St. Luke's Episcopal Church, Durham NC: Recent Episodes
St. Luke's Episcopal Church, Durham NC
We're still in the midst of the Bread of Life section of John's Gospel. Here are a few thoughts on the Bread of Life during Pandemic.
The bleeding women in today's Gospel reading invites us to greater connection and greater truthfulness in order to receive more healing and wholeness.
Our Old Testament and Gospel have something to tell us about the Kingdom of God. Maybe being special isn't so special.
It's Pentecost! We're celebrating at home, not so different from the Disciples at that first Pentecost. In order to be ready when the Holy Spirit shows up in your life, commit to practicing the Way of Love. https://www.episcopalchurch.org/way-of-love/
Both Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch were changed on that wilderness road. May we be like Philip, both a disciple and an apostle.
The first Gospel account of the resurrection ended in fear. But the story doesn't end there.
We have been split open by this pandemic. We are now sprouts of new life. Let's grow together!
There are many stories of renaming in the Bible. Helen invites you to use your own name as a tool for remembering your connection to God.
Dr. Sam Laurent, Campus Minister for the Episcopal Center at Duke preaches a sermon on the Transfiguration for St. Luke's in Durham.
A simple prayer: Dear God, What is mine? What is for now? Help me set down what is not mine, not for now. Amen.
In his first act of ministry in Mark's gospel, Jesus casts evil out of a man in the place of worship. As followers of Jesus, we need to train in the Way of Love to fight the evil that is active in our world today.
Today we celebrate St. Luke’s Day, together/alone, by calling to mind people who heal and people who need healing, and by inviting greater healing into our own lives.
Helen reflects on the 4th of July using this NPR article: https://www.npr.org/2020/07/03/884832594/video-frederick-douglass-descendants-read-his-fourth-of-july-speech and the Combahee River Collective statement: https://americanstudies.yale.edu/sites/default/files/files/Keyword%20Coalition_Readings.pdf
The Jesus of Matthew 10 isn't meek and mild. But it's a Jesus we need to hear in this time.
For ideas about how to live out your lament about this week, read this for ideas to combat racism: https://medium.com/equality-includes-you/what-white-people-can-do-for-racial-justice-f2d18b0e0234. Read this for more resources for lamenting deaths from COVID-19: https://sojo.net/day-of-lament
Jesus gives us the Paraclete, the one "called" "alongside." How can we be paraclete to one another in this time of pandemic?
Jesus has gone before us and laid a path. We can not go back. Center ourselves in Jesus: Loving God, Loving Neighbor and Loving Self. This is how we will find our new path.
Today's extended gospel (Luke 24:13-45) tells us Jesus show up wherever we are. And sometimes a pray of "You know" is all that is needed.
The disciples had many feelings after that first Easter. We do, too. It's OK to not be OK. Find ways to connect in love. Reach out as needed. Know these numbers: Domestic Violence Hotline 800-799-7233 or text LOVEIS to 22522 LGBTQ Trevor Project Hotline 1-866-488-7386 Suicide Prevention Hotline 800-273-8255
This morning, Jim weaves together our readings and also refers to this remembrance of King George: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUOxE7wIzfU
Prepare; Do not panic. And remember that you are blessed to be a blessing in our unknown future with the Coronavirus.
The story of Jesus's Transfiguration has echos of Old Testament stories and other Gospel stories. Pay attention to the echoes in your own life as you prepare for a Holy Lent.
Don't get distracted by End Times thinking. Listen to Jesus: Keep your eyes on your own work, and do your best.
Jacob wrestles with God and gets a new name, his own blessing, and an injury. Listen and ponder how Jacob's story is like your story.
Connecting Anne Lamott's Three Essential Prayers with our Every Member Canvass and the Lectionary.
Source material for this sermon include the Combahee River Collective Statement http://circuitous.org/scraps/combahee.html
Faith is what grounds us, AND faith is what provokes us to acts of justice and mercy. Strengthen your faith, and act.
It is hoped that you find this sermon presented by Mr. Phillip Bass at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Durham, NC, on June 30, 2019, both thought-provoking and inspiring.
The sermon at St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Durham, North Carolina, presented on June 23 by The Rev. Deacon Daniel Laird.
Today's gospel reminds us that we need strong, courageous friends to help us heal from the ways we are broken.
Making sense of the Book of Revelation, and the new heaven and new earth, with gratitude to the work of N.T. Wright
No one can do our own work for us. Our relationship with Jesus matters for our own life & health, and it also matters for the life & health of our congregation.
