Principal text: Matthew 3:1-12

“Often during Advent, preachers caution their congregations against moving too fast to Christmas. But I wonder if the better invitation is prepare for Christmas well. Prepare to offer hospitality to friends and strangers. Prepare to share meals with family members with different viewpoints. Prepare to experience reconciliation or loss. Prepare to give and receive gifts of love. Prepare to share joy and celebration.”

Principal text: Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16

“It is through the power and presence of Christ that we can love without jealousy or fear. It is through Jesus that we can be content. It is through Jesus that we can offer hospitality to all without condition or fear.”

Principal text: Mark 13:1-8

“Now some folks want to say that the bad things that happen are God’s judgment. But the reality is that we humans are usually the best agents of destruction. As Christians, we are to not give into the fear, but instead, we are to point to the ways that God’s kingdom is breaking into the world.”

Principal text: Luke 15:1-10

“For those of us safely in the sheepfold, there is good news in these parables too. We are called not to determine the worth of who is found or the conditions of their member, but instead, we are called to join in the heavenly celebration.”

“Nicodemus is who we need on Trinity Sunday. A man that was not certain but was curious. Someone that understood that not all mysteries can be solved. And that it is through curiosity and relationship that we gain new understanding.”

Texts: Isaiah 6:1-8 * Psalm 29 * Romans 8:12-17 * John 3:1-17

A sermon for the Last Sunday after the Epiphany, February 27, 2022, at the Church of the Messiah in Heflin, AL.

Principal Text: Luke 9:28-43a

"The Transfiguration also reveals one of the purposes of Christian community. We come together to pray, to seek those “thin places” where we are closer to God and each other. But we as the Church are not called to stay forever in these moments, instead, they offer strength and support so we can return to the world to do the work of resisting evil and bringing healing to the world."

"Theophanies are fleeting. They are glimpses of divine reality not to be lived in, but to be carried forward—fuel for the continued journey."

Principal Text: Mark 9:2-9

Readings: Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28 * Psalm 105:1-6, 16-22, 45b * Romans 10:5-15 * Matthew 14:22-33

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“There is a lot we can learn from that first Pentecost about our mission in the world. We have each received the Holy Spirit in baptism, and we have each received the gift language—the gift of telling the story of God’s deeds of power.”

Principal Text: Acts 2:1-21

Principal text: Luke 19:1-10

"Jesus brings Zacchaeus from being on the outside of the community to being fully included as a son of Abraham. He is a sinner. He is a tax collector. But he is a son of Abraham. And TODAY the Kingdom of God is for him too.”

Principal Text: Luke 2:1-20

I've only been in one Christmas Pageant in my life where I played both the Christmas Star and the Angel of the Lord. I relished my part as a holy interruptor providing crucial information for the story that was playing out below. Little did I know that I was going to give my first and best Christmas sermon when I was in second grade.

Principal text: Matthew 11:2-11

“The life of John the Baptist shows us that Jesus does not ask us for blind belief or an unexamined faith. We are active participants in our beliefs. We also play an active role in shaping other people’s beliefs.”

Principal Text: Ephesians 4:1-16

"So, we know that in our brokenness we are held together by the grace of God. Through loving truth, gentleness, and patience, we pick each other up and join together the body of Christ. Each new seam marking the precious love needed to bear with one another in love."

“All of David’s story has pointed us to God’s working in the world. On the one hand we see in this unification the success of David’s political dealings. But the real story is that the God that made the boy shepherd great, now makes him a shepherd king.”

Principal text: 2 Samuel 5:1-5, 9-10

“The cleansing of the Temple, especially how it is told in John, should keep clergy types and church leaders on their toes. It is a reminder that while even while everything is working the way it should—liturgy, sacraments, buildings—God’s presence is in all of creation and may be challenging us to do something new.”

Principal text: John 2:13-22

Principal text: Luke 16:1-13

What do we make of this parable from Jesus that offers no hero to root for? Jesus speaks this confusing parable to the disciples, so what does it offer us about discipleship?

Principal text: Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16

“Our faith proves what we are waiting to see. Christ is the first fruits of the resurrection. The Eucharist is a foretaste of the heavenly banquet. The Church gives us a glimpse of the Kingdom of God. And that leads us to hope for the completion of all those things.”

