Sermons from St. Martin-in-the-Fields

In his sermon from Sunday, October 11, the Rev. Jarrett Kerbel reminds us that God is good all the time. We're "supported by His goodness that transcends our circumstances." Rev. Kerbel illustrates what it means to believe in this goodness, despite threat and discord around us, with two stories of joyful resilience from the end of last week in Germantown.

Readings may be found on LectionaryPage.net for Proper 23, Year A.
Psalm 23, Philippians 4:1-9, Matthew 22:1-14

In times like these, you better be sure that your anchor holds. In her sermon from Sunday, October 4, The Rev. Barbara Ballenger lets us know that “in times like these” we don’t need to just hunker down and power through, but rather to live in ways that stand in contrast, revisioning the ways we all could live.

The Rev. Jarrett Kerbel wonders, would we really want to have an argument with Jesus?

Sermon from Sunday, September 27, Ordinary Time, Proper 21.
Readings:
Psalm 25:1-8
Philippians 2:1-13
Matthew 21:23-32

Readings may be found on LectionaryPage.net for Proper 21, Year A. Recorded live in Zoom.us

The Rev. Anne Thatcher's sermon for Sunday, September 20.

NIMBY's - an acronym for Not In My BackYard - are those folks with the privilege to declare what does or does not happen where they live, and thereby make decisions for what happens in communities without that power. Most NIMBY's do not realize that they have that privilege, it is a plank in their eye, denying them the ability to see their own place and be merciful and generous to others. Today's scripture contains two stories of NIMBY's - Jonah, and the workers in the field. They also showcase the mercy and non-judgmental generosity of our God, that we are called to imitate. How can we work to name the plank in our own eyes, and to truly live into the truth that all of God's people are "worthy of love, justice, mercy, forgiveness, and human dignity" today?

Today's Readings:
Jonah 3:10-4:11
Psalm 145:1-8
Matthew 20:1-16
Readings may be found on LectionaryPage.net for Proper 20, Year A. Recorded live in Zoom.us

Read the article referenced in today's sermon in The Philadelphia Inquirer here.

The Rev. Jarrett Kerbel reflects on a time when forgiveness opened up new possibility for relationship in his life. He offers to us the idea that the Gospel asks us to forgive over and over, as God does for us, so that we can repair what is broken - in ourselves and with others - and return to Christ's way of love.

Readings: Psalm 103:(1-7), 8-13, Romans 14:1-12, Matthew 18:21-35
Readings may be found on LectionaryPage.net for Proper 19, Year A. Recorded live in Zoom.us

Today's readings hold some examples of what it meant to be a neighbor in Jesus' time. How about today? What does being a neighbor mean today? The Rev. Barbara Ballenger brings her own experience of a childhood friend and neighbor as an example of how we can be in community today.

Psalm 119:33-40, Romans 13:8-14, Matthew 18:15-20
Readings may be found on LectionaryPage.net for Proper 18, Year A. Recorded live in Zoom.us

In the Rev. Anne Thatcher's sermon for Sunday, August 30th, she reflects on the betrayals of Jesus by his close friends, Peter and Judas. In a deeply personal reflection from her own past, she talks of the depth of hurt caused by betrayal, but also the immense healing power possible with forgiveness.

Readings: Psalm 26:1-8; Romans 12:9-21; Matthew 16:21-28.
Readings may be found on LectionaryPage.net for Proper 17, Year A. Recorded live in Zoom.us

Our story from the Gospel today has Peter, the rock upon which the church would be founded, a man who often has much to learn on his discipleship journey, finally getting something right. The Rev. Kerbel goes on to speak more deeply about the concept behind, "whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." Using a story from a recent podcast, he illustrates what this binding and loosing may look like for us today.

The Rev. Jarrett Kerbel preaches on the texts for Proper 16, Year A. Romans 12:1-8 and Matthew 16:13-20. Readings may be found on LectionaryPage.net for Proper 16, Year A. Recorded live in Zoom.us

The podcast that the Rev. Jarrett Kerbel uses an example from today can be heard below.

Ezra Klein Show with Bryan Stevenson - July 20, 2020

Read a portion of the interview on Vox here.

Recalling a childhood game, the Rev. Barbara Ballenger wonders, who is in and who is out in our world? The scriptures this morning then have her wondering who is in and who is out according to Jesus? Why do we continue to remember this uncomfortabe story from Matthew and what can we take from it today?

The Rev. Barbara Ballenger preaches on the texts for Proper 15, Year A. Isaiah 56:1,6-8 and Matthew 15: (10-20), 21-28. Readings may be found on LectionaryPage.net for Proper 15, Year A. Recorded live in Zoom.us

The Gospel tells us that in midst of tumult and discord, it is Christ who takes the wheel, steadies the boat, and calms the storm. How do we hold to this faith and hope today? Must we ask for help? Might we be able to admit we are afraid?

Sermon by the Rev. Anne Thatcher for Sunday, August 9, based on the readings for Proper 14, Year A.

Romans 10:5-15
Matthew 14:22-33
Readings may be found on LectionaryPage.net for Proper 14, Year A. Recorded live in Zoom.us

Sermon by the Rev. Barbara Ballenger for Sunday, August 2, Proper 13, Year A.

Jesus has just learned of the horrible death of his cousin, friend, and baptizer John the Baptist and takes himself away to grieve in quiet, but that quiet is not meant to be as the crowds follow after him to the mountain. The Rev. Barbara Ballenger asks us, what do we do when like Jesus and the disciples, we are tired, grieved, and feel as though we don't have enough? What can we learn from Jesus' response in that moment, and how can it carry us through the trials of today?

Romans 9:1-5
Matthew 14:13-21
Readings may be found on LectionaryPage.net for Proper 13, Year A.

