Sermons
It is with that understanding of the importance of reconciliation that we come to our Gospel. We hear the words of Jesus when he says to love your enemy. Striking, shocking words "to love your enemy". Jesus says that because he knows, he understands how vitally important the work of reconciliation is.
Click “Read More” to read Bingham’s entire sermon for the Seventh Sunday after Epiphany.
Listen to or read Bingham’s entire sermon for the Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany by clicking “Read More.”
Over the past few weeks we have been hearing a good bit about call, God's call to us. Two weeks ago we prayed in our opening Collect to follow God's call: Give us grace, O Lord, to answer readily the call of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Then we went on in our Epistle to hear Paul talk about different calls we might have. Some are called to be apostles, some are called to be teachers, some are called to healers, etc. all with the idea that there are different calls within the church and are all an important part of the Body of Christ.
Listen to or read Deacon Nancy Crawford’s entire sermon by clicking “Read More”
The first of the two recommended readings from the Old Testament is today’s reading of Jeremiah’s call from God. And while my classmate, Tracey and I, at our ordination to be deacons, would have preferred a Scripture reading of a young girl answering God’s call, we found Jeremiah’s humble reluctancy fitting to our calls to ordained ministry, where we, too, each felt like an unprepared child.
Listen to or read Bingham’s entire sermon for the third Sunday after Epiphany by clicking “read more.”
Our first reading today comes from the Book of Nehemiah. We do not hear much from the Book of Nehemiah in the three year Sunday lectionary. I'm pretty sure, although I did not double check this, that this is the only Sunday we get a reading from Nehemiah in the lectionary. I could be wrong about that, but I'm not far off. This is a very rare book for us to read.
Listen to or read Bingham’s entire sermon for the Second Sunday after Epiphany by clicking “Read More.”
In today's reading, the sign at the wedding at Cana of Galilee, by lifting up the miracle that allows the party to continue, we see that God cares about our joy, about pleasure, about fun. All too often we think about religion as serious business. It is, but one of the things that God seriously cares about is joy.
I’ve learned the names of thousands of students over my 22 years of teaching. There’s something very powerful about being able to call someone by their name, to recognize them. As a teacher, this was crucial, especially to know who to “call out” for behavior that was not appropriate, to know who was or wasn’t present or sitting in their assigned seat, to be able to talk to colleagues about students who needed help, to greet students by name in the halls, at lunch, at athletics, performances, or other events. To know someone’s name is a powerful thing, to recognize them, to see them and to acknowledge them.
Listen to or read Ryan’s entire sermon by clicking “Read More.”
We are at the threshold of a new year, at the beginning of something new. We also sense that we are at the threshold of a new world. It’s not just a new year, it’s a new era. And we are filled with trepidation.
The story of the epiphany is a threshold story. King Herod hears that the wise ones from the East have seen a new star rising, the star of the Messiah. Herod hears this and he is frightened, he is greatly disturbed, and all of Jerusalem with him. And we know from history, that when Herod was disturbed, he was dangerous. He killed all the innocents in an attempt to kill Jesus.
Listen to or read Christine’s entire sermon by clicking “Read More.”