Principal text: Luke 23:33-43

"Today is the feast of Christ the King, and the lectionary gives us this scene of Jesus on the Cross to understand what kind of king Christ is. Our king is one who does not serve himself. He meets violence and betrayal with words of forgiveness. He offers salvation today to all those who desire to be in his kingdom."

The danger of this moment is that our hope is too small. Our call as Christians is to hope big. This doesn’t mean ignoring what’s happening. It doesn’t mean that we are just upbeat and optimistic. But it does mean that we need to be prophets of hope. To proclaim the hope of God in Jesus Christ. To remind ourselves that our hope is the hope that stretches from the cross to the empty tomb and that was poured out by the Holy Spirit on all flesh.

Readings: Deuteronomy 34:1-12 * Psalm 90:1-6, 13-17 * 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8 * Matthew 22:34-46

Principal Text: Ephesians 6:10-20

"Strengthened by God, dressed in the armor of God, bound together in prayer with St. Paul and all the saints, we are called to stand firm in truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation, and to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel."

"All of us here are friends, not because we agree on everything, not because we are the same political party, are from the same place, like the same things, we are friends because we love Jesus. And because we love Jesus, we can love each other as friendship, no matter our differences."

Principal texts: John 15:9-17

Principal Text: Mark 1:9-15

“So, in this season of continual Lent, I invite you to give up assuming you know the answer. Turn your answers into questions. Come to scripture with curiosity and start a renewed conversation with God. Take it a step further and start being curious about the created world and each other. Our genuine curiosity can save us from the temptation easy answers, fixed opinions, and silos of information.”

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"Right now, many in our communities are scared and angry, and they have a lot of reasons to be. But as Christians, we know that the dangers of lingering in that anger, the dangers of the devil finding a toehold to narrow our vision and thinking to just ourselves and not our neighbors and God. But we also know that being saved through Jesus Christ, the devil has only as much power as we are willing to give them."

Principal text: Ephesians 4:25-5:2

“‘I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice.’ To be a flock means that we are in relationship to other sheep, and we don’t get to pick those sheep. There is not a sheep membership committee. There is not a sheep examine. Jesus tells us clearly you are my flock, but there are other sheep that belong to me that aren’t in the fold yet. Those sheep will listen to my voice. It is that response to the call of Christ that determines if you are in the flock. The role of the flock is to scoot over and make some room for the new sheep, not to close the gate and say you can’t come in we know better than the shepherd.”

Principal text: John 10:11-18

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What we do in a time of waiting matters. If we spend our time focused on trying to have control, we end up hurting ourselves and our relationships. But if we find a way to wait and that is built on trust in God, we can emerge into the church and the world that comes after healthier and stronger.

Readings: Exodus 32:1-14 * Psalm 106:1-6, 19-23 * Philippians 4:1-9 * Matthew 22:1-14

Principal text: Luke 13:1-9

"The barren and stuck fig tree is given a reprieve. The gardener intercedes and asks for one more year to tend the tree and encourage growth. The fig tree gets a second chance, not to heal itself, but to be tended to by the gardener."

This is a sermon for the 5th Sunday after Pentecost, July 10, 2022, offered at the Episcopal Church of the Messiah in Heflin, Alabama.

Principal text: Colossians 1:1-14

The letter to the Colossians begins with thanksgiving and prayers for the continued fruitfulness of the community in the midst of swirling beliefs and philosophies. The Colossians are called to endure and be faithful knowing that through Christ they are already in the Kingdom of God and are redeemed.

“In the gift of the Eucharist, Jesus invites us to remember the way God does. To remember the past—the Exodus from Egypt, the Last Supper with the Disciples—to remember the present moment of us gathered here in Fairfield—and to remember the future feast in the fullness of the Kingdom of God. Our shared memory in the Eucharist bends time and space. And it is in that powerful moment that we are re-membered again as the body of Christ, knit together by the waters of baptism, made siblings in Christ.”

Principal texts: Exodus 12:1-4, (5-10), 11-14 * 1 Corinthians 11:23-26

Principal Text: Mark 12:28-34

“For me, Halloween isn’t so much about thin space that lets ghosts in, but it is about the thin space that it creates in communities. This is a time when we walk our neighborhoods and see and talk to our neighbors. It is a time when we gather for fall festivals or Trunk-or-Treats. It is a time where the isolation that seems to mark the age of computers and the internet is broken open as we dress up in costumes, and laugh, and eat way too much candy.”

