Sermons

Sunday sermons may generally be found on our YouTube channel. 

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Here is a tutorial on how to subscribe to a channel. The most recent sermons are listed below.

Recent Sermons

Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost

October 1, 2023 proper 21

The Way of Reciprocity by the Rev. Salying Wong

The story of Skywoman tells us how to live well on this earth because it shows us the way of reciprocity and kinship with all of creation.  What if we began our story like this?
The video is below; the text of this sermon may be found here.

Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost

September 24, 2023 proper 20

Entitlement seen through the lens of God’s Mercy and Grace

by the Rev. Bertram Nagarajah

The Israelites in the desert claimed entitlement. This can be compared to people who grow up in a relatively comfortable environment. When people grow up comfortable, they think they are entitled and deserve comfort even in adverse times. We need to realize that no human is entitled to anything. Everything we have and life itself is from God, through God’s Mercy and Grace.

The text of this sermon my be found here.

Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost

September 17, 2023 proper 19

Forgiveness Homily, Butter and Good Luck by Angela Rausch

Mary Oliver, the great poet, in one of her poems, speaks of God like butter and good luck. I wonder where the luck shows up in Matthew’s gospel today?

The video of this sermon is found below; a text version may be found here.

Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost

September 10, 2023 Proper 18

We Are All In This Together! by Lou Poulain, LLP

Lou reflects on the health of God’s creation, and our shared responsibility to care for the earth and all fellow creatures.   Using Jesus’ teaching about healthy conflict resolution in the church, Lou talks about how we can effectively take action and positively counter the negative, excessively tribal “culture wars” conflicts that mark our times.

The text of this sermon my be found here.

Video below:

Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost

September 3, 2023 proper 17

Creation: the Fifth Gospel by the Rev. Salying Wong

To fall in love is also to get proximate to the pain.  This is what Jesus is talking about when he tells Peter to pick up his own cross.  In this Season of Creation, Pastor Salying ponders how to find hope in the midst of the climate crisis.  It might mean falling more in love with God’s creation and getting close to the pain of its destruction before we find the hope and energy to keep trying to repair the world.

The text of this sermon may be found here.

Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost

August 27, 2023 proper 16

Petra Ecclesia by the Rev. Salying Wong

We come to a pivotal moment in Jesus’ ministry and he goes out of his way to make a point–40km out of his way to Caesarea Phillipi.  This was the “headquarters” of the imperial cult, filled with temples to the gods, including none other than a temple to Augustus, the “Son of God”.  It is here that Jesus asks his disciples who they think he is.  Peter said the right thing, but got it all wrong anyway.  He said Jesus was the messiah, but he had conquest on his mind.  Jesus will clarify that his kingdom means his crucifixion.  So, then what are the “keys” to the kingdom; what is the “rock” upon which Jesus will build the church? 

The text of this sermon may be found here.

Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost

August 20, 2023 proper 15

A Question of Faith by the Rev. Salying Wong

There are two conversations in the Gospel reading from Matthew, one Jesus has with the insiders (the Pharisees) and one with the outsider (the Canaanite woman).  Both are theological conversations begging the question, “Who is this God, anyway?”  The Canaanite woman’s perspective challenges Jesus to accelerate the God of grace further and faster into the world than even Jesus might have been ready for.  

A video link is found below; the text of this sermon may be found here.

Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost

Proper 14 August 13, 2023

Jesus is Present with Us in Our Anxiety and Fears

By the Rev. Bertram Nagarajah

Remember that storms and winds will blow into all lives. Jesus is present with us, and we are not alone. Jesus, the king of Kings and Lord of Lords is ever present with us to strengthen and help us through the dark patches in our lives.

The text of this sermon may be found here.

Transfiguration

August 6, 2023

Yearn for Encouragement, someone who would Listen and Understand

by the Rev. Bertram Nagarajah

Jesus needed encouragement at this pivotal moment of his life; Jesus was preparing for his incredible human journey to travel toward Jerusalem and his crucifixion on the cross. This was the most incredible rescue operation ever envisaged and carried out in human history. Jesus – God becoming human to save humankind. Salvation for all humankind, to deliver humanity from Sin, Satan, and Death. Moses and Elijah were great resources to Jesus, as they both experienced loneliness. Both men of prayer and mountain men knew rejection by their people.

The text of this sermon may be found here.

Ninth Sunday after Pentecost

July 30, 2023 proper 12

The Kingdom of Heaven is like… by Lou Poulain, LLP

Jesus’ parables present a challenge to our notions of power. In contrast to the power of kings and armies, conquest and domination, God’s power is exercised as God works in us, with us and for us;  personally, interpersonally, gently and with love… like the tiniest of seeds sown in a field, and a small amount of yeast folded into flour.  

Lou references a recent article by Russell Moore, a former official in the Southern Baptist Conference, who writes about the damage done when the Church aligns itself with power politics, the culture-wars instead of the Gospel.

The text of this sermon may be found here.

Eighth Sunday after Pentecost

July 23, 2023 proper 11

The Action of God Within part 6 in Keating Series

by the Rev. Salying Wong

When we sit in Centering Prayer, we consent not only to being in the presence of God, but the action of God within us. This action is beyond our ability–which is to suss out the wheat and the tares within us. The wheat is the our will that wills God’s will (true self); the tares is the will of the false self. We will learn the 4Rs of Centering Prayer to guide us in this practice of consent.

The text of this sermon may be found here.

Seventh Sunday after Pentecost

July 16, 2023 proper 10

The Ribcage of Failure: part 5 in the Keating series

by the Rev. Salying Wong

Failure is the gift of the Torah, which discloses the human condition to us, which leads us into the mercy of God.  This is what the Apostle Paul teaches in his letter to the Romans.  In this sermon, Pastor Salying teases out how the Apostle Paul uses the word “law”, shows how his teachings sync up with the teachings of Thomas Keating, and finally, how we let our failures become a ribcage that lets us breathe God as God breathes us.

The text of this sermon may be found here.

