Christ Church in Short Hills: Recent Episodes
Christ Church in Short Hills
"Grace with Invitation" | The Rev. George Dredden
Sermon by the Rev. George Dredden, recorded live at the 10am service on Sunday, August 9, 2026.
The Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost on Romans 10:5-15 and Matthew 14:22-33.
"A Compassionate Feast" | The Rev. Bowie Snodgrass
Sermon by the Rev. Bowie Snodgrass, recorded live at the 10am service on Sunday, August 2, 2026.
The Tenth Sunday after Pentecost on Isaiah 55:1-5 and Matthew 14:13-21.
"How’s Your Spirit?" | The Rev. Dr. R. Kevin Johnson
Sermon by the Rev. Dr. R. Kevin Johnson, recorded live at the 10am service on Sunday, July 26, 2026.
The Ninth Sunday after Pentecost on Romans 8:26-39 and Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52.
"Living in Holy Hope & Paul’s Letter to the Romans" | The Rev. Bowie Snodgrass
Sermon by the Rev. Bowie Snodgrass, recorded live at the 10am service on Sunday, July 19, 2026.
The Eighth Sunday after Pentecost on Romans 8:12-25 and Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43.
"Be the Sower" | The Rev. George Dredden
Sermon by the Rev. George Dredden, recorded live at the 10am service on Sunday, July 12, 2026.
The Seventh Sunday after Pentecost on Matthew 13:1-9,18-23.
"Come to Me, All You That Are Weary” | The Rev. Bowie Snodgrass
Sermon by the Rev. Bowie Snodgrass, recorded live at the 10am service on Sunday, July 5, 2026.
The Sixth Sunday after Pentecost on Matthew 11:28-30
"The Welcomes that Change Us" | The Rev. Dr. Timothy Mulder
Sermon by the Rev. Timothy Mulder, recorded live at the 10am service on Sunday, June 28, 2026.
The Fifth Sunday after Pentecost on Jeremiah 28:5-9 and Matthew 10:40-42.
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"Holy Tension" | The Rev. George Dredden
Sermon by the Rev. George Dredden, recorded live at the 10am service on Sunday, June 21, 2026.
The Fourth Sunday after Pentecost on Jeremiah 20:7-13 and Matthew 10:24-39.
"Senior Sermons" | Andy Seligson and Grace Joo
Sermons by seniors Andy Seligson and Grace Joo, recorded live at the 10am service on Sunday, June 14, 2026 (Youth Sunday).
The Third Sunday after Pentecost on Romans 5:1-8 and Matthew 9:35-10:8.
"Learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy.’" | The Rev. Bowie Snodgrass
Sermon by the Rev. Bowie Snodgrass, recorded live at the 10am service on Sunday, June 7, 2026.
The Second Sunday after Pentecost on Hosea 5:15-6:6 and Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26.
"Trinity Sunday – Creativity, Courage, Connection" | The Rev. George Dredden
Sermon by the Rev. George Dredden, recorded live at the 10am service on Sunday, May 31, 2026.
Trinity Sunday on Genesis 1:1-2:4a, 2 Corinthians 13:11-13, and Matthew 28:16-20.
"There’s Enough Pentecost Spirit to Go Around!" | The Rev. Bowie Snodgrass
Sermon by the Rev. Bowie Snodgrass, recorded live at the 10am service on Sunday, May 24, 2026.
The Day of Pentecost on Acts 2:1-21 and John 20:19-23.
"The Fire is Real, and We are Not Alone" | The Rev. George Dredden
Sermon by the Rev. George Dredden, recorded live at the 10am service on Sunday, May 17, 2026.
The Seventh Sunday of Easter on 1 Peter 4:12-14; 5:6-11 and John 17:1-11.
"Joining God – Loving Others We Have Yet to Know"
Sermon by the Rev. Dr. Bill Allport, recorded live at the 10am service on Sunday, May 10, 2026.
The Sixth Sunday of Easter on Acts 17:22-31 and John 14:15-21.
"Rector’s Report: Living Stones of a Spiritual House" | The Rev. Bowie Snodgrass
Sermon and Annual Report by the Rev. Bowie Snodgrass, recorded live at the 10am service on Sunday, May 3, 2026.
The Fifth Sunday of Easter on 1 Peter 2:2-10 and John 14:1-14.
"Creation Care – Our Duty" | The Rev. George Dredden
Sermon by the Rev. George Dredden, recorded live at the 10am service on Sunday, April 26, 2026.
The Fourth Sunday of Easter on 1 Peter 2:19-25 and John 10:1-10.
"Easter at Church of the Holy Communion, NYC 2007" | The Rev. Bowie Snodgrass
Sermon by the Rev. Bowie Snodgrass, recorded live at the 10am service on Sunday, April 19, 2026.
The Third Sunday of Easter on Luke 24:13-35.
“Perpetual Lent” | Brandon Edling
Sermon by Brandon Edling, recorded live at the 10am service on Sunday, April 12, 2026.
The Second Sunday of Easter on John 20:19-31.
"Trust the Easter Mystery to Overflow!" | The Rev. Bowie Snodgrass
Sermon by the Rev. Bowie Snodgrass, recorded live at the 10am service on Easter Sunday, April 5, 2026.
"An Outburst of Hope!" | The Rev. Dr. Timothy Mulder
Sermon by the Rev. Dr. Timothy Mulder, recorded live at the 7pm Easter Vigil Service on April 4, 2026.
"He Loves Us" | The Rev. George Dredden
Sermon by the Rev. George Dredden, recorded live at the 7pm Good Friday service on April 3, 2026.
