St. John’s Lutheran ChurchAlbany, New York6 July 2025 + Fourth Sunday after PentecostProper 9 / Lectionary 14c2 Kings 5:1-14; Galatians 6:7-16The Rev. Josh Evans “Praise to you for your saving waters,”we pray at the font:“Noah and the animals survive the flood,Hagar discovers your well.The Israelites escape through the sea,and they drink from your gushing rock.Naaman …
St. John’s Lutheran ChurchAlbany, New York29 June 2025 + Third Sunday after PentecostProper 8 / Lectionary 13c1 Kings 19:15-16, 19-21; 2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14The Rev. Josh Evans Remember last week?Elijah was afraid, fleeing for his life.Elijah was tired, taking refuge in a cave in the wilderness by himself.Elijah was burnt out, asking that he might …
St. John’s Lutheran ChurchAlbany, New York22 June 2025 + Second Sunday after PentecostProper 7 / Lectionary 12c1 Kings 19:1-15aThe Rev. Josh Evans It’s important for us not just to hear the sacred stories of scripture,but to find our place in these stories, alongside our biblical ancestors,human beings who lived and struggled and prayed,just as we …
St. John’s Lutheran ChurchAlbany, New York1 June 2025 + Easter 7cRevelation 22:12-14, 16-17, 20-21The Rev. Josh Evans There’s a danger in hearing only what we want to hear,seeing only what we want to see,believing only what we want to believe. We live in a world that makes it increasingly more possible,even appealing,to live in our …
St. John’s Lutheran ChurchAlbany, New York25 May 2025 + Easter 6cRevelation 21:10, 22—22:5The Rev. Josh Evans Revelation brings us at last through the great cosmic battle.The empire has fallen.Our Lamb has conquered. Revelation brings us at last to the new Jerusalem,a new heaven and a new earth. Except … did you notice?We don’t go to …
St. John’s Lutheran ChurchAlbany, New York18 May 2025 + Easter 5cRevelation 21:1-6The Rev. Josh Evans So, last week, I lied.Well, sort of. It is true that Revelation is a message of hope.Incredible hope, in fact. And…it is also true that maybe Revelation is a little scary…or maybe a lot scary. There are some undeniably terrifying …
St. John’s Lutheran ChurchAlbany, New York11 May 2025 + Easter 4cRevelation 7:9-17The Rev. Josh Evans Old news.Same difference.Seriously funny.Historical fiction. Each of them – and many more examples –an oxymoron,which is itself an oxymoron,derived from two Greek words meaning “sharp” and “dull.” Far from an exercise in contradictions,oxymorons often exist to reveal a paradox and …
St. John’s Lutheran ChurchAlbany, New York20 April 2025 + Resurrection of Our LordLuke 24:1-12The Rev. Josh Evans Maybe you remember my Christmas Eve sermon,which I began by quoting Madeleine L’Engle’s well-known poem,“The Risk of Birth.” “This is no time for a child to be born…” she begins. Four months and three liturgical seasons later,I’m stuck …
St. John’s Lutheran ChurchAlbany, New York6 April 2025 + Lent 5cJohn 12:1-8The Rev. Josh Evans Pop quiz! The woman who anoints Jesus is…A) Mary MagdaleneB) Mary of Bethany, the sister of Lazarus and MarthaC) Mary, the mother of JamesD) an unknown womanE) all of the above There’s technically no wrong answerbecause the answer is indeed…E) …
St. John’s Lutheran ChurchAlbany, New York30 March 2025 + Lent 4cLuke 15:1-3, 11b-32The Rev. Josh Evans “Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to [Jesus]. And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, ‘This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.’ So he told them this parable…” Actually, …
Pastor Josh Evans 