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Sermons from a progressive feminist preacher. Debbie Griffin is the Pastor of Downtown Disciples, an LGBTQ + Affirming, Black Lives Matter proclaiming Progressive Christian Community and Urban Ministry in Downtown Des Moines.
Like Micah brings you stories about the intersection of Progressive Christianity, social justice, and lived experience. For those who have been hurt by the church, struggle with the church, still hold out hope for the church, or have no experience with the church at all; we welcome you to share in our journey of questioning, loving, and seeking wholeness in a fragmented world. This is the podcast of Downtown Disciples, an unapologetically progressive Disciples of Christ community in downtown ...
Sermons
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St. Mary’s Episcopal Church
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St. Mary’s Episcopal Church
Saint Mary's Episcopal Church - Eugene, OR
Sermons and other recordings from St. Mary's Episcopal Church has been in downtown Eugene for over 150 years to worship, serve, and grow in faith. Guided by the teachings and life of Jesus Christ, we value community, inclusiveness, compassion, our living tradition, health, and collaborative leadership. All are welcome at St. Mary's, no matter what age, ethnicity or race, gender identity, sexual orientation or economic and social circumstances.
I’ve been there, or at least I think I have if the Biblical scholars and archeologists are correct. On my trip to the Holy Land in 2014 we stopped at Jacob’s well, which is located near the city of Nablas in the occupied territory of Palestine. In the late 1800’s a Greek Orthodox church was built around it, so these days the well is to be found in …
A couple of months ago in the middle of January, in early Epiphany, there were a couple of weeks when we heard Gospel readings about the first disciples, how they encountered Jesus for the first time, and how they came to follow him. The portrait of these early disciples that the Gospels painted for us is one rather enthusiastic bunch. It does not …
The Rich Man & Lazarus
By The Rev. Ryan Baker-Fones
We Have Seen His Glory: Christ's Glory
May this be in the name of our loving, liberating, life-giving God, Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer. Amen. Happy Third Sunday of Advent to you! This third Sunday is also known as Gaudete Sunday or Rose Sunday. The Episcopalchurch.org glossary provides more insight: Gaudete Sunday is: “The third Sunday of Advent…The term is derived from the Latin o…
Let us pray: May these words bring encouragement, inspiration, and hope in the name of our loving God who was and is and is to come. Amen. “Whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, so that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope” (Romans 15:4). So that by steadfastness, or a “steady…
Today is the First Sunday of Advent, the first Sunday of a new season. Not only that, it is the first Sunday in the Church Year. So Happy New Year. I hope you had a big party last night, opened the bubbly, and watched the ball drop. Advent is the start of our journey through the Church Year. It is a journey with Christ. A journey starting with his …
May this be in the name of Jesus Christ, the King of kings, and Lord of lords. Today marks the last Sunday of the Church year, the Last Sunday after Pentecost, also called The Feast of Christ the King. Today we focus on the return of Christ, when evil will be defeated and Jesus will begin his reign as King of kings. This feast day offers us a glimp…
Let us pray: Come Holy Spirit, open our ears, eyes, and hearts to the blessed hope offered in Jesus Christ made present in you holy Word. Amen. I love the collect for today. It’s one of my favorites. I’m not as excited about the lectionary readings. They are tough. But what I hope to offer you today, with the help of the Holy Spirit, is a way to en…
Anyone who reads my Bellringer columns has heard me mention many times Bishop Browning’s book of meditations, A Year of Days, with which I’ve started my mornings for decades. The year I was given the book I opened it on November 13th to find the line from the Prayer Book that Bishop Browning focused on that day was from the birthday prayer. Novembe…
We were made by God in love. We were made by the God of love and we were made in the image of that God of love. Stamped with that love in our creation. That love never goes away. That love is absolute and so God’s grace to us is absolute.By The Rev. Bingham Powell
May this be in the name of our loving, liberating, life-giving God, Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer. Amen. In the first line of today’s collect, as per the formula, God is addressed according to an attribute, a facet of God’s nature, our attempt to define the divine in terms of our relationship. O God, who declarest thy almighty power chiefly in s…
“Make friends for yourselves by means of dishonest wealth so that when it is gone, they may welcome you into the eternal homes.” This morning’s gospel is part of a larger discussion in Luke on the meaning of money and wealth. In the previous chapter is the parable we traditionally call “the prodigal son,” which among other things raises the questio…
By The Rev. Bingham Powell
Now large crowds were traveling with Jesus; and he turned and said to them, "Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.” Whoever does not hate? Really, Jesus? I love my parent…
Sit back and listen to the Rt. Rev. Neff Powell share the stories of the Bible.By The Rt. Rev. Neff Powell
Let us pray: God of compassion, mercy and great kindness, be present, heal and lift us up with these words. Amen. Today’s readings provide us with some wonderful images of God’s restoration and healing. From the prophet Isaiah: “The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your needs in parched places.” “The Lord will guide you continually, and…
Today is the Feast of St. Mary. Actually, tomorrow is the Feast of St. Mary, but the Prayer Book gives us a wonderful opportunity and even encouragement, that when a church is named for a Saint, their Feast Day can be moved to a nearby Sunday so the whole community can gather to celebrate their namesake. So that is why we get to celebrate St. Mary,…
Our second reading today comes from the Book of Hebrews. Hebrews is a rich and complex work. Many scholars think it was originally a sermon in which the preacher is exploring what Jesus is all about, the meaning of Jesus and his work in this world, its purpose, what God was trying to do, how it works, how it is accomplished, and its meaning for us.…
