Sermon, 21st Sunday after Trinity, 2025
We can mean many things when we use the word, “believe”. It can mean an intellectual assent, which is merely an acknowledgment or agreement that has no real impact upon us. It can mean that we take action regarding a conviction, that we actually do something. It can also mean that we have experienced a particular thing or event and thus have no doubts about its truth. In this last case, there is a confidence, a peace, which accompanies belief. In our lives, we will certainly face many personal battles on all kinds of levels. The epistle lesson provides for us disciplines and “spiritual armor” for us to use in…
Sunday Morning Worship celebrating the Feast of All Saints, Nov. 2, 2025
During today’s worship, we are reminded of the great cloud of witnesses, those who have finished their lives in persevering in, and contending for, the faith. We are reminded that their being has not ended, but they are gathered round the throne of God worshiping Him with their entire souls, and in doing so, they find joy and everlasting triumph. Finally, we are reminded that in our worship, we ascend into heaven and join with them around the Throne of God and of The Lamb and the Sevenfold Spirit of God. Let this reality be with us every time we gather for worship! Propers Manuscript Sermon Archive
Homily for the Feast of St. Luke, 2025
In Colossians 4, St. Paul refers to, “Luke the beloved physician.” From this, the church has traditionally held that St. Luke was a doctor, skilled in treating ailments of the body. But Luke was also the author of the Gospel that bears his name and of the Acts of the Apostles, and he was also a companion of St. Paul in his missionary activities. From this we understand that he sought to heal souls as well. In this feast day, we are reminded that we are created as a union of both body and soul. Our ultimate healing is in Christ who heals our souls and promises that, in the life…
Sermon, 17th Sunday after Trinity, 2025
Love Unites, Pride Isolates The idea of union is central to Christine theology and doctrine, and in today’s lesson from the beginning of the 4th chapter of St. Paul’s Epistle to the Ephesians, the Apostle highlights the union of all things in God with majestic poetry. “There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” Yet this is contrasted by the Pharisees in the lesson from the Gospel of St. Luke, who seek their own glory in pride. …
Sermon, 13th Sunday After Trinity, 2025
This Sunday, we are reading the 11th Homily in the first book of homilies, which is entitled: A Sermon Against Whoredom and Uncleanness These sermons have been edited to shorten them and to update the language, with the intent of maintaining the content, or at least the core meaning. The original texts of the homilies can be found in the manuscripts after the edited texts that were preached. For background on these homilies, see the links below. We 21st century Christians tend to romanticize the past, thinking that hundreds of years ago in Britain, everyone was Christian in thought and deed. The 11th homily, though, begins by condemning the cavalier…
Sunday Morning Worship, 12th Sunday after Trinity, Sept. 7, 2025
This Sunday, we are reading the 10th Homily in the first book of homilies, which is entitled: An Exhortation Concerning Good Order And Obedience to Rulers and Magistrates These sermons have been edited to shorten them and to update the language, with the intent of maintaining the content, or at least the core meaning. The original texts of the homilies can be found in the manuscripts after the edited texts that were preached. For background on these homilies, see the links below. The 10th homily begins by noting the intricate order that God embedded in Creation, and, as part of Creation, within human society and individual persons as well. …
Sermon, 11th Sunday after Trinity, 2025
This Sunday, we are reading the 9th Homily in the first book of homilies, which is entitled: An Exhortation Against the Fear of Death These sermons have been edited to shorten them and to update the language, with the intent of maintaining the content, or at least the core meaning. The original texts of the homilies can be found in the manuscripts after the edited texts that were preached. For background on these homilies, see the links below. The 9th homily begins by noting that unsaved men dread death for three reasons: 1) They enjoy their comforts in this life and do not wish to lose them, 2) They lack…
Homily for the Feast of the Transfiguration, 2025
When Moses encountered God upon Mt. Sinai, his face radiated the glory of God to the Hebrews so that they could not look upon him. This glory wasn’t inherent to Moses, but was a result of his closeness to the God of All Creation. Christ is that God, and He was revealed to be such upon the Mount of Transfiguration. Since we now have access to Christ through His death and resurrection, will we make time and space to rest in His glory? Will we prioritize encountering Christ through studying the Bible? Or do we avoid Christ through unprofitable distractions? May the glory of God, the Glory radiating from Christ,…
2025 Episcopal Visit: August 9, 10
Join us for worship, fellowship, and celebration, when The Rt. Rev. Walter Banek, Suffragan Bishop of the Diocese of Mid-America, visits us on August 9 and 10. On Saturday at 6pm we will enjoy Bar-B-Que brisket with all the fixins! (email Fr. Kent for directions). The next morning, we will gather at the church at 10:30 am for Holy Communion with confirmations followed by more food and an update of the happenings in the diocese from Bishop. The Rt. Rev. Walter R. Banek Suffragan Bishop, The Diocese of Mid-America
Sermon, 6th Sunday after Trinity, 2025
We continue this Sunday to preach through the first book of homilies. The sixth homily is entitled: A Sermon of Christian Love and Charity These sermons have been edited to shorten them and to update the language, with the intent of maintaining the content, or at least the core meaning. The original texts of the homilies can be found in the manuscripts after the edited text that were preached. For background on these homilies, see the links below. The 6th homily directs us to look to Jesus as the example of how we are to love. First, we are to love God above everything else, and this means that we…