Staying in the Mess: Soil, Relationship, and the Work of Reconciliation

Staying in the Mess: Soil, Relationship, and the Work of Reconciliation

Rev. Kristen Hawley preaches at St. David’s Episcopal Church on the Seventh Sunday after Pentecost, inviting congregants to reflect on what “soil” they are today in the parable of the sower and then turning to Genesis and the story of Jacob and Esau. She describes preparing a homily about staying together in family messiness, then personally wanting to “hand in her ticket” and cut off difficult relatives, which becomes a reminder of why the church gathers to hear stories that mirror their own conflicts. Noting America’s tendency to sever relationships, she uses Louise Penny’s “long house” image and Jacob’s 20-year flight before reconciliation, along with kintsugi and the idea that healed breaks can be stronger, to challenge parishioners to stay, apologize, and do the hard work of mending fractured relationships with God present in that place.00:00 Welcome And Greeting01:11 Soil Check In02:15 Homily Changes Midweek06:11 Genesis Family Mess07:08 Jacob And Esau Details08:37 Our Story In The Stew10:11 Longhouse Metaphor12:51 Running Never Works15:14 Kintsugi Stronger Broken16:42 Invitation To Stay17:51 Commitment And Amen This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stdavidsepiscopaldc.substack.com [https://stdavidsepiscopaldc.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Learning the Dance

This is a recording from the sermon preached at St. David's Episcopal Church on Sunday, July 5th, on the Sixth Sunday in Pentecost. Rev. Jim Quigley notes that Independence Day is a red-letter feast day in the Episcopal Church and uses it to reflect on loving God, country, and one another. Drawing on the day’s readings from Genesis, Romans, and Matthew, he recounts a family Fourth of July story of his father lighting Black Cat firecrackers and a deputy sheriff letting it pass, which Rev. Quigley frames as “earning the right” to act in certain ways. He then shares an image of his father teaching him to dance by placing his feet on his father’s, connecting this to Jesus teaching believers how to live. He also discusses Thomas Jefferson’s complexities, including slavery and Sally Hemings, and urges the congregation to meet grace halfway by earning the right to say Christian commitments and learning the steps of discipleship.00:00 Holiday Greeting00:17 Independence Day Feast01:37 Readings And Themes04:08 Firecrackers Story09:42 Earning Christian Words11:05 Dancing On Fathers Feet13:02 Monticello And Jefferson15:51 Grace And The Caveat17:24 Final Call To Dance This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stdavidsepiscopaldc.substack.com [https://stdavidsepiscopaldc.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Wrestling with the Binding of Isaac

This is a recording from the sermon preached at St. David's Episcopal Church on Sunday, June 28th, on the Fifth Sunday in Pentecost. In this sermon, Rev. Kristen Hawley invites the congregation to name where the story of Abraham and Isaac meets them emotionally, emphasizing that discomfort, anger, or confusion are all valid responses to this “dangerous text.” She notes the story’s foundational role across Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, and argues against airbrushing or cutting out troubling scripture, urging parishioners instead to say “Hineni” (“Here I am”) and wrestle with it. Using two Rembrandt depictions made 20 years apart, she shows how interpretation changes over a lifetime and encourages theological reflection through art and reading—highlighting The Action Bible as a tool that helps people locate themselves in God’s larger story.00:00 Welcome and Setup00:13 Where You Are in Story02:40 Why This Text Matters04:42 Dangerous Text Trigger Warning07:51 Rembrandt as Guide09:03 Two Paintings Two Readings13:09 Wrestling Not Instructions14:33 Summer Reading Reflection16:02 Action Bible Story19:28 Personal Shifts Over Time21:14 Closing Invitation to Wrestle This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stdavidsepiscopaldc.substack.com [https://stdavidsepiscopaldc.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Seen by God: Hagar, Ishmael, and the Call to Imagine Others

This is a recording from the sermon preached at St. David's Episcopal Church on Sunday, June 21st, on the Fourth Sunday in Pentecost. Rev. Jordan Rippy begins by acknowledging Father’s Day as both joyful and difficult, then turns to the challenging Genesis story of Hagar and Ishmael, emphasizing how Abraham and Sarah use, discard, and endanger them. Rev. Rippy asks why this “side story” remains in Scripture and draws on a Reform Jewish insight: that God sees and cares for the foreigner, stranger, and outsider, and calls God’s people to do likewise. The sermon argues that Christianity is not merely self-improvement but should change how the congregation lives, urging parishioners to enlarge their imaginations—like reading fiction as a “mental flight simulator”—to grow empathy and reflect God’s love in their choices.00:00 Father’s Day Welcome00:37 Hagar’s Harsh Story01:47 Genesis Context Recap03:27 Surrogacy and Jealousy04:32 Cast Out in Desert05:25 Why This Story Matters06:10 God Sees the Outsider07:08 Faith Changes Behavior07:54 Imagining Other Lives09:53 Hagar Remembered10:14 Closing Amen This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stdavidsepiscopaldc.substack.com [https://stdavidsepiscopaldc.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Called and Sent: “Here I Am, Send Me”

Rev. Daniel Bentley preaches his final Sunday at St. David’s Episcopal Church, thanking parishioners and expressing love while reflecting on the biblical pattern of God calling people and sending them, from Abram, Moses, and Isaiah’s “Hineni” (“Here I am”) to Mary and Jesus sending the disciples early in his ministry because “the harvest is plentiful.” He argues that calling and sending is the rhythm of Christian life and even reflects God’s own movement in the Trinity and in the Father sending the Son and the Spirit. He shares how he was called from a parish in New York to Virginia Seminary and then to St. David’s, and hopes to carry what he learned of welcome and beloved community to the wider church. He notes worship gathers, feeds, and deliberately sends congregants into the world to love and serve, discerning where God is sending them through prayer, need, and joy.00:00 Final Sunday Thanks00:24 Called and Sent Theme01:37 Isaiah Here I Am02:54 Jesus Sends Disciples04:14 Trinity in Motion05:04 Personal Call Story06:50 Worship Then Mission08:07 Where Are We Sent09:01 Hineni Send Me This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stdavidsepiscopaldc.substack.com [https://stdavidsepiscopaldc.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]