The Rev. Jane Patterson, PhD

Seeing the World as a Miracle

In this sermon, the Rev. Lucy Strandlund reflects on our culture of constant critique—from social media to celebrity culture—through examples like Amy Poehler, Billie Eilish, and poet Andrea Gibson. Drawing on Jesus’ words in the Gospels, she invites us to move from jaded detachment to wholehearted openness, learning to see one another—and ourselves—as miracles bearing the goodness of God.

Proclaim, Persist, Discern

Preacher: The Rev. Canon Kelly Brown Douglas Occasion: 150th Anniversary of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Date: June 28, 2026 Location: St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Winston-Salem, North Carolina In this powerful anniversary sermon, The Rev. Canon Kelly Brown Douglas invites St. Paul’s—and all who listen—to consider what it means to carry forward the gospel legacy of Jesus in an anxious and disorienting age.

Be a Sparrow

Sermon by The Rev. Nancy Vaders · June 21, 2026 In this sermon on Matthew 10, Rev. Nancy Vaders begins with her own “bird nerd” fascination and focuses on the humble house sparrow mentioned by Jesus

This Invasive Hope

In a world that often calls us “weeds,” the Rev. Erika Takacs looks to the humble dandelion and to Scripture to proclaim an “invasive hope” that refuses to die. Drawing on Paul’s words that “suffering produces endurance… and hope does not disappoint,” she invites us to see that our hardest seasons are not the end of the story, but the soil where God’s relentless, expansive love takes root and spreads.

It’s Okay to Cry

Listen now to this sermon preached by The Rev. Dixon Kinser at St. Paul's Winston-Salem at the 10 AM service on June 7, 2026. Drawing on the story of the bleeding woman and Jesus’ healing touch, this sermon explores how our culture resists public grief—and why God meets us precisely in those vulnerable, “leaky” places. Our tears can be a doorway to deeper trust and wholeness together.