WCT.coachSermon – Ash Wednesday – February 14, 2024
A sermon that connect a brief Ash Wednesday review of the renunciations and affirmations made at Holy Baptism with the psalm verse Create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me as we enter into a devout and holy Lent preached on Ash Wednesday (Ash Wed) at St. Anne’s Episcopal Church, Jacksonville NC on February 14, 2024.
Ash Photo by Adrien Olichon on Unsplash
Sermon – The Last Sunday after the Epiphany: Celebrating The Transfiguration – February 11, 2024
A sermon that sees in the Transfiguration the gift of resilience that sustains during Lent and beyond as found in hope expressed as may the blessing of God find you when you least expect it and need it most preached on The Last Sunday after the Epiphany: Celebrating The Transfiguration (L Epiphany B) at St. Anne’s Episcopal Church, Jacksonville NC on February 11, 2024.
Light in Cloud photo Unsplash Nathan Anderson
Sermon – The Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany – February 4, 2024
A sermon that counters the noise of the world and joins Jesus in a quiet space to pray using the prayer Stay with Me by John Henry Newman as a guide preached on The Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany (5 Epiphany B) at St. Anne’s Episcopal Church, Jacksonville NC on February 4, 2024.
Download a bookmark with the prayer by John Henry Newman:
Sermon – The Second Sunday of Advent – December 10, 2023
A sermon that introduces The Advent Tree as a way to prepare for the coming of Christ with visual objects and memories that help us to hang on to principles that help keep us committed to the welfare of God’s people in ways that are more than we can ask or imagine preached on The Second Sunday of Advent (2 Advent B) at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church Mystic CT – December 10, 2023.
Note: Living deeply with Archbishop William Temple’s Prayer of Self-Dedication means I continue to reflect on how this prayer influences my life as a follower of Jesus. The sermon I preached on October 29, 2023 at St. Anne’s Episcopal Church, Jacksonville NC is a fine companion to this sermon. In many ways, it is a preamble to the insight God invited me to see that became the Advent Tree theme and the exploration of how living the various parts of the Prayer of Self-Dedication as I live daily into the Advent theme of the best way to prepare for the coming of Christ is to never forget the presence of Christ.
Sermon – The Twenty-fifth Sunday after Pentecost – November 19, 2023
A sermon that blends the parables of the workers in the vineyard and that of the talents with the invitation found in the Cardinal Virtues of Courage (why you trust in God when you sign a pledge card) and Prudence (doing the right thing at the right time for the right reason) closing with Luke 12:48 (too whom much has been given much is expected) preached on The Twenty-fifth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 28 A) at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Beaufort NC – November 19, 2023.
Picture Credit: Envelope/Card Photo by Mediamodifier on Unsplash
Sermon – The Twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost – October 29, 2023
A sermon that brings a nine week series titled as Living as Shalom to a close with Jesus’s teaching on loving God and neighbor as expressed in Archbishop William Temple’s Prayer of Self-Dedication preached on The twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 24 A) at St. Anne’s Episcopal Church, Jacksonville NC on October 29, 2023.
Photo Credit: Photo by Alex Block on Unsplash
Sermon – The Twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost – October 22, 2023
A sermon that presents newly baptized children with godparents beyond those standing at the font such as the church community as we remember that we belong to one another…together with God’s help, we can make one another stronger preached on The twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 24 A) at St. Anne’s Episcopal Church, Jacksonville NC on October 22, 2023.
Photo Credits
Baptismal Shell Photo by Josh Eckstein on Unsplash
Hands Heart Gold Photo by Marek Studzinski on Unsplash
Sermon – The Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost – October 15, 2023
A sermon placed just after my 50th wedding anniversary where I contemplate what it means to share and model solemn vows such as for better or for worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness or health, to love and to cherish in a world filled with pain and conflict such as when Jesus told the story of the cast out wedding guest preached on The Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 23 A) at St. Anne’s Episcopal Church, Jacksonville NC on October 15, 2023.
The wisdom of Dorothy Law Nolte is found in this sermon. You can learn more at https://childrenlearnwhattheylive.com
Photo Credits
1 Corinthians Photo by Leighann Blackwood on Unsplash
Forest Fire Photo by Karsten Winegeart on Unsplash
Sermon – The Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost – October 8, 2023
A sermon that sees the Apostle Paul’s statement “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus” as a caution rather than an exhortation when shared with Psalm 19’s “Above all, keep your servant from presumptuous sins” preached on The Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 22 A) at St. Anne’s Episcopal Church, Jacksonville NC on October 8, 2023.
Photo credits
Caution Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash
Caution stripes Photo by Pop & Zebra on Unsplash
A Prayer of Self-Dedication
Almighty and eternal God, so draw our hearts to you,
so guide our minds,
so fill our imaginations,
so control our wills,
that we may be wholly yours,
utterly dedicated unto you;
and then use us, we pray you, as you will,
and always to your glory and the welfare of your people;
through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
Book of Common Prayer – Page 832
Sermon – The Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost – October 1, 2023
A sermon featuring the Pearl of Great Price: a story about the surprising Good News that unfolds when you commit to sell all that you have and discover your real role was always that of God’s steward as you share love preached on The Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 21 A) at St. Anne’s Episcopal Church, Jacksonville NC on October 1, 2023.
Five Stewardship Commitment Points
1. Evangelism calls people to commitment.
2. Christian Formation teaches the meaning of that commitment.
3. Worship celebrates that commitment.
4. Stewardship is the practice of that commitment.
5. Discipleship that leads to Apostolic Action is the outcome of that commitment.
Download a PDF of my expression of The Pearl of Great Price stewardship sermon.