“Community: As It Was Then, Is Now” | Melissa Bristol
Reflection by Melissa Bristol, recorded live at the Maundy Thursday Service on April 2, 2026.
"Palm Sunday and An Invitation to Holy Week" | The Rev. Bowie Snodgrass
Greeting by the Rev. Bowie Snodgrass, recorded live at the 10am service on Sunday, March 29, 2026.
Palm Sunday reflection on Matthew 26:36-27:66.
"Unbind What Holds You" | The Rev. George Dredden
Sermon by the Rev. George Dredden, recorded live at the 10am service on Sunday, March 22, 2026.
The Fifth Sunday in Lent on John 11:1-45.
"Healing, Discipleship, and a Poem" | The Rev. Bowie Snodgrass
Sermon by the Rev. Bowie Snodgrass, recorded live at the 10am service on Sunday, March 15, 2026.
The Fourth Sunday in Lent on John 9:1-41.
“Uh Oh” | The Rev. Dr. R. Kevin Johnson
Sermon by the Rev. Dr. R. Kevin Johnson, recorded live at the 10am service on Sunday, March 8, 2026.
The Third Sunday in Lent on John 4:5-42.
"Turning Toward the Future God Promises" | The Rev. George Dredden
Sermon by the Rev. George Dredden, recorded live at the 10am service on Sunday, March 1, 2026.
The Second Sunday in Lent on Romans 4:1-5, 13-17 and John 3:1-17.
"Lead us not into Temptation" | The Rev. Bowie Snodgrass
Sermon by the Rev. Bowie Snodgrass, recorded live at the 10am service on Sunday, February 22, 2026.
The First Sunday in Lent on Matthew 4:1-11.
"Transfiguration for all of us" | The Rev. Dr. Timothy Mulder
Sermon by the Rev. Dr. Timothy Mulder, recorded live at the 10am service on Sunday, February 15, 2026.
The Last Sunday after the Epiphany on Matthew 17:1-9.
"Being the Light of the World and Restorer of Streets" | The Rev. Bowie Snodgrass
Sermon by the Rev. Bowie Snodgrass, recorded live at the 10am service on Sunday, February 8, 2026.
The Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany on Isaiah 58:1-12 and Matthew 5:13-20.
"What is Required" | The Rev. George Dredden
Sermon by the Rev. George Dredden, recorded live at the 10am service on Sunday, February 1, 2026.
The Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany on Micah 6:1-8.
"Leave Behind the Nets that Hold You" | The Rev. George Dredden
Sermon by the Rev. George Dredden, recorded live at the 10am service (via Zoom) on Sunday, January 25, 2026.
The Third Sunday after the Epiphany on Isaiah 9:1-4, 1 Corinthians 1:10-18, and Matthew 4:12-23.
"Influencers and Invitations to Come and See" | The Rev. Bowie Snodgrass
Sermon by the Rev. Bowie Snodgrass, recorded live at the 10am service on Sunday, January 18, 2026.
The Second Sunday after the Epiphany on John 1:29-42.
Note: This sermon was originally part of a broader discussion; that surrounding conversation has been removed.
"Joining Jesus the Servant in Baptism" | The Rev. Bowie Snodgrass
Sermon by the Rev. Bowie Snodgrass, recorded live at the 10am service on Sunday, January 11, 2026.
The Baptism of our Lord on Isaiah 42:1-9 and Matthew 5:13-17.
"We Leave by Another Road" | The Rev. George Dredden
Sermon by the Rev. George Dredden, recorded live at the 10am service on Sunday, January 4, 2026.
The Second Sunday of Christmas on Jeremiah 31:7-14 and Matthew 2:1-12.
"What child is this?" | The Rev. Bowie Snodgrass | Christmas 2025
Sermon by the Rev. Bowie Snodgrass, recorded live at the 8pm Christmas Eve service on Wednesday, December 24, 2025.
Christmas Eve on Isaiah 9:2-7, Titus 2:11-14, and Luke 2:1-20.
"Choosing Faith Over Fear" | The Rev. Dr. Timothy Mulder
Sermon by the Rev. Dr. Timothy Mulder, recorded live at the 10am service on Sunday, December 21, 2025.
The Fourth Sunday of Advent on Isaiah 7:10-16 and Matthew 1:18-25.
"Are You the One? Be a Sign of Advent Justice" | The Rev. George Dredden
Sermon by the Rev. George Dredden, recorded live at the 10am service on Sunday, December 14, 2025.
The Third Sunday of Advent on Isaiah 35:1-10 and Matthew 11:2-11.
"Isaiah the Poet of Prophesy, Politics and Promise!" | The Rev. Bowie Snodgrass
Sermon by the Rev. Bowie Snodgrass, recorded live at the 10am service on Sunday, December 7, 2025.
The Second Sunday of Advent on Isaiah 11:1-10 and Matthew 3:1-12.
"Advent is a New Start" | The Rev. Bowie Snodgrass
Reflection by the Rev. Bowie Snodgrass, recorded live at the 10am Advent Lessons and Carols service on Sunday, November 30, 2025.
"Our Patient King" | The Rev. Bowie Snodgrass
Sermon by the Rev. Bowie Snodgrass, recorded live at the 10am service on Sunday, November 23, 2025.
Year C, Proper 28 on Colossians 1:11-20 and Luke 23:33-43.
"Faith: Standing Firm in Our Baptism" | The Rev. George Dredden
Sermon by the Rev. George Dredden, recorded live at the 10am service on Sunday, November 16, 2025.
