St. John’s Lutheran ChurchAlbany, New York5 January 2025 + Epiphany of Our LordMatthew 2:1-12 [13-23]Rev. Josh Evans Nestled in between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Dayis a trio of often overlooked holy days on the church’s calendar: December 26 commemorates the church’s first martyr, St. Stephen the Deacon, whose monologue in the book of Acts …
St. John’s Lutheran Church24 December 2023 + Nativity of Our LordLuke 2:1-20Rev. Josh Evans To be perfectly honest: I never really cared for the Christmas Eve ritual of lighting candles and singing “Silent Night.” Maybe it has something to do with — oh, I don’t know — that time I was attending midnight mass at …
St. John’s Lutheran Church26 November 2023 + Christ the KingLast Sunday before AdventMatthew 25:31-46Rev. Josh Evans INTRODUCTION: Keeping Time We keep time in different ways. Most of us keep time according to the calendar year, January through December. Anyone connected to academia keeps time according to the school year, roughly Labor Day through Memorial Day. …
Continue reading (Church) Year in Review: A Sermon-Hymn Sing for Christ the King
St. John’s Lutheran Church12 November 2023 + Lect. 32a (24 Pentecost)Third Sunday before AdventMatthew 25:1-13Rev. Josh Evans There are two types of people this time of year: those who already have Christmas music resounding from their radios – and those who hate joy. Okay, maybe that’s a little extreme, but what’s life without a little …
St. Philip Lutheran Church24 December 2022 + Nativity of Our LordLuke 2.1-20Rev. Josh Evans This is now my third Christmas at St. Philip. In 2020, our sanctuary had been transformed into a film studio, as we recorded our Christmas Eve service, piece-by-piece, on December 22, with only the liturgical “actors” and our production team for …
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 Church24 December 2021 + Nativity of Our LordLuke 2.1-20; Titus 2.11Rev. Josh Evans I wonder how she felt when she of all people was chosen to be the first to receive the “good news of great joy.” Lutheran pastor Nadia Bolz-Weber gives us some insight: “We have no idea what Mary was …
Continue reading When the Soul Felt Its Worth + A Sermon for Christmas Eve 2021
St. Philip Lutheran Church24 December 2020 + Nativity of Our LordLuke 2.1-20Rev. Josh Evans, preaching It’s not Christmas until… how would you fill in the blank? Here’s what a very