St Luke's Sermon Podcast: Recent Episodes
St Luke Presbyterian Church
June 8, 2025Scripture and Sermon from guest preacher Rev. Dr. Alika Galloway
St. Luke Presbyterian Church, Minnetonka MN
June 1, 2025Scripture and Sermon from guest preacher Dr. Miche "Lana" van Essen
St. Luke Presbyterian Church, Minnetonka MN
May 25, 2025Scripture and Sermon from guest preacher Rev. Heidi Vardeman
St. Luke Presbyterian Church, Minnetonka MN
May 18, 2025Scripture and Sermon from guest preacher Jess Grams
St. Luke Presbyterian Church, Minnetonka MN
May 4, 2025
Zach Wilson's final Sunday as Bridge PastorScripture and Sermon from Bridge Pastor Zach Wilson
St. Luke Presbyterian Church, Minnetonka MN
April 27, 2025
Candidating SundayScripture and Sermon from candidate for Pastor, Rev. Dr. Kristin Riegel
St. Luke Presbyterian Church, Minnetonka MN
April 20, 2025
Easter SundayScripture and Sermon from Bridge Pastor Zach Wilson
St. Luke Presbyterian Church, Minnetonka MN
April 13, 2025
Local Branch (formerly Palm) SundayScripture and Sermon from Bridge Pastor Zach Wilson
St. Luke Presbyterian Church, Minnetonka MN
April 6, 2025
Fifth Sunday in LentScripture and Sermon from Bridge Pastor Zach Wilson
St. Luke Presbyterian Church, Minnetonka MN
March 30, 2025
Fourth Sunday in LentScripture and Sermon from Bridge Pastor Zach Wilson
St. Luke Presbyterian Church, Minnetonka MN
March 23, 2025
Third Sunday in LentScripture and Sermon from Bridge Pastor Zach Wilson
St. Luke Presbyterian Church, Minnetonka MN
March 16, 2025
Second Sunday in LentScripture and Sermon from Bridge Pastor Zach Wilson
St. Luke Presbyterian Church, Minnetonka MN
March 9, 2025
First Sunday in Lent“Who Wants an Empire?”
Scripture and Sermon from Bridge Pastor Zach Wilson
St. Luke Presbyterian Church, Minnetonka MN
March 2, 2025
Transfiguration of JesusScripture and Sermon from Pastor Zach Wilson
St. Luke Presbyterian Church, Minnetonka MN
February 23, 2025Scripture and Sermon from guest preacher Jess Grams
St. Luke Presbyterian Church, Minnetonka MN
February 16, 2025Scripture and Sermon from guest preacher Rev. Heidi Vardeman
St. Luke Presbyterian Church, Minnetonka MN
February 9, 2025Scripture and Sermon from Bridge Pastor Zach Wilson
St. Luke Presbyterian Church, Minnetonka MN
February 2, 2025Scripture and Sermon from Bridge Pastor Zach Wilson
St. Luke Presbyterian Church, Minnetonka MN
Pastor Nora leads a service that recognizes the pulls of our lives and offers a path toward vitality, when going against the grain.
Scripture quotations are taken from First Nations Version copyright 2021 by Rain Ministries Inc. Used by permission of InterVarsity Press, Downers Grove, IL All rights reserved.
Pastor Nora uplifts themes of intentionality and focus on this Pride Sunday, through the lens of the iconic show, Rent.
Pastors Ane and Nora uplift themes of identity and relationship through the lens of the iconic show, Wicked, as our summer series Theology of Broadway continues.
Pastors Ane and Nora uplift themes of struggle and hope through the lens of the iconic show, Jesus Christ Superstar, as our summer series Theology of Broadway begins.
The spirit of God blows fresh on our community, as we welcome Rev. Ane Fitzgerald to the pulpit for her first sermon as our new Transitional Pastor. Pastor Ane invites those attending to wear the color of flames (reds, oranges, yellows, etc) to celebrate Pentecost.
Concluding a multi-week look at the ministries of our members, Pastor Nora leads a service honoring St. Luke’s history with providing sanctuary for families fleeing unsafe living conditions, as we encounter a new developing need.