"We need the whiplash of the Palms and the Passion to experience the potential of Jesus’ earthly power and his divine power. We need to hold these two together to realize what Jesus gave away."

Principal texts: Mark 11:1-11; Philippians 2:5-11; Mark 15:1-39

Principal Text: James 1:17-27

"So how do we keep our hearts close to God? How do we practice God’s religion and not human traditions? James’ answer is we do, not just hear. Faith is to be enacted, not just in religious rituals, but in actions in community. Faith is not about an intellectual study of scripture or liturgy or theology; it is not just about an emotional experience of salvation; but Faith is living according to the implanted word of God. Faith is about living as though the Word of God really does have the power to save our souls.”

Readings: Isaiah 40:1-11 * Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13 * 2 Peter 3:8-15a * Mark 1:1-8

The readings for this Sunday are powerful, provocative, and involve a lot of shouting. I read these alongside the annual celebration of Jonathan Myrick Daniels, an Episcopal seminarian who was murdered in 1965. Daniels is remembered as a martyr in The Episcopal Church. Each August, in the oppressive heat, pilgrims gather in Hayneville, Alabama, to visit the jail where he was held, the site where he was murdered, and to celebrate Holy Eucharist in the courtroom where his murderer was acquitted. This year due to COVID-19 the pilgrimage was a virtual event. I think our readings and Jonathan’s life have some lessons for us in this present moment of division.

Readings: Genesis 45:1-15 * Psalm 133 * Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32 * Matthew 15: (10-20), 21-28

“Mary, Peter, and the disciples were forever changed by their time with Jesus. And their experience of the risen Lord transformed their hearts to see the world through resurrection. The grave was no longer the final destination. Sin and death no longer spoke the last word. When they looked at their siblings in God, they no longer saw difference and division.”

Principal texts: Acts 10:34-43 * John 20:1-18

A sermon for the Sunday of the Passion: Palm Sunday, April 2, 2023, offered at the Church of the Holy Spirit in Alabaster, Alabama.

"The cross is not just about forgiveness of our personal sins, though that is part of it. The cross is not about sorting out who is sufficiently righteous and faithful to be a Christian because that is none of us. The cross is a stumbling block only if we make it anything less than the awesome victory of God and the salvation of the world."

I have been MIA for a few weeks. If you want to hear my sermons from earlier in Lent, you can find them on this YouTube Playlist.

Principal text: Mark 10:17-31.

"For Francis hearing, the voice of Christ in that church was the first step in turning everything over to God, and that is the challenge of discipleship. What are you holding back from God? What do you need to let go of so that you can more fully follow Jesus? What are you holding onto because you think it is impossible to let it go?”

Principal text: Matthew 2:1-12

“Beginning our year with the story of the Magi invites us to consider our response to the mystery of the incarnation and Christ’s ongoing work in the world. At a time when we are making lists of resolutions or setting intentions for 2022, we can add ‘how will I respond to the mystery of Christ’ to our list.”

While I know the opening chapters of Exodus are the origin story for Moses, for me Shiphrah and Puah steal the show. Their act of defiance and use of Pharaoh's ignorance and prejudice against him lays the foundation for continual confrontation and challenge. In their defiant "no" and their faith in God is the beginning of Israel's liberation.

Readings: Exodus 1:8-2:10 * Psalm 124 * Romans 12:1-8 * Matthew 16:13-20

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We learn at an early age what is fair. Our readings from Exodus about manna in the wilderness and the parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard in Matthew challenge our understanding of fairness. The Kingdom of Heaven isn't about fairness, it is about generosity.

Readings: Exodus 16:2-15 * Psalm 105:1-6, 37-45 * Philippians 1:21-30 * Matthew 20:1-16

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Moses is all grown up when God drops into his life. His excitement about the encounter with God at the burning bush quickly turns to uncertainty and excuses when he realizes that God is sending him.

Readings: Exodus 3:1-15 * Psalm 105:1-6, 23-26, 45c * Romans 12:9-21 * Matthew 16:21-28

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The exciting story of Exodus is interrupted right before the climactic moment of the final plague by liturgical instructions for celebrating Passover. The moment of liberation is so important that the creation of the liturgy to remember the moment is part of the story itself.

I was thankful to worship with the good folks of St. Andrew's Birmingham as they resumed inside, in person (physically distanced) worship this morning, and then at Trinity Commons in the evening. The recording is from the morning service at St. Andrew's.

