Sermon, 25th Sunday after Trinity, 2024
For the 25th Sunday after Epiphany, we almost always use the readings and collect from the 6th Sunday after Epiphany. The theme of the Epiphany season is Christ’s manifestation to the Gentiles, and these propers focus not only upon the fact of His manifestation, but also the reasons for His manifestation – “… that he might destroy the works of the devil, and make us the sons of God, and heirs of eternal life” (see 1 John 3). In our readings we are not only reminded of the things that Christ has done for us already, but also that His work in us of purifying and completing our salvation is…
Sermon, 23rd Sunday after Trinity, 2024
This Sunday, we wrapped up the Unification cycle of our Trinity series on the Seven Deadly Sins by revisiting one final time, the sin of covetousness. Covetousness desires what belongs to another person. Christ said to the Pharisees, render unto Cesar the things that are Cesar’s, and render unto God, the things that are God’s. As ancient coins bore the image of the sovereign that minted them, we bear the image of the sovereign that created us. We belong to God. Will we render ourselves unto Him? Or do we withhold ourselves from Him in our self-covetousness? This is the challenge for us today and every day. Propers Manuscript …
Sermon, 21st Sunday After Trinity, 2024
Do you believe in the gospel or do you BE-LIEVE in the Gospel? The difference between a superficial belief and a more deeply rooted faith is closely connected with how much effort we put into our spiritual life in Christ. Unfortunately, many professing believers are stifled in their Christian maturity because of spiritual sloth. We might show up to church on Sunday, but then we ignore Christ for the rest of the week. St. Paul reminds us this morning that we are in a spiritual battle, and if we do not actively prepare for the daily battle, then we risk, at the least, being ineffective for the Kingdom of God,…
Sermon, 15th Sunday after Trinity, 2024
Covetousness is, at its core, a distrust of God through an attempt to provide for ourselves. Yet we cannot make the sun rise or set, we cannot make it rain or shine, we cannot control the vast majority of what happens to us. So how exactly are we going to provide what we need for life? The virtue we need which opposes our greediness is justice – giving to all his due. The just person understands the relative value of things and does not clamor for that which cannot satisfy and which cannot save. God is our hope and strength, a very present help in trouble. God takes care of…
Sermon, 14th after Trinity, 2024
Will we live in the flesh or in the Spirit? This question is posed to us by St. Paul in the epistle lesson this morning. The sins of the flesh may seem attractive to us, but then the gospel lesson illustrates for us that such a life is like having leprosy. How then, are we to live in the Spirit? The virtue we need is Temperance. As followers of Jesus, this isn’t simply a strength of will to avoid sin, but it is a longing for something greater to be found in our relationship with Christ. Propers Manuscript
Episcopal Visit, Aug. 3 & 4, 2024, Bishop Walter Banek
Some photos from our episcopal visit this year. We were blessed to have 4 confirmands and 2 receptions. Thank you Bishop Banek for a very encouraging weekend! The cake decorator evidently had a little difficulty with spelling.
Sermon, 13th after Trinity, 2024
Too often, we use the Law, those biblical principles of what things are right and wrong, to attempt to justify ourselves. Such is the case of the student of the Mosaic Law that we read about in Luke 10:23-37. Then having incorrectly justified ourselves, we become angry with those who disagree with us or thwart our purposes. Yet St. Paul makes the case in Galatians 3, that our relationship with God, established first in the Abrahamic covenant in Genesis, is entirely on the basis of God’s promise. Our obedience is built upon God’s gift, not upon our keeping of the Law. We do not justify ourselves. God, in Christ Jesus,…
Sermon, 12th Sunday after Trinity, 2024
Accidie or Dejection is the sin that steals our agency. At some point, we look at the problems in the world and the problems in our own lives, and we give up. We don’t think that anything we do can change the course that is set in motion. The virtue that opposes our dejection is Hope for hope is a confidence that is based on the agency of God who makes us able ministers of the gospel of Jesus Christ. What we do, any act of service no matter how grand or how unseen, makes a difference. This isn’t because we see the difference that our actions make. We may…
Sermon, 8th Sunday after Trinity, 2024
In what do we really put our trust? In God? Or in our own abilities to get what we desire? We are tempted to neglect worship because we want to get ahead. We are tempted to manipulate others to get them to behave as we desire them to. It is hard to rest in God and to accept what He has for us, but that is exactly what we are called to do as followers of Jesus Christ. Propers Manuscript
Sermon, 7th Sunday after Trinity, 2024
Are the Seven Deadly Sins really all that deadly? They do not immediately cause our physical death, but the certainly do lead to death of the soul. Why then do we not repent and amend our lives? Because to do so means that we must put off our sloth, dying to ourselves, and embracing the work that God has for us to do. Let us not be intimidated by this, but rather, being strengthened by Christ, let us embrace the work set before us to the building of The Kingdom of God and to the Glory of The Almighty King. Propers Manuscript