Who has access to God?
Sermon for January 29, 2017 (Epiphany 4)
Rev. Michael Carroll
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Sermon for February 7, 2016: Last Sunday after the Epiphany
Rev. Joel Mason
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Sermon for January 31, 2016: Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany
Rev. John Carter
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In Celebration of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Sermon for January 17, 2016: Second Sunday after the Epiphany
Guest Preacher: Pastor Pamela Hughes, Faith Generation Ministries Church, Waterbury To listen, use the audio player controls shown above. Read more • Leer más → “In Celebration of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.”
Guest Preacher: Pastor Pamela Hughes, Faith Generation Ministries Church, Waterbury To listen, use the audio player controls shown above. Read more • Leer más → “In Celebration of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.”
Under the right conditions, snow for Valentine’s Day could be romantic
Sermon for February 15, 2015 (Last Sunday after the Epiphany)
Rev. Amy Welin:
Picture the snow quietly falling on the trees and lawn as you gaze out the window, sitting close to your beloved, enjoying a nice cup of cocoa or glass of wine. A glowing fireplace warms the room behind you. You are amazed and uplifted by the overwhelming power of love. Love is enough as it fills your heart and all is right in your world. The romance of fantasy. Read More Read more • Leer más → “Under the right conditions, snow for Valentine’s Day could be romantic”
Rev. Amy Welin:
Picture the snow quietly falling on the trees and lawn as you gaze out the window, sitting close to your beloved, enjoying a nice cup of cocoa or glass of wine. A glowing fireplace warms the room behind you. You are amazed and uplifted by the overwhelming power of love. Love is enough as it fills your heart and all is right in your world. The romance of fantasy. Read More Read more • Leer más → “Under the right conditions, snow for Valentine’s Day could be romantic”
Jesus is on his way. Are we willing to keep moving with Jesus?
Sermon for February 8, 2015 (Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany)
Rev. Amy Welin:
Jesus comes to tell us good news - the good news that we are also connected to the power of God, the good news that we shall never be alone. And, that good news is accompanied by mighty acts that free people from their burdened lives. When Jesus sneaks out to pray early in the morning, and the disciples find him, he responds with a renewed commitment to his mission of proclamation and confronting the power of evil. Lives are changed, the world is different. Can we let Jesus heal us of our fevers - as he healed Peter’s mother-in-law - so that we can hear the good news of deliverance and join him on his mission? Jesus is on his way. Are we willing to keep moving with Jesus? Read More Read more • Leer más → “Jesus is on his way. Are we willing to keep moving with Jesus?”
Rev. Amy Welin:
Jesus comes to tell us good news - the good news that we are also connected to the power of God, the good news that we shall never be alone. And, that good news is accompanied by mighty acts that free people from their burdened lives. When Jesus sneaks out to pray early in the morning, and the disciples find him, he responds with a renewed commitment to his mission of proclamation and confronting the power of evil. Lives are changed, the world is different. Can we let Jesus heal us of our fevers - as he healed Peter’s mother-in-law - so that we can hear the good news of deliverance and join him on his mission? Jesus is on his way. Are we willing to keep moving with Jesus? Read More Read more • Leer más → “Jesus is on his way. Are we willing to keep moving with Jesus?”
