Best Holy Comforter Episcopal Church Podcasts (2024)

1
The Gift of the Holy Spirit

3d ago

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Let us pray: Come Holy Spirit, dance in these words that we may know you better. In the name of our Mother/Father, our Brother Jesus, and the mystery of the Spirit who guides and encourages us. Amen. Happy Pentecost! Pentekoste or 50th in Greek. Fifty days after Easter when we remember, celebrate, and renew the coming of the Holy Spirit on the firs…

1
Forward with Love

8d ago

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This past Thursday was the Feast of the Ascension. On Ascension we commemorate that moment when Jesus took the Disciples, 40 days after his Resurrection, out to the Mount of Olives and gave them some final words, some last wisdom, and then ascended up into heaven. This moment was a second death for the Disciples. The first death was on Good Friday,…

1
You Are Loved, You are Valued, You Belong

2d ago

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By The Rev. Ryan Baker-Fones

1
The Spirituality of Friendship

1d ago

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In the Gospel today, Jesus told the Disciples I call you not servants, but friends. Friendship is important. It is important to our well being. There have been numerous studies that show friendship affects our physical health. People with more and deeper friendships live longer, and their years are filled with more good health. Friendship is also i…

1
God's dream, God's vision, of love

1M ago

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God loves you. God loves you, without question, without reservation. God loves you. You already know that because we preach that all the time here at St. Mary’s. We tell you that God loves you a lot. It’s usually how we end sermons, but today we are starting there. God loves you. It is a consistent message in scripture. This reality of God’s love i…

1
Hearing God's Call and Saying "Yes!"

5M ago

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Is there anyone who has not at one time or another asked a young person what they want to be when they grow up? Zack’s responses beginning at about age three included among other things: truck driver, heavy equipment operator, professional skate boarder, crabber on the Bering Sea, professional basketball player, and by age 12, a teacher and coach. …

1
You Are God's Beloved

5M ago

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In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”Mark 1:9-11…

1
Gentle Power

6M ago

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Let us pray: Come Holy Spirit, inhabit these words, may they bring comfort to your people as we await the coming of your Son our Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen. Comfort, O comfort my people. YES please! What a time, what a need for comfort we all have in our world today. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, the prophet Isaiah says. Speak tenderly to these Unit…

1
Comfort and Hope - The Goal of Scripture

6M ago

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By The Rev. Bingham Powell

1
Are We There Yet?

7M ago

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Let us pray: May these words be your words, this message your message, through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Are we there yet? How much longer? Will we EVER get there? I’m SO ready to be home already! I imagine you’ve heard these words, or uttered them in exasperation yourself, plenty of times. We want to be there, to arrive. And we especiall…

1
Rupture and Reconciliation: Walking the Way of Love

9M ago

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Our first reading today comes from the Book of Genesis. It is part of the Joseph saga, which is a short novella within the Book of Genesis that takes up a little more than a quarter of the entire book. It is the longest story in Genesis. You may remember the Joseph story from the musical a few decades ago, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream C…

1
The Intentional Practice of Love

9M ago

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In our Gospel today, Jesus is talking with the Disciples about what to do if another member of the church sins against you. The expression, sins against you, is not very clear. Jesus is not being very precise when he says that, and there are all kinds of debates about if this type of sin is relevant here or not. But Jesus is likely using it in a ge…

1
A House of Prayer for All People

9M ago

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May this be in the name of our loving, liberating, life-giving God. Amen. We have quite an interesting story in today’s gospel. It’s certainly NOT the typical picture of Jesus we are used to. First, context is key. Jesus has been talking to the crowds and arguing with the religious elite about ideas of purity, about what makes someone clean and wha…

1
The Feast of Saint Mary

10M ago

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Over the past several weeks St. Mary’s has held Quinceañera services here in the church in celebration of girls’ 15th birthdays. A Quinceañera is a tradition with both Mexican and Spanish roots, celebrated throughout Latin America and elsewhere. It marks the passage from girlhood to womanhood, emphasizing the importance of family and community in h…

1
Pilgrimages, Mountaintop Moments, and the Feast of the Transfiguration

10M ago

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This past week I returned from England where I was helping lead our youth pilgrimage. We had a wonderful time. We visited London and Canterbury and York and other small towns nearby. It was a wonderful pilgrimage. What is a pilgrimage? Scholars who study pilgrimages say the word is hard to define. There are definitions that cover different aspects,…

1
Our Potential For Change - With God's Help

10M ago

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By now I think many of you know that my father was an Episcopal priest. What some of you may not know is that I come, courtesy of my mother’s side of the family, from a long line of Methodist ministers. While several of those men served as missionaries in China, the most famous member of the group, my Great Uncle Edward, stayed home in Pennsylvania…

1
Experience Christ’s presence out in the world

11M ago

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By The Rev. Bingham Powell

1
The Incarnation and the Resurrection – An Easter Sermon

1y ago

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Happy Easter! It is truly a joy to be with you all today as we gather together to celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. But before we talk about that, we need to talk about something else. We need to talk about Christmas. Christmas? Just bear with me for a moment. Christmas is the celebration of the Incarnation, that is, …

1
The Tension Between Grief and Hope

1y ago

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Let us pray: Come Lord Jesus, be with us in our grief as you accompanied Mary and Martha and all who mourned. Speak through these words and call us to new life in you. Amen. In this season of Lent, as we consider our own mortality, “remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return,” as we journey with Jesus toward Jerusalem, crucifixion and …

1
What the Samaritan Woman Can Teach Us

1y ago

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I’ve been there, or at least I think I have if the Biblical scholars and archeologists are correct. On my trip to the Holy Land in 2014 we stopped at Jacob’s well, which is located near the city of Nablas in the occupied territory of Palestine. In the late 1800’s a Greek Orthodox church was built around it, so these days the well is to be found in …

1
Nicodemus: A Different Kind of Disciple

1y ago

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A couple of months ago in the middle of January, in early Epiphany, there were a couple of weeks when we heard Gospel readings about the first disciples, how they encountered Jesus for the first time, and how they came to follow him. The portrait of these early disciples that the Gospels painted for us is one rather enthusiastic bunch. It does not …

1
Christmas Eve Sermon

1+ y ago

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By The Rev. Ryan Baker-Fones

1
Rejoice in the Lord Always

1+ y ago

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May this be in the name of our loving, liberating, life-giving God, Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer. Amen. Happy Third Sunday of Advent to you! This third Sunday is also known as Gaudete Sunday or Rose Sunday. The Episcopalchurch.org glossary provides more insight: Gaudete Sunday is: “The third Sunday of Advent…The term is derived from the Latin o…

1
So That We Might Have Hope

1+ y ago

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Let us pray: May these words bring encouragement, inspiration, and hope in the name of our loving God who was and is and is to come. Amen. “Whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, so that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope” (Romans 15:4). So that by steadfastness, or a “steady…

1
Three Advents

1+ y ago

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Today is the First Sunday of Advent, the first Sunday of a new season. Not only that, it is the first Sunday in the Church Year. So Happy New Year. I hope you had a big party last night, opened the bubbly, and watched the ball drop. Advent is the start of our journey through the Church Year. It is a journey with Christ. A journey starting with his …

1
Imagine

1+ y ago

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May this be in the name of Jesus Christ, the King of kings, and Lord of lords. Today marks the last Sunday of the Church year, the Last Sunday after Pentecost, also called The Feast of Christ the King. Today we focus on the return of Christ, when evil will be defeated and Jesus will begin his reign as King of kings. This feast day offers us a glimp…

1
Approaching the Holy Scriptures

1+ y ago

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Let us pray: Come Holy Spirit, open our ears, eyes, and hearts to the blessed hope offered in Jesus Christ made present in you holy Word. Amen. I love the collect for today. It’s one of my favorites. I’m not as excited about the lectionary readings. They are tough. But what I hope to offer you today, with the help of the Holy Spirit, is a way to en…

1
The Hope To Which We Have Been Called

1+ y ago

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Anyone who reads my Bellringer columns has heard me mention many times Bishop Browning’s book of meditations, A Year of Days, with which I’ve started my mornings for decades. The year I was given the book I opened it on November 13th to find the line from the Prayer Book that Bishop Browning focused on that day was from the birthday prayer. Novembe…

1
The Radical Grace of God

1+ y ago

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We were made by God in love. We were made by the God of love and we were made in the image of that God of love. Stamped with that love in our creation. That love never goes away. That love is absolute and so God’s grace to us is absolute.By The Rev. Bingham Powell

1
Power in Mercy and Compassion

1+ y ago

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May this be in the name of our loving, liberating, life-giving God, Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer. Amen. In the first line of today’s collect, as per the formula, God is addressed according to an attribute, a facet of God’s nature, our attempt to define the divine in terms of our relationship. O God, who declarest thy almighty power chiefly in s…

1
Invest Wisely

1+ y ago

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“Make friends for yourselves by means of dishonest wealth so that when it is gone, they may welcome you into the eternal homes.” This morning’s gospel is part of a larger discussion in Luke on the meaning of money and wealth. In the previous chapter is the parable we traditionally call “the prodigal son,” which among other things raises the questio…

1
God is always more ready to forgive than we are to ask

1+ y ago

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By The Rev. Bingham Powell

1
Love Over All Else

1+ y ago

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Now large crowds were traveling with Jesus; and he turned and said to them, "Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.” Whoever does not hate? Really, Jesus? I love my parent…

1
The Bible as a Story

2y ago

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Sit back and listen to the Rt. Rev. Neff Powell share the stories of the Bible.By The Rt. Rev. Neff Powell

1
Full of Compassion and Mercy

2y ago

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Let us pray: God of compassion, mercy and great kindness, be present, heal and lift us up with these words. Amen. Today’s readings provide us with some wonderful images of God’s restoration and healing. From the prophet Isaiah: “The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your needs in parched places.” “The Lord will guide you continually, and…