Year C, Proper 28 on 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13 and Luke 21:5-19.
"Take Courage" | The Rev. Mary Frances Schjonberg
Sermon by the Rev. Mary Frances Schjonberg, recorded live at the 10am service on Sunday, November 9, 2025.
Year C, Proper 27 on Haggai 1:15b-2:9 and Luke 20:27-38
"All Saints and Living the Beatitudes" | The Rev. Bowie Snodgrass
Sermon by the Bowie Snodgrass, recorded live at the 10am service on Sunday, November 2, 2025.
Year C, Proper 26 on Luke 6:20-31
"Christians Counter Contempt" | The Rev. Dr. Timothy Mulder
Sermon by the Rev. Tim Mulder, recorded live at the 10am service on Sunday, October 26, 2025.
Year C, Proper 25 on Luke 18:9-14
"The Squeaky Wheel Gets the Grease" | Brian Sellers-Petersen
Sermon by Brian Sellers-Petersen, recorded live at the 10am service on Sunday, October 19, 2025.
Year C, Proper 24 on 2 Timothy 3:14-4:5 and Luke 18:1-8.
"Improvisational Hope" | The Rev. Mary Frances Schjonberg
Sermon by the Rev. Mary Frances Schjonberg, recorded live at the 10am service on Sunday, October 12, 2025.
Year C, Proper 23 on Jeremiah 29:1, 4-7 and Luke 17:11-19
“Increase our faith!” A 2026 Stewardship Sermon | The Rev. Bowie Snodgrass
Sermon by the Rev. Bowie Snodgrass, recorded live at the 10am service on Sunday, October 5, 2025.
Year C, Proper 22 on Luke 17:5-10
"A Change of Habit" | Sister Monica Clare
Sermon by Sister Monica Clare, Sister Superior at The Community of St. John the Baptist in Mendham, NJ. Recorded live at the 10am service on Sunday, September 28, 2025.
Year C, Proper 21 on Luke 16:19-31
"Summer is Ended" | The Rev. Bowie Snodgrass
Sermon by the Rev. Bowie Snodgrass, recorded live at the 10am service on Sunday, September 21, 2025.
Year C, Proper 20 on Jeremiah 8:18-9:1; Luke 16:1-13
"Lost and Found" | The Rev. Dr. R. Kevin Johnson
Sermon by the Rev. Dr. R. Kevin Johnson, recorded live at the 10am service on Sunday, September 14, 2025.
Year C, Proper 19 on Luke 15:1-10
"Discerning Discipleship" | The Rev. Bowie Snodgrass
Sermon by the Rev. Bowie Snodgrass, recorded live at the 10am service on Sunday, September 7, 2025 – Parish Picnic and Kick-Off Sunday!
Year C, Proper 18 on Philemon 1-21, Luke 14:25-33
"Wedding Etiquette" | Sam Reckford
Sermon by Sam Reckford, recorded live at the 10am service on Sunday, August 31, 2025.
Year C, Proper 17 on Luke 14:1, 7-14
Sermon by the Rev. Bowie Snodgrass, recorded live at the 10am service on Sunday, August 24, 2025.
Year C, Proper 16 on Luke 13:10-17, Psalm 71:1-6
Drawing from Isaiah’s vineyard, Psalm 80’s plea, and Jesus’ fire in Luke 12, this sermon reflects on what it means to overturn the empire in our hearts and to welcome one another as kin in God’s house. Through personal memories of exclusion and experiences of grace, the message calls us to resist easy lines of division and to live into the baptismal promise of belonging and love. (Isaiah 5:1–7; Psalm 80:1–2, 8–18; Luke 12:49–56)
In Rev. Paul's farewell sermon, he reminds us of the importance of the Transfiguration and why we celebrate it while reflecting on the mountain journey of life.
There was a time when being a Christian was just weird; they’d do strange things and behave like… well weirdos. But for all their strangeness they were holy; and people would flock to get to know them all the while learning about the good news of Jesus that led them to their strange behavior. Maybe it’s time for us to be weird Christians too. (Col. 3.1-11; Luke 12.13-21)
Are you more of a Martha or a Mary? A faithful servant, who sometimes tries to do too much, or a quiet disciple, who takes time to listen? Both loved Jesus and he loved them. In church, we need all types of people to learn how to love one another. (Luke 10:38-42)
What would it be like for us to meet Amos today; what might he say? More importantly how would we react? Despite being an 8th century BCE text, there’s a lot about Amos that still rings true. We still need people like Amos, and we still need to hear his diagnosis of the world we inhabit. Only in observing things as they are, can we make a choice to do something else, like addressing the great needs of our time. (Amos 7:7-17; Luke 10:25-37)
Summer is here! Do you feel weary? How can your vacation or a staycation refresh you and be a spiritual practice too? Jesus offers advice before sending out the 70 that provides wisdom for us to find peace. (Galatians 6:7-16, Luke 10:1-11, 16-20)
“Let me inherit a double share of your spirit,” Elisha asks. There’s a lot we can learn from Elisha especially because we too are inheritors of a Spirit. We’ve a lot in common with Elisha; let’s explore it. Perhaps in Elisha, we’ll learn how we can better follow our Master, Jesus. (2 Kings 2.1-2, 6-14; Luke 9:51-62)
The Trinity – One God in three, Creator, Christ, and Spirit – is a foundational doctrine of Christianity. It is also a truth we know because we’ve experienced God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit in our relationships with the divine. (John 16:12-15)
Just how broad are the Kingdom of God’s boarders, and who do we find inside of them? They’re bigger than we expect and filled with all sorts. They always have been, Jesus has always shown us their breadth. Today we’re invited to search them out and learn that we’re all encompassed within the Kingdom. Happy Pride.
