St. Thomas Episcopal Church Sermons

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.
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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.

Enduring Together: Building What Lasts | The Rev. Liz Costello | November 16, 2025

On this Consecration Sunday, Mother Liz explores Jesus’ apocalyptic teaching in Luke 21 and the disciples’ admiration of the Jerusalem Temple—an impressive structure that ultimately could not withstand the passage of history. In contrast, Jesus points us toward what truly lasts.
St. Thomas, she reminds us, is not simply a building but a community of living stones who bind together through storms, joy, loss, and grace. Like a “warming hut” along a winter trail, this parish offers shelter, nourishment, and renewed strength for the journey. We reflect on what we are building together, why it matters, and how God continues to work through this community for generations yet to come.
#EpiscopalChurch #StThomasMedina #ConsecrationSunday #EnduranceAndHope #LivingStones #NourishedByCommunity #BeingWith #MainlineChristian #SeekServeGrow #WarmingHutFaith #Luke21

Women of the Bible in Stained Glass: Mary & Martha

In honor of Veterans Day, I interviewed my friend and classmate from Duke Divinity School, Commander Kamille Williams, United States Navy, who serves as a chaplain. Chaplain Williams provides spiritual care and support to service members, ministering both on naval ships and at military bases, and pastoring those entrusted to her care. In addition to being a Commander and Chaplain, she earned a doctorate from Emory University. To hear her reflections on the story of Mary and Martha, click here.
The stained-glass window of Mary and Martha captures the call to contemplation and action. In its colors we see Mary’s stillness and Martha’s movement, each revealing a different way of being faithful. The scene reminds us that presence—being with Jesus—is the heartbeat beneath every good work. We are not meant to choose one sister over the other; we are both Mary and Martha. Together, they show us how to hold quiet devotion and active service in a balanced, grace-filled life.
A special word of thanks goes to Nancy and Peter Pitarys, whose generosity made this window possible.
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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.

Prophetic Joy and the Resurrection | The Rev. Stephen Best | November 9, 2025

Guest preacher the Rev. Stephen Best returned to St. Thomas to share a message of prophetic joy — a hope that defies fear and flows from the resurrection. Drawing on Luke 20 and Job 19, Fr. Stephen reminded us that every Sunday is a feast of the resurrection and that joy is not the absence of struggle but the courage to swim against the current of despair and toward God’s life-giving presence in community.When have you felt called to choose joy even in the midst of fear or uncertainty? How does the hope of resurrection help you “swim against the stream”?#EpiscopalChurch #StThomasMedina #ResurrectionHope #PropheticJoy #FaithInCommunity #Eucharist #ChildrenOfTheResurrection #CommunionOfSaints #HopeAndHealing #AnglicanTradition

Women of the Bible in Stained Glass: The Unnamed Woman

In this week’s podcast, Bishop Melissa Skelton—the first woman Archbishop in the Anglican Church of Canada and, most recently, the Diocese of Olympia’s Provisional Bishop before Bishop Phil LaBelle was called—reflects on this story. Bishop Melissa will come to bless the stained-glass windows at St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Medina, Washington during a dedication service on Sunday, January 25, 2026. 
As Bishop Melissa notes in our conversation, the story of the unnamed woman who washed Jesus’ feet invites us to bring our love and affection as we welcome Christ among us. In Luke’s telling, she is an outsider among insiders—someone with no power or privilege—yet she performs an extraordinary act of worship. She kneels at Jesus’ feet and pours out her tears and costly perfume, offering her whole self in prayer and devotion. Her act of love moves Jesus deeply.
This story reminds us that we, too, are invited to offer our whole selves to God—to pour out our hearts in prayer without holding back, and to show our love through hospitality and care for the Christ who is always among us.  
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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. 
_____________________________________________
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.