Sixth Sunday after Pentecost

July 9, 2023 proper 9

Afflictive Emotions: part 4 in the Keating series by the Rev. Salying Wong

Afflictive emotions are our best teachers on the path to transformation in God.  They tell us our actual value system rather than the one we wish to have or wish others to see.  If we pay attention to them, we can begin to understand how we tick.  We can then, also, make the decision to surrender our programs for happiness to God.  God invites us to find our true happiness, which is belonging in God rather than to our programs.

The text for this sermon may be found here.

Fifth Sunday after Pentecost

July 2, 2023 proper 8

Keating’s Consents: Part 3 of the Keating series by the Rev. Salying Wong

This is sermon describes the four consents that Thomas Keating teaches and uses the Abraham and Isaac story to illustrate the fourth consent: consent to transformation, which is consent to the unknown.

The text of this sermon may be found here.

Fourth Sunday after Pentecost

June 25, 2023 proper 7

God hears Ishmael and Hagar by the Rev. Bertram Nagarajah

The story of Hagar, an enslaved person in the Household of Abraham and Sarah, is awful. It taught us that God is ever-present and wants to help even in the most hopeless situation. In the scripture passage, we read, “And God heard the boy’s voice.” God hears the voice of innocents, the voice of the vulnerable, the voice of the marginalized, the children at our borders, and the children whose parents are in jails or prisons. We are God’s face and hands and must help those in need.

The text of this sermon may be found here.

Third Sunday after Pentecost

June 18, 2023 proper 6

Come Unto Me All Ye Who Travail part 2 in Keating Series

In this sermon, Pastor Salying uses Sarah and Hagar’s story to illustrate programs of happiness and their durability.  “Untransformed suffering will get transmitted,” says Richard Rohr.  This sermon explores the nature of programs for happiness, how they take us to a faraway country–this country called the “false self” that lives off fantasies for happiness.  It talks about the human soul’s longing to return home, to the home of our true self, which is in God.  We will learn that God is always calling us home from the burdens and travails of the false self.

The text of this sermon may be found here.

by the Rev. Salying Wong

Second Sunday after Pentecost

June 11, 2023 proper 5

Finding Happiness part 1 in Keating Series

by the Rev. Salying Wong

When Jesus calls a disciple, Jesus calls the sinner in need of healing.  Those who are well do not need a physician.  Pastor Salying begins a series based on the teachings on Thomas Keating on healing our emotional programs for happiness–programs that do not ultimately satisfy.  In this sermon, Salying uses the call of Matthew to help us to consider how we identify: do we identify with Matthew the sinner or the Pharisees who are good.  She also talks about the three energy centers: safety and security, esteem and affection, and power and control–and how they move us in our wounds.  Jesus’ call to us is for healing.  Will we yield? 

The text of this sermon may be found here.

Trinity Sunday

June 4, 2023

God: the Original They-Them by the Rev. Salying Wong

The Trinity is about life, our life. Humans were created in the image of God. This shouldn’t be understood as only individually. Because God as Trinity exists in relationship, to be fully human is to be connected in intimate relationship with God, humankind and all of creation.

The text of this sermon may be found here.

Day of Pentecost

May 28, 2023

A Revolution of the Intimate by the Rev. Salying Wong

The Holy Spirit didn’t need to pour out an abundance of different languages.  The people were able to communicate using Hebrew, Greek and Latin.  So, why?  To initiate what Willie Jennings calls, “a revolution of the intimate.  To speak a language is to speak a people.”  Those who heard their native tongues were transported home, to the place of intimacy.  And  the Galilean Jews walked into the lives of the diaspora Jew.  Space folded.  This is what church really means: to be joined by the Holy Spirit and made a people, born not of flesh nor the will of man, but of God in Jesus.  The speaking is essential because the story creates the bonds of intimacy.  Today, we must tell our story if we say we “want to make connections with our neighbors.”

The text of this sermon may be found here.

Seventh Sunday after Easter

May 21, 2023

Feast of the Ascension by the Rev. Trish Cunningham

The Ascension means a way of knowing Jesus’ presence on the gut level.  In our time, our work as church is all the more important.  We must trust our gut to follow Jesus and do the work that we can do.

Sixth Sunday after Easter

May 14, 2023

Awe, Abundance, and Advocate by Angela Rausch, lay preacher-in-training

On the night before Jesus died, he promised not to leave his disciples orphaned.  He promised an advocate.  How does this advocate come alongside us in the moments of awe and in the abundance in our relationships?

Introducing Angela Rausch: Angela is a lifelong catholic. She started her healing ministry as pharmacist. She has a Masters of Pastoral Ministries from Santa Clara University and a certificate in Interfaith Spiritual Direction from the Chaplaincy Institute. She is a trained spiritual director/companion. During the pandemic she and her husband, Kris entered the reception program at St Thomas for membership into the Episcopal Church, at the invitation of Pastor Salying. Another invitation presented itself in January and she entered the Lay Preaching Course at the West Coast Collaborative School for Ministry in the Episcopal Dioceses of El Camino Real, San Diego and Northern California. Her sermon of May 14 is part of her homework and training. Her true vocation is that of wife to Kris and mother to Bryce, Kameron and Charles.

The text to this sermon may be found here. Video below.

Fifth Sunday after Easter

May 7, 2023

Stephen’s Witness to the New Church by the Rev. Salying Wong

What would you do to protect what you love?  Those who killed Stephen felt so threatened by his announcement of God’s radical hospitality that they stoned him.  Listen or read the sermon to find out the story.

Fourth Sunday after Easter

April 30, 2023

Your True Name by the Rev. Salying Wong

There are many kinds of name: birth names, nickname, cruel names. But the Good Shepherd calls us by our true name: Beloved.

A video link is below; a pdf may be found here.

Third Sunday after Easter

April 23, 2023

Hide and Seek on the Way to Emmaus by the Rev. Salying Wong

Jesus plays his favorite game of “Hide and Seek” on the way to Emmaus. Eastertide is 50 days of Mystagogia, where the game leads us to mystery rather than certainty. Come and play.