1
Active, Courageous, Present – The Faith of Mary

2y ago

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Today is the Feast of St. Mary. Actually, tomorrow is the Feast of St. Mary, but the Prayer Book gives us a wonderful opportunity and even encouragement, that when a church is named for a Saint, their Feast Day can be moved to a nearby Sunday so the whole community can gather to celebrate their namesake. So that is why we get to celebrate St. Mary,…

1
The Journey of Faith

2y ago

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Our second reading today comes from the Book of Hebrews. Hebrews is a rich and complex work. Many scholars think it was originally a sermon in which the preacher is exploring what Jesus is all about, the meaning of Jesus and his work in this world, its purpose, what God was trying to do, how it works, how it is accomplished, and its meaning for us.…

1
Sitting Under Trees We Didn't Plant

2y ago

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Just in case your mind went on a little walk-about during the reading of the Gospel, let me read a bit back to you again. “The land of a rich man produced abundantly. And he thought to himself, `What should I do, for I have no place to store my crops?' Then he said, `I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will …

1
Learning to Trust

2y ago

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Our first reading today comes from the book of Genesis. We heard a reading from Genesis last week as well. Both of these readings come from the story of Abraham and Sarah, a part of Genesis that begins in chapter 12 and goes on for a few more chapters beyond today’s reading. One of the ways to read the story of Abraham and Sarah is as a story about…

1
Hospitality and Welcome

2y ago

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We find in today’s Gospel one of the most familiar Biblical stories of hospitality. Lazarus may have come home early to let his sisters know that Jesus and his friends were coming for dinner. Mary and Martha tidied up the house and began dinner preparations. The guests arrived as one sister prepared the meal and the other sister welcomed the guests…

1
Who Is Our Neighbor

2y ago

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The Book of Deuteronomy is essentially a farewell address by Moses to the Hebrew people preached to them on the plains of Moab shortly before they entered the promised land. Knowing that he would not be going with them, I can imagine Moses would have had a lot to say to those whiny, stiff necked people who clearly tried his patience over the years,…

1
Strength on Our Journey

2y ago

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Let us pray: Gracious and loving God, comfort, console, and strengthen us with these words today, that we might find your joy in the midst of our grief. Amen. In this final chapter of Isaiah from today’s Old Testament reading, God calls a people who have been mourning to rejoice. The people of God are mourning the overthrow of Jerusalem by the Baby…

1
Love: Foundation and Cornerstone of Our Faith

2y ago

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“Almighty God, you have built your church upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone.” These words from our Collect today point to something important about the nature of the church and its relationship to Jesus. We have this metaphor of the church as a building. Colloquially we often say “dow…

1
Beloved Is Your Name

2y ago

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Before I begin today’s sermon, I want to take a moment to thank all of you for your support, your welcome, and all that you have taught me in this past year. Tomorrow, June 20th will mark my first year as your curate. It’s been my pleasure to serve, learn, worship, and grow with you. And I look forward to the next year of my curacy and beyond as I …

1
The Mighty Works of God

2y ago

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Collect: O God, who on this day taught the hearts of your faithful people by sending to them the light of your Holy Spirit: Grant us by the same Spirit to have a right judgment in all things, and evermore to rejoice in his holy comfort; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, …

1
Love is the Final Word

2y ago

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Let us pray: Come Holy Spirit, inspire these words, open our hearts and minds to be one in your love today. Amen. I am tired, but it is more than that. I am weary. Weary of this world. Weary of COVID, weary of politics, of arguing, and disrespect. Weary of war. Weary of horrible news and images, senseless violence. I am weary. Before I became a pri…

1
Another Look at the Book of Revelation: A Revelation of God's Dream

2y ago

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Last week we talked about the Book of Acts of the Apostles which we have been reading throughout this Easter season. We started at the beginning of the Book and have been going through it sequentially, taking big leaps each week. The Acts of the Apostles is not the only book we are doing that with. We are also doing it with the Book of Revelation. …

1
A Community of Love

2y ago

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The first reading today comes from the Book of Acts, the Acts of the Apostles. This is Part 2 of Luke's Gospel. In Part 1, the Gospel of Luke, the author told us all about the life of Jesus from his birth to his death and resurrection. Now in Part 2 he tells us about the Body of Christ, the life of the Church. You could argue it goes through its li…

1
Calling Us By Name

2y ago

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In the name of our loving, liberating, life-giving God. Amen. The words of today’s collect ask: O God, whose Son Jesus is the good shepherd of thy/your people: Grant that when we hear his voice, we may know him who calleth/calls us each by name, and follow where he (doth) leads… Grant that when we hear God’s voice, we may know who's calling us, and…

1
A Life of Prayer and A Life of Action

2y ago

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Before we can talk about today's Gospel reading from the 21st Chapter of John, we need to step back for a moment and look at Chapter 20. More specifically, we need to go back to Easter Sunday morning when we heard the story of Mary Magdalen on the very first Easter Day while it was still dark, going down to the tomb and finding the tomb empty. The …

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