St. Thomas Episcopal Church Sermons

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.

The Holy In-Between | The Rev. Liz Costello | November 30, 2025

This First Sunday of Advent, the Rev. Liz Costello reflects on the season’s invitation to inhabit the holy “in-between” — between Christ’s first coming in Bethlehem and Christ’s promised coming again. Advent reminds us that these unfinished spaces in our lives are not empty; they are the places where God’s promises quietly take root. Preached as part of the wedding of Valerie and David, this sermon beautifully links Advent’s message of hope to the courage of two people choosing love in the middle of life’s uncertainties.
#StThomasMedina #EpiscopalChurch #Advent2025 #HopeInTheInBetween #EpiscopalWorship #FaithJourney #AnglicanTradition #SeattleChurch #GodWithUs #AdventHope #BelovedCommunity #ComeLordJesus
Watch the sermon here: https://youtu.be/Ljcln6zjjpM. 

Women of the Bible in Stained Glass: Lydia

As Acts 16 tells her story, Lydia was a remarkable woman who stood out in the Greco-Roman world. She was not only a businesswoman, a dealer of purple cloth, but she had a household—rare roles for women in a patrilineal society.
This week’s podcast features the Reverend Arienne Davison, Priest-in-Charge of St. Paul’s Bremerton, WA.
It is incredible to consider how Paul deviated from his usual pattern when he first met Lydia. When he and his companions arrived in Philippi, rather than going to the synagogue, as he normally would, he went outside the town gate, to the riverside, where he found Lydia and other women gathered in prayer.
Upon hearing Paul’s message about Christ, Lydia opened her heart and was baptized, becoming the first known European convert. She welcomed Paul and his companions into her home and became a leader of a house church—one of the first in Europe—much as Chloe led a house church in Corinth.
In addition to being the first person baptized in Europe, and leader of a house church, Lydia also modeled what faithful stewardship looks like. She used what she had—her home, her influence, and her resources—to support the flourishing of the Christian community. She became one of the largest supporters of Paul’s ministry. Paul, credited with spreading Christianity throughout the world, would not have been able to do so without Lydia's financial support, a reminder of how we need all of the members of Christ’s body.
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The podcast music is provided by Paul Meier and is based on the hymn tune, Mayfair, by Frances McCollin, which is associated with the hymn, “Rejoice for women brave” by Lisa Neufeld Thomas. 
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The people of St. Thomas have noticed something important: women from the Bible were underrepresented in the stained glass windows of our nave. At the same time, we had eight empty window spaces—waiting to be filled. With the vestry’s support and Mother Jane Maynard’s blessing, a group of parishioners gathered to discern which women’s stories should be honored. Thanks to the dedication of a small lay committee and staff, the creativity of stained glass designer William Frank, and the craftsmanship of artisan Blake LaRue, the vision is now taking shape. This fall, we will host weekly Bible studies and a podcast on each story, as we prepare for the joyful installation during the week of December 8, 2025.

A Different Kind of King | The Rev. Edmund Harris | November 23, 2025

On this Christ the King Sunday, the Rev. Edmund Harris invites us to see Jesus’ kingship through a radically different lens. Drawing from the origins of this feast and the realities of power in our world, he reminds us that Jesus reigns not by domination or might, but by giving his power away—choosing humility, vulnerability, and service as the shape of his life. In a world obsessed with control, Edmund challenges us to follow the One who reigns from a manger and a cross, and to share our power with those who have none.#StThomasMedina #ChristTheKingSunday #EpiscopalChurch #HumilityAndHope #FollowingJesus #KingdomOfGod #FaithAndJustice #BelovedCommunity #EpiscopalWorship #AnglicanTradition

Women of the Bible in Stained Glass: Mary Magdalene

This week’s podcast featured the Reverend Canon Elise Johnstone, Rector of St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church in West Seattle. To hear her reflections on Mary Magdalene’s witness, click here.
The stained-glass window of Mary Magdalene draws us into the very heart of Easter. Scripture tells us that she was among the women who followed Jesus and supported his ministry (Luke 8:1–3), that she remained at the cross when many disciples had fled (John 19:25), and that she came to the tomb early on the first day of the week (John 20:1). Tradition honors her as apostola apostolorum—the apostle to the apostles—because she was entrusted with the first proclamation of the resurrection.
In the window, Mary stands in the garden, still carrying the weight of grief. She is the first to adore the risen Christ: seeking him in steadfast love, hearing him call her by name, and responding “Rabboni” in reverent recognition. In that moment, she becomes the first worshiper of the risen Lord.
_____________________________________________
The podcast music is provided by Paul Meier and is based on the hymn tune, Mayfair, by Frances McCollin, which is associated with the hymn, “Rejoice for women brave” by Lisa Neufeld Thomas. 
_____________________________________________
The people of St. Thomas have noticed something important: women from the Bible were underrepresented in the stained glass windows of our nave. At the same time, we had eight empty window spaces—waiting to be filled. With the vestry’s support and Mother Jane Maynard’s blessing, a group of parishioners gathered to discern which women’s stories should be honored. Thanks to the dedication of a small lay committee and staff, the creativity of stained glass designer William Frank, and the craftsmanship of artisan Blake LaRue, the vision is now taking shape. This fall, we will host weekly Bible studies and a podcast on each story, as we prepare for the joyful installation during the week of December 8, 2025.