Readings: Exodus 12:1-14 * Psalm 149 * Romans 13:8-14 * Matthew 18:15-20

While the parting of the Red Sea looks exciting on film, the story raises a lot of questions. What do we learn from this scene of God's awesome power that gives freedom to the Israelites and death to the Egyptians?

Readings: Exodus 14:19-31 * Psalm 114 * Romans 14:1-12 * Matthew 18:21-35

Maybe it is time for us to remember God’s commandment to keep the sabbath. And that by doing so we aren’t burying our head in the sand or ignoring the world around us. Instead, we are reclaiming our power, making more space for God, and less space for the idols in this world.

Readings: Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20 * Psalm 19 * Philippians 3:4b-14 * Matthew 21:33-46

Readings: Isaiah 64:1-9 * 1 Corinthians 1:3-9 * Psalm 80:1-7, 16-18 * Mark 13:24-37

“From the beginning God has sought relationship with his creation. True relationship cannot be compulsory. Earthly kings require loyalty by force. God offers loyalty built on love. The God of Israel will not use armies to make the people love the Lord. God will not take glee at their failures and defeat. Instead, God is present with them in every moment.”

Principal Text: 1 Samuel 8:4-11, (12-15), 16-20, (11:14-15)

Readings: 2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16 * Canticle 15 - Luke 1:46-55 * Romans 16:25-27 * Luke 1:26-38

Principal Text: Mark 8:31-38

I refer to the song “Strange Fruit” as sung by Billie Holiday. If you want to give the song a listen, you can do so here. I also talk about the National Memorial for Peace and Justice built by the Equal Justice Initiative. If you are unfamiliar with this memorial, you can view photos and learn more here.

“When Peter considered the cross, he could only see defeat, humiliation, a shameful death. He could not see the world upside down, that the symbol of defeat would become the path to hope. That in rising again, death and the power of this world would be overcome.”

A sermon offered on Easter Sunday, April 17, 2022. I had the privilege of celebrating Easter with the good folks at St. Barnbas in Roanoke and at the Church to the Messiah (recording) in Heflin, Alabama.

Principal texts: Luke 24:1-12

“How idle those tales must have seemed for the women walking at dawn, carrying spices to a tomb. I am sure they told stories because that is what we do at times like this. We tell familiar stories that help us remember who we are and who we loved. We tell the stories to make sense of the loss, to celebrate the life of the one who died.

But when they arrived at the tomb, Mary Magdalene and the other women discovered that they would again be witnesses to God’s power at work. They came expecting to find a body. Instead, they found the stone moved. The tomb empty.”

“What this beautiful passage from Ephesians challenges us to do is to imagine the fullness of God’s family, and then add 1one. To imagine the limits of God’s saving work in creation, and then add one."

Principal text: Ephesians 1:3-14

Principal text: James 2:1-17

"See in the world’s system, while the folks in the middle may aspire to be the rich man, they typically suffer the same fate as the poor man. And so, we are left to answer James’ question, 'My brothers and sisters, do you with your acts of favoritism really believe in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ?' Do we choose the system of the world? Or Jesus? Is our religion pure or are we just hearers of the Word and not doers? Do we just give lip service to our faith by offering 'thoughts and prayers' instead of bread? James shines a light on the Christian community to show what systems are at work. And we cannot avoid his question 'Which side are you on?'"

Principal texts: James 5:13-20 * Mark 9:38-50

Principal Text: Mark 10:35-45

"So, when Jesus says that James and John can have their share of his cup and his baptism, he is saying that they can take their place as servants offering their lives as a ransom, as liberators, for many people."

Principal Text: Luke 6:27-38

"When we focus on the challenge of love, when we seek blessing for those who oppose us, when we pray for those whom, we disagree with, there is a lot less room for hate. Each day we do it again and again, and soon find that there is so much love that there is no more room for hate. Then we find that love has transformed our enemy into our brother or sister in Christ."

Principal text: John 21:1-19

Sometimes we take reading the Gospel so seriously that we forget that it must have been a joyful experience for the disciples to have breakfast with Jesus on the beach following the Resurrection. These post-Resurrection stories remind us that our lives should be marked by abundance and joy.

Principal texts: John 14:23-29; Revelation 21:10, 22-22:5

"The peace that Jesus offers holds us steady in the presence of God so that we can bring love and justice, healing and reconciliation to the world."

