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
The Trinity of Love | May 30, 2021
Rev. Dr. Helen Svoboda-Barber My seminary experience was full of learning and possibilities and tools. I only remember two or three admonitions to avoid some things, and I’m failing at avoiding everything I’ve been told to avoid. Our Pastoral Studies Professor Charlie Cook repeatedly told us, “Don’t poll the congregation. Just don’t poll the congregation.” … Continue reading The Trinity of Love | May 30, 2021
Get Ready for the Spirit to Show Up | May 23, 2021 – Pentecost
Rev. Dr. Helen Svoboda-Barber Today is Pentecost. It feels odd not to be gathering in person to celebrate Pentecost for a second year in a row. And yet, when we really think about it, this is not a bad way to celebrate Pentecost. For the past 14 months, we’ve been living similar to how the disciples … Continue reading Get Ready for the Spirit to Show Up | May 23, 2021 – Pentecost
Prayer and New Life for the Church | May 16, 2021
by Rev. Dr. Helen Svoboda-Barber Every year on the Sunday before Pentecost, we read a section of the longest prayer attributed to Jesus. The entire 17th chapter of the gospel of John is the prayer Jesus prayed just before he was arrested. The whole prayer has three fairly distinct sections. In the first section, Jesus … Continue reading Prayer and New Life for the Church | May 16, 2021
New Stories Emerging | May 9, 2021
by Dr. Sam Laurent, Director of the Episcopal Center at Duke All of us have come to church for ressurance. We come needing to reaffirm that we know the order of things. Difficulties and confusion buffet us all the time, and the decisions we’ve made are never truly certain. There’s always the career path we … Continue reading New Stories Emerging | May 9, 2021
Following Philip in Discipleship and Apostleship | May 2, 2021
by the Rev. Dr. Helen Svoboda-Barber This morning I want to talk about the story of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch from Acts 8:26-40. The book of the Acts of the Apostles is the story of the very first Christians. What did the followers of Jesus DO after he died? Acts tells the stories of … Continue reading Following Philip in Discipleship and Apostleship | May 2, 2021
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