And then what happened is as many of you know, I had a sortof a conversion experience when I was 20 and I realized, oh gosh,dang, I do believe in God. This is real that I believe in God. And in fact, Ithink I'm Christian. I do believe in Jesus. And from the moment that thathappened, I felt this sort of need to prove some things. From the moment tha…

On Cupbearers and Cults John 6:37–51 The Eleventh Sunday after Trinity Sunday, August 11, 2024 The Rev. Andrew DeFusco Church of the Redeemer, Nashville TN www.Redeemer-Nashville.net

Mtr. Sarah discusses how we meet at the table where the bread and wine represent a promise for eternity.

A Table in the Wilderness Exodus 16:2–4, 9–15, John 6:24–35, Psalm 78:14–26 The Tenth Sunday after Trinity Sunday, August 4, 2024 The Rev. Johnmark Smith, Curate Church of the Redeemer, Nashville TN www.Redeemer-Nashville.net

This certainly is not unity. Is unity a difficult ask for today? Today America has become more divided than ever. For many, unity is viewed as a threat to peace. to one's personhood or individual identity altogether. Unity requires someone must win and someone must lose. Unity means a loss of freedom. Unity means a loss of merit or a loss of dignit…

Fr. Andy reminds us that everyone has a gift to offer the ministry of God, now and forever.

Politics and Power II Kings 2:1–15 The Ninth Sunday after Trinity Sunday, July 28, 2024 The Rev. Andrew DeFusco, Rector Church of the Redeemer, Nashville TN www.Redeemer-Nashville.net

Now that this is my last Sunday with you, it's time for me to tell you my real name, because in so many ways, our name defines us, roots us in this world, gives us our identity. My real name isn't the name that my parents put on my birth certificate and that I was called at my baptism. It's the name my grandmother gave me when I was born. My father…

Mtr. Sarah reminds us that Jesus offers so much when we rely on Him.

We live in a time when the proclaiming of Christ's word maysometimes be used to divide us, not unite us. To judge us, separate us from one another. The distortion of Christ's message of lovemay be used to sound exclusive instead of the inclusive example Jesus actuallytaught and lived. Sometimes it feelsheartbreaking that truth and faith and love ca…

Rest A While The Eighth Sunday after Trinity Sunday, July 21, 2024 The Rev. Andrew DeFusco, Rector Church of the Redeemer, Nashville TN www.Redeemer-Nashville.net

Mtr. Sarah reminds us that we are not the ones who determine where God goes; God is wherever His people are.

anakephalaiosis (gathering up) The Seventh Sunday after Trinity Sunday, July 14, 2024 The Rev. Andrew DeFusco, Rector Church of the Redeemer, Nashville TN www.Redeemer-Nashville.net

When I was graduating high school, our yearbook staff held an election for hope in the form of our senior superlatives. You all may remember these from that time in your life. Each day at the lunch period, for a week, students could go to the special table in the lunchroom and cast their vote for their peers, that they felt were well deserving of a…

Fr. Wiley reminds us that we are called to love, to be bringers of peace, to be the calm in the storm.

Resistance and Grace The Sixth Sunday after Trinity Sunday, July 7, 2024 The Rev. Kenny Benge, Associate Rector Church of the Redeemer, Nashville TN www.Redeemer-Nashville.net

I do believe Paul's point is easily made at the end of ourreading. And that is that God's power ismade stronger in our human weakness. Therefore, boasting and weakness allows for Christ's powerand grace to be made more evident. Or, in our English translation of this, it'sperfected. But why? Why is the divine'spower perfected in weakness? Maybebecau…

Fr. Wiley reminds us to keep focused on faith as God works through us, knowing everyone we encounter is a child of God.

Teach Us To Care The Fifth Sunday After Trinity Sunday, June 30, 2024 Ashley Cleveland, Pastoral Associate Church of the Redeemer, Nashville TN www.Redeemer-Nashville.net

Mtr. Sarah asks what is stopping us from seeking Jesus.

God's Got Questions The Fourth Sunday After Trinity Sunday, June 23, 2024 The Rev. Andrew DeFusco, Rector Church of the Redeemer, Nashville TN www.Redeemer-Nashville.net

Fr. Wiley reminds us that when we're living in the will of God, every obstacle can be overcome when we turn to Jesus in faith.

Mtr. Sarah reminds us that parables are meant to illustrate the magnificence of the kingdom of God.

Mtr. Sarah confesses her lack of a green thumb, and that thankfully she isn't responsible for the growth. God is.