Principal text: Philemon 1-21

“Paul’s appeal to Philemon centers on their connections and relationship. Paul acknowledges Philemon’s rights in the situation, and is willing to forgo his rights and authority as an apostle and appeals based on love so that relationships could be restored.”

Principal texts: Romans 13:11-14 * Matthew 24:36-44

“Advent helps us reset our clocks. It serves as a reminder that Jesus has come, and that we are now preparing for his return. It is a reminder that we know the end of the story, but we are responsible for writing our chapter. We know where we are going, even if we don’t know when we will get there. We are called to mark our waiting with service and hope.”

Principal text: Colossians 2:6-19

What does it mean to be rooted in Christ? And how does that rootedness allow us to walk on our faith journey?

Principal text: Acts 2:1-21

Pentecost is considered the birth of the church. In the midst of the cacophony of wind and flame, the apostles received the gift of being understood. It was so remarkable that the crowd accused them of being drunk. But wine was not to blame, but the Holy Spirit. Right now in our country, we are speaking the same language, but we don’t seem to have much understanding going on. This Pentecost reminds us of the gift of the Holy Spirit that allows us to speak to be understood and listen to understand.

Principal text: Isaiah 43:1-7; Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

“When we baptize in the church we begin with the person’s name. Our passing through the waters of baptism joins us with the people of God that have experienced God’s redeeming power throughout history. We join the community of faith that continues Christ’s redeeming work in the world today.”

“The world looked at the night sky and saw darkness. Van Gogh looked at the night sky and saw it “more alive and richly colored than the day. The world looked at David, the 8th son of Jesse, and saw no one to take notice of. God looked at David and saw the seed for the Kingdom of God.”

Principal text: 1 Samuel 15:34-16:13

Principal text: Isaiah 58:1-12

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Sometimes the hardest and most important thing that we can do as followers of Jesus is to change our minds.

Readings: Exodus 17:1-7 * Psalm 78:1-4, 12-16 * Philippians 2:1-13 * Matthew 21:23-32

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Principal text: Mark 16:1-8

“Now what we want at this point is to hear how the women left that tomb and did as they were instructed. We want to hear how they proclaimed the news that Jesus had risen. We want to hear how they encounter the risen Jesus in the garden or on the road.

But that is not what the gospel of Mark gives us. Instead we hear that the women did leave the empty tomb—amazed and afraid. They said nothing…

As the listener, we are left wondering if the gospel writer lost his train of thought. We are left wondering what was maybe left out.

What could this ellipsis mean?”

“So what does Barbenheimer have to do with the Feast of the Transfiguration? A fair question to ask. I would say surprisingly a lot.”

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Principal text: Colossians 1:15-28

What do the first images from the James Webb Space Telescope have to do with Jesus and the letter to the Colossians? They invite us to stand in awe of the mystery of God.

This is a sermon for the 4th Sunday after Pentecost, July 3, 2022, offered at St. Barnabas Episcopal Church in Roanoke, Alabama.

Principal text: Galatians 6:1-16

Paul concludes his letter to the Galatians with a reminder of what life in a community led by the Spirit should look like. Paul reminds them that the freedom received in Christ is to be shaped by our love of neighbor. We are to gently care for and correct each other, bearing each other’s burdens. We are to examine our lives to make sure that our faith is manifested in our actions. Our success is not defined as the world defines success (numbers, money, power) but by our imitation of Christ’s self-offering on the cross.

Principal text: Revelation 22:12-14,16-17,20-21

As Eastertide comes to a close, we get a glimpse of the end of the story. The final few verses of the Book of Revelation weave together all of the strands of our story with God. Knowing the ending of our story should shape how we write our part of the story now.

Principal text: John 1:1-18

“The church calls us to pattern our lives on God’s time. To return again and again to the familiar stories of Christmas and Epiphany and Easter. Each year we look back with new eyes, through new experiences, to see Christ revealed in history so that we can better see Christ revealed today.”

Principal text: Luke 3:7-18

"I would be willing to bet you didn’t come to church this morning to be chastised by a wilderness prophet. But Advent is a challenging season. We can’t make it to the manger or to the Kingdom of heaven without hearing the challenging words of John in the wilderness. But there is good news in the challenging words of John."

Principal text: James 3:13-4:3, 7-8a * Mark 9:30-37

"Here our Gospel reading lives out the choice that James is talking about. The wisdom of the world that is built in ambition and coveting leads to conflict and division. The disciples were arguing about who was the greatest, who should get the most honor. Now compare that to the wisdom of God, 'Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.'"

