Rev. Kathryn Ransdell wins health justice sermon award
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Written: 10/30/2009
Texas Impact, an interfaith grassroots religious organization based in Austin, has announced Rev. Kathryn Ransdell, who served on the staff of First UMC, Dallas, until her recent move to Canada, is the winner of its “health justice sermon” award.
The contest, which ran for 12 weeks, drew sermons by clergy, lay preachers and seminary students from across the state and denominations.
Rev Ransdell’s sermon, preached at First UMC, Dallas, on Aug. 2 focused on the need for Christians to participate in the national discussion about health care reform as part of their ongoing ministry to the sick and those in need. Citing her own challenges, paying for treatment for her ill husband, Ransdell contrasted “the prayers that Christians love to pray for peace and healing for those who are sick,” with the need for financial peace, saying “We needed the kind of prayers Christians don’t know how to pray.”
“As our nation struggles with the issue of health care reform, it’s especially important that the voices of faith communities be firmly grounded in theology and scripture, and not simply reflect partisan rhetoric,” said Texas Impact executive director Bee Moorhead. “We thought the best way to model that authentic faithful witness would be to showcase the reflections of our own wonderful Texas clergy, and we couldn’t be happier with the results.”
“I think it’s absolutely critical for the church to preach the great biblical texts which reveal God as the one who brings justice and insists on justice among God’s people,” said contest judge Reverend Bill McElvaney, a retired United Methodist pastor and professor of homiletics at Perkins School of Theology, SMU.
“As Christians, we must care and be part of what is happening on a national level as policy is developed for health care reform in our country. We must recognize the fear that resides within us so that we can allow it to be pushed out of our way so we can continue doing the work Jesus calls us to do,” said Rev. Ransdell. Other contest winners included: Rev. Mary Spradlin, St. Stephen’s UMC, Arlington, and Fr. Jeffrey Walker, St. James Episcopal Church, Austin; runner-up, English Language, Rev. Dan DeLeon, Friends Congregational Church, College Station; and first prize, Spanish Language, Rev. Margarita Arroyo, St. James Episcopal Church, Austin.
The winning sermons along with all the other entries are posted on YouTube.