Sundays at St. James

Year A, Proper 8 / Fifth Sunday after Pentecost

“In the Name Of” Main point: We bring good news in the name of the Apostles. INTRODUCTION Today is the third in our three-week set of reading together the “Sending Discourse” between Jesus and the 12 disciples here in Matthew, Chapter 10. The shortness and simplicity of today’s text come as a relief compared to the longer, more complex texts of the last two weeks.

Year A, Proper 7 / 4th Sunday After Pentecost

“Good News for Family Systems” Main point: Our family systems can train us to oppose the good news. Awareness and grace lead us to salvation.

Year A, Proper 6 / 3rd Sunday After Pentecost

“Share the Good News” Main point: The kingdom of heaven has come near. Share the good news. INTRODUCTION Is there anything better and receiving good news? There seems to be so much struggle, and hardship, and pain, and violence, and anger in the world that I sometimes wonder where the good news is hiding. * John Krasinski (Jack Ryan and The Office) with Some Good News (SGN) during the pandemic. * Good News Network [https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/woman-who-rescued-injured-crow-keeps-getting-thank-you-gifts-from-other-birds/]

Year A, Lectionary 10

“Those who are well” Main point: Those who are well do not need a physician - only those who are sick are in need.

Year A, Feast of the Holy Trinity

"Tri-unity as pattern for living” Main point: The Trinity is the foundation of reality. INTRODUCTION May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. (And also with you.) I bet some of you didn’t know that our greeting is taken directly from these words of St. Paul in his second letter to the Corinthians. You also heard in our gospel the command to go and baptize in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Here we see Holy Scripture articulating the Triune nature of God. This way of talking about God is what we call the Trinity. And on this Feast Day, we sing and celebrate One God, the Father - and his Son, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. But the question naturally emerges: Why would we reserve a Sunday for the Holy Trinity? Typically our Feast Days honor people who have done great acts of God or events such as Pentecost, Christmas, or Easter. So if you’re feeling like this Feast Day is a little unlike the others, you aren’t wrong to think so. If you’re asking that question, “Why are we talking about the Trinity?” - I have two answers to explore with you today: * Answer 1: What we think about God matters.  * Answer 2: Trinity is the foundation of reality.