Recorded live in Zoom.us

Sermon by the Rev. Anne Thatcher for Sunday, July 26, Proper 12, Year A.

The Rev. Anne Thatcher reflects on her experience rappelling down a skyscraper in Center City Philadelphia for Outward Bound last May, relating it to what happens after we answer the call of God.

Romans 8:26-39
Matthew 13:31-33,44-52
Readings may be found on LectionaryPage.net for Proper 12, Year A.
Recorded live in Zoom.us

Sermon by the Rev. Barbara Ballenger for Sunday, July 19, Proper 11, Year A.

This is the second week in the row that we hear a story about God planting a garden. The Rev. Barbara Ballenger asks us to hear today's story with last week's story in mind, but realizing that the story continues. This time with the perils of fertile soil - which nourishes the wheat the same as the tares - false wheat, inedible weeds. In this story the Rev. Barbara Ballenger finds both hope and caution for us in our world today. She reminds us that there are wonderful things growing right alongside destructive ones, and it is our job to keep awake and watch.

Romans 8:12-25
Matthew 13:24-30,36-43
Readings may be found on LectionaryPage.net for Proper 11, Year A.

Recorded live in Zoom.us

Sermon by the Rev. Jarrett Kerbel for Sunday, July 12, the sixth Sunday after the Pentecost, Proper 10.

The Rev. Jarrett Kerbel makes a note that this week's Gospel is an invitation to fully understand the gift of God's self to us. The parable shows God throwing seed everywhere - even on what seem to be the worst places for growth - a tactic no rational farmer would use. But that isn't the point - God's gift of Godself to us is full. "There is no partial gift of God. God extends God's whole self to us. Our part is to receive and not to earn. It is our part to be open and inviting and not to achieve." Hear how he then interprets the second half of today's Gospel through the lens of grace.

Readings may be found on LectionaryPage.net for Proper 10, Year A.
Recorded live in Zoom.us.

Sermon by the Rev. Anne Thatcher for Sunday, July 5, the fifth Sunday after the Pentecost, Proper 9.

The Rev. Anne Thatcher discusses the difference between a legalistic view of religion and civil society and the invitation to answer the call to obey that comes from God in Jesus Christ. The latter is done willingly and with a full heart. She reminds us that "we can't be disciples without grace and repentance, for the two walk hand in hand. That's when we're transformed."

Readings may be found on LectionaryPage.net for Proper 9, Year A.
Recorded live in Zoom.us

Sermon by by the Rev. Jarrett Kerbel for Sunday, June 28, the fourth Sunday after the Pentecost, Proper 8.

The Rev. Jarrett Kerbel begins by talking about the spiritual refreshment offered by receiving a freely-given gift from another. He reminds us that this is the way that Christ asked his followers to give, and that it is learned from our God of generosity. During the current pandemic, we are sacrificing much, but we sacrifice in the hope of something greater. "These sacrifices that we endure are inspired and in the spirit of the one who gave his life for us, whose life is a gift for us... We must share our story of loving sacrifice for the other as a counter example that will save the most vulnerable during this painful time. ...This is our core life as followers of the teaching of Jesus Christ - to endure and accept sacrifice, to testify to a life bigger than our own. In the name of Christ."

Readings may be found on LectionaryPage.net for Proper 8, Year A.
Recorded live in Zoom.us
Opening bell chiming by the Philadelphia Guild of Change Ringers. Used with permission
Photographs and graphics by the Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields.

Sermon by the Rev. Barbara Ballenger for Sunday, June 21, the third Sunday after the Pentecost, Proper 7.

In this morning's sermon, the Rev. Barbara Ballenger looks at this week's readings and points to how they do not sugar-coat the reality of being a disciple of Christ. She names the request made of us - to lay down our old lives in order to create a new life - and how that might look. The Rev. Ballenger describes a recent interaction with fellow clergy on the subject of anti-racism and what white clergy are really willing to give up. Reflecting on our sacraments of baptism, confirmation, and Holy Eucharist, she leaves us with hope, saying that she wants to tell us, "how the followers of Jesus are particularly equipped for these times, and what we can do not only to endure them, but to embrace them as part of our Great Commission."

Sermon by the Rev. Jarrett Kerbel for the Sunday, June 14, the second Sunday after the Pentecost, Proper 6.

In this morning's sermon, the Rev. Jarrett Kerbel talks about Jesus's compassion for the sheep in this stories of the day, and how he is calling the disciples to care for the sheep by going out in vulnerability among them. He relates this to how many are feeling today, "harassed and helpless, scattered, lost without a shepherd", and asks us to consider our place dealing with the pandemics we face. "I've heard many speakers at the marches I've been on talk about the pandemic in this country, and what they mean by 'the pandemic' is the pandemic of racism." He insists that the Kingdom of God, a time of full rights and just society is near saying, "It is near, but it is not here. And we've got work to do until it is here."

June 7, 2020

For Trinity Sunday, the Rev. Anne Thatcher talks about how the Trinity can guide us into the difficult but Gospel-necessary work of dismantling white supremacy. Readings from Trinity, Year A.

Sermon by by the Rev. Carol Duncan for Sunday, May 31, the Day of Pentecost.

The Rev. Carol Duncan talks about her connection to the Spirit of God on this day when we celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit. She reflects on the gifts that the Holy Spirit brings to us, and the ways she sees the Spirit working and speaking among us - through Women Connecting and Bible study, through our coming transition to Morning Prayer, and through the acts of generosity we've been witnessing and taking part in throughout the pandemic.

Readings may be found on LectionaryPage.net for the Day of Pentecost, Year A.
Opening bell chiming by the Philadelphia Guild of Change Ringers. Used with permission Photographs and graphics by the Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields.