in this manner, we are reminded of God who came to the earth in human form even to the point of dying on a cross to remind us of our individual gifts and how, working together as a community of faith for the common good, we can join God as his living symbols of beautiful hope for this world. Amen. Pastor Michelle Fountain
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The Gospel: Matthew 3: 13-17 (pg 837)
Epistle Reading: Acts 10: 34-43 (pg 957) In this reading, Cornelius, a Roman officer and a Gentile who worshiped the Jewish God, has had a vision of an angel who tells him to send for Simon Peter where he is staying and to invite him to come to his home so he can learn from him. He sends two of his servants and a devout soldier to get Peter. Peter was similarly told by God that these three had been sent by him and Peter must go and teach Cornelius. Our reading begins as Peter has arrived at Cornelius’ home. Cornelius told him of his vision and Peter is responding. Sermon: Fulfilling Righteousness As an English teacher and a pastor, I love a good play on words. In our Matthew scripture regarding the baptism of Christ, Peter is protesting about his ability to baptize God’s son when Jesus should be baptizing him, but Jesus replies, “Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness.” Thus I came up with my sermon title: Fulfilling Righteousness which we can think about in two different ways. The first is that we have to fulfill our duty to be righteous and the second is that being righteous is fulfilling. In the end, both are true for Jesus and us. But what is righteousness? We hear the term bantered about in so many different ways. The one that pops into my mind first is the term righteous anger, which I have always thought of as justified anger, like being angry about an unjust law or action and fighting against it. But according to my Oxford Study Bible, to be righteous is to act in accordance with the will of God. And doesn’t that make complete sense around Jesus’ baptism when the moment he comes out of the water, the spirit of God descended like a dove landing on him saying, “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” It certainly confirms that Jesus’ baptism was the will of God and it gave God the opportunity to pronounce Jesus as God’s son for many to hear, guiding them to follow him and to learn from him. After all, it was God’s will to become human in the form of Jesus so we could better learn God’s will. It was God’s will that Jesus would preach peace, do good, and heal the oppressed as we are reminded by the Acts scripture. And it was God’s will that a Roman Officer and his whole household be allowed into the faith community. For just after the Acts scripture today as Peter spoke to Cornelius in 10:44-46 it says, “The Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word. The circumcised believers (the Jews) who had come with Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles, for they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling God.” After this, Cornelius and his whole household were baptized by Peter. As Peter said, “God shows no partiality” but don’t we humans show our partiality all the time? God lets anyone who will hear into the faith community - Jew, Christian, Muslim and all the flavors of these and other religions. But what do we do as humans? We divide whether it be the type of Christianity or a different Abrahamic faith like Judaism or Islam. And yet, we of these different faiths have a lot in common - we believe in a singular God and we all believe in loving neighbors, strangers and enemies as taught by our God, and we all support one another as a part of our faith communities. We humans also divide by political parties and other belief systems. We sometimes forget that it is ok to disagree, as long as we can do it peacefully and with respect. I find hope in the fact that there seems to be a growing movement of interfaith cooperation. Maybe we humans can learn, like God, not to show partiality. In Rutland there is an Interfaith Council where various Christian clergy meet monthly along with the local Rabbi and Imam and even plan Interfaith Services like the Annual Thanksgiving service which I attended this year where different faith leaders each took a part in the service, sharing their traditions and music and coming together promoting peace and love. It was this group that I worked with to get out our letter of peace and cooperation, which was published in the beginning of December. Isn’t this righteousness, God’s will that we humans, all part of his creation, work together, promoting peace for all, rather than working against one another? In Minneapolis Christian, Muslim, and Jewish Faith leaders gathered on Thursday to ask for justice after the killing of Renee Nicole Good. "Yesterday, a mother was killed, right here. Renee Good deserves justice, her child deserves justice; her family deserves justice. We demand accountability," said Imam Mowlid Ali of Abuubakar Mosque in south Minneapolis. "Today, I am feeling heartbroken for not only our community here in Minneapolis, but also our nation as a whole. Right here on this block, children who attend my church catch the bus every morning for school. And yesterday, their block, their bus stop, became a scene of terror," said Pastor Martha Bardwell of Minneapolis' Our Saviors Lutheran Church. Senior Rabbi Tamar MaGill-Grim of Beth Jacob Congregation in Mendota Heights told the crowd, "We need an administration that values human life — and we need it now." (Fischer, Samantha. “Faith, community leaders demand justice for Renee Good.” KARE 11, 8 January 2026, https://www.kare11.com/article/news/local/ice-in-minnesota/faith-leaders-community-members-demand-justice-for-renee-good/89-151e4d27-a961-4d5a-a4b7-916207cf3373. Accessed 10 January 2026.) Faith leaders across the country are calling for peace, asking people and the leaders of our country to lead with love. That sure seems like righteousness, following God’s will, to me. The United Church of Dorset and East Rupert has created a Truth and Justice Vermont website with great resources. Their mission statement states they are a “A nonpartisan group in defense of our US Constitution” It goes on to say, “We seek to build awareness of social and environmental injustices, to provide a haven for resistance, and make sure that ALL are truly welcome in our community and our nation. Faith, principles, and moral ethics compel us to respond to the suffering and cruelty we see around us today. In particular, they state: Politics involves seeking to meet the needs of all people; partisanship seeks to meet the needs of only a select few. So we are willing to engage in politics, not partisanship. This sounds like righteousness to me. I skipped my VT Conference UCC Justice and Witness Ministry meeting on Thursday night so that Russ and I could go to the silent, peaceful candlelight vigil in memory of Renee Nicole Good on Route 7 in front of Main Street Park in Rutland. We were two of about 110 who turned out holding our candles and singing “Amazing Grace”. We received honks of support from some and were flipped off and yelled at by others. But we will continue to lead with peace and love. While a vigil doesn’t solve problems, it shows that we can remember a life that was lost and call for justice peacefully. It shows that we want and will work for a society that cares about all people, a society that leads with love and helps rather than harms. The Justice and Witness Ministry folks did meet on Thursday and jointly drafted A Prophetic Call for Justice: Statement on the Killing of Renee Nicole Good. As a member of the committee, I was able to help edit the draft the next morning and that draft has now been finalized. I have signed it along with 164 others so far, others who are interested are invited to do so by Monday when it will be sent out to the media, our governor and our Congressional representatives. The letter begins with a quote from Micah 6:8 that is my guiding scripture: “He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” The letter goes on to call for Vermont Legislators to publicly condemn the use of lethal force, to protect due process, and to demand transparency. This too is righteousness, as the letter states, “Our faith is rooted in the conviction that every person bears the Imago Dei—the Image of God”. We believe that every human has value and dignity and the right to peace and security. As Isaiah tells us, “I am the Lord, I have called you in righteousness, I have taken you by the hand and kept you; I have given you as a covenant to the people, a light to the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness.” First Century Jewish Religious Leader and Scholar Hillel the Elder said “If not now, when?” President John F. Kennedy added to that "If not us, who? If not now, when?” God has called us to righteousness and given us the example of Jesus Christ who led with peace and love for all. We are called to be God’s light, opening eyes, leading people in peace. That is fulfilling righteousness. Amen. Pastor Michelle Fountain |
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