Joseph Peters-Mathews

As we’re joined together in this new covenant, living life to life in bread and wine divided among ourselves, we move from fragmentation to togetherness. As we share this meal together, wash one another’s feet, and then share Jesus’ body and blood, we are unified in the Spirit just as we’ve been unified to Jesus’ resurrection in our baptisms. Jesus says that people will know we are his disciples by our love, but yard signs and the Beatles and Lin-Manuel Miranda aren’t changing humanity or bringing us to unity in love. In telling the disciples to love one another, Jesus lays out the mission of the church.

Two parades, two processions. One calling “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest heaven!” One in silence at a distance, watching what’s going on.

Sam Magill is a coach and poet. He has served on the Bishop’s Committee at St. Hilda St. Patrick and has chaired the stewardship committee. This sermon was preached as a response to the texts for the Fifth Sunday in Lent based on the manuscript below. Last week, Joseph shared a spectacular summary of the

How much more does God love us, than even this bunny mother and her child?

The sermon for Sunday, March 20, 2022, was delivered by Michael Rader as a response to Luke 13.1-9. Michael is a lay preacher at St. Hilda St. Patrick and is heavily involved in mission and outreach to unhoused populations. Bless the Words of my mouth, O Lord – and may we have ears to hear

The whole congregation was put in mind of the message of pardon and absolution set forth in the Gospel of our Savior, and of the need which all Christians continually have to renew their repentance and faith…Though we turn away, and our love fails, God’s love remains steadfast. Again and again, God calls us to return.

The Rev. Joseph Peters-Mathews is the vicar of St. Hilda St. Patrick. The sermon for Sunday, March 6, 2022, was preached extemporaneously based on the notes below in response to Luke 4.1-13. Every year, Matthew, Mark, Luke, 1 Lent ? On our own spiritual journeys back to the font to renew promises On our own

Our whole service today reminds us that we will die, and that even in that frailty God loves us and redeems us in Jesus. We should repent. We may fast or abstain. We may take on a spiritual discipline. We may give more. None of those things, though earns us salvation. None of them earns us God’s love. Through nothing we’ve done. As far as the east is from the west, so far has God removed our sins from us.

While we probably don’t experience those specific events, we do have our own kinds of mountaintop experiences, where we write glowingly of sunrises, soft breezes, warm friends, music, and quiet time. Whether we do or not, God is available to us, even in all the troubles that swirl around us in this world from Ukraine to those whom our systems fail and need to use our pantry and sock box. God is available to us in Bread and Wine eating Jesus’ Flesh and Blood. And God is available to us when we sit and pray, like Jesus did on the mountaintop with his disciples.