A video is below; a pdf may found here.

Second Sunday after Easter

April 16, 2023

Thomas Didymus (poem) by Denise Levertov, reading with images; curated and read by the Rev. Salying Wong

A video may be found below.

Easter Sunday

April 9, 2023

This page will be updated shortly.

Life in the Garden by the Rev. Salying Wong

Easter creation story in the garden. Video is below; a pdf may be found here.

Good Friday

April 7, 2023

New Birth at the Foot of the Cross by the Rev. Salying Wong

When a grain of wheat falls, it falls and falls into the ground of God’s being. It is through the suffering, not around it, that new life emerges. A video link is below; a pdf may be found here.

Maundy Thursday

April 6, 2023

Betrayal and the Hour of Glory by the Rev. Salying Wong

The passion was not just the suffering of the crucifixion; it is also the passion of Judas’ betrayal.  Jesus not only experiences the piercing of his body, but the piercing of his heart.  He understands the depths of our pain.

No video is available for this sermon. A pdf of the text may be found here.

Fifth Sunday in Lent

March 26, 2023

Resurrection and Life – Present Tense by the Rev Salying Wong

Martha was taught that there’s a resurrection on the last day. But Jesus said to her, “I am resurrection and I am life–present tense.” This sermon explores what the raising of Lazarus could teach us about our present eternal life in Christ.

Fourth Sunday in Lent

March 19, 2023

Now Is the Time of Judgment: The Discernment of the Sheep

by the Rev. Salying Wong

Sheep aren’t good at much–but they are good at discerning the voice of the shepherd from any hired hand. Jesus is looking for the sheep while there is light. In fact, he is the light and he turns it on for his sheep. The man born blind has the light turned on and is becoming a sheep. Jesus has other sheep–and he calls each by name. We are the sheep and our work is to discern the voice of the shepherd so that we might follow him.

Third Sunday in Lent

March 12, 2023

Love, Truth, Redemption, and Acceptance by the Rev. Dn. Bertram Nagarajah

The story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman is a beautiful example of vulnerability, love, truth, redemption, and acceptance. Jesus accepted her “as she was.” Jesus only asked her to believe. The first-person Jesus ever told he was the Messiah was to the Samaritan women an outcast. The Samaritan woman came to draw water feeling unworthy and defeated but left that day with a new person and self-image. After encountering Jesus, she saw herself as valuable, redeemed, forgiven, and a child of God’s family. Her renewal changed the whole city. 

The text of this sermon may be found here.

Video here:

https://youtu.be/5dKuAL_uofM

Second Sunday in Lent

March 5, 2023

For God So Loved the Cosmos by Lou Poulain, LLP

Lou unpacks the famous verse John 3:16 to move it past an individualistic interpretation of salvation, especially as going to heaven after you die. Rather, “Eternal life” is about the reign of God–the enduring reign that is about relationship with God. How does one live in this enduring age that Jesus talks about? One must be born anew.

The text of this sermon maybe found here.

First Sunday in Lent

February 26, 2023

The Devil is a Bad Consultant by the Rev. Salying Wong

After Jesus goes public at his baptism, he consults with the devil about how to successfully launch his movement.  The devil’s advice makes a lot of sense if the goal was to figure out the cost, ensure safety and security, and to be successful.  But, where was trust in God?  The temptations of the devil are actually quite pedestrian–they speak to our fantasies for a shortcut to happiness.  Lent, though, invites us to a sustained period of self-reflection and examination.  Using the thoughts of Fr. Thomas Keating, Pastor Salying describes how our wounds trigger programs for happiness that are actually full of decay.  Lent invites us to notice this, to seek real healing, to forgive and so find freedom.

The text of this sermon may be found here.

Ash Wednesday

February 22, 2023

The Secret Chamber by the Rev. Salying Wong

Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.  It is the heart that is the secret chamber, where we go to pray–to know what rust and dust do not consume and where thieves do not break in and steal. 

A reading copy of this sermon may be found here.

Last Sunday after the Epiphany – Transfiguration Sunday

February 19, 2023

Not Ready for the Light by the Rev. Salying Wong

After telling his disciples that he would be crucified, Jesus takes his three saddest disciples up a mountain to give them a glimpse of the light to come.  But, he tells them not to tell anyone and to keep silence.  They were not ready to speak of about how the light comes because they had yet suffered enough.  Silence gives insight on how the light turns on.

A reading copy of this sermon may be found here.

Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany

February 12, 2023

The Heart of the Torah by the Rev. Salying Wong

What does it mean to have righteousness that exceeds the most holy people of Israel?  What does it mean to fulfill the law?  Take this tour of the sermon on mount and consider how Jesus offers an interpretation by listening to the heart of the law.

A copy of this sermon may be found here.

Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany

February 5, 2023

All Y’all’s Salt by the Rev. Salying Wong

Salted dung patties light up the earth, light up the world.  Yes, all y’alls the salt; all y’all’s the light.  What?  Read or listen to the sermon to learn more. (Read here.)

Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany

January 29, 2023

A Beatitude Point of View by the Rev. Salying Wong

The Beatitudes are spoken to those who been healed, those who yearn for healing, those who are poor and meek–all gathered together at the mountain.  The crowds want to understand what’s happening.  Jesus tells them: Be encouraged!  What is translated as “Blessed” really means “be encouraged”.  Jesus says this because the poor and the outcast don’t believe anyone is on their side.  But God in Jesus has come near and is declaring with works of mercy and justice that God indeed sees and cares for them.  “Be encouraged, you poor, for yours is the Kingdom of Heaven.”  We who follow Jesus needs this Beatitude point of view.

A transcript of this sermon may be found here.

Third Sunday after the Epiphany

January 22, 2023

Fishing Jesus-Style by the Rev. Salying Wong

Pastor Salying tells the story of Jesus calling Peter, Andrew, James and John in the context of the arrest of John the Baptist.  “Are you sick of tyranny?!”  So, they follow him with a burning desire for freedom.  Along the way, they will learn the cost of discipleship and what fishing Jesus-style looks like.

