St. Thomas Episcopal Church Sermons

One Parade, Two Paths | The Rev. Liz Costello | March 29, 2026

Palm Sunday invites us into a single story with two powerful moments: celebration and crucifixion. In this sermon, Mother Liz reflects on how we are not just observers, but participants in both. The same crowd that praises Jesus also calls for his death—and we are placed within that tension.
Rather than condemning us, this truth opens us to something deeper: the unwavering faithfulness of God. Even in our inconsistency, Christ meets us with love that does not turn away. As we enter Holy Week, we are invited to follow in the way of Jesus—the way of humility, courage, and love that remains open to us still.
Where do you see yourself in the story this week—joining the “Hosanna” or the “Crucify”? Or somewhere in between?

Too Late for Us, Right on Time for God | The Rev. Edmund Harris | March 22, 2026

In this powerful reflection on John 11, Father Edmund explores the story of Lazarus through the lens of timing, grief, and hope. When Jesus arrives after Lazarus has already died, the moment feels lost. The opportunity has passed. And yet, this is precisely where Jesus acts.
This sermon invites us to consider a deeper truth at the heart of the Gospel: that God’s presence is not limited to moments when things go according to plan. Jesus meets us in the places that feel too late—where grief, disappointment, and even anger live—and speaks life there.
Drawing on the ancient image of the Harrowing of Hell, Father Edmund reminds us that there is no place beyond God’s reach, no moment beyond redemption, and no life that cannot be called back into freedom.
#StThomasMedina #Episcopal #EpiscopalChurch #Lent2026 #GospelOfJohn #Resurrection #FaithAndDoubt #ChristianLife #BeingWith #SermonReflection

Seeing with the Eyes of the Heart | The Rev. Karen Haig | March 15, 2026

In this Sunday’s gospel from John 9, Jesus heals a man who has been blind since birth. But rather than celebrating the miracle, those around him struggle to make sense of it—searching for someone to blame and clinging to the familiar ways they understand the world. Guest preacher The Rev. Karen Haig reflects on how easily we define people—including ourselves by limitations, past wounds, or stories that no longer tell the truth about who we are. Drawing from the gospel story and a contemporary example, she invites us to consider how fear and the desire for control shape the way we see.
Jesus challenges us to look differently: to move beyond blame, to release old narratives, and to see through the eyes of love. When we do, we begin to recognize the possibilities of God’s redemption at work in our lives and in the world around us.

Living Water: Listening for God’s Call | The Venerable David Bishop | March 8, 2026

As St. Thomas begins the early steps of rector transition, Archdeacon David Bishop joined us to reflect on the spiritual posture that sustains communities in moments of change. Drawing on the story of Moses striking water from the rock and Jesus offering the Samaritan woman “living water,” he reminded us that faithful action begins with deep listening. When we pause, pray, and listen carefully for God’s voice, we discover that God’s abundance is already flowing—guiding and sustaining the Church as we follow where the Spirit leads. 
How does the rhythm of contemplation and action shape your own life of faith?
#StThomasMedina#EpiscopalChurch#LivingWater#FaithInTransition#ListeningForGod

This Is the Middle, Not the End | The Rev. Liz Costello | March 1, 2026

During Lent, we are invited to journey toward the heart of God — trusting that the road leads to love, even when it passes through wilderness.
In this sermon, Mother Liz reflects on Abraham and Sarah’s courageous departure into the unknown, Nicodemus’ nighttime questions, and the renewal Jesus describes as being “born from above.” Faith is not simply something we possess — it is something we practice. Lent calls us to live our baptism daily, to be converted again and again, and to remember that when we stumble, we are met with mercy.

Hunger, Testing, and the Angels Who Care for Us | The Rev. Jim McEachran | February 22, 2026

On the First Sunday in Lent, Father Jim McEachran reflects on Matthew 4:1–11 and Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness. Through the themes of hunger, testing, and power, he reminds us that Lent is not about proving ourselves — it is about deepening our roots in grace.
Jesus goes first into the wilderness. He faces hunger. He endures testing. He rejects false power. And at the end, angels come to care for him.
As we begin this Lenten journey, Father Jim invites us to read the Beatitudes (Matthew 5) and to become “Beatitude people” — those who flourish in God’s grace alone.
What does it mean for you to live as a “Beatitude person” this Lent — not striving for success, but flourishing in grace?
#StThomasMedina #EpiscopalChurch #Lent2026 #Matthew4 #BlessedAttitude

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.