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
Sermon, 19th Sunday after Trinity, 2025
Those who are outside of the Body of Christ, necessarily measure all things in relationship to themselves. However once we are brought into the church through baptism, the reference point for all of our actions, words, and thoughts, becomes Christ. From this point on, we are challenged to conform our lives more and more to Jesus. This journey of Transformation into the image of Christ lasts through our entire life. Christ is our beginning, middle, and end. Propers Manuscript Sermon Archive
Sermon, 18th Sunday after Trinity, 2025
As Christians, we are not only tempted to sin through our weaknesses, but we are also tempted to doubt our faith when confronted by skeptics. This morning we look at how Jesus was able to withstand such attacks and pray for grace that, like our Lord Christ, we would be able to withstand challenges to our faith as well. 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. …
Sunday Morning Worship, 16th Sunday after Trinity, Oct. 5, 2025
In today’s homily, we look at the miracle of Christ’s raising the widow of Nain’s son from the dead. The narrative paints a picture of two groups meeting at the city gates. The first group bears the bier of the dead son, while the second is following Christ to the city in their wandering around Galilee. This morning we ask the questions, “Which group are you in? Which group should you be in?” Propers Manuscript Sermon Archive
Sermon, 15th Sunday after Trinity, 2025
The frailty of man without God cannot but fall. This haunting clause from the collect for the 15th Sunday after Trinity permeates our lessons today. In Galatians 6, we see men striving through circumcision for their own righteousness apart from God. This endeavor is bound to fall. In Matthew 6, we see men also striving to meet their physical needs apart from God. We focus upon getting things for ourselves to protect from calamity and refuse to rest in the provision that God will supply. Our efforts apart from God are bound to fall. What do we do? Seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things shall…
Sermon, 14th Sunday after Trinity, 2025
This Sunday, we are reading the 12th and final Homily in the first book of homilies, which is entitled: A Sermon Against Contention and Brawling 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. At the time these homilies were written, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, there was great religious turmoil in England. The Reformation had brought Protestantism to the Church of England,…
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. …