A transcript of this sermon may be found here.

Second Sunday after the Epiphany

January 15, 2023

Beyond Peace-Mongering by the Rev. Salying Wong

Pastor Salying’s sermon considers the impulse toward peace-mongering in the church, which is the impulse to make peace with oppression in order to achieve a peace we mistakenly think Jesus’ wants for us. What are the qualities of the peace promised in the beatitudes and the work of peacemaking?

This sermon is based on the Letter from a Birmingham Jail by MLK. The video of this sermon may be found below. A written copy may be found here. A copy of an excerpt from the original letter, which was used as the Epistle reading on this Sunday, may be found here.

First Sunday after the Epiphany

January 8, 2023

Daily Manifestations of Belovedness by the Rev. Salying Wong

Pastor Salying’s sermon teaches on the Feast of the Epiphany as a unitive feast marking three events: the manifestation of the star to the wise men; the manifestation of the Holy Spirit at Christ’s Baptism; and the manifestation of overabundance of wine at Cana pointing to the grace upon grace Jesus comes to give. Each manifestation pulls back the curtain to show us the basic reality: God is with us, for us, and loves us. Most manifestations of Christ happen in daily life–and each helps us to be in right relationship with God. This right relationship is to receive God’s love and return love to God. Love fulfills all righteousness.

A transcript may be read here.

First Sunday After Christmas

The Holy Name – January 1, 2023

What’s In A Name? by the Rev. Salying Wong

Jesus is the Greek from of the Hebrew name Joshua. More than meaning, “God saves,” it means, “Yahweh saves.” Yahweh is the name revealed to Moses in the burning bush. Yahweh is the God who hears the suffering of the oppressed and works to liberate those in bondage. Jesus’ very gospel depends on this liberating God and points to God’s purposes: the blind shall see, the mute shall speak, the deaf shall hear, the leper shall be cleansed, the poor shall have good news brought to them, those in prison shall be set free and the dead are raised. When we say we do not take Jesus’ name in vain, it means that we trust this promise of God–who comes very close and hears our deep need for freedom and who liberates and is liberating us.

A transcript may be found here.

Christmas Day

December 25, 2022

Pitching Tent on Christmas by the Rev. Salying Wong

The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. This phrase, “dwelt among us” in Greek is literally translated as “pitching tent” with us. In a society where nomads were common, those who first heard these words would have imagined a God who came to travel with us, going where we go, staying where we stayed–journeying with us, never leaving us. In light of this, Christmas means that God comes is with us all along the way, even if it means pitching tent, breaking it down, and pitching it again, just to be close to us. This is what Christmas “Emmanuel” really means.

Christmas Eve

December 24, 2022

God’s Gift-Wrap by the Rev. Salying Wong

I heard about a study on gift wrap. Apparently, gift wrapping a present usually sets us up for disappointment. The more beautiful the wrapping, the greater the disappointment. Have you ever felt that way? All those beautiful presents under the tree…

No video available. Written transcript here.

Third Sunday in Advent

December 11, 2022

This Sunday Pastor Salying spoke about the “O” antiphons, traditionally used the eight days – the “octave” – before Christmas.

A link to further details of these sung prayers, along with a special daily practice for these 8 days, may be found here.

Second Sunday in Advent

December 4, 2022

Come, Coming, Become by the Rev. Salying Wong

Repentance in Advent can be understood as choosing the “non-dominant alternative perspective.” In a world of violence, this requires an imaginative leap that even John the Baptist could not first make. But, in Jesus, as frail flesh and God, as babe, we get the non-dominant alternative perspective. It is so beyond the way we normally do things (by might and power), one must wonder, “How can this save us? How does fragile God address all that is wrong in the world?”

First Sunday in Advent

November 27, 2022

The Advent Wreath by the Rev. Bertram Nagarajah

In the Advent Season, marking the days with the Advent wreath prepares us for the coming of Jesus.

Last Sunday after Pentecost: Christ the King

Transgender Day of Remembrance

November 20, 2022

Aer (They/Them) and Pastor Salying (She/Her) share a sermon on Transgender Remembrance Day. Each share a personal story and a reflection on the Gospel on Christ the King Sunday.

Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost

October 16, 2022

How to Not Lose Heart by the Rev. Salying Wong

The parable of the persistent widow makes us ask the question, “Where does she get her hope?” in the relentless work to make justice.  How does she not lose heart?  What can it mean to pray always?

Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost

October 9, 2022

What the Beggar Whispered by the Rev. Salying Wong

Francis became a real saint when he embraced the leper–and his most broken self. In that act of surrender, he knew what the Samaritan leper knew in today’s gospel reading. He knew, he was the beloved.

Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost

September 11, 2022

Sinful Sheep, Deprave Coin; Or, Not by the Rev. Salying Wong

The parables of the lost sheep and coin illustrate Luke’s perspective on repentance. It isn’t the sin of the sheep or coin that is the focus–in fact, it’s ridiculous to even consider this. Rather, all the action is done by the shepherd and the woman, both images of God. God does all the seeking and finding, and ultimately, restoring of what is precious (sheep and coin) to wholeness and belonging. This sort of repentance is a cause for the angels and all flesh to rejoice.

Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost

September 4, 2022

Philemon’s Letter Tilts the World by the Rev. Salying Wong

This is a story of a useless Useful slave, a wealthy patron, and a foolish preacher–and how a flimsy letter changed an empire.

Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost

August 28, 2022

Dinner as a Despicable: You are who you eat with by the Rev. Salying Wong

Bucking the patron-client system that drives everyone to want to be on top, Jesus says be at the lowest place.  In the lowest place, you have no power, nothing to offer.  And that’s when you know what grace really is.  In order to walk into the kingdom of God, you must be in this posture of utter receptivity.  Otherwise, you’ll just be playing out the game in rules of the world.