God makes marvelous works to be remembered
Sermon for February 1, 2015 (Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany)
Rev. Amy Welin:
When was the last time you felt amazed? Was it a recent experience - perhaps a glimpse of the stars in the clear winter sky? Did you witness a miracle or sense the presence of God? Or is amazement a long-ago memory? Was your observation of the wondrous a good feeling or a negative one? Read More Read more • Leer más → “God makes marvelous works to be remembered”
Rev. Amy Welin:
When was the last time you felt amazed? Was it a recent experience - perhaps a glimpse of the stars in the clear winter sky? Did you witness a miracle or sense the presence of God? Or is amazement a long-ago memory? Was your observation of the wondrous a good feeling or a negative one? Read More Read more • Leer más → “God makes marvelous works to be remembered”
Give us grace, O Lord, to answer the call of our Savior Jesus Christ
Sermon for January 25, 2015 (Third Sunday after the Epiphany)
Rev. Amy Welin:
St. John’s parish needs to get in touch with your spiritual side. Embrace Sunday as a celebration by disciples of Jesus Christ. We are church and not just a gathering of friends. (It is not possible to overstate the import of this foundational theological principle of our reason to exist). Do church like you mean it: sing, pray, respond. We need to transform our worship and our music so they are active and engaged and not passive. Worship in this community must be our passion, not merely habit. The God we worship is the God to whom we pray and sing, and the God of our worship is tired, kind of dull, and easy to tune out. Participation in worship gives apostles the energy to share the good news beyond the doors of the parish. Read More Read more • Leer más → “Give us grace, O Lord, to answer the call of our Savior Jesus Christ”
Rev. Amy Welin:
St. John’s parish needs to get in touch with your spiritual side. Embrace Sunday as a celebration by disciples of Jesus Christ. We are church and not just a gathering of friends. (It is not possible to overstate the import of this foundational theological principle of our reason to exist). Do church like you mean it: sing, pray, respond. We need to transform our worship and our music so they are active and engaged and not passive. Worship in this community must be our passion, not merely habit. The God we worship is the God to whom we pray and sing, and the God of our worship is tired, kind of dull, and easy to tune out. Participation in worship gives apostles the energy to share the good news beyond the doors of the parish. Read More Read more • Leer más → “Give us grace, O Lord, to answer the call of our Savior Jesus Christ”
Speak, LORD, for your Servant is Listening
Sermon for January 18, 2015 (Second Sunday after the Epiphany)
Rev. Amy Welin:
Have you ever needed an expert to help you resolve a problem? At St John’s, I lean on Cindy and Tony, and on Dave and Don, and sometimes we need to call the experts. Expertise has its merits. This week, the RePurposing Task Force met with a representative of the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), which helps local non-profits build communities where people can thrive. The woman who met with us has experience as a developer, and she had many insights to share with us. We were grateful for her expertise and her questions, and we think that we will benefit from exploring some options for development of our property. We hope that she will connect us with other experts, who can assist St John’s in securing a future here. Read More Read more • Leer más → “Speak, LORD, for your Servant is Listening”
Rev. Amy Welin:
Have you ever needed an expert to help you resolve a problem? At St John’s, I lean on Cindy and Tony, and on Dave and Don, and sometimes we need to call the experts. Expertise has its merits. This week, the RePurposing Task Force met with a representative of the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), which helps local non-profits build communities where people can thrive. The woman who met with us has experience as a developer, and she had many insights to share with us. We were grateful for her expertise and her questions, and we think that we will benefit from exploring some options for development of our property. We hope that she will connect us with other experts, who can assist St John’s in securing a future here. Read More Read more • Leer más → “Speak, LORD, for your Servant is Listening”
You are my beloved; With you I am well pleased
Sermon for January 11, 2015 (First Sunday after the Epiphany)
Rev. Amy Welin:
What would it do in our lives if we knew - really knew, all the way down in our bones - that we are beloved by God? Beloved - cherished - as we are - with our weaknesses, faults, and any of the good bits we would like to boast about. Personally, I think it would be a foundationally healing and transformational awareness, even better than being born into a loving family, even better than winning awards, even better than hitting the lottery. Read More Read more • Leer más → “You are my beloved; With you I am well pleased”
Rev. Amy Welin:
What would it do in our lives if we knew - really knew, all the way down in our bones - that we are beloved by God? Beloved - cherished - as we are - with our weaknesses, faults, and any of the good bits we would like to boast about. Personally, I think it would be a foundationally healing and transformational awareness, even better than being born into a loving family, even better than winning awards, even better than hitting the lottery. Read More Read more • Leer más → “You are my beloved; With you I am well pleased”