Rev. 22:12-14, 16-17, 20-21; John 17:20-26
In the Book of Acts, Lydia was a business woman and head of a household, who became the first convert in Europe, opening her heart and home. How do we translate the ways she was exceptional then into our lives and the church today? (Acts 16:9-15)
St. Peter describes to his friends in Jerusalem the vision he had about a heavenly sheet filled with every sort of animal that helped shake him from his place of comfort and welcome him into the wideness of God’s plan for creation. What would be on the sheet for you? What is hindering you from fulfilling Jesus’ commandment to love as he loves (Acts. 11:1-18; John 13.31-35)
Rector’s Report for the 2024 Annual Meeting: reflections on breaking bread with the risen Christ, hospitality, spiritual growth, intergenerational relationships, outreach, stewardship, worship, and love as the work we are called to in 2025. (Acts 9:1-20, John 21:1-19)
How we greet one another is important. Greetings help us to understand how interactions will go and identify who we are speaking to. They also can be a source of blessing and wellness. Jesus does all this when he says, “peace be with you.” Today we explore how Jesus teaches us to greet one another. (Revelation 1.4-8; John 20.19-31)
Sometimes life feels like that first Holy Week, when everything changes so quickly. Easter is the start of a whole new beginning! Be on the lookout for the Risen Christ walking among us, for light and love and resurrection! (Luke 24:1-12, Acts 10:34-43)
Who are we? That’s the simple question I’d like us to answer, because we often confuse who we are for who we think we should be. God isn’t interested in who we ‘should be,’ our Lord is interested in who we are. Today God shows us who we are by showing us who God is: Ecce Homo—here is the man. Alleluia!
Through crucifixion, the political and religious leaders thought they had broken Jesus’ power over the people, scared off his followers, and ended his influence. The Good News of Good Friday is that Christ is in control. (John 18:1-19:42, Isaiah 52:13-53:12)
Today we reckon with how our tongues can both sing “Hosanna,” and scream “Crucify Him.” Today we begin again the devotional journey of seeking to understand Jesus’ response: “forgive them,” he says. We are reminded today, that God is not made in our image, but we are made in God’s. Today we are reminded why we sing Hosanna.
Imagine the embarrassment: everything went wrong; you’ve worked up the courage to ask for help, to seek forgiveness for what happened and what you’ve done. But rather than the expected shame and punishment, you’re decked out in the finest clothes you’ve ever worn, celebrated, and given a party. Whoa! This is the prodigal son’s experience, and there’s a lot to learn from it. (Luke 15.11-32)
The news cycle and life this winter have been exhausting. Like the fig tree in Jesus’ parable, sometimes we need a little TLC and extra time to find a path forward. And like Moses, after time away, we become ready to respond to God’s call. (Exodus 3:1-15, Luke 13:1-9)
On this Episcopal Relief and Development Sunday whose work extends around the world, from war in Ukraine and Gaza, to natural disasters in California and North Carolina, we remember our faith. For it is not just what we believe, but also what we do.
On the First Sunday in Lent, the Devil is front and center in Jesus’ temptation and the Great Litany. For these 40 days, we are called to walk with Jesus through the wilderness and put our trust in God. (Luke 4:1-13)
We begin Lent with an act of public repentance by literally putting on ash to remind us of our mortality and penitence. How do we do this genuinely; and what might our public action of lament inspire others to do? (Joel 2:1-2, 12-17; Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21)
To fully live into our baptism and Christian faith, we’ve got to be bold. We need to learn how to read the Bible through the eyes of Jesus; and, as the voice of God implores us, we’ve got to listen to Jesus too! That’s how we learn to be bold, to climb the mountains of life, and to be transfigured. (2 Cor. 3:12-4:2; Luke 9:28-36)
While some think revenge is satisfying, we choose to make a difference in this world by blessing those who curse us. (Genesis 45:3-11,15 and Luke 6:27-38)
Blessings and Woes, the Beatitudes in Luke are different than what Jesus teaches in Matthew, but should we preference one set over the other? What does it mean if we do? (Jeremiah 17.5-10; Luke 6.17-26)
Is God calling you? Rev. Bowie reflects on her own journey, the call stories of Isaiah and the first disciples, and wisdom from Parker Palmer, Otis Moss III, and resources for discerning vocation in this time of deep need in the world. (Isaiah 6:1-13, Luke 5:1-11)
We all need to be a bit more like Simeon. We need to be bold in seeking out the Light, taking it up, and sharing it with the world. We need to be like Anna and tell everyone about the Light. We need to let the Light come into our hearts and shine forth from them. (Luke 2.22-40)
Jesus’ inaugural sermon in Luke 4 is the lectionary gospel the same week as the US presidential inauguration and a sermon by Bishop Mariann Budde that broke into the national spotlight. What did Jesus say? How do we respond as the body of Christ in the world today? (Luke 4:14-21)
Our various gifts are tools given to us by God to make sense of the mess that is life. To do that, all we need is—as Mary says—to do what Jesus tells us. (1 Cor. 12.1-11 & John 2.1-11)
At Jesus’ baptism, God spoke to him as “you.” Through baptism, we become part of a familiar and loving relationship with God. Prayer is our conversation with God, whom we call “you.” (Isaiah 43:1-7; Luke 3:15-17, 21-22)
On this twelfth day of Christmas we reflect on the three wisemen who bring gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh: what does it mean for the greatest gift giver to receive gifts? What does it mean for us to bring him gifts? (Matthew 2:1-12)
Christmas is when we open our hearts to unexpected guests who arrive at our door and celebrate the birth of a tiny human who is our great God, Savior, Messiah, and the Lord! (Titus 2:11-14 & Luke 2:1-20)
John the Baptist calls on the crowd to care, share, and be fair! We are called to do this too in our personal and professional life. These foundational practices transform us individually and collectively into people who bear good fruit in a world with so much need. (Luke 3:7-18)
“Prepare the way of the Lord,” cries John the Baptist. How are we, like John, preparing the way for Christ to come into our lives? (Luke 3:1-6)
Trust the process of Advent. Let it be a period of prayer, preparation, and a time to reflect on priorities. You don’t have to create the magic or miracle of Christmas – Christ is coming and we will be changed.
