For more than 20 years, Sermons That Work, a ministry of the Episcopal Church’s Office of Communication, has provided free sermons, Bible studies, bulletin inserts, and other resources that speak to congregations across the Church. Our writers and readers come from numerous and varied backgrounds, and the resources we provide are used in small house churches, sprawling cathedrals, and everything between.
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We offer a large archive of sermons, as well as a new sermon every week.
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Weekly Bible studies produced by our seminarians.
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Our weekly inserts provide information about the Episcopal Church.
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Upcoming Sermons
Distractions, Pentecost 14 (B) – August 29, 2021
RCL: Song of Solomon 2:8-13; Psalm 45:1-2, 7-10; James 1:17-27; Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 Author Anthony DeMello tells a story about an ashram cat. He writes, “When the guru sat down to worship each evening, the ashram cat would get in the way and distract the worshipers. So he ordered that the cat be tied…
Giving Thanks, Pentecost 13 (B) – August 22, 2021
RCL: 1 Kings 8:[1, 6, 10-11], 22-30, 41-43; Psalm 84; Ephesians 6:10-20; John 6:56-69 If it’s October and your yard is full of maple oaks, you could spend days or even weeks, engaged in the backbreaking work of bending down to pick up each leaf and put it in a trash bag, but if you…
Eternal Life, Pentecost 12 (B) – August 15, 2021
RCL: 1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14; Psalm 111; Ephesians 5:15-20; John 6:51-58 What does it mean to have eternal life? Is this simply going to Heaven and living forever? Intuitively, eternal life seems like an unlimited number of days — our lives extended over an infinite expanse of time — but that’s not actually what eternal…
Abide in My Love, Pentecost 11 (B) – August 8, 2021
RCL: 2 Samuel 18:5-9, 15, 31-33; Psalm 130; Ephesians 4:25-5:2; John 6:35, 41-51 Chapters 13 through 17 of John are by far the longest treatment of the Last Supper of any of the four gospels. These five chapters proclaim the heart of the Good News for John. And yet, have we ever noticed that from…
Freedom, Transfiguration – August 6, 2021
RCL: Exodus 34:29-35; Psalm 99 or 99:5-9; 2 Peter 1:13-21; Luke 9:28-36 Fairest Lord Jesus, Ruler of all nature,O thou of God and man the Son;thee will I cherish, thee will I honor,thou, my soul’s glory, joy, and crown. Fair is the sunshine, fairer still the moonlight,and all the twinkling, starry host:Jesus shines brighter, Jesus…
Food That Endures, Pentecost 10 (B) – August 1, 2021
RCL: 2 Samuel 11:26-12:13a; Psalm 51:1-13; Ephesians 4:1-16; John 6:24-35 This sermon, written by the Rt. Rev. Frank S. Logue, originally ran August 5, 2012. A deep spiritual hunger is implanted in every human heart. Different people will seek to fill this need in different ways, but the hunger is not unique. People yearn for…
Upcoming Bible Studies
Bible Study: Pentecost 14 (B) – August 29, 2021
RCL: Song of Solomon 2:8-13; Psalm 45:1-2, 6-9; James 1:17-27; Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 Song of Solomon 2:8-13 Everyone loves a good love story. And it is tempting to choose not to see that these verses in the Song of Solomon are indeed a love story. While it is appropriate to view these words as…
Bible Study: Pentecost 13 (B) – August 22, 2021
RCL: 1 Kings 8:[1, 6, 10-11], 22-30, 41-43; Psalm 84; Ephesians 6:10-20; John 6:56-69 1 Kings 8: (1,6,10-11), 22-30, 41-43 Solomon’s prayer strikes many important themes – the all-encompassing presence of God, the intuition that God hears prayers and forgives, the affirmation that God responds with graciousness to all. The king’s words also highlight for…
Bible Study: Pentecost 12 (B) – August 15, 2021
RCL: 1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14; Psalm 111; Ephesians 5:15-20; John 6:51-58 1 Kings 2:10-12, 3:3-14 God writes straight with crooked lines, and Solomon certainly was a crooked line! Our reading today presents the idealized Solomon – humble, righteous, and God-fearing. After all, he is concerned foremost about serving God and being a wise ruler. But…
Bible Study: Pentecost 11 (B) – August 8, 2021
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,…
Bible Study: Pentecost 10 (B) – August 1, 2021
RCL: 2 Samuel 11:26-12:13a; Psalm 51:1-13; Ephesians 4:1-16; John 6:24-35 2 Samuel 11:26-12:13a I have always wondered how it was that David justified to himself all the plotting he did to get Uriah killed because it was no small feat to get such an honorable and skilled warrior in trouble. But David did succeed, and…
Bible Study: Pentecost 9 (B) – July 25, 2021
RCL: 2 Samuel 11:1-15; Psalm 14; Ephesians 3:14-21; John 6:1-21 2 Samuel 11:1-15 Not only was David an inspired leader, but he was also the “Don Corleone” of his age. This king reveals his mafioso-like cunning – he carefully arranges the death of an unwitting rival while distancing himself from the terrible deed. It is…
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