You are a beloved child of God. Mary Magdalene was redeemed by Jesus, and knew his voice when he spoke her name. We can follow in her footsteps.
Part 2 of 2 describing Presiding Bishop Michael Curry's The Way of Love, and inviting people into participation during Lent and beyond.
Engaging Presiding Bishop Curry's Way of Love during Lent. The first three practices: Turn, Learn and Pray.
What does it mean that we stand and say the Creed each week? Why do we sometimes use "I" and sometimes we "We"? And in what way do we "believe"?
A reflection on Mary as a strong, determined promoter of justice. With thanks to an image by artist Ben Wildflower. (https://www.etsy.com/listing/653083074/magnificat-2016-print?ref=shop_home_active_4&frs=1)
A sermon of despair and hope for Advent 1 using Luke 21:25-36, Thessalonians 3:9-13, and our collect.
The author of Hebrews encourages us to three things in our life together as Christians. Listen to find out more!
A sermon of hope about when you've lost much, when things are chaos, and/or when life doesn't turn out as we had imagined.
How to use and grow our Wisdom from Above, for the good of the world, the country, our communities and ourselves.
We are witnesses to transformation beginning in The Episcopal Church. The General Convention was about legislation and so much more. Become a part of our continuing witness.
Mary Magdalene and Simon Peter were very different people, but both friends and followers of Jesus. Jesus loved them in their peculiarities. Jesus loves us not in spite of, but because of, our own uniqueness.
Sermon Preached at St. Luke's Episcopal Church, Durham NC on March 19, 2018 by Lizzie McManus-Dail.
The 10 Commandments were written thousands of years ago for a people in a very different time and place. And yet, they can still be the skeleton on which we enflesh our relationship to God and to one another. How are they relevant for your life this week?
In which Star Wars helps us to understand the nature of Sin and God; and where we are called to reject either/or thinking and embrace both/and as well are all in Christ.
The Transfiguration story gives us four ideas for our Lenten Observance: Take time away; Listen to Jesus; Accept our imperfections; Be patient.
The disciple Philip offers a different way to respond to snide remarks, "Come and see." How might we follow his example in our world today?
Our baptism in the Holy Spirit is incarnational whereby God begins a new creation in Jesus Christ, the Word of God made flesh.
This week, we hear John describe himself as a witness and someone who testifies to the Truth of Jesus. Let's join him in pointing to the Truth in our world.
Hear the voice heralding a new King -- the one who leads us through the wilderness in a procession bringing good news as our annual path slowly transforms the world into God's kingdom.
Learn about the Lectionary cycle, about Mark's Gospel, and about preparing ourselves in the season of Advent.
The Parable of the Talents has been interpreted differently in each generation. Deacon Dan shares with us past interpretations and a meaningful interpretation for today.
Sermon preached at St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Durham, NC on November 12, 2017. Listen to find out how this parable about being selfish fits in with the rest of the gospel message. Including an encouragement to read Richard Foster's A Celebration of Discipline.
Sermon preached at St. Luke's Episcopal Church, Durham NC on October 22, 2017. (Poor sound quality)
Sermon preached at St. Luke's Episcopal Church, Durham NC on September 24, 2017 on the story of Jonah, the parable of the Landowner and the Day Laborers, and Spiritual Maturity. (Preached without a script--and we all survived!)
Sermon preached at St. Luke's Episcopal Church, Durham NC on Sept 17, 2017 on the miracle of forgiveness that offers all of us hope and an opportunity to remove the shackles of our past pain, injustices, and hurt that we carry within us. Reference books: Total Forgiveness by R.T. Kendall Forgive and Forget by Lewis Smedes The Art of Forgiving by Lewis Smedes
Sermon preached at St. Luke's Episcopal Church, Durham NC on Aug 27, 2017 by Deacon Dan Laird
Sermon delivered at St. Luke's Episcopal Church, Durham NC by Helen Svoboda-Barber on 8 20 17. Harvard Implicit Bias Test can be found here: https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/takeatest.html Information about Racial Equity Institute can be found here: https://www.racialequityinstitute.org/
Sermon preached at St. Luke's Episcopal Church, Durham NC on 8/13/17 by Rev. Dr. Helen Svoboda-Barber on the topic of the weekend's white supremacy rally in Charlottesville, VA.
July 30, 2017 sermon by Rev. Dr. Helen Svoboda-Barber in which she compares the Holy Spirit to a piece of electrical equipment, reenvisions the meaning of predestination, and reminds us what we will do when we are free.