Thanksgiving, ThankServing, Ingathering, and the Feast of Christ the King are an amazing confluence of interrelated reminders that we follow Jesus, who taught us to serve and help our neighbors who are hungry or strangers.
Jesus seems to say "The end is nigh," but what are we to do with that!? The writer of Hebrews tells us: come together and provoke one another to love and good deeds. “Do not be alarmed,” Jesus says. (1 Samuel 1.4-20; Hebrews 10.11-14, 19-25; Mark 13.1-8)
Following the Election and Diocesan Convention, we look back on 150 years of the Diocese of Newark as we enter the next 150 years meditating on the example of the devout and faithful widow in Mark 12:38-44.
Jesus raised Lazarus and directed the mourners to unbind him from his burial clothes. What tangles do you need to be unbound from? Baptism is the start of our new life as Christians, shaping how we live as faithful Christians in a complicated world with God’s help, until we enter the communion of saints. (John 11:32-44)
There are moments in life when everything changes all at once, like they did for the blind beggar Bartimaeus and for Job. (Job 42:1-6, 10-17; Mark 10:46-52)
To be on the journey of faith is not so much about the destination as it is about the experience along the way. (Job 38:1-7, Mark 10:35-45)
"You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor; then come follow me." Jesus is clear in his words, how do we develop such a spirit of giving? It’s a journey. (Hebrews 4:12-16, Mark 10:17-31)
Stewardship is US together. In this year of spiritual growth, Rev. Bowie invites us to consider how, like trees, we are deeply rooted in faith and community. She invites us to reflect on how our stewardship at Christ Church nourishes both our roots and our branches. Just as Zacchaeus sought out Jesus, we are called to seek, grow, and give generously, supporting our shared future. (2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 11-12, Luke 19:1-10)
Sometimes change comes through visionary leadership and sometimes through protest and prophets. Queen Esther, a Jewish immigrant in Babylon who saves her people, and The Philadelphia Eleven, the first women to become Episcopal priests in 1974, are examples of how we too may be called to be part of God’s purpose "at just such a time." (Esther 7:1-6, 9-10; 9:20-22 and Mark 9:38-50)
Jesus is a teacher; and it's not just the words he uses that we should pay attention to, but how he uses them. (James 3:1-12; Mark 8:27-38)
It wasn't the Lord of Flies who made us, but the Lord of Heaven; and through Christ, we were made good! Just look at the children. (James 3:13 – 4.3; Mark 9:30-37)
Can we change our mind? A gentile woman is the only character in Mark’s gospel to change his mind as she begs him to heal her daughter. In a moment or over time, your mind, heart, faith and life can change with God. (Mark 7:24-37)
We’re talking about old time religion today with James and Jesus; let us not just be hearers of the Word, but doers! (James 1:17-27; Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23)
This summer in politics, we’ve heard many “are you with me” then “tell your friends” speeches and a lot about running mates. In the Gospel, Jesus asks his disciples if they are still with him. Rev. Bowie talks about inviting our friends back to church with us and closes with Malcolm Boyd’s prayer “Are you running with me, Jesus?” (John 6:56-69)
We’re all looking for wisdom, for the instructions to life; but what do we do once we have it? How can we be sure we even have it? (1 Kings 2:10-12 & John 6:51-58)
The choice to love as God loves the world is the antidote to division and violence. (2 Samuel 18:5-9, 15, 31-33)
Jesus said, “I am the bread of life.” This sentence seems simple, but is quite complex when you consider its context and impact. Jesus invites us to come and eat the bread that satisfies and, in the midst our complex lives, is enough. (John 6:24-35; 2 Samuel 11:26-12:13a)
Sometimes we find ourselves in an angry place—where temptation is great, and sin is easy. What do we do; how do we escape?
How does the Bible teach us to follow Jesus? How does God speak to us today through scripture? What are questions to ask when studying sacred texts? Through the Sunday readings and poetry, an exploration of the Bible as our spiritual guidebook.
Jesus had a bad day. Even King David had failings. What do you consider essential leadership traits? Learning from missteps. Sharing authority? What can we do as a community led by God?
Three bears, a penchant for things “just right,” golden hair…we’re all Goldilockses and, for God, it’s more than ok—it’s just right.
Climate change is scary and overwhelming. We may even feel like the disciples who asked Jesus “don’t you care that we are perishing?” We believe in a God who cares deeply for us and all creation and calls on us to care too.
God consistently meets us in medias res; what does it mean for us and what can we learn?
God gave us the wonderful gift of rest. In sabbath time, God rests with us, speaks to us, feeds and heals us so that we can be renewed. Choose sabbath!