Having completed their journey through Confirmation, our Confirmands will share their faith statements before welcoming them into full membership. We will also share in the joy of baptism and welcoming new adult members.
Pastor Nora hosts another dialogue sermon with leaders of our depression support group, as we shine a graceful light on a reality that many of us deal with regularly, then share in the sacrament of communion.
Pastor Nora reflects on the ministry of the Woods Restoration Team, as we join in worship celebrating God’s natural world.
We celebrate Earth Day by welcoming water protector Sharon Day to share her insights on preserving and honoring creation.
A new season is upon us and Pastor Nora leads a dialogue sermon seeking to uplift the life-giving ministries of our members. First up: Families Moving Forward, a way to systemically support families experiencing homelessness.
It’s Easter morning and Pastor Bill leads a service that follows the holy virtue of diligence and builds to celebration and joy.
We continue with the series of Holy Virtues, with a look at Charity/Generosity. Pastor Bill's sermon is entitled "A Tale of Two Mountains: Reclaiming Generosity."
Our Lenten journey continues, as Guest Preacher Claire Klein invites us to embrace moderation and let go of perfection.
“Lent IV: Reclaiming Patience” Our Lenten journey continues, as Pastor Nora explores the blessings of patience.
Our Lenten journey begins, as Pastor Nora explores the real meaning of chastity and how most - if not all of us - are already embracing this holy virtue, without even knowing it.
Pastor Nora leads a service uplifting a faithful way forward into 2023, putting our faith tradition in dialogue with the congregational survey we completed last November.
We will note the prevalence of mental health challenges and then consider strategies for coping and helping one another.
It is my hope that you might find some nuggets from my experiences to help you in your own faith journey. Topics we will briefly consider: vocation, parenting, mental illness, racial issues, legacy giving, pet ownership. Should be something for everyone. 😊
We can face the future together confidently... if we face the future together. Ten things not to do.
BRENNAN'S FINAL SERMON. We encounter the Genesis creation story’s ritual reminder that beginnings (and endings) are a natural part of our spiritual lives and rhythms.
We continue along in the Christmas spirit as we hear the tale of the magi sharing a life-altering visit with the holy family.
Amid the business of the season, we pause to remember the gifts that come to us by grace alone.
Encountering the stories of Mary and Elizabeth, we consider what it looks like to both physically and spiritually embody hope in our beautiful, yet weary world.
We journey into the season of Advent with a reflection on what it means to wait with hope and expectation in a hurried, fast-paced society.
Brennan joins Division of Indian Work Executive Director Louise Matson for a dialogue on forming partnerships and finding hope in the face of a long history of mistrust and harm.
Pastor Nora leads a service of comfort and joy reflecting on the gifts of community involvement.
Why bother speaking truth to power when the powerful in our world are so slow to repent? Just in time for Halloween, we’re wrapping up our series on superpowers with Pastor Nora preaching on the power of prophesy. Come for grounding and inspiration, stay for our Trunk or Treat potluck after worship.
We launch our annual stewardship campaign by exploring another one of St. Luke’s super powers: the power to amplify.
We explore another secret super power of St. Luke that is grounded in Jesus’ teachings: the power of praxis.
We begin a new mini-series exploring St. Luke’s “super powers” as a congregation, beginning with the power of authenticity.
The pandemic isolated us for so long, have we forgotten the sacred synchronistic moments that regularly occur when we join our spirits together in worship? Pastor Nora leads a service exploring the gifts of the spirit when we gather for a common holy purpose.
We continue a month long mini-series on how coming together as a community is vital to the life of faith.
As we celebrate Come Together Sunday, we reflect upon how far we’ve come and the courage we’ll need to step forward again, together.
Though our Summer Sermon Series - Poems of Power - has concluded, Pastor Nora leads a bonus look at poetry in scripture to center our hearts and minds before the fall officially begins.
St. Luke poet and author Carol Allis joins us for the conclusion of our “Poems of Power” summer series, inviting all to find poets and poetry that inspires our hearts and minds.
We continue our summer “Poems of Power” series with a reflection on words, poems and promises that anchor our hearts in the midst of hardship.