The sermon for this Sunday is available as an audio recording only, here.

Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost

August 21, 2022

Mercy All the Time by the Rev. Salying Wong

The healing of the women with a crippled back in Luke 13 becomes an occasion for Jesus to connect the Kingdom of God and the Sabbath–God’s intention from the beginning of creation for all to find their freedom, healing, and rest in him.

Tenth Sunday after Pentecost

August 14, 2022

The Song We Sing by the Rev. Salying Wong

This sermon tells the story of Jesus’ difficult sayings about division in the context of Mary’s Magnificat and the Song of Simeon. What is the fire, the sword, the division?

Ninth Sunday after Pentecost

August 7, 2022

Give Everything Away Till You Are Naked Before God by the Rev. Salying Wong

Before Marie Kondo, there was Jesus Christ. Take all you possession–not just your stuff, but your precious thoughts and emotions, anxieties and cravings, and ask, “Does this come between me and my trust in God?” If so, throw it away. Give everything away till you are naked before God and you will be able to perceive this reality: Be not afraid, little flock, for it is the Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

Eighth Sunday after Pentecost

July 31, 2022

Who Is Doing the Possessing? by the Rev. Salying Wong

A man wants Jesus to make his brother divide the inheritance with him. Instead of arbitrating for him, Jesus tells the man a parable about a rich farmer who gets possessed by his possessions; shoring up wealth for himself, he dies isolated and alone. Jesus does not want this to be the fate of the man. He tells him to turn his concern away from self-centered cravings–to turn toward real wealth, which is found in community, in friendship, in relationships.

Seventh Sunday after Pentecost

July 24, 2022 Proper 12

Shameless Prayer by the Rev. Wong

Go to God with your shameless need and God who is your parent–a heavenly parent–will give you the Holy Spirit. But what if you just want stuff, answers and a clear timeline? Jesus has a couple of parables for you from Luke 11.

Sixth Sunday after Pentecost

July 17, 2022 Proper 11

Martha’s Pot Roast by the Rev. Salying Wong

Jesus is trying to tell Martha he loves her, no matter how the food turns out. In fact, since he’s “set his face to Jerusalem”, his only hunger is for friendship and love. He loves Martha as much as he loves Mary and wants to feast on their companionship. Jesus invites Martha–not to leave her role as hostess, but not to mistake her role for who she is. She is first beloved. It is she who is desired, above her generous table. So, Jesus gives us permission to give not just what we do, but trust that our friendship is his greatest joy and desire. Martha can make things easier by serving pot roast. (But still it should be served on fine china, not on paper plates as suggested by the pastor.)

The Fifth Sunday after Pentecost

July 10, 2022 Proper 10

On My Way to Jericho, by the [Good] Samaritan as recounted by the Rev. Salying Wong

The Samaritan tells his side of the story on that fateful day on the road from Jerusalem to Jericho.

The Fourth Sunday after Pentecost

July 3, 2022 Proper 9

Faith and Freedom by Lou Poulain, LLP

St. Paul’s experience in the desert of Arabia, where he encountered the risen Christ, represented the total collapse of the sacred order. He who, according to the law, was impeccable, now found himself in a wilderness where that had no meaning anymore. It is through this experience, that Paul encounters what being new creation really could mean. In the letter to the Galatians, Paul is emphatically exhorting his church to reject the “Judaizer’s” message of circumcision because it not the new life in Christ. It takes them back to structures that don’t give life anymore. For freedom Christ has set us free. This freedom is not license, but freedom to be a new creation. What could that mean for you?

The Third Sunday after Pentecost

June 26, 2022 Proper 8

How to March on the Capitol by the Rev. Salying Wong

Jesus begins his march to the capitol, Jerusalem, by way of Samaria. Strange choice! Why? How is Jesus’ march different from the march of the the Zealots and Roman legions? How does his march inform our work today–for freedom, for justice, and to announce hope?

A transcript of this sermon may be found here.

The Second Sunday after Pentecost

June 19, 2022 Proper 7

Juneteenth at Gerasa by the Rev. Salying Wong

This sermon by Pastor Salying connects the history of Juneteenth with the story of the demoniac in Gerasa. Only some people think freedom is good news. Those who depend on the structures of bondage for their privilege and order will be full of dread at the coming of the good news. The good news of Jesus Christ is freedom from bondage–and the those who are freed are also freed to proclaim it.

Trinity Sunday

June 12, 2022

The Trinity: where we live our ordinary lives by the Rev. Salying Wong

Trinity Sunday is a lynchpin between seasons with theological foci and a season without any; between Advent-Easter and ordinary time. Trinity Sunday caps off a time of deep theological investigation with a feast of mystery, awe and wonder. Now, we are ready to walk into ordinary time with humility.

The Day of Pentecost

June 5, 2022

God’s Love Language by the Rev. Salying Wong

High-context, low text. People who study culture and languages would say some languages are high-context, low text… It is when you don’t say much (low text), but the messages are passed along in non-verbal ways…

Unfortunately, the attempted recording of the sermon for this Sunday was unsuccessful. But you may find a transcript here.

Seventh Sunday in Easter – Sunday after Ascension

May 29. 2022

For God So Loved the World by the Rev. Salying Wong

A contemplation on the Ascension as it intersects with the Uvalde shootings.

The sermon was not recorded this Sunday. A copy of the text may be found here.

Sixth Sunday in Easter

May 22, 2022

Finding Hope by the Rev. Bertram Nagarajah

Deacon Bertram’s sermon considers the tragedies of the Buffalo shooting and the ongoing war in Ukraine and Jesus’ words of his abiding presence with his disciples.

Fifth Sunday in Easter

May 15, 2022

A Recipe for Fruitcake by the Rev. Salying Wong

Pastor Salying tells a story, as an outsider, of giving hospitality to her fifth grade teacher–to illustrate how important it is to receive hospitality, especially to build the church. This connects with the vision of Peter in the book of Acts and his openness to receiving from the gentile Cornelius. It means the time of fear is over and the walls that separate are being dismantled.