God has always been a god of invitation. Today we engage the Trinity's invitation to contemplate and then to proclaim. It’s about unity, not uniformity.
Who is the Holy Spirit? She goes by many names: Holy Ghost, Sustainer, Paraclete, Comforter, Advocate, Wild Goose. We can’t contain or control the Spirit, but we can learn to trust her presence in our lives and world today.
Our guest preacher, The Rev. Deacon Jill Singleton, shares reflections on her ministry and The Lighthouse, a home providing housing, hope and other forms of hospitality to asylum-seekers upon their release from immigration detention.
Rev. Bowie reflects on friendship and how this community was deeply rooted and branched out in her Rector’s Report on Annual Meeting Sunday.
There’re shepherds, and then there’s the Good Shepherd. They’ve a lot in common; but let’s not confuse one for the others.
The eclipse was something we experienced together, like the disciples’ encounter with the risen Jesus, who appeared to them with his scars, ate a piece of fish, and opened their minds.
Jesus and St. Thomas help us to learn and seek a right and healthy relationship between Belief, Doubt, and Faith.
On Easter, Mary Magdalene announced, “I have seen the Lord!” When we have the powerful experience of being seen, known, and loved like Mary, we begin to see Christ in brothers, sisters, and strangers – beleaguered and beautiful, broken and blessed.
The Light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not overcome it. The Light overcame the darkness and Death lost its way.
How do we want to see Jesus; according to our messy world’s rules, or in the way that God would have us see him?
Tamara Plummer, Program Officer in Global Programs at Episcopal Relief & Development, shares about the work of ERD in the United States and around the world.
The Ten Commandments have been around for almost three-thousand years and are still essential to our faith. When we fall short, know that Christ offers us forgiveness and God’s mercy endures forever.
Each year we follow Jesus into the wilderness: it is a reminder that Jesus journeys alongside us in the wildernesses of our lives.
Mystical moments stay with us and shape us. On the last Sunday of Epiphany, Rev. Bowie reflects on the Transfiguration, the spiritual “Swing Low” inspired by the Prophet Elijah’s ascent into heaven on a chariot of fire, and glimmering angels in her living room window.
Jesus stood at the door, healing many—those with big needs and those with small needs. He’s still there healing; won’t you come?
Our minds are bombarded 24/7 by noxious thoughts that freak us out. Thank God we have a savior who can silence the demons by a shush.
He might have been the most successful prophet in the whole Bible; what can we learn from Jonah?
Who are the Eli’s and Philip’s in your life who help you to perceive the Word of the Lord?
Jesus seeks us in our cringe worthy moments, Christ shows up for our embarrassing selves.
Rev. Bowie’s Christmas message on long shadows, God’s glory, and the good news of Christ’s love and peace for all people!
God, through Mary, shares God’s deep desire to have an intimate relationship with us; may we like Mary say: let it be with me according to your Word.
A few pointers on being a priest from Rev. Bowie for Rev. Paul, who was ordained to the priesthood on December 16, inspired by John the Baptist in the 4th Gospel on the 3rd Sunday of Advent.
A voice cries out in the wilderness! We must ask who are these prophets and whether we should listen?
N.B. From Rev. Paul Keene: I misspeak about who King Jehoshaphat and Zedekiah are concerned about. It was the Arameans and not the Amorites.
This Advent, you are invited to spend quality quiet time with God. To stop our bustling and buying, our fretting and festivities, to pause, pray and listen in expectation! Rev. Bowie reflects on the announcement of John the Baptist’s birth to Zechariah and Elizabeth and offers ideas of how to observe Advent as a season of listening in anticipation.
What do you imagine a king to be? What if we use God’s limitless imagination to imagine? It’s not what we’d think, it’s far more awesome.
At the end of the Parable of the Talents, there are 15 talents if we add them all together. Through Christ and at Church, we become a generous community who pool and share our resources. On the 10th Annual ThankServing Sunday and Ingathering Sunday, we celebrate the many who give of their time, treasures and talents, overflowing like the colorful harvest of a cornucopia!
There's no time like the future to wipe out the joy of the present. Jesus startles us awake and aware to behold his appearing in the here and now.
On All Saints Sunday, we celebrate being beloved children of God, part of an extended family that stretches back through biblical history, Jesus’ life and resurrection, all the saints, people we’ve loved and lost, and those we welcome into the household of God through baptism.
Our world could use courageous people who are willing to take up and follow the path that Jesus asks of us as Christians.
Loving Jesus is more than just saying the words on Sunday morning. It means a daily commitment of loving our neighbors as He loves us. It means loving Jesus through our sincere and authentic actions and words.
Loving Jesus and being His follower means “walking the walk and talking the talk.” Without embarrassment or hesitation. Paul and his missionaries shared the Good News and themselves. We can do the same!
With the veneer of sitcom, we hear Jesus teach us about thanksgiving and we explore the God-given trope of “thanks” in our lives.
For those who wonder if praying matters and if God is really listening, what we learn from Moses’ encounter with God on Sinai should give you hope!
Rev. Bowie reflects on her pledging over the past two decades. Stewardship is part of our personal faith journey and relationship with God, who created and gives us everything we have. We are also creating a new chapter at Christ Church together with Jesus Christ as our cornerstone.
Jesus got into a lot of trouble with the religious folks by pointing to the moral losers as privileged before God. Perhaps in our moments of "quiet desperation," we are more like them than we like to admit.
