Isaiah 61:10-62:3 The reading from the Hebrew Bible today comes from the final section of Isaiah, generally referred to as Third Isaiah (Chapters 56-66), and is marked by Israel’s return to Palestine after a long time in exile. Salvation, hope and transformation are key themes in this passage. The metaphors move from what more concretely…

“After eight days had passed, it was time to circumcise the child; and he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.” – Luke 2:21 January 1, the Feast of the Holy Name, is a day when we encounter an interweaving of spiritual traditions: a mystical attachment…

[Note to the reader: This sermon is designed to accompany a service of remembrance. It could follow the reading of the Great Litany from the Book of Common Prayer, or the Gospel lesson.] Suggested Proper for Peace, lessons on page 930, Book of Common Prayer Collect: Almighty God, kindle, we pray, in every heart the…

Exodus 20:1-17 This week’s Old Testament reading is the first instance in the narrative of the exodus of Israelites from Egypt in which the Decalogue (Ten Commandments) appears. It appears again in Exodus 34, immediately following the making of the golden calf, when Moses carries the tablets down from the mountain. In this narrative, the…

There once was a wise communications professor who had her students engage in an observation exercise. She handed out a picture of an elderly man sitting on some front steps. A young woman stood to his right, looking down toward him, and a child stood in front, facing both of them. The professor asked the…

RCL: 2 Samuel 18:5-9, 15, 31-33; Psalm 130; Ephesians 4:25-5:2; John 6:35, 41-51 2 Samuel 18:5-9, 31-33 David’s kingdom is in rebellion and his troops encounter the rebels in the forest near Ephraim.  David gave orders that his rebel son, Absalom, be dealt with “gently.” David’s forces are victorious, but in the course of battle,…

Sermons That Work Photo: David Rider For more than 25 years, Sermons That Work, a joint offering of Forward Movement and The Episcopal Church’s Office of Communications, has provided free resources like sermons, Bible studies, and lesson plans that speak to congregations across the church. Our writers and readers come from numerous and varied backgrounds,…

Creation Care Grants As The Episcopal Church shifts its creation care resources to better support local, contextual efforts, applicants are invited to submit grant proposals for nature restoration, regenerative agriculture, climate advocacy, and environmental justice projects that will be evaluated and awarded by the church’s new eco-region networks. The deadline to apply online is Oct….

Sunday between November 27 and December 3 Old Testament Lesson Plans: Hope in God Scripture: Isaiah 64:1-9 Today’s Scripture comes from the book of Isaiah. At first read of the passage, this might seem like a lesson that is difficult to teach to students. However, a closer reading of the story brings forth many important…

The Bible is of extraordinary importance to Episcopal worship; during a Sunday morning service, the congregation will usually hear at least three readings from Scripture (one from the Old Testament, one from the New Testament, and one from the Gospels). One or more psalms are also commonly recited. In addition, much of the text of the rites…