I speak to you in the name of one God, Creator, Christ, and Holy Spirit. Amen + From today’s Gospel, “While in their joy they were disbelieving and still wondering.” People experience surprises in different ways. Some people love surprises…they love the anticipation of knowing something is about to happen but not exactly what that […]Read more “The God of Surprises”
Author: the Rev. Andrew Rutledge
Transformation Begins in the Darkness
I speak to you in the name of one God, Creator, Christ, and Holy Spirit. Amen + Alleluia, Christ is risen! The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia! It is so right that we proclaim and shout this message from the mountain tops this morning, because friends, we need Easter more this year than ever before…I […]Read more “Transformation Begins in the Darkness”
Holy Week Schedule 2021
Dear Friends, In this season of preparation, we have arrived at what we have been preparing for: Holy Week. This most solemn and holy of weeks in our tradition continues to prepare us for those days leading up to, during, and after Christ’s death and resurrection. We pray that you take a close look at […]Read more “Holy Week Schedule 2021”
Give in to God
I speak to you in the name of one God, Creator, Christ, and Holy Spirit. Amen + We often think of Lent as a time of giving things up. This year, I’ve heard a number of people giving up alcohol, or chocolate, or meat. The hope is that in giving something up we push things […]Read more “Give in to God”
Continue to Covenant- The Story is far from Over
I speak to you in the name of one God, Creator, Christ, and Holy Spirit. Amen + From our Genesis passage this morning, “When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said to him, “No longer shall your name be Abram, but your name shall be Abraham. As for Sarai your […]Read more “Continue to Covenant- The Story is far from Over”
Asking for the Holy Spirit’s Help
My friends and fellow classmates from seminary have an ongoing text chain titled, “things they didn’t teach us in seminary.” During the pandemic, the number of entries, as you can imagine, has drastically increased with things like “becoming a Zoom expert, videographer, and sound editor,” but it was today’s gospel lesson, where we hear of […]Read more “Asking for the Holy Spirit’s Help”
The Perfect Light is Always Here
From the Epiphany Hymn: “Star of wonder, star of night, star with royal beauty bright; westward leading, still proceeding, guide us to thy perfect light!” I speak to you in the name of One God, Creator, Christ, and Holy Spirit. Amen + I remember what I was doing when I first heard about the Christmas […]Read more “The Perfect Light is Always Here”
November 22, 2020
Dear Friends, Tomorrow is the 183rd Diocesan Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of the Chicago, and for the first time ever, it will be completely digital. This makes me sad because I am a church geek, and I love diocesan conventions!! For many, it is the one time of year people from all over this large […]Read more “November 22, 2020”
Don’t Bury Your Gifts…Use Them!
I speak to you in the name of One God, Creator, Christ, and Holy Spirit. Amen When was the last time you trusted someone with something you consider to be priceless? Something or someone that you love and means more to you than anything else in the world? Since COVID has basically cancelled all plans […]Read more “Don’t Bury Your Gifts…Use Them!”
Pause & Pivot
And he will guide them to springs of the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” Today is All Saints’ Day. For this community, it is our namesake; it is our patronal feast day. It is a day of celebration, where we would normally walk through the front doors […]Read more “Pause & Pivot”
October 11, 2020
Dear Friends, This week I am reminded of something my Mimi (my Mom’s mom) used to always to say: “The more important something is, the more you need to prepare.” She would say this in reference to many things—a big exam that was coming up, a public speaking engagement, or a major vacation on the […]Read more “October 11, 2020”
Is God Among Us…or Not?
From our Exodus passage today, “Is the Lord among us or not?” I speak to you in the name of one God, Creator, Christ, and Holy Spirit. Amen. “Things are bleak. As I look around, all I see is pain, suffering, and hardship. I can’t remember a time when life was this difficult. My life […]Read more “Is God Among Us…or Not?”
September 27, 2020
Dear Friends, This coming Sunday, and two Sundays after that (October 4), we will be celebrating two of the All Saints’ “high holy days”—the Backpack Blessing and the Pet Blessing. You may be asking, “but how is this possible if we aren’t all together, in person? It won’t be the same without having someone throwing […]Read more “September 27, 2020”
September 20, 2020
Dear Friends, This coming Sunday, and two Sundays after that (October 4), we will be celebrating two of the All Saints’ “high holy days”—the Backpack Blessing and the Pet Blessing. You may be asking, “but how is this possible if we aren’t all together, in person? It won’t be the same without having someone throwing […]Read more “September 20, 2020”
We are ALL a Good “Fit”
I speak to you in the name of one God, Creator, Christ, and Holy Spirit. Amen. The last nursing job I had before going to seminary was as a nurse manager of a recovery room. When I started my job, I had no clue how to “manage” people but thankfully, my hospital sent me to […]Read more “We are ALL a Good “Fit””
August 30, 2020
Dear Friends, This past Ascension Day, I talked about how the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost is a gift to us so we are enabled and empowered to do God’s work in the world. During the season after Pentecost (the summer and early fall) we hear stories in Scripture of what doing God’s […]Read more “August 30, 2020”
Remember the Names of the Midwives
“But the midwives feared God; they did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but they let the boys live.” The midwives’ names were Shiphrah and Puah. Remember the names of the midwives. I speak to you in the name of one God, Creator, Christ and Holy Spirit. Amen. + As many of you […]Read more “Remember the Names of the Midwives”
When in Doubt, Get Out of the Boat
I speak to you in the name of one God, Creator, Christ, and Holy Spirit. + Amen. The Gospel story of Jesus walking on water is one of the best-known lessons in the New Testament. We know this story well because we hear it often. Jesus’ account of walking on water is in three of […]Read more “When in Doubt, Get Out of the Boat”
Viewing Each Other the Way God Views Us
I speak to you in the name of one God, Creator, Christ, and Holy Spirit. + Amen. We live in a world that most often views things as “good” or “bad.” We place sweeping judgement statements without even knowing we are doing it. Statements like, I was so “good” today because I worked out, OR […]Read more “Viewing Each Other the Way God Views Us”
Greenlining Campaign Sermon
I speak to you in the name of one God, Creator, Christ, and Holy Spirit. + Amen. In seminary, I was taught that when you preach you are always to tell the Good News, have a message of hope, and when necessary, speak with a prophetic voice—what many say is speaking truth to power. But […]Read more “Greenlining Campaign Sermon”