God sent the Israelites manna and quails to sustain them in the wilderness for 40 years. In the Parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard, each person receives the usual daily wage, regardless of how long they worked. How we know when we have enough? How does God teach us to be grateful, just, and generous?
$33.9 trillion, imagine owing that much! God’s forgiveness is boundless; imagine if we could forgive like God. With God’s help we can, one penny at a time.
Jesus said “Where 2 or 3 are gathered in my name, I am there among them.” We encounter Christ, but also human conflict, in community. Through prayer and Jesus’ presence, we are called to forgiveness and reconciliation.
Impetuous Peter and Paul, the prosecutor of Christ followers, show us that the gospel can change us if we open our hearts to its power. Once transformed, we are called to change the world.
Joseph’s forgiveness of his brothers in Genesis 45 sheds a particular light on the grace Jesus offers us through his all-redeeming sacrifice on the cross.
The klutzy Apostle Peter qualifies all of us for Christ's service. All we need is to throw in the towel of self-sufficiency and ask for help. Just like Peter did.
Christ upon the mountain peak is transfigured before the disciples. His transfiguration is a promise and reminder: we can’t help but be changed before the presence of God.
God loved Jacob and kept his promises to Jacob even though Jacob was a mess. That should give us all hope!
Listen to the Rev. Dr. R. Kevin Johnson's sermon from Sunday, July 30.
Today we hear Jesus’ promise of judgement in the Parable of the Wheat and the Weeds. However, these words of judgement do not diminish Jesus’ words of love and mercy.
Our preacher for the Seventh Sunday after Pentecost has concluded that God is more merciful than his mom. Listen and find out why.
Our God is a god who works in signs and wonders. How do we perceive; how do we respond?
What does it mean for God to call us to be an expansive people? We - along with the great pillars of our faith - are invited to learn and grow into accepting and spreading God's abundant grace and mercy, making a new and transformed life that shapes the world around us.
High school graduates Grace Bardello and William Knoll-Finn reflect on their experiences at Christ Church on Youth Sunday (June 18, 2023).
How does Jesus' love of the sinner give us the confidence to take big leaps of faith? How does that create strong, inclusive communities of faith? We can find the answer in scripture... with a little help from... dog training?
How do you get to know the Trinity? Hang out with them! 21st century theologians have focused on the dynamic relationship between God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit, even describing a cosmic dance. This resonates in this time, when we crave relationship and belonging (even though relationships can be messy and intimacy intimidating).
Exhausted? Frantically trying to fling yourself forward? Maybe it's because you're self-propelled rather than higher powered. Pentecost provides a more excellent way.
The 10 days after Jesus’ Ascension are a liminal time of absence and desire, even as activity swirls around us in the bustling month of May. We are invited to wait for Christ and let God – who existed before the world existed and cannot be contained by space or time – into the empty holes in our hearts and lives.
A Mother's Day sermon on how the Grace of God can lead us to conclude that the universe is conspiring to do us good, even, or especially, if we come from a dysfunctional family.
Rev. Bowie’s Rector Report reflecting on 2022. In John 14, Jesus said, “In my father’s house there are many dwelling places.” There are many rooms (and cornerstones!) at Christ Church, but more importantly many people who follow the Way of Jesus and are ministry leaders at our home church.
In the 23rd Psalm, the writer delights in an abundant table prepared by God, but only if enemies are made envious by the bounty. Hear how Jesus seeks our more base instincts in order to lead us besides the still waters.
Whether it's the struggles and disappointments of the past, or anxiety about the future, the Risen Lord sidles up alongside us, bringing us the joy of God's presence in this present moment.
There are both practical and mystical dimensions to the Risen Lord’s appearances to the disciples, Thomas (who does not so much doubt as not fully believe yet), and baptism.
Like the women at the tomb, we are looking for Jesus. Through the resurrection, Christ stayed in relationship with humanity and we are invited be part of God’s everlasting love.
The Death of Jesus is to be contemplated rather than explained or used as an ethical example. And they shall look upon the one whom they have pierced. Behold this magnificent catastrophe. Our worst results in God's best.
In a world addicted to violence, Jesus mounts his meek mule and rides to the cross. This Holy Week we are invited to join Jesus in his movement, which has outlived all empires seeking its destruction. Love wins.
Jesus said, "I am the Resurrection and the Life." We know that Resurrection is important, but we should not overlook Jesus' invitation to Abundant Life. We can experience this Abundant Life when we encounter Christ in others.
Sean McConnell is the Senior Director of Engagement at Episcopal Relief & Development.
Rabbi Matthew Gewirtz, Senior Rabbi at Congregation B’nai Jeshurun in Short Hills, reflects on our shared Interfaith work and how WE can shine our light forth into the world.
The woman at the well sets out on a missionary journey and the people come running into the arms of Lenten Jesus. Listen to The Rev. Dr. R. Kevin Johnson's sermon for the Third Sunday in Lent.
Rev. Bowie on giving up shopping for Lent, earthly things, spiritual renewal, Nicodemus’ questions, and Samuel Wells’ newest book: Humbler Faith, Bigger God.
What makes for a meaningful life? Jesus in the desert hears the voice of Satan offering ample suggestions. Perhaps we hear similar voices. Listen to how Jesus and Stanford University respond.
The Good News of Ash Wednesday is that we need no longer to be afraid of our inconsistency and hypocrisy. On our ashy days, fradulance is often our most conspicuous feature! Jesus is even using our posturing and posing to transform us into his likeness.
The gospel account of Jesus’ Transfiguration revealed to his core group of disciples who he really was and teaches us important spiritual lessons about walking in the light, through the clouds, and learning to walk in the dark.