Today, in the midst of turmoil and uncertainty, we hear the story of the calling of Samuel as the Prophet of the Lord. Tomorrow, in the midst of turmoil and uncertainty, we will celebrate the prophetic witness of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

“In this moment, we have got to listen and respond to God’s call. To be faithful in this moment, we need the courage of Samuel to speak God’s prophetic Word and the trust in God of Eli to hear it.”

Principal Text: 1 Samuel 3:1-10(11-20)

Principal text: Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32

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A sermon for the 2nd Sunday in Lent, March 13, 2022, offered at St. Barnabas in Roanoke, AL.

Principal text: Luke 13:31-35

"Jesus now faces the earthly power of Herod and his response is to send word that he will keep on casting out demons and healing, no matter what the fox has to say about it. And to those in Jerusalem that will conspire to kill him, he does not offer threats but instead reminds them that God’s desire has always been to gather the people and to protect them as a hen protects her chicks."

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kelleyhudlow.substack.com

Principal text: John 2:1-11

“We are perhaps tired. Tired of the pandemic. Tired of all the thinking and planning that life takes right now. Tired of the constant hum of anxiety that fills our lives, it is important to remember that the Christian life calls us to joy and celebration. And that we do not have to rely on our own strength, but instead can rely on the abundant grace of God.”

Principal text: John 11:32-44

“We here joined together as the body of Christ through our baptism, are living Lazarus lives. Lazarus experienced death and new life but knew he would die again but would have eternal life. We have been baptized into Christ’s death and have been raised into the new life of faith. But we also know that we will die again, but we live in the confident hope that we will be raised to eternal life.”

"We can be right all day long, but we have to take care with this exousia (liberty/authority) that our knowledge give us....We must use our knowledge guided by our love of God and our brothers and sisters. It is not enough as Christians to be right, we also have to do right."

Principal Text: 1 Corinthians 8:1-13

A sermon for the 4th Sunday of Advent, December 18, 2022, at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Greensboro, Alabama.

Principal text: Matthew 1:18-25

“Matthew’s Christmas, without the familiar and comfortable manger scene, reminds us that Christmas is about God coming to us and God with us. Christmas is about the beginning of the recreation of the world. It challenges us to act beyond our current understanding of righteousness and compassion. It challenges us to give up our expectations of what God should be doing.”

The observance of this Sunday as “Christ the King” Sunday is a relatively new addition to the liturgical calendar. It serves as the New Year’s Eve of the church year. November 22 is also the feast day of C.S. Lewis. I think Lewis’ sanctified imagination helps us to hear the good news of this passage from Matthew Chapter 25 that we often call “The Judgment of the Nations” or the “Parable of the Sheep and Goats.”

Readings: Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24 * Psalm 100 * Ephesians 1:15-23 * Matthew 25:31-46

"We are in the fire now where our brittleness can be forged into strength. When we emerge, like steel, we can be honed to a sharp edge to cut through lies or we can be the strong framework to build new communities."

Principal text: Daniel 3:14–20,24–28

Readings: Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11 * Psalm 126 * 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24 * John 1:6-8,19-28

Principal Text: Luke 6:20-31

"When we hear Jesus teaching the disciples on the plain, Jesus knows that he is expecting a response that the disciples cannot give on their own. He is calling them into a life of faith that is dependent on God and on each other. Their dependence on God and each other is not a flaw, but is central to their witness."

Principal text: Colossians 3:1-11

“We look to the heavens, not as our escape route, but because Christ is there—seated at the right hand of God. Through the mystery of our baptism, we are already there too. We set our minds on heavenly things so that we can keep our priorities in order on earth.”

Principal texts: Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31; John 16:12-15

When we talk about doctrine, we often get too caught up with being right: right ideas and right words. So when the church celebrates the doctrine of the Trinity, we can get lost in the complex images and explanations. It is important to remember that there should also be joy and delight in the revelation of such an awesome mystery.

A sermon for Ash Wednesday, March 2, 2022, offered at the Church of the Messiah in Heflin, AL.

Principal text: 2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10

"Ash Wednesday calls us to see and recognize how we are missing the mark in these relationships and begin to explore what turning closer to the mark—to God and each other looks like. Ash Wednesday calls us to ask questions and to realize that the work of reconciliation begins with God. That there is no Lenten practice we can do that is the quick fix to hit the mark, that we do not fix ourselves, instead, we are healed and reconciled through God’s grace."