Fourth Sunday in Easter

May 8, 2022

Iconic Ornamentals at St. Thomas by the Rev. Salying Wong

Tabitha in the Acts of the Apostles was called a disciple. She was known for her love in the things she made with her hands. In this sermon, you will see a few examples of the beautiful things made with loving hands in service to worship of God–which means, they are icons.

Third Sunday in Easter

May 1, 2022

Discipleship After Resurrection by the Rev. Salying Wong

The disciples are back at the Sea of Galilee after the resurrection of Jesus. But, they are fishing in the dark. Like them, we might also ask how does one practice discipleship when Jesus’ presence isn’t clear, when we have to recognize him when our eyes are of no help? How do we follow him and continue the work he was doing, which is to love the world?

Second Sunday in Easter

April 24, 2022

The Wounded Resurrected Body by the Rev. Salying Wong

Jesus offers the intimacy of his wounded resurrected body to his disciples so that they might trust him and be released from the locked places where fear has bound them. He releases them for that abundant life that he promised to them, a new life of peace and forgiveness.

Fifth Sunday in Lent

April 3, 2022

When You Have Nothing Left to Give by the Rev. Salying Wong

The time has come. The hour is here. Jesus will die. What do you do for the one you love when there’s nothing left to do? Mary of Bethany shows the way.

Fourth Sunday in Lent

March 27, 2022

The Parable of the Beloved Elder Son by the Rev. Salying Wong

The elder son, in the famous parable of the so-called Parable of the Prodigal Son, is forgotten. No one goes to get him in the fields when the party gets started. This painful event shows how families are made of broken people. Jesus uses this parable to show how the love of God has always been there and is ours–even when we’ve all been lost in the hurt. It is this love that gives us the abundance from which we can forgive and reconcile–it is this love that doesn’t demand that life gets fixed before we get healed.

Third Sunday in Lent

March 20, 2022

Please Cure the World of Ambiguity or Not by the Rev. Salying Wong

Jesus speaks to people who sum up tragedies with bad theology, all in service of keeping the world clear and certain. Instead, Jesus puts himself in the midst of tragedy and so puts God in the depth of it. He tells a parable about the mysterious fig tree and makes the parable a door into a universe where things aren’t so clear–yet, God is there.

Second Sunday in Lent

God Our Mothering Hen by the Rev. Salying Wong

March 13, 2022

Jesus has set his face toward Jerusalem. On his way are foxes that desire to kill him. But, he desires to spend his life in the midst of violence to embrace the wayward within his mothering wings, as a hen gathers her brood. Alas, “Jerusalem” does not desire it? Do we? What would it mean to desire God’s desire for us? What would we have to surrender to be gathered, along with all whom God desires, within the abode of these wings of God?

A transcription of this sermon may be found here.

First Sunday in Lent

Tomorrow’s Bread by the Rev. Salying Wong

March 6, 2022

Jesus and the devil have a conversation about need–in the form of bread. Should one take control of one’s need? Should we give into all our anxieties about what is unknown? What need do we have of need?

A transcription of this sermon may be found here.

Ash Wednesday

What God Can Do With Dust by the Rev. Salying Wong

March 2, 2022

On Ash Wednesday, we take on the mark of dust as a sign of our trust in what God can do with dust.

A transcription of this sermon may be found here.

Last Sunday after the Epiphany – Transfiguration

The Light Is Real All the Time by the Rev. Salying Wong

February 27, 2022

The last Sunday of Epiphany is also Transfiguration Sunday. It is the Sunday before the season of Lent begins. Lent means spring–that is, the time when light begins to flood our days. So, it is an apt time to witness the brilliant divine light when the veil is pulled back on that mountain.

The sermon was not recorded this Sunday; a transcription may be found here.

Seventh Sunday after the Epiphany

February 20, 2022

The Measure You Receive by the Rev. Salying Wong

The Sermon on the Plain is for the victim. It is about the nature of God’s love to heal our deepest wounds. This grace is so generous–if pours on us over and over again, endlessly. What we thought would be like a measure of grain we purchase becomes a measure that is beyond measure–and it is ours, for free; and it is for us; and it never runs out.

Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany

February 13, 2022

Oi! Woe! Whoa! by the Rev. Salying Wong

The Beatitudes and Woes of Luke’s Gospel describe the upside-down nature of the Kingdom of God. What makes for a happy life? Is the happiness the main pursuit of life? What is the role of suffering and pain? Jesus says, “Pay attention!”

Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany

February 6, 2022

Die, Rise, Fish

Learning to fish for people is a much more mysterious process than a miracle of fish gathered in nets. Peter will learn how as he follows Jesus and confronts his own failure; he will learn how when he confronts his own ego and allows it to be buried with Christ and rise with Christ. It is in this surrender that he will acquire the qualities of a fisher of people.

Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany

January 30, 2022

I See in a Mirror Dimly (a sermon in verse) by the Rev. Salying Wong

Mirror, mirror on the wall,

Who’s the best preacher of all?

Mirror, mirror in my fair hand,

Who’s the best servant in the land?

Mirror, mirror in the church,

Who sits highest on the perch…

Third Sunday after the Epiphany

January 23, 2022

Recovering Identity in Times of Change by Lou Poulain, LLP

Returning from exile, the Jewish community rediscovered their identity in a changed world. Today’s church must reshape our identity and mission in our changing world.

Second Sunday after the Epiphany

January 16, 2022

The Nudge, the Dream, the Work by the Rev. Salying Wong

Jesus needed a nudge from mom to walk into his ministry; MLK needed a nudge from Mahalia Jackson to work for the “dream”. We at St. Thomas are now working on our dream for the future of our parish. We are nudged on by love.

