Sermons

With the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector, Jesus asks us to imagine a new world. It’s a merciful world where mercy replaces judgment and humility replaces pride. In this world we listen. We stay in dialogue with people of opposing views. We strive to figure out  what’s at... read more →

The Persistent Widow parable is short, but we know what this parable is about in the very first sentence: “Then Jesus told them about their need to pray always and not to lose heart.” Prayer is believing that God will act. But prayer is not about bringing God a "to-do"... read more →

One of the markers of Jesus' ministry was his care for those on the margins. Christians are meant to be like Jesus--to be bridge-builders, boundary-breakers, dwellers of the liminal spaces, healers of the broken, and one with the stranger. Consider those on the margins around you--the poor, the homeless, those... read more →

We had a wonderful celebration on Sunday, and Fr. Jonathan's sermon put in perspective the miraculous beauty of God's abundance and the joy of being together. I'm excited for the ways we will be able to do incredible ministry with the gifts we have committed for next year! In the... read more →

Stewardship time at church is an important opportunity to check our priorities. One of my hopes for St. Peter’s is that we will focus less on what we receive and more on what we give—each of us as individuals, and all of us together as a church. God’s blessings are... read more →

When we develop the habit of looking for Jesus in the faces of others, we are changed. Those faces begin to lay claim to us. We begin to look for ways to serve, to help, to love. Service becomes a habit, an integral part of our lives, and the image... read more →

Whenever we talk about stewardship in church, there is a tendency to worry about whether we will have enough—both individually and as a community. But we believe in a God of abundance, not scarcity—a God who has blessed St. Peter’s for 146 wonderful years. Instead of focusing on whether... read more →

Following Jesus means giving up everything—like Jesus did. It means putting God’s preferences over our own and submitting to God’s will. It's a life-altering decision, and it’s scary. It’s not always just one decision, though—life is made up of lots of seemingly inconsequential decisions, but they matter. In the small... read more →

God's purpose is to fix broken hearts, and to draw us closer to Himself. God knows us far better than we can ever know ourselves and loves us no matter what! As we open our hearts to God, God will give us a heart of compassion, which will allow us... read more →

All through Scripture, God uses the metaphor of a vineyard to describe first the people of Israel and then the church. It’s a beautiful image because a vineyard yields fruit. Our church and the things we do together—worship, service, formation, and fellowship—are the fruit of the vineyard. That fruit exists... read more →