St. Thomas Episcopal Church Sermons

Holding the Light at the Threshold | The Rev. Liz Costello | February 15, 2026

In this sermon for the Last Sunday after the Epiphany, Mother Liz reflects on the Transfiguration of Jesus (Luke 9:28–36) as a threshold moment — a glimpse of divine glory before the journey toward the cross.
Drawing on the image of Christ “fully lit up” in God’s light, she reminds us that the Transfiguration is not only about who Jesus is, but about where we are headed. As we prepare to enter Lent, we are given this radiant vision as a promise: resurrection is the trajectory. Even when life feels like wilderness, suffering, or uncertainty, we carry hope.
Saint Irenaeus wrote, “The glory of God is the human being fully alive.” Where do you see that kind of aliveness in your life or in others?
#StThomasMedina#EpiscopalChurch#TransfigurationSunday#EpiphanyToLent#ChristianHope

Salt & Light | The Rev. Edmund Harris | February 8, 2026

What does it really mean to be salt and light in today’s world? In this sermon, Father Edmund explores Jesus’ vivid images from the Sermon on the Mount, reminding us that salt brings life and flavor, and light is meant to be shared. In a time of division and weariness, we gather as a community to remember who we are, rekindle our flame, and go back into the world shaped by love, mercy, and hope. 
#SaltAndLight#SermonOnTheMount#EpiscopalChurch#FaithInCommunity#BeingTheChurch#StThomasMedina#FollowingJesus#HopeInAction

Feel the Fear, and Do It Anyway | The Most Rev. Melissa Skelton | January 25, 2026

Guest preacher Bishop Melissa Skelton weaves together Psalm 27, the story of Rosa Parks, and the women of scripture honored in St. Thomas’s new stained glass windows. A sermon about fear, courage, and companionship, this reflection reminds us that faith does not eliminate fear—but it gives us words, stories, and people who help us act with courage anyway.
#Psalm27 #FaithAndCourage #WomenOfTheBible #StainedGlassStories #EpiscopalChurch #FeelTheFear #DoItAnyway #FaithInAction #SacredStories #StThomasMedina

Come and See: Widening the Circle of Witness | The Rev. James McEachran | January 18, 2026

What does it mean to be part of a “circle of witness”? In this Epiphany sermon, Rev. James McEachran reflects on John the Baptist, baptism, and Jesus’ invitation to “come and see.” Drawing on Scripture, story, and lived ministry, this sermon reminds us that worship nourishes us so we can be sent—to widen the circle of love, service, and witness in the world.

Remember Who You Are: Re-Rooted in the Waters | The Rev. Liz Costello | January 11, 2026

In a week marked by violence and deep division, the Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord offers a moment to pause and remember who we are. Drawing on Matthew’s Gospel and the baptismal covenant, Mother Liz reflects on Jesus’ baptism as an act of solidarity—choosing to be with humanity rather than apart from it. In the waters, we are named God’s beloved and invited into a shared life shaped by justice, peace, compassion, and dignity for all. This sermon calls us back to the font to be re-rooted, re-oriented, and recommitted to living our baptism in a complex world.

God Moves the Fence | The Rev. Edmund Harris | January 4, 2025

On Epiphany, we celebrate the revelation of Christ to the wider world—and the truth that God’s welcome has no boundaries. Drawing on the story of the Magi and a modern parable of compassion, this sermon invites us to see how God moves the fence, continually widening the circle of grace. As followers of Jesus, we are called to be Epiphany people: people who manifest God’s light, life, and love, especially to those who wonder if there is a place for them.
#FeastOfTheEpiphany#StThomasMedina#EpiphanyPeople#GodMovesTheFence#WideningTheCircle#EpiscopalChurch#FaithInCommunity#LightOfChrist

God With Us, Right Where We Are | The Rev. Liz Costello | December 24, 2025

On Christmas Eve, the Rev. Liz Costello invited us to pause and receive the true gift of the season: Emmanuel—God with us. Through the familiar image of the nativity, this sermon reminds us that God comes close, right where we are, in joy and grief, exhaustion and hope. May we treasure this promise again and again: Nothing can separate us from God’s love.
#ChristmasEve#Emmanuel#GodWithUs#EpiscopalChurch#StThomasMedina#Incarnation#ChristmasSermon#FaithAndLife#HolyPause

When God Places the Holy in Human Hands | The Rev. Edmund Harris | December 21, 2025

In this sermon, Father Edmund Harris reflects on the often-overlooked courage of Joseph—and the many ordinary people in Scripture who say yes to God’s risky invitation to collaborate in love. From dreams and detours to fear and faithfulness, we are invited to listen more closely and consider how God may be calling us, too, to say yes in our own lives.
❓ Joseph could have walked away—but he listened, and he stayed. Where might God be inviting you to listen more closely and say yes, even when the path feels uncertain?
#StThomasMedina#EpiscopalChurch#AdventReflections#SayingYes#FaithInPractice#ListeningForGod#Incarnation#OrdinaryHoliness#SacredRisk#ChristmasStory
 

Rejoice Anyway: Joy in the Midst of the Wilderness | The Rev. Liz Costello | December 14, 2025

What does it mean to rejoice when life is complicated, uncertain, or tender with grief? On Gaudete Sunday, Mother Liz reflects on joy as a spiritual practice—rooted in hope, shaped by trust, and revealed through God’s work already unfolding among us. Drawing from Scripture, Mary’s Magnificat, and a powerful story of generosity at St. Thomas, this sermon invites us to rejoice anyway.
Watch the sermon here: https://youtu.be/oXJHK-PfQJ4. 

What Advent Asks of Us | The Rev. Edmund Harris December 7, 2025

On this Second Sunday of Advent, Rev. Edmund Harris reflects on two surprising guides for our preparation: John the Baptist — the prophet who calls us to turn toward God with honesty and hope — and Saint Nicholas of Myra, whose life of bold generosity reveals how we make space for Christ’s coming. Advent is not simply about preparing our homes for Christmas; it is about preparing our hearts. Repentance, generosity, and the quiet work of tending the “guesthouse” of our lives draw us deeper into the wonder of God choosing to dwell among us.