Year A; Proper 21; 10.1.2023, The Rector’s Retirement Sermon Philippians 2:1-13 [Act out Acts 16 – Paul, Silas, Timothy meet Lydia and her household at the River near Philippi. Props: 1.purple shawl, two other scarves 2.Name tags: “PAUL” “SILAS” “TIMOTHY” 3.Blue streamers for river water. We are the faith community called St. […]
Sermon, Sept. 24, 2023 “What you are is what you were when.” That’s the title of a short film that I watched in a course called “Human Relations in the Classroom” back when I was getting certified to teach public high school. The premise of the film was that what we felt we lacked when […]
For 15 years I worked for a pharmaceutical company. I started as a salesperson selling lab products to clinical and hospital labs in five states in the Mid-West. After a few years of sales, I was called to corporate headquarters to work in training and then marketing. Instantly, in that corporate setting, I learned how […]
8/20/23, Matthew 15: (10-20), 21-28 Rev. Katie Holicky, Assistant Rector A while back, I heard this story about Muhammad Ali while listening to a Civil Rights podcast. This same story also happens to be one that was cut from the Ken Burns PBS […]
Ghost on the Water Let me start by putting today’s reading from Mathew’s gospel in context: Chapter 14 begins with the power and violence of Empire: sex, corruption, narcissism, debauchery and death (and no, I’m not talking about a current political figure, but about King Herod and his beheading of John the Baptist, all because […]
Year AFB; Proper 12; Genesis 29:15-28; Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52 7.30.2023 Several years ago, Bishop Stephen Lane introduced congregations in the Diocese of Maine to a practice called, “Living Local: Joining God in the Neighborhood.” The idea was for a team of parishioners to commit themselves to deep listening practices in their neighborhood and in […]
Wheat and weeds Long years ago, back in my first year of teaching at Mt. Ararat High School, I had a particularly troublesome student in one of my 11th grade English classes. Using the language of today’s parable, I would have labeled him a weed. He was prone to be disruptive, teetering on the edge […]
7/16/23 Matthew 13:1-9,18-23 Rev. Katie Holicky, Assistant Rector It was impossible for me to read this passage from Matthew and not go right out to my garden, also known as “the farm” in our house, crouch down and examine the soil where my now rather large vegetables and herbs are bursting forth. Learning […]
Celebrating the Season of Creation
The Season of Creation is a time to renew our relationship with our Creator and all creation through celebration, conversion, and commitment together.
We will celebrate the Season of Creation at St. Paul’s starting in September and concluding on Indigenous Peoples Day.
O God, because in our ignorance and selfishness we so often fail to care rightly for your Creation, mercifully grant that your Holy Spirit may soften and unite our hearts with all living beings who suffer; through Jesus Christ the Wisdom of Creation, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, now and for ever. Amen.