First Sunday after the Epiphany

The Winnowing Fork and the Unquenchable Fire by the Rev. Salying Wong

January 9, 2022

Why does Jesus get baptized? Pastor Salying interprets the Baptism of Our Lord in the context of the Season of Epiphany–a season of enlightenment and awakening. She argues that Jesus’ baptism reveals the dynamic self-giving love of the Trinity, an embrace of love into which we are invited, so that we might also hear what the Father’s says, “You are my child, my beloved, in whom I am well-pleased.” This baptism, unlike other baptisms, is where the Spirit winnows away the chaff, all the nonsense of our false identification with happiness–all that is burned up. What remains is what is of substance, the wheat that provides sustenance to ourselves; the germ that may be planted and proliferated to give more life to the world. This is the baptism of the Spirit and of Fire.

Second Sunday after Christmas

Border Crossings by the Rev. Salying Wong

January 2. 2022

In this sermon, Pastor Salying tells her story of crossing the border to United States–even as that event was full of uncertainty, the uncertainty that followed was even greater. Often, to cross a border is to cross into more uncertainty. In a world out of our control, faith helps us find a foothold. Most of all, what helps is making new life by making it together–in community.

Christmas Eve

The Christmas Homily was not recorded.

Fourth Sunday in Advent

On Sunday, December 19, 2021 we celebrated with a liturgy of Lessons & Carols; there was no sermon.

Third Sunday in Advent

On Sunday, December 12, 2021, we had our Annual Christmas Pageant in the usual place of the Sunday sermon.

Second Sunday in Advent

10,000 Degrees by the Rev. Salying Wong

December 5, 2021

The Prophet Malachi urges the people to be reconciled with God and neighbor.  But reconciliation is not for the faint of heart.  It will feel like being burned in 10,000 degrees; it will feel like being scrubbed in a bath of lye.  Is this God’s wrath and judgment?  Or is it our wrath and judgment?  How do we prepare for the coming of the Lord?

First Sunday in Advent

Chronos, Kairos, Advent by the Rev. Salying Wong

November 28, 2021

Advent is time that wells up to fulfillment; it does not run out. It is the time to look for the signs of new life, not destruction. It requires silence to perceive.

Last Sunday after Pentecost: Christ the King

In Celebration of the 110th Anniversary of our Parish: Interviews with long-time members

November 21, 2021

Pastor Salying Wong spoke at some length with long-time members Norma Medlin and Jane Doman. The video with Norma may be found here.

Twenty-fifth Sunday after Pentecost

Birthpangs by the Rev. Salying Wong

November 14, 2021 Proper 28

The Gospel of Mark offers no soft consolation. Jesus tells his disciples that they cannot bypass suffering. Some will try to jump over the labor of suffering–announcing that all is accomplished before it is accomplished, pretending that Jesus has already come to save the day in his second coming. But, Jesus says not to believe it. In fact, the suffering is the birthpangs to new life–one must labor in order to create the end of the story. This is the good news.

All Saints Sunday

Risen Life, Present Tense by the Rev. Salying Wong

November 7, 2021

The sign of Lazarus’ raising points to the reality that Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life. Jesus declares this before he raises Lazarus, before he himself is crucified, died, risen and ascended. Jesus declares this not as a causal reality, but as a present reality. Jesus came in the midst of our human condition–loss, pain, death–to show us that these things do not have the last word. In Jesus, the Word made flesh, the last word is resurrection and life.

Twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost

Stewardship Sunday

A Very Perfect Gift by Lou Poulain, LLP

October 31, 2021 Proper 26

Our identity as Christians is built on worship, gospel, community and service. As we answer the call to be steward of these things, it is an answer to extend ourselves in care for one another in the midst of our most local expression of church.

Twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost

On the Way: Insight from the Margins by the Rev. Salying Wong

October 24, 2021 Proper 25

Bartimaeus sits by the roadside, sits along the way, sits on the margins. And though he is blind, he has insight to who Jesus is. He cries out, “Jesus, Son of David!” He declares the messiah on his way from Jericho to Jerusalem. The way that Jesus walks is cruciform. Bartimaeus proclaims salvation by giving the insight we need to have a new perspective. This new perspective (literally repentance) is the insight/sight we need to see the Kingdom of God.

Twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost

Is the Vice President Seat Open? by the Rev. Salying Wong

October 17, 2021 Proper 24

You need repentance to see the Kingdom of God. That is, you need a new mind, a new perspective (metanoia). It isn’t like other kinds of kingdoms, where the head positions give you power and glory. In Jesus’ Kingdom, the seats to his left are right are the cross. Suffering is part of this kingdom. All who follow this way will serve as one who has to contend with suffering. It is in the midst of suffering that our servanthood is purified–as not about having power and honor, but even eschewing hatred and bitterness in the worst of it. That’s how you walk into God’s kingdom.

Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost

Who Is Good? by the Rev. Salying Wong

October 10, 2021 Proper 23

The story of the rich man who was told to sell everything and the response of Peter and the disciples together reveal the essential nature of the Kingdom of God. It is not entered in by human goodness, which is tainted by our egos. Rather, it is a pure gift from God, whose goodness is purely from the place of mercy and love. Jesus looked at the rich man and loved him; Jesus looks at us and loves us. When we consent to the gaze of God and one our eye with God’s eye, the camel threads the eye of the needle. What is impossible with mortals is possible with God.

Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Good News for the Divorced by the Rev. Salying Wong

October 3, 2021 Proper 22

Divorce has touched almost everyone’s lives, either directly or indirectly. The pain can close up the heart. This sermon contemplates Mark 10 and Jesus’ teaching on divorce. Setting his words in context, we can hold his words not as a prescription, but as eschatological hope. In the Kingdom of God, the hope is the hope of the vulnerable, the disempowered, and the shamed. It is welcome for the broken hearted.

Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Stumbling Blocks by Lou Poulain, LLP

September 26, 2021 Proper 21

Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost

The Greatest Path by the Rev. Bertram Nagarajah

September 19, 2021 Proper 20

We can be too concerned about our own greatness, comparing and competing with one another. But, Jesus, before he goes to the cross, teaches them what is the path of greatness. That path is to love one another–especially in the here and now.

Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Remembrance of 9-11 by Gage McKinney, LLP

September 12, 2021 Proper 19

Where were you during the events of 9-11? For those old enough, we know where we were. This is because of the scale of 9-11. In the Gospel of Mark, we see that when Jesus moves out of Galilee to the Gentile regions, the scale of the gospel message grows bigger. Yet, in the midst of the growing scale of the movement, Jesus brings it back to the personal, when he asks, “Who do you say that I am?” So, also, in the huge scale of tragedy of 9-11, God’s love comes to each person. God, who made the galaxies, is also God in each human heart. Life in God is lived across various levels.

Gage McKinney, LLP

Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Ephphatha at the Borders by the Rev. Salying Wong

September 5, 2021 Proper 18

In Mark 7, Jesus leaves Galilee and goes to Tyre. He moves from Jewish territory to Phoenician territory and from agricultural and poor territory to urban and wealthy territory. But, he still has borders to cross. The Syro-phoenican woman teaches him that the borders of the Kingdom are opened (Ephphatha). When he accepts the transformation at this border crossing, he, too, gives liberation to the woman’s daughter–and ultimately to the deaf-mute man of the Decapolis. The liberation of the kingdom is contagious and crosses boundaries.

Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Hey Jesus, Did You Sanitize? by the Rev. Salying Wong

August 29, 2021 Proper 17

Purification rituals help us remember that God is holy and that life with the holy God really matters. But, sometimes, we go sideways, thinking that the rituals themselves makes us holy–and then judge those who don’t do things our way as not as holy. When we go too far, we end up projecting the things we don’t like about ourselves onto others. But examination of the heart, which Jesus is discussing in the Gospel reading from Mark, enables us to use that which we would rather cast away as the very means to a pure heart–which is really a whole heart. When we can gain compassion for ourselves, it will be natural to be compassionate to our neighbor.

Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost

End Where We Began by the Rev. Salying Wong

August 22, 2021 Proper 16

This fifth installment on the Bread of Life discourse considers the ultimate place Jesus has taken the crowd and his disciples–a place where they have nothing to offer for the boundless love they are being given. It is a place of utter vulnerability. Some will find this too scandalizing; but, for those who remain, they will be freed from the will of the flesh and be born again/from above–they will have power to become children of God.

Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost

More to Chew On by the Rev. Salying Wong

August 15, 2021 Proper 15

This fourth installment in the bread of life discourse explores the levels of meaning in the phrases “living bread” and “eat my flesh”. Some the allusions are to the Good Shepherd/Psalm 23 and to the eucharist. The invitation is throughout: the offering of life and life abundant.

Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost

The Multiplication Goes On by the Rev. Salying Wong

August 8, 2021 Proper 14

Continuing in the Bread of Life discourse in John 6, this Sunday we (and the crowd) contemplate Jesus’ origins from the beginning as the Bread of Heaven which gives life to the world. Jesus’ coming as intimate presence helps those who trust him erase the sense of separation from God, which is part of the human condition. When we feed on Jesus, the True Bread, we will multiply the work of trust–and so the miracle (of loaves and fishes) goes on and on.

(This is the third installment of the 5 week series on the Bread of Life Discourse set for the lectionary.)

Tenth Sunday after Pentecost

Do you believe? by the Rev. Salying Wong

August 1, 2021 Proper 13

Miracles leave us hungry again. But, a sign leads to eternal life, where we feast on the Bread of Life. To believe, in the Gospel of John, means to say yes to an intimate relationship with Jesus, who is God’s presence among us. The performance of the sign of multiplication, when understood merely as a miracle, treats the exchange with God as a transaction. But, when understood truly, leads to connection–leads to a relationship that is born of God, born from above. This is the invitation in the sign of loaves and fishes.

Ninth Sunday after Pentecost

Jesus Feeds Us with his Own Hand by the Rev. Salying Wong

July 25, 2021 Proper 12

This is the first installment of a 5-week series on John 6.  This sermon interprets the Multiplication of Loaves and Fishes using the Prologue of John, as a sign of God come near through Jesus, to show abundant love and to call all into relationship–to give grace upon grace. No video is available, but you may read the manuscript here.

Eighth Sunday after Pentecost

Get Your Groove On by the Rev. Salying Wong

July 18, 2021 Proper 11

This is the rewrite of the Psalm 23 from today.

1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters; 3 he restores my soul. When traveling, he puts my wheels in a righteous groove for a smooth ride, for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff— they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Only goodness and mercy shall pursue me all the days of my life, and I shall return again and again to God’s presence my whole life long.

Here’s the sermon, “Get Your Groove On” on the psalm by Pastor Salying.

Seventh Sunday after Pentecost

The Light Yoke by the Rev. Salying Wong

July 11, 2021 Proper 10

The story of the murder of John the Baptist is a harbinger of harder things to come. Today, Jesus teaches his disciples how to bear hardships.

Sixth Sunday after Pentecost

July 4, 2021 Proper 9 Persevering Faith by the Rev. Salying Wong

Sometimes the work of the Gospel means rejection and change of tactic. In such times, we must be nimble, adapt, and have persevering faith.

Fifth Sunday after Pentecost

June 27, 2021 Proper 8 No Shortage of Grace by the Rev. Salying Wong

This sermon has no video – meanwhile, here’s audio recording of the sermon on Mark 5,  No Shortage of Grace:  A sick poor woman; a sick rich girl: each receive healing, showing that in the Kingdom of God, there is no shortage of grace.

The Rev. Salying Wong

Fourth Sunday after Pentecost

June 20, 2021 Proper 7 Emmanuel in the Boat by the Rt. Rev. Lucinda Ashby

In this sermon, Bishop Lucinda shows how Jesus is Emmanuel in the boat and in all places, in the tempest and also in fair weather.

Third Sunday after Pentecost

June 13, 2021 Proper 6

Seeing the Harvest by Lou Poulain, LLP

This sermon by Lou Poulain considers how to see the harvest, when the process of growth is so mysterious in the Parable of the Sower.

A video of this sermon maybe found here.