To Be a Saint: Fully Involved Holiness | The Rev. Edmund Harris | November 2, 2025

On All Saints’ Sunday, Father Edmund invites us to rethink what it means to be holy. Sainthood isn’t perfection or distance from the world—it’s the courage to be fully involved in it. Drawing on Luke’s Beatitudes and a reflection by Rowan Williams, he reminds us that holiness takes shape when we love those the world overlooks, live out our baptismal promises, and make space for God’s kingdom to grow right here, in the middle of the mess.
#StThomasMedina #EpiscopalChurch #AllSaintsSunday #HolinessInAction #Beatitudes #Luke6 #Episcopal #CommunityOfSaints #FaithInAction #SacredEveryday

The Way of Humility | The Rev. Liz Costello | October 26, 2025

In this sermon on Luke 18:9–14, the Rev. Liz Costello explores humility as both grounding and grace-filled. The Pharisee and the tax collector’s prayers reveal two ways of seeing ourselves before God: one closed off by pride, the other opened by truth. Mother Liz connects this parable to the Latin root of “humility”—humus, meaning earth—and reminds us that to be humble is to stay near the ground of our being, where God’s love and mercy meet us.
#StThomasMedina #EpiscopalChurch #Proper25 #Luke18 #MotherLizCostello #GroundedInGrace #Humility #FaithAndGrace #SundaySermon

Women of the Bible in Stained Glass: Mary & Anna

The story of Mary and Anna, or the Presentation, begins when Mary brings the infant Christ to the temple in accordance with Jewish law. Parents would bring their infant to the temple to give thanks to God for the mother and child’s survival of childbirth. Mary and Joseph bring two pigeons—an offering that reveals their humility and poverty, fitting for the One who would model humble love for the world. Our Episcopal rite of “Thanksgiving for the Birth or Adoption of a Child” finds its roots in this story, and the Feast of Candlemas commemorates it.  
In the temple, Mary (and Joseph) encounter Anna (and Simeon), a prophetess who had spent her life in prayer. After her husband’s death, Anna devoted herself to God, patiently awaiting the day when redemption would be revealed. When Mary enters, carrying the infant Christ, Anna’s weary eyes recognize the fulfillment of every hope she had prayed for. In the meeting of these two faithful women—one young, whose “yes” to God changed the course of history; one old, whose lifelong faithfulness is fulfilled in this moment—we witness hope passing across generations as God’s kingdom breaks into the world. Their witness, as bearer of the Word and prophetess, calls us to embrace steadfast faith in our own lives.
This week’s podcast conversation features the Reverend Mary Bol, who serves as both Vicar of St. Michael’s South Sudanese Church and Pan-African Missioner for the Episcopal Diocese of Olympia. She is recognized as the first South Sudanese woman ordained as a priest in the Episcopal Church in the United States. 
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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.

Persevering with God | The Rev. Liz Costello | October 19, 2025

In this week’s sermon, Persevering with God, Mother Liz Costello explores the stories of Jacob wrestling with the angel and the persistent widow before the judge. Through these readings, we’re invited to embrace an active, questioning faith—one that leans on God’s help even as we persevere through struggle. (Psalm 121 reminds us where our help truly comes from.) #StThomasMedina #EpiscopalChurch #SundaySermon #FaithInAction #Perseverance #WrestlingWithGod #WithGodsHelp #Psalm121 #MotherLizCostello #BeingWith #WorshipTogether

Women of the Bible in Stained Glass: Ruth & Naomi

The story of Ruth and Naomi begins in a time of famine when Naomi leaves Judah with her family. After the deaths of her husband and sons, Naomi urges her daughters-in-law to return home. Ruth, however, refuses to abandon her: “Where you go, I will go; where you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God” (Ruth 1:16). In Ruth’s steadfast devotion and loyalty, we glimpse the very heart of covenant love—a love that mirrors God’s faithfulness to us. Their journey from grief to new life in Bethlehem reminds us that God is always at work weaving hope out of hardship.
We're especially thrilled to share this week’s podcast conversation with The Right Reverend Ruth Woodliff-Stanley, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina. 
Bishop Ruth is not only a gifted preacher and compassionate leader but also a friend and mentor of mine. Many of you may remember her visit to St. Thomas when she preached at our Celebration of Mutual Ministry at the beginning of my rectorate. Since becoming bishop, she has led a remarkable ministry of reconciliation, with a strong commitment to anti-racism work, LGBTQ advocacy, and building bridges between Episcopalians and ACNA congregations in her diocese. Her work is a living witness to the reconciling love of Christ, making her reflections on Ruth and Naomi’s story of steadfast loyalty and restoration especially moving.
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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. 
_____________________________________________
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.