John the Baptist’s arrest frames Jesus’ ministry. Like the first disciples, we are called to follow Jesus, proclaim the Good News, and care for others, including those in prison.
Martin Luther King encouraged us to do “creative battle” against the forces that would have us wallow in fatalism and helplessness and self-satisfaction. He called us to believe that the future could be more just than the present. To be a disciple of the living, abiding God is to practice self-denial, to point to Jesus, and to have the faith to do creative battle to hasten the coming of the kingdom.
Martin Luther King encouraged us to do “creative battle” against the forces that would have us wallow in fatalism and helplessness and self-satisfaction. He called us to believe that the future could be more just than the present. To be a disciple of the living, abiding God is to practice self-denial, to point to Jesus, and to have the faith to do creative battle to hasten the coming of the kingdom.
Winston Churchill called Russia “a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma.” How do these words resonate with world issues in 2023, the four Servant Songs in Isaiah, Jesus’ baptism, and the Trinity?
Mary could have easily ended up pregnant and alone when she found out she was expecting an unexpected child. But God was with her, through a cousin, a partner, an innkeeper, animals, angels and shepherds. And through Jesus, God is with us. Merry Christmas!
God picked the perfect family for Jesus to be born... perfectly dysfunctional. Lucky for us, Christ continues to seek nutty families to inhabit. Lucky for him, there's us.
Santa Claus is contributing to the ethical decline of our country. Find out how St. Nick has lost his moral compass and what Jesus says to us in response.
Bishop Gene Robinson delivers a powerful and thoughtful sermon on Mary, Jesus, and humanity.
Baptism is how we become part of the diverse Christian family, called to accept one another as Christ accepted us, for the greater glory of God. Acceptance is a central theme in Paul’s Letter to the Romans and today extends to acceptance for all – regardless of nationality or ethnicity, sexuality or gender, culture or class.
Advent invites an encounter with Christ without shame or fear. While knowing us at our worst, Jesus nevertheless pursues us until we say yes.
The Feast of Christ the King is a counter-cultural observance dating back to 1925. Reflections on how Christianity has always been counter-cultural and the Taizé community on Ingathering and ThankServing Sunday.
“God did not put any of us on this planet to play it small.”
This past Sunday we were joined by Bishop Carlye Hughes, XI Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Newark.
Who’s your favorite saint? Reflections on how Luke’s Beatitudes keep things real, St. Melania, and the power of radical reversals on All Saints’ Sunday.
Grace filled encounters with Jesus are always transformative, whether subtle or substantial. Listen to two stories of dramatic conversion, one in St. Luke's Gospel, the other in the life of a priest.
Once there was a mighty oak! Sermon for the 140th Anniversary Sunday on being “deeply rooted, branching out” and standing together, including the “little acorns” of the young generation.
Somewhere down deep underneath our Anglican propriety is a wildness that Jesus seeks to exploit. It's what we desire as well.
The Rev. Dr. John J. Thatamanil, Professor of Theology and World Religions at Union Theological Seminary in NYC and Anglican Priest, preaching on the healing of Naaman, an Aramean Commander, by the Prophet Elisha in 2 Kings, Chapter 5.
Is faith the size of a teeny tiny, ordinary mustard seed enough? It’s more than enough, Jesus says, to move trees or mountains. Reflections on Stewardship and abundance from Rev. Bowie.
Once again, Jesus upsets our apple cart and provokes us to question everything we always thought was true. Could it be that our preoccupation with ending up in Hell is a distraction from the Grace God wants to give us? Consider an empty Hell.
“Whoever is faithful in very little is faithful also in much.” A final sermon from The Rev. Tristan Shin on this pesky thing called grace.
Rev. Bowie reflects on the lost sheep and coin parables in Luke 17 and a seeking God who calls neighbors and angels to rejoice when we are found. This week’s sermon looks at the gospel from various perspectives on our Parish Picnic Sunday, a joyful community celebration.
The Dummies Guide to Honor: Jesus takes a hard look at society’s notion of honor and shame, who is in and who is out, who is up and who is down, and as usual, he is turning it all upside down. He calls us to look at who is not here and find ourselves in their sandals. Jesus is showing us an image of a table where no one has a place of honor because everyone is honored. It is God that extends the invitation to show us this radical hospitality.
We are called to be repairers of the breach, knowing that we too are broken. Rev. Bowie reflects on Isaiah 58, Luke 13, breaches, sabbath, and our Savior who sees us, calls us, heals us, feeds us – and sets us free.
C.S. Lewis writes: "I didn't go to religion to make me happy. I always knew a bottle of Port would do that. If you want a religion to make you feel really comfortable, I certainly do not recommend Christianity." Christianity has never been about being a toothless religion, nor does the bible speaks about living a comfortable life. There is a cost to being a disciple. What did Jesus mean when he said he came to bring fire to the earth? What is demanded of us this night? Can the fire of Pentecost stir up our faith and conviction to do God's work in Christ's name for the sake of the world?
It is God’s good pleasure to grant us a heavenly kingdom, far better than any established on earth.
The rock band Kansas famously sang that “everything is dust in the wind.” In her sermon from Sunday, Rev. Bowie explores Ecclesiastes and mortality alongside the parable of the rich fool and scripture’s call to leverage privilege.
Prayer allows us to share our heart with God, but also hear God’s heart, but what do we say when we are lost or our hearts are unable to conjure up the words? Sermon based on Gospel Luke 11:1-13.