A service honoring the fullness of our diverse lives. Backpacks will be blessed for children getting ready to begin school in the fall, Pastor Nora preaches on recognizing our authentic selves, followed by the baptism of Luke Elliott.
Our “Poems of Power” summer series continues as Dave Bosselmann joins Brennan Blue to reflect on the miraculous splendor of nature through an exploration of his late wife Penny’s poetry.
Poets can give words to realities beyond comprehension. Our “Poems of Power” series continues this week as Pastor Nora preaches on the gifts of peace both in life and afterwards.
Our Poems of Power summer series continues with an exploration of the losses that find and teach us some of life’s most profound lessons.
Our “Poems of Power” summer series continues with an exploration of the blessings and burdens our the great calling to love.
Our summer sermon series, Poems of Power, continues with a fresh one from poet laureate, Amanda Gorman. Pastor Nora reflects on the nature of life and justice.
We begin our “Poems of Power” summer series, placing poems that have moved our congregation in dialogue with Scripture and theology.
With a love that casts out fear and honors authenticity, Pastor Nora preaches a special sermon that hits close to home.
We share a service celebrating Juneteenth while reflecting on how to faithfully and humbly “show up at the table” when we are late to justice issues, using the ministry of reconciliation as our guide.
How do we cultivate the peace of Christ within us when the world is so tenuous? Pastor Nora reflects on a weekend with her wider denominational body to find a way forward.
Recognizing Pentecost and Baccalaureate Sunday, we celebrate the ways in which the Spirit of Peace gathers, shapes, and sends us forth into a weary world.
Honoring the memory of those who have lost their lives, while imagining a world where no other sacrifices like these will be necessary.
With several St. Luke original compositions as our guide, we reflect on for spiritually for national power of making liturgy and music in the context of community.
As we celebrate the Sacrament of Baptism, we reflect on the dual promises held in the sacred ritual: God’s love for us and our promised love for each other.
Our youth and children come together to plan and lead a service dedicated to uplifting the life-giving blessings of community.
As our congregation celebrates an Earth Day inspired service, we consider the calling to live in connection with the Earth daily as a spiritual practice dating back to Genesis 1.
For the first time in two years, our community will gather together in person to celebrate Easter morning. Pastor Nora builds on her sermon from lockdown two years ago as we navigate finding the blessings of faith in the midst of catastrophe.
As we celebrate Palm Sunday, we’ll consider the unique role that art and activism both play in helping to cut through the status quo.
Pastor Nora offers a reflection on the blessings of play before engaging the congregation in a unique liturgical practice.
Our Lenten series continues with an exploration of resiliency in the midst of decline, and how the seeding of diverse hopes grants us many strengths in an uncertain future.
Our Lenten series continues with an exploration of serenity: the courageous balance of wisdom, acceptance and resolve that may lead us forward when times are tough.
Pastor Nora leads a service acknowledging the realities of warfare, while exploring methods for personal inner peace. How can we hold peace in our hearts when the world weeps?
We begin our Lenten journey of nurturing hope and resiliency through the hardships of life by first considering the soil in which we plant our hopes.
For the final sermon in our “taking stock” series, we’ll reflect on how to prioritize what matters most and let the rest fall away, as we prepare to emerge from the winter COVID surge.
Have we learned anything in the past millennia? Pastor Nora leads a worship service seeking clarity amid the confusing and distracting forces of our time.
Believe it or not, our Scriptures have nearly as many stories about supply and demand as today’s modern news cycle. We’ll dive into a couple of these stories as we consider the concept of balance in the life of our faith.
As we continue in our own pandemic slow down, we visit the Bible’s only story of adolescent Jesus, reflecting on the what it means to seek out Jesus in the midst of change and transition.
With our lives being so disrupted by this pandemic, it can be easy to vilify those we blame. Join us online, to hear how Jesus talks about dealing with enemies and Pastor Nora leading worship.
Pastor Nora explores how we might embrace the idea that we’re all one body of God’s beloved family, with the reality that some of us don’t act like it.
How does Jesus’ mantra to not worry about tomorrow relate to the cares and concerns of today?
As St. Luke temporarily transitions back to remote worship, we visit that familiar Corinthians passage to reflect on the patience and perseverance of love.
