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Retelling the Flight to Egypt – A Sermon on Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23
“Flee to Egypt.” With those words echoing in his ears Joseph got up, took Jesus and Mary by night and went to Egypt. Regardless of whether this story really happened the way Matthew tells it, it’s not hard to know that it’s true. The names and faces might change but it’s a story that continues…
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“The Flight” by Richard Causton and George Szirtes
One option for this coming Sunday’s gospel is the Holy Family’s flight to Egypt (Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23). I can no longer hear this story without also hearing the words of poet George Szirtes and the music of Richard Causton. Richard Causton is the composer of the 2015 commissioned Christmas Carol, “The Flight,” performed by King’s…
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Epiphany House Blessing with Chalk
The Church has a custom of blessing homes (as well as proclaiming the date of Easter) on the Feast of the Epiphany (January 6) and the week following. Family and friends gather to ask God’s blessing on their homes and those who live in or visit the home. It is an invitation for Jesus to…
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Epiphany Proclamation of Easter 2016
The Church has a couple of important and meaningful traditions related to The Feast of the Epiphany. First, it is a common practice to bless homes on the Feast of Epiphany and during the following week. One way of doing this is with chalk that has been blessed during the Epiphany Eucharist. Second, the ancient…
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Prayers for the New Year
While the civil calendar marks January 1 as New Year’s Day, the Church celebrates January 1 as the Feast of the Holy Name, Jesus. Although the two might be celebrated in different ways, they are not necessarily in opposition. Behind the celebrations, resolutions, and good wishes associated with the New Year I suspect there are,…
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What Is Your Christmas Story? – A Christmas Sermon on Luke 2:1-20
“Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place.” That’s what the shepherds said after the angels had left them and gone into heaven. It wasn’t enough to just hear the good news. It wasn’t enough to just receive the birth announcement. Somewhere deep within they wanted to be a…
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The Proclamation of the Birth of Christ
Most years our Christmas liturgy at St. Philip’s begins with the processional hymn, O Come All Ye Faithful. Along the way the procession stops at the creche to place Jesus in the manger and offer prayers. This year we will first hear The Proclamation of the Birth of Christ and then begin the processional hymn. The…
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A Good Christmas with Rowan Williams
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What Then Should We Do? – An Advent Sermon on Luke 3:7-18
“What then should we do?” That question is at the center of today’s gospel. It has its origin, however, in last week’s gospel and John the Baptist’s call for repentance. Today’s gospel (Luke 3:7-18) is the continuation of last week’s (Luke 3:1-6). You may remember the refrain from last week: Repent. Prepare the way of…
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Interrupting the Silence 