2022

But here’s where we are, with respect to this particular issue, or climate change, or gun violence or the inflation rate. Looking back with longing will not benefit us in the long run. We may need time to grieve and breathe and gather and pray; and then we respond. We act in the way Jesus would have us act and by what we promise in our baptismal vows: to seek and serve Christ in all persons, to strive for justice and peace among all people. How? with God’s help.

The Rev. Carola von Wrangel served as a supply priest for St. Hilda St. Patrick on June 19. She has served in the Convocation of Episcopal Churches in Europe and is currently a priest associate at St. Dunstan’s, Shoreline.

The Trinity is not an intellectual exercise. It is a summary and picture of God’s love. It is a call to us to let the love expressed in the Trinity work through us. We are called to be disciples of Christ.

This longing for satisfaction is a universal desire of humanity and a desire of the church. Our longing is manifested in our restlessness, sense of emptiness, and our search for meaning and significance in our lives. We want to see Jesus, to be healed, to touch the helm of his garment, we want to stand in the presence of His holiness to behold Him and be satisfied…True satisfaction is not about filling a void, or about acquisitions, accomplishments, or the fun things that we find to do. True satisfaction comes in the new life we experience in God where we become intoxicated by the H.S. goodness and love.

These four rules occur to me as ways to get our responses sorted out and put in order to help us respond as God’s agents: remember to be in touch with our religious and spiritual community for inner strength; remember that we do not have to face the world alone; live a life in which love is a verb as well as a noun; and remember that we have more in common with each other than we realize.

When we be, the church people will look at us and know we are Christians by our love and our work. Christians are the church. If people look at us and we are not exemplifying Christ, they have a valid reason for not wanting to join us. I am sure we have all heard several varied reasons why people avoid church. This aversion to the church is understandable when we in the church do not live by example.

“See, The home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them as their God; they will be his peoples and Godself will be with them; he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away… Behold, I am making all things new.”

Psalm 23, comfort, hope, and resurrection

Valerie Kelley delivered the sermon for Sunday, May 3. This sermon was written by the Rev. Kathleen Walker, the missioner for Black ministries in the Diocese of North Carolina. This sermon was made available from Sermons that Work. A manuscript is available here.

Susy Hessel is a lay preacher at St. Hilda St. Patrick and is a mental health counselor. The manuscript on which her sermon was based is below. Peace!!!!. Peace I give to you….. Peace I ask of you…And Jesus said Peace be with you. Bravery, doubting, risk-taking, believing and questioning. We all do these things