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    • Feb21Wed

      Altered at the edge of belonging

      A sermon on Mark 1 February 21, 2024 by Sebastian Meadows-Helmer
      Filed Under:
      Pr. Sebastian

      Today is the first Sunday in Lent.  

      I’d like to begin by repeating my introduction from Ash Wednesday,  

      as it sets the scene for the upcoming weeks:

      The key word for the season is “Altered”  

      A-L-T-E-R not  

      A-L-T-A-R which is a table for performing sacrifices. (Point)

      The definition for A-L-T-E-R is to...

    • Feb15Thu

      Altered in witness

      Matthew 6: Ash Wednesday February 15, 2024 by Sebastian Meadows-Helmer
      Filed Under:
      Pr. Sebastian

      On this Valentine’s Day which focusses on love, flowers and chocolate,  

      as liturgical Christians we nonetheless stick fast to the church calendar  

      by celebrating,  

      (well celebrating is perhaps the wrong word,)

      the most solemn day of the year,  

      Ash Wednesday.

      (But at least as we know, red does go well with black)!

      It...

    • Feb7Wed

      Black Wings like Eagles

      Isaiah 40 (Black History Sunday) February 7, 2024 by Sebastian Meadows-Helmer
      Filed Under:
      Pr. Sebastian

      As I was starting to think about this Sunday,  

      I remembered the news item from about a month ago about Nikki Haley,  

      the supposedly more moderate Republican candidate,  

      who when asked about the causes of the Civil War  

      did not initially mention slavery.

      This anecdote speaks to the current state of American politics, ...

    • Jan28Sun

      The Authority of Jesus: Teaching, Healing, and Identity

      Mark 1:21-28 January 28, 2024 by Sebastian Meadows-Helmer
      Filed Under:
      Pr. Sebastian

      This morning we hear the church year’s first miracle story,

      which emphasizes the authority of Jesus as the Son of God.

      In this passage,  

      Jesus shows his authority over teaching  

      by speaking with a confidence and clarity that differs from the scribes.  

      He also demonstrates his power over demons and sickness  

      by...

    • Jan15Mon

      Listening for God's Call

      The Boy Samuel January 15, 2024 by Sebastian Meadows-Helmer
      Filed Under:
      Pr. Sebastian

      Here’s a familiar scenario you might encounter every other day.:

      The phone rings

      …the display shows “unknown caller”

      or some very strange number that starts with a “v”

      …do you pick up?

      Do you?

      Chances are, no.  

      There are just too many scammers around,  

      and if it’s really important...

    • Jan2Tue

      We are (waiting) Simeon and Anna

      January 2, 2024 by Sebastian Meadows-Helmer
      Filed Under:
      Pr. Sebastian

      After last Sunday’s crowds of Christmas Eve have disappeared,  

      we are back to the faithful few!  

      The bells, and whistles and candles have vanished,  

      And those who remain are the patient old souls who wait and watch  

      for God’s appearing.

      Have you ever waited for something with great anticipation?  

      Maybe...

    • Dec22Fri

      The Witness of John: Reflecting the Light

      Advent 3: John 1 December 22, 2023 by Sebastian Meadows-Helmer
      Filed Under:
      Pr. Sebastian

      As believers, we are called to be witnesses to the light of Christ.  

      But how do we fulfill this role and reflect His light amidst the bleakness and the desperation all around?  

      Today, we ponder the testimony of John the Baptist  

      and learn from his example of bearing witness to the light of Christ.

      John the Baptizer’s told...

    • Nov30Thu

      The least of these

      A sermon for the Reign of Christ November 30, 2023 by Sebastian Meadows-Helmer
      Filed Under:
      Pr. Sebastian

      This morning is the third part of a series on Matthew 25,  

      a comforting but also frightening chapter.

      The last two Sundays,  

      we had parables based on relatively normal circumstances,  

      a wedding and an extended trip,  

      where people were divided into two groups:

      The good and the bad:

      The good were those who were prepared and...

    • Nov23Thu

      Talents? Use em!

      A sermon on Matthew 25 November 23, 2023 by Sebastian Meadows-Helmer

      Siblings in Christ,  

      today we will be reflecting on the parable of the talents,  

      Jesus’ story about a master who entrusted his servants with different amounts of money before he went away on a journey.  

      This parable teaches us about the importance of stewardship and how we are called to use  

      our gifts and talents...

    • Oct17Tue

      The Unavoidable Invitation (to God’s Feast)

      Matthew 22:1-14 October 17, 2023 by Sebastian Meadows-Helmer
      Filed Under:
      Pr. Sebastian

      Did you ever get a wedding invitation in the mail  

      that just filled your heart with a special sort of joy?

      A wedding invitation is more than just a piece of paper  

      or a ping on your phone, right?.

      It's a request to be happy for someone else's big day.  

      It is a call to celebrate, to stand witness to the loving union of two...