Changed By God To Make A Difference For God

The prophet Isaiah spoke of a people who lived in great darkness and we know something about that, even today. We all must deal with various forms of darkness that afflicts us, from death to illness, to alienation, to addiction. To add insult to injury, try as we might, we are powerless to overcome the darkness on our own. The best we can do is apply window dressing to it. But tonight we celebrate the birth of the Savior with God's promise to overcome the darkness through him. Listen to Father Maney's sermon and then savor the light of Christ that overcomes the darkness of Sin and Death and all that flows from it. Lectionary texts for tonight are Isaiah 9.2-7; The Song of God's Chosen One; Titus 2.11-14; Luke 2.1-20.

We live in a world that is both beautiful and dark, a world where can death strike at any moment and not even Christmas coming can stop it. We cry out to God and ask why but aren’t given an answer. So what is the solution? Where is God? Where is God’s justice? Listen to Father Maney’s funeral sermon to find out and then hold on to the hope of new creation with all your might. Only then will you find the answers you seek Lectionary texts for today are Revelation 21.1-7; Psalm 23; 1 Corinthians 15.1-26, 35-38, 42-44a, 53-58; John 11.17-27.

Listen to Father Ric Bowser's sermon for the third Sunday of Advent C, delivered on December 16, 2018 at St. Augustine's Anglican Church, Westerville, OH. Lectionary texts for today are Zephaniah 3.14-20; Isaiah 12.2-6; Philippians 4.4-7; Luke 3.7-18.

Listen to Father Philip Sang's sermon for the second Sunday of Advent C, delivered on December 9, 2018 at St. Augustine's Anglican Church, Westerville, OH. Lectionary texts for today are Malachi 3.1-4; Luke 1.68-79; Philippians 1.3-11; Luke 3.1-6.

Advent begins in the dark. It is a time for us to take stock of the reality of Evil, Sin, and Death in God's good world, and so Advent is a time to consider the Four Last Things: Death, Judgment, Heaven, and Hell. Today we reflect on Death in the light of God's judgment and mercy. Hear what Father Maney has to say and have your faith and hope renewed. Lectionary texts for today are Jeremiah 33.14-16; Psalm 25.1-10; 1 Thessalonians 3.9-13; Luke 21.25-36.

We live in a world that seems to have come unhinged. Mass murders, natural disasters, political chaos, rancor, bitterness, terrorism, personal crises and setbacks of all kinds, to name just a few. The world's brokenness and madness can cause all kinds of spiritual, mental, and physical illnesses. Enter our lesson from the letter to the Hebrews with its talk about the perfect sacrifice of Christ made for us once and for all. Why is this the beginning of real health and healing? Listen to how Father Maney connects the dots and then resolve to give yourself to the One who loves you and has the power to heal you now and forever. Lectionary texts for today are Daniel 12.1-3; Psalm 16; Hebrews 10.11-25; Mark 13.1-8.

What are we to make of our epistle lesson from Hebrews with its strange claims of blood sacrifice to remove sin and Christ entering into heaven to stand in God's presence on our behalf? How is that relevant to our lives? To answer these questions, we need start with the problem of Sin (with a capital S). Hear what Father Maney has to say and then commit to giving your life to the One who loves you and gave himself for you to rescue you from the power of Evil and darkness. Lectionary texts for today are Ruth 3.1-5, 4.13-17; Psalm 127; Hebrews 9.24-28; Mark 12.38-44.

Today we celebrate All Saints' Sunday and the communion of saints. But other than remembering our dead loved ones, those who have died in Christ, why do we do this? Because in remembering the saints, we remember our ultimate hope in Jesus Christ. Nothing less will ever do. Hear what Father Maney has to say about it all and then resolve to keep your eyes on Jesus, the pioneer of our faith and the author of new creation. Lectionary texts for today are Isaiah 25.6-9; Psalm 24; Revelation 21.1-6a; John 11.32-44.

We continue our preaching series on the letter to the Hebrews today. What are we to make of that strange claim that Jesus pled and prayed and cried out to God to save him, and through it all he learned obedience through suffering (Hebrews 5.7-8)? Pay attention, because in this claim your salvation is near and only a fool would reject the promise. Lectionary texts for today are Job 38.1-7, 34-41; Psalm 104.1-10, 26, 37; Hebrews 5.1-10; Mark 10.35-45.

Listen to Father Philip Sang's sermon for Trinity 20B, Sunday, October 14, 2018, delivered at St. Augustine's Anglican Church, Westerville, OH. Lectionary texts for today are Job 23.1-9, 16-17; Psalm 22.1-15; Hebrews 4.12-16; Mark 10.17-31.