Worship & Sermon Archive

Sometimes the truth hurts. How often do you avoid saying something, even when something needs to be said, because you don't want to risk a friendship, a work situation, a family relationship? That's what John the Baptist's story is making me think about.

If you are like me, you are carrying a lot right now. A lot of anxiety about the state of our nation. Concern for those in the path of war and violence. Stress about our planet, as a warming climate threatens more and more dramatic weather events. Money worries, health worries, worries about loved ones.

Friends, this Sunday is a high holy day for us-- It's Pride! We'll reflect together about how being in relationship with queerness blesses us, grows us, and connects us to transformative possibilities.

How often do we get placed into situations and expectations that are just not us? And how hard it is, then, to know and claim who we really are!

Sunday will be special! First, it's the 'official' kickoff to our Capital Campaign to 'rebuild the walls' (and, more particularly the roof!) of St. Paul & St. Andrew.

For better, or for worse (probably for worse if we’re being honest) human beings are deeply jealous creatures.

I have a notoriously substandard sense of direction. This always distresses my dad, a Navy submariner who is gifted with an internal GPS.

As Julia Tulloch so cleverly put it last week, we are no longer mere Easter People, but Pentecost People.

Pentecost! The birthday of the church! Pentecost! That day when nothing happened. Until everything happened.

I am naturally optimistic. Still, when we arrived at General Conference two weeks ago, I felt a sense of dread climbing up my spine.

Yesterday we received amazing, wonderful, "pinch me it's so fabulous news" from K and Lea and Aurora at General Conference. LOVE WINS!

This week we jump ahead in the lectionary to what will be the early days of forming Christ’s church in the world.

A few years back, we did a little exploration of the question, 'What's a church for?' It was a provocative question, and we came up with some interesting answers.

When it comes to the Risen Christ, it seems like believing is seeing. Walking on the road to Emmaus that evening of Easter, two disciples encounter Jesus. But, of course, they don't recognize him.

While Easter Sunday is a once a year event, the Easter season lasts 50 days. Over the course of these 50 days we'll be thinking as a community about how to be Easter people in a hurting world.

Sunday, we mark the time when Jesus makes his final entrance into Jerusalem.  We will wave palms, shout our hosannas, pray, and give praise to the One who comes in the name of the Lord.

People have been puzzling out the meaning of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus since the moment it happened.

Yikes! If I got bitten by a snake, I’m not sure I’d go to Moses for a cure. But I have felt strangely drawn to this scripture lately.

The congregation that became St. Paul & St. Andrew officially began on March 5, 1835! So, at worship this Sunday we will celebrate turning 189 years old by singing, praising, praying and dedicating the restored stained-glass window, 'Paul Before Agrippa'.

At first glance, this invitation of Jesus seems anything but inviting. Deny myself? How do I do that? Take up my cross?