Principal text: Exodus 1:8-2:10

"In our history books, women are often relegated to the position of supporting characters, when they are remembered at all. But on this day when we recall the powerful witness to God of the defiance of Shiphrah and Puah, I hope we can also not forget the women of our more recent history, like the Philadelphia Eleven, and hear an invitation to look for the powerful women at work in our current struggle."

Principal text: Matthew 15: (10-20), 21-28.

"So whatever it means to be Jesus, son of David, incarnate God, it means that Jesus walks on water and calms the storm on one day, and the next day that same Jesus is challenged by a Canaanite woman and has his mind changed. It is incarnationally complicated."

Principal text: Luke 18:9-14

"This parable is not so much about our actions but about realizing whose grace and mercy we are talking about. It is not for the Pharisee or the tax collector to determine who should receive grace. It is not for me or you to decide which one was deserving or who is deserving now."

A sermon for the 19th Sunday after Pentecost, October 16, 2022, at the Episcopal Church of the Messiah in Heflin, Alabama.

Principal text: Luke 18:1-8

As Episcopalians, our life is shaped by how we pray. We pray not only with our words, but we also pray with our bodies, and we carry our prayers out into the world.

Principal Text: John 18:33-37

"The truth of Jesus, standing in front of Pilate, is that GOD wields the power of life. And that the life of God’s kingdom is so abundant, that death itself will be defeated. And those that belong to life, to the abundant life of God’s kingdom, they hear the voice of the incarnate Word, and they listen, and they follow that voice. Each one speaking truth to power."

Principal text: Mark 10:46-52

“Bartimaeus was ready for the question that would change his life. He was ready to answer that question that would take him deeper and would let him follow Jesus. Are you ready for that question?”

“And even here, in the depths of our grief, when we cannot even call God by name, God is present and saves us. And it is in these moments of darkness, if we don’t rush through that we can learn things and can feel God’s presence and salvation in a different way.”

Principal text: 2 Samuel 1:1, 17-27

"No election, no President or Senate or Court can heal the wounds of our country. No “one” person or program or agenda can do that. It takes all of us, the many, to commit ourselves to love, so that we can be one."

Principal Text: John 17:18-23

“With the Incarnation-the birth, life, and death of Jesus-we are created anew and offered new life. We are brought into relationship with God through the living Word of God. As or opening prayer says we have received the light of God’s incarnate Word, and this light should shine forth in our lives.”

Readings: Isaiah 61:10-62:3 * Psalm 147 * Galatians 3:23-25; 4:4-7 * John 1:1-18

“In the quietness of this Christmas, we have the grace to look to the heavens in awe. We have the grace to see God breaking into our world in the forgotten places. We have the grace to ponder in our heart the song of the angels: unto you us is born this day, a Savior.”

Readings: Isaiah 9:2-7 * Psalm 96 * Titus 2:11-14 * Luke 2:1-14(15-20)

Principal text: Luke 1:39-55

“Some scholars have noted that the Magnificat is the song the church loves to sing but hates to hear. We can handle the challenging words of Mary when it is the Mary of western art—demure and passive. The words get more dangerous when it is Mary, the spirit-filled prophet with her fist in the air.”

Principal text: Luke 3:1-6

"But in this short introduction of John the Baptist, we learn a lot about the vocation of a prophet. We learn that prophets work in the messiness of real history. The work of the prophet should never be about the prophet, but instead should always point to God."

A sermon for the 11th Sunday after Pentecost, August 21, 2022, at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Greensboro, Alabama.

Principal text: Hebrews 12:18-29

“So whatever you expected when you came to church this morning—joy, comfort, love, boredom—I imagine you didn’t come expecting to be shaken up. But that is what God promises. God promises to shake all of creation and heaven until only the unshakeable Kingdom of God remains.”

Principal text: Ephesians 5:15-20

"Blessed Jonathan Daniels is certainly an example of living a life transformed by Baptism. He let his whole life be transformed by God and let himself be shaped through worship. Jonathan also shows us how to always give thanks and praise to God, even in the darkest days."

Principal Text: John 18:1-19:42

“The coming of Jesus’ hour means that we are coming to the end of the story. We are coming to the point, the aim, the goal of Jesus’ mission. It also means that we are going to witness the fullest extent of love.”

