St. Philip Lutheran Church18 December 2022 + Advent 4aMatthew 1.18-25Rev. Josh Evans The new chapel was magnificent and nearly perfect in every way … except for one tiny problem: There was no way to access the choir loft. In 1850, when the Catholic bishop of the territory of New Mexico issued a plea for a …
St. Philip Lutheran Church11 December 2022 + Advent 3aMatthew 11.2-11Rev. Josh Evans What do you hear? What do you see? The carols are ringing.The lights are shining.The smell of Christmas cookies and pies wafts through the air.And this morning, we light the rose-colored candle on our Advent wreath, representing joy. What do you hear? What …
St. Philip Lutheran Church4 December 2022 + Advent 2aMatt. 3.1-12; Isa. 11.1-10Rev. Josh Evans In the midst of all the holiday preparations this time of year, it’s not difficult to get lost in all the things to be done. So, to make at least one thing easier to prepare, might I suggest for your holiday …
St. Philip Lutheran Church27 November 2022 + Advent 1aMatt. 24.36-44; Isa. 2.1-5; Rom. 13.11-14Rev. Josh Evans There are two types of people: First, there’s the type of person who, at the stroke of midnight on November 1, instantly changes out the carved pumpkins for a brightly lit and spectacularly trimmed Christmas tree, usually while belting …
St. Philip Lutheran Church12 December 2021 + Advent 3cPhilippians 4.4-7Rev. Josh Evans Rejoice in the Lord always!Again, I say: Rejoice!Don’t worry about anything … just pray! Well, Paul, easier said than done. Especially where our world stands these days … a devastating reminder of the impact of gun violence as the community of Oxford, Michigan, …
St. Philip Lutheran Church5 December 2021 + Advent 2cLuke 1.68-79 (Luke 1.5-23)Rev. Josh Evans Almost two years ago, when my best friend was ordained as a pastor, by the time that day finally rolled around, it had been such a long journey … with roadblocks and hurdles and difficulties almost every step of the way. …
St. Philip Lutheran Church28 November 2021 + Advent 1cLuke 21.25-36Rev. Josh Evans The nativity scene is out, the Christmas tree is up, the first candle on the Advent wreath is lit… it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas… Thursday night, after having Thanksgiving dinner with a friend and her family, I drove home with …
Continue reading A Sermon for When It Feels Like the World Is Ending
St. Philip Lutheran Church20 December 2020 + Advent 4BLuke 1.26-38, 46b-55Rev. Josh Evans, preaching It seemed impossible. That the angel should come to her. Someone so young, so seemingly insignificant and easily cast aside. An apparent nobody. And pregnant?! Is that what angel said? Well, that can’t possibly be… Impossible. It seemed just as impossible …
St. Philip Lutheran Church13 December 2020 + Advent 3BJohn 1.6-8, 19-28Rev. Josh Evans, preaching I admit it: I’m one of those people who puts up their Christmas decorations as soon as the last trick-or-treater leaves my front door. Christmas lights especially may be one of the things I love most about this time of year. …
St. Philip Lutheran Church6 December 2020 + Advent 2BIsaiah 40.1-11; Mark 1.1-8Rev. Josh Evans, preaching Punctuation matters. Maybe you’ve seen an image with these or similar words online:Let’s eat, Grandma!Let’s eat Grandma! The difference a comma makes! Meanwhile, in Isaiah 40, open one translation of the bible and read:A voice cries out: “In the wilderness …
Pastor Josh Evans 