Rev. Dr. Helen Svoboda-Barber We’re still in the midst of the Bread of Life section of John’s Gospel. This morning, I would like to share with you three stories about the change in my relationship with the Bread of Life during this pandemic. Act 1 Early Pandemic. March 2020. The shutdown happened quickly. We here … Continue reading Three Stories of the Bread of Life during Pandemic | August 8, 2021
Our Work to Do | August 1, 2021
by Rev'd Dr Helen Svoboda-Barber Today’s Gospel from the 6th chapter of John’s gospel picks up after Jesus fed more than 5,000 people with a young child’s offering of 5 loaves and 2 fish. That night, the disciples are on a boat in a rough sea, and Jesus walks on water to them and calms … Continue reading Our Work to Do | August 1, 2021
A Sermon by Jim | July 18, 2021
by Rev James B. Craven III (Jim) Albino Luciani, the September Pope, John Paul I, who was Bishop of Rome for only a month in 1978, was once asked to recommend a good history of the early church. His response, try the one Luke wrote, which we know as the Gospel according to Luke and … Continue reading A Sermon by Jim | July 18, 2021
Two Models of Church | July 4, 2021
by Rev Dr. Helen Svoboda-Barber Today's Gospel shows us two different types of communities worshiping God. The first community is the synagogue in Jesus' hometown. This worshiping community is so focused on keeping things in good order and following all the traditions that they are blind to what could be. They knew Jesus as a … Continue reading Two Models of Church | July 4, 2021
Two Invitations from the Bleeding Woman | June 27, 2021
Rev. Dr. Helen Svoboda-Barber Today’s gospel story is a sandwich of two stories. On the outside of the story, the beginning and the end, is the story of Jarius’s daughter and the healing that happened in her life. In the middle is the story of a woman healed after twelve years of disease. Today, I … Continue reading Two Invitations from the Bleeding Woman | June 27, 2021
The Grumpy Bump
This week I attended Diocesan Clergy Day. It was at Holy Trinity Greensboro. They have a meeting room that opens with multiple french doors onto a large, gracious outdoor space. The ceiling of the outdoor space looks like a traditional church’s upside-down boat shape, with hanging light fixtures much like in church. The walls are … Continue reading The Grumpy Bump
A Sermon | June 20, 2021
by the Rev'd Jim Craven As the curtain goes up on the book of Job, we encounter an unusual group, maybe not so unusual when this ancient folktale began being told around the communal campfires 4000 years ago, or when it was written down in Hebrew about the time of David and Solomon close to … Continue reading A Sermon | June 20, 2021
Future of St. Luke’s Guided Imagery
When our Discerning Vision team met this month, I asked them to do this Guided Imagery meditation to invite God and their own imagination offer a vision of the future St. Luke’s. --- Get into a very comfortable and relaxed position. Focus your awareness on your breathing. Breathe in easily and effortlessly. Then breathe out. … Continue reading Future of St. Luke’s Guided Imagery
Nothing Special and the Kingdom of God | June 13, 2021
by the Rev'd Dr. Helen Svoboda-Barber Our Gospel stories today are some of the parables Jesus tells about the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God is like a tiny mustard seed, planted in the dirt, that becomes a scrubby, gangly big bush --a home for the birds. That is the Kingdom of God. As … Continue reading Nothing Special and the Kingdom of God | June 13, 2021
Set Your Intentions: Short Family Retreat Days
I’ve talked a lot about how St. Luke’s is working hard to be intentional about who we will become moving out of this pandemic. What do we hold on to? What do we set down? What new practices will we pick up? This summer, St. Luke’s will be offering this same sort of thoughtful reflection … Continue reading Set Your Intentions: Short Family Retreat Days
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