Glorious Tree The Third Sunday After Trinity Sunday, June 16, 2024 The Rev. Andrew DeFusco, Rector Church of the Redeemer, Nashville TN www.Redeemer-Nashville.net

Interpretations The Second Sunday After Trinity Sunday, June 9, 2024 The Rev. Andrew DeFusco, Rector Church of the Redeemer, Nashville TN www.Redeemer-Nashville.net

I think we are all familiar with "Are we there yet?" In fact, I can't help thinking that the question, so familiar to family travelers, is an inborn genetic trait that is triggered one hour after the car leaves the driveway. Sometimes children even make a repetitive chant out of it, thus increasing its output a hundredfold before the parents put a …

Fr. Wiley reminds us that we belong to one another and together we belong to God.

Fr. Wiley invites you to the foolishness of generosity, to the playful intensity of rest, to the living grace of God's gifts.

Renewed Day By Day The First Sunday after Trinity Sunday, June 2, 2024 The Rev. Kenny Benge, Associate Rector Church of the Redeemer, Nashville TN www.Redeemer-Nashville.net

Mtr. Sarah explores the importance of relationship and community in her discussion of the Trinity.

I don't remember when I started seeing the oval decals on cars that say just 26.2, but for a long time, it puzzled me. I assumed it referred to a Bible verse, so I looked up all the "26.2's" in the Bible to see what message was being proclaimed. There was Exodus: "The length of each curtain shall be 28 cubits, and the width of each curtain 4 cubits…

Numinous (Shoes Off!) Trinity Sunday Sunday, May 26, 2024 The Rev. Andrew DeFusco, Rector Church of the Redeemer, Nashville TN www.Redeemer-Nashville.net

Body Image (Pentecost) The Day of Pentecost Sunday, May 19, 2024 The Rev. Andrew DeFusco, Rector Church of the Redeemer, Nashville TN www.Redeemer-Nashville.net

Fr. Wiley encourages us to listen for the Spirit's leading and then be brave and follow.

Are we, perhaps, a little bit afraid of Pentecost? And what the spirit? A couple of weeks ago,our neighbors invited us to attend worship with them at their church. Word ofdeliverance. I'd been there a couple oftimes before, but this was my first outing there with my children. The band was poppin, the speakers wereblaring. The choir was on fire. Lit…

Our Presumptions and God’s Intentions The Seventh Sunday of Easter Sunday, May 12, 2024 The Rev. Johnmark Smith, Youth Pastor Church of the Redeemer, Nashville TN www.Redeemer-Nashville.net

Fr. Wiley examines Jesus' prayer to God about us, knowing we belonged to God first.

Think of someone who is suffering from addiction, from depression, from loneliness, self-rejection, rejection by the world. Distress due to finances. Meaningless of life. Think of them as being tossed into the ocean. Do we not hold on to Jesus, believe in our God and Christ so that we can be a lifeboat to others. By us sitting here, standing here, …

God is Love The Sixth Sunday of Easter Sunday, May 5, 2024 The Rev. Andrew DeFusco, Rector Church of the Redeemer, Nashville TN www.Redeemer-Nashville.net

Mtr. Sarah reminds us that Jesus says we must be willing to die for one another, and believe in the Resurrection of our Lord and witness to it.

I don't know about you all, but I feel like I've had more than the usual number of encounters with geese this spring. Maybe you've had that experience too. Frequently as they're crossing a road... And if I don't see them immediately when I'm behind other cars, I will find that I'm experiencing considerable frustration.'Why are these people not movi…

A few years ago, when traveling anywhere was out of the question because of you-know-what, many homeowners thought of turning their own yards into destinations worthy of traveling to--and the staycation was born. My backyard was a blank slate full of weeds. I wanted a place outside that was worth traveling to, a yard that reminded me of places I'd …

While coming down the hill into Hyde Park on Ridge, I noticed a car stopped in the middle of the intersection, and a man standing at the back of his car. Without thinking it through, I pulled off to the side, saying to my sister, hold on, a guy is stuck in the intersection. I'll call you right back. And as I jumped out of my car to see what was goi…

I Will Not Leave You Orphaned The Fifth Sunday of Easter Sunday, April 28, 2024 The Rev. Kenny Benge, Associate Rector Church of the Redeemer, Nashville TN www.Redeemer-Nashville.net

Fr. Wiley reminds us that God has opened the covenant to everyone and all are welcome.

Mtr. Sarah reminds us that Jesus pursues us when we wander away; continuing to call us back to Him.

The Good Shepherd The Fourth Sunday of Easter Sunday, April 21, 2024 Ashley Cleveland, Pastoral Associate Church of the Redeemer, Nashville TN www.Redeemer-Nashville.net

Bishop Alex Cameron The Third Sunday of Easter Sunday, April 14, 2024 The Rt. Rev. Alex Cameron, Bishop of Pittsburgh, ACNA Church of the Redeemer, Nashville TN www.Redeemer-Nashville.net

Fr. Wiley reminds us that Jesus leads us to everlasting life and this is Good News for everyone!