Pastor Nora dives into the meaning of Epiphany and how it can move us in holy ways for the year ahead.
Reflecting on the concept of an “afterglow,” we receive the joyful invitation to join in the song and strike up the band, each in our own voice and style.
Christmas Eve candlelight service exploring sacred promises of old for our world today.
Returning to the familiar “No room in the Inn” story, we explore the historic context of Jesus’ birth in a manger while asking how we too can make room for what’s truly important.
In a unique year when families are struggling to be in public with others, we are blessed by a multimedia retelling of the holy story for our first ever hybrid Christmas pageant.
Continuing in our Advent journey, we find that Mary is a changed individual. She, along with Elizabeth, proclaim a bold vision of the world turning toward the surprising justice of God.
Advent is underway at St. Luke! We begin the story, as always, with strength and wonder of Mary.
In place of our normal in-worship service project, we spend this year’s "Christ the Servant" Sunday service reflecting on why we celebrate this theological declaration rather than the traditional “Reign of Christ the King” Sunday.
St. Luke shares its annual All Saints Day service with a unique focus on how community and care show up even in the midst of absence and grief.
We share a reflection on the role of nature in spirituality as we introduce St. Luke’s new "Labyrinth in the Woods”
We are all broken and scattered, but we need the surprising love of God, starting from a place of parched brokenness moving towards the wellspring of water from the rocks.
When carrying a heavy burden, it often feels easier to hold the weight close. In fact, the burden can feel heaviest at the very moment we reach out to share it with others. And yet, that’s the important tipping moment when relief arrives in the form of sharing the load.
Pastor Nora reflects on sharing the holy space of St. Luke on Sunday morning. A space where major life lessons are learned and great spiritual insights gained. Where compassion is honed and justice understood.
Brennan and David team up on this message of 'Calling' including a wonderful extended dance mix on the Good Courage Prayer by Nadia Bolz-Weber.
Gail and Nora tag team; Gail feeling the call to children’s ministry; transformation comes with embracing the call.
With the pandemic laying bare the moral and structural shortcomings of our country, Pastor Nora dives into how we might respond to the spirit's call for reformation.
The act of returning is, itself, an act of hope. And when we return, things are different, in no small part because we ourselves are different.
Pastor Nora digs deeper into our unique calling as a church in the 21st century, when religious affiliation in the USA has never been lower.
The journey from passive commitment to active embrace of our role in shaping the environment.
With the recent shooting of Daunte Wright by police, Rev. Nora reflects on the stories powerful people tell. What are we called to do with conflicting narratives?
“Embodied Solidarity” Dr. Raj Nadella
Samuel A. Cartledge Associate Professor of New Testament
Columbia Theological Seminary
Palm Sunday is traditionally a day of celebration. Rev. Nora explores how we might authentically embrace the day after a full year of a brutal pandemic and other calamities.
Following a week of horrific violence, we share a sermon and service focused on repair. We’ll hear the story of Zaccheaus, with its invitation to consider how redistributing our resources can be an important part of the healing process.
Using Texas as a case study to recognize the inherent worth of all people, Rev. Nora offers a call to reflect on the moral foundation of our lives. Do our actions stem from our trauma or ever-present source of transcendent love?
Rev. Brennan Blue illuminates how reclaiming the uplifting joy of telling our faith stories to those we love is a life-giving practice.
Christ calls us to “love each other,” but how do we love someone who abuses us? Rev. Nora Elliott delves into this dynamic with some help from the sermon on the mount.
Jesus calls us to be true with our words and Rev. Nora Elliott reflects on this, in dialogue with an older testament prophet, Isaiah, and a modern day poet laureate, Amanda Gorman.
Rev. Nora Elliott preaches staying connected to our still God-center amid the storms of our time, brought on by false prophets and the scoffers they inspire who seek to undermine truth.
Scripture: Mark 4:35–40 & 2 Peter 3,17–18
Days after a failed insurrection attempt at the U.S. capitol, Rev. Brennan Blue reflects on coping with the anger that comes when tyrants try to steal power through force of will.
Scripture: Matthew 2: 1-3, 7-12