Principal Text: Luke 21:5-19

"To prepare us for this ministry of waiting, testifying, and enduring, we have the gift of Holy Scriptures. Through reading, hearing, and studying scripture, we can hold fast to the hope of everlasting life. The Bible, the story of God and God’s people, shapes and forms us for ministry. Knowing the whole story gives us the grace to resist the anxiety of the world and the false leaders offering the shallow hope of certainty."

Principal text: Luke 17:11-19

“What Francis and the leper who came back show us is that faith is a call and response. God gives grace and healing, and we respond with gratitude and are made whole.”

Principal text: Luke 17:5-10

“The apostles don’t need faith to move mountains. They need faith enough to do the work they are called to do. They need faith to serve God, each other, and their community.”

Principal text: Galatians 5:1, 13-25

Paul tells us that Christ has set us free. But that freedom is not for our own selfish desires, but instead is for the love of neighbor. When we live in that sort of freedom, we will see the fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Principal texts: Galatians 3:23-29; Baptismal Covenant

We gathered this morning as Christians to celebrate welcoming a child into the family of God through baptism, and to mourn the three people killed at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Vestavia Hill, AL, on June 16, 2022. As we renew our baptismal promises, I pray that we can be brave enough to create a world without gun violence.

A sermon offered on Palm Sunday, April 10, 2022, at the Episcopal Church of the Messiah, Heflin, Alabama.

Principal texts: Luke 19:28-40; Luke 23:1-49

"Our journey on Palm Sunday begins in the tension of Jesus’ triumphal arrival in Jerusalem and his death on the cross. It begins with the shouts of joy and celebration of his followers, and their silence when faced with the reality of the cross."

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Principal text: Luke 2:1-20

“Each Christmas, God interrupts our world and calls us to return to Bethlehem through familiar scripture, prayer, and song. And each Christmas, the story of Jesus’ birth does not change. Mary and Joseph, the angels and shepherds, all get to Bethlehem the way they always have. But each year we must decide how we will journey to Bethlehem?”

Principal text: Mark 10:2-16

Principal text: James 3:1-12

"So, for James, we again have a choice between God and the world. We can allow ourselves to be turned around and twisted by the world, to bearing wrong fruit and offering a curse instead of a blessing. Or we, who are saved in Christ, can offer up our power of words and language so that they can be blessings. So that our words can bring life and healing, not death and division."

“But the story of David and Goliath reveals that real power is not in size, or equipment, or nimbleness or new technology, the power is in trusting in God. To have faith in the living God that rebuked the storm and calmed the sea. To have faith in the living God that transformed the skills of a shepherd boy into the defeat of a giant.”

Principal text: 1 Samuel 17: (1a, 4-11, 19-23), 32-49

“The church gets caught up in the HOW and the WHAT. How do we worship? How do we sing? How is the church organized? How do we get members? What counts as disciples? What sins can be forgiven? We have regular conversations about declining attendance numbers, and how to attract younger members. We get so caught up in the HOW and the WHAT, we lose sight of our WHY?

Our WHY is Christ crucified and risen. Christ’s resurrection is what drives the how and the what of the Christian community.”

Principal texts: Acts 4:32-35 * John 20:19-31

“Herod’s response to the birth of Christ was fear, deception, and violence. The Magi’s response was wonder and wandering, and ultimately joy upon finding Jesus in Bethlehem. In that little town of Bethlehem, the fear of the powerful met the hope of the powerless.”

Principal Text: Matthew 2:1-12

"We need to prune some things. But we also need to let some things run wild in the Holy Spirit. We can trust that the true vine that is Jesus Christ is strong enough and flexible enough that we can stretch and grow in new places. It is in moments of wildness of the Holy Spirit that we are best able to overcome differences. It is in moments of wildness that we preach Christ crucified. It is in moments of wildness, when the world says 'here is water, so why not baptize me,' we can jump in feet first."

Principal texts: Acts 8:26-40 * John 15:1-8

Principal texts: Acts 9:36-43; Psalm 23; John 10:22-30

On this Good Shepherd Sunday we return to the familiar image of Jesus as the Good Shepherd, a psalm most of us know by heart, and perhaps the unfamiliar story of the ministry of Tabitha. Psalm 23 is ofter our go-to prayer for when we are in trouble, when someone is dying, or at funerals. How would it be for this Psalm to be our prayer for living? How would our lives change if we really let God lead, revive, guide, comfort, and annoint us?