St. Thomas Episcopal Church Sermons

What We Bring to the Table | The Rev. Canon Ivar Hillesland | May 17, 2026

What does Ascension actually mean—and where is Jesus now?
Preaching at St. Thomas Episcopal Church, The Rev. Canon Ivar Hillesland explores Jesus’ farewell discourse in the Gospel of John and reframes Ascension as an invitation into deeper connection with Christ, not distance from him.
Through four powerful images of how we approach the Eucharist—a throne, a cross, a beggar, and a manger—Canon Ivar reflects on power, creation, suffering, dependence, and the love of God that continues to shape us.
In a world filled with fear, anger, and division, this sermon offers a quieter but profound reminder: God is love, and love is still holding all of us.
#StThomasMedina #EpiscopalChurch #AscensionSunday #Eastertide #FaithInDailyLife #HolyEucharist

Patient Trust | The Rev. Edmund Harris | May 10, 2026

In this sermon for the Sixth Sunday of Easter, Fr. Edmund Harris reflects on Jesus’s promise to send the Holy Spirit as Advocate and Comforter. As the Church looks ahead to Ascension and Pentecost, he explores how grief, uncertainty, and transition can become fertile ground for the Spirit’s work — both for the first disciples and for St. Thomas Church today.
Drawing from John 14 and the prayer “Patient Trust” by Teilhard de Chardin, this sermon offers a thoughtful invitation to resist rushing through uncertainty and instead learn to listen more deeply for God’s presence in the midst of change.
What does it mean to you that the Holy Spirit “abides” with us?

There Are Many Dwelling Places | The Rev. Liz Costello | May 3, 2026

What if Jesus’s words about “many dwelling places” aren’t only about heaven someday—but also about how we experience God’s presence right now?
On her final Sunday as rector of St. Thomas Episcopal Church, Mother Liz reflected on John 14 and reminded us that Christian goodbyes are never truly final. Through Christ, we remain connected to God—and to one another.
She offered deep gratitude for their years of shared ministry and encouraged the parish to continue dwelling deeply in the love of God as they move into a new season.
Watch the full sermon on YouTube.
#StThomasMedina #EpiscopalChurch #Eastertide #John14 #ChristianCommunity #FaithAndBelonging #EpiscopalSermon #SeattleChurches #MedinaWA #AbideInGod #AnglicanSpirituality #ChurchTransition

When Peace Finds Us | The Rev. Liz Costello | April 26, 2026

In this Eastertide sermon, Mother Liz reflects on the resurrected Christ appearing to the disciples behind locked doors—offering peace, breath, and presence in the midst of fear. This is a message for anyone who feels uncertain, overwhelmed, or not quite ready to step forward. Jesus does not wait for us to get it right. He meets us exactly where we are—and sends us out with peace.
How might receiving Christ’s peace change the way you move through this week?
#episcopal #episcopalchurch #eastertide #resurrectionhope #faithinaction #peacebewithyou #anglican #churchonline #sermonreflection

The Comfort & Challenge of the Eucharist | The Rev. Edmund Harris | April 19, 2026

Why does Jesus choose to reveal himself in a meal?
In this Eastertide sermon, Fr. Edmund Harris reflects on the Emmaus story and the profound meaning of the Eucharist. At the table, Christ meets us in our grief and confusion, offering comfort through his real presence. But the Eucharist is not only reassurance—it is transformation.
When we receive the bread and wine and say “Amen,” we are also saying yes to being changed. We are called to recognize Christ not just in church, but in the world—in beauty and brokenness, in those we love and those we struggle to understand.
What if every place became Emmaus? What if every encounter became a meeting with the risen Christ?
#EpiscopalChurch #Eucharist #EmmausRoad #Eastertide #RealPresence #ChristianFormation #FaithInDailyLife #Anglican #SermonReflection #ChurchLife

A Circle of Care | The Rev. Jim McEachran | April 12, 2026

On the Second Sunday of Easter, the Rev. James McEachran (Father Jim) reflects on the disciples gathered behind closed doors—and the unexpected presence of the Risen Christ among them.
With Thomas absent, the community is incomplete. And so their first act of resurrection life is not proclamation, but pursuit: they go to find him.
This sermon invites us to consider what it means to live as witnesses—not only to the resurrection, but to one another. In Christ, fear gives way to peace, absence to belonging, and endings to new beginnings.
#StThomasMedina#EpiscopalChurch#EasterSeason#DoubtingThomas#PeaceBeWithYou#ResurrectionLife#BeginAgain#FaithInCommunity#AnglicanTradition#SermonReflection

Easter Orients Us | The Rev. Liz Costello | Easter (2026)

"Easter proclaims that if this is true, everything changes."
Mother Liz Costello reflects on how resurrection gives direction to our lives—much like the mountains of the Pacific Northwest help us find our way. In a world full of noise, distraction, and uncertainty, Easter invites us to pause, lift our heads, and remember what is true.
The resurrection proclaims that death is not the end, that love is stronger than hate, and that our lives—even now—are being drawn toward new life in God.
Through the witness of the women at the tomb and the invitation to “rejoice,” this sermon calls us to live as Easter people—reoriented toward hope, connection, and the enduring presence of God.

Life Out of Death | The Rev. Stephen Best | Easter Vigil (2026)

At the Easter Vigil, the Rev. Stephen Best invites us into the fullness of this night—fire and story, baptism and belonging, darkness and light.
Through the witness of the two Marys, the celebration of new life in baptism, and the reminder that we are part of the communion of saints, this sermon centers on a powerful truth: God is always at work bringing life out of death.
Even what feels like a tomb may become, in God’s hands, a womb.
And as we renew our baptismal promises, we are reminded that faith is not abstract—it is lived out in real, tangible ways, as we support one another and carry the good news into a world longing for connection, hope, and peace.
Alleluia. Christ is risen.

When Failure Becomes Faith | The Rev. Joseph Wolyniak | Good Friday (2026)

Good Friday is not a day that resolves easily.
As Father Joseph reflects, the cross was not experienced as a victory in its moment—it was seen as a failure, a loss, a devastating end. And yet, the Church invites us not to rush past this reality, but to remain with it.
In a world that equates goodness with success, this sermon offers a different vision: that God is not found only in triumph, but in suffering, in silence, and in what feels like defeat.
This is the invitation of Good Friday—to pause, to face the truth of the cross, and to trust that even here, God is at work in ways we may not yet understand.

Learning to Be Loved | The Rev. Edmund Harris | Maundy Thursday (2026)

On Maundy Thursday, we remember Jesus’s commandment to love one another as he has loved us—but as Father Edmund reflects, that commandment has two sides.
Many of us know how to give love through service, care, and generosity. But the deeper challenge may be learning to receive love: to allow ourselves to be vulnerable, to let go of control, and to trust that we are worthy of love—not because of what we do, but simply because we are.
Through the story of Henri Nouwen and the foot washing in John’s Gospel, this sermon invites us into the heart of this holy night: not just to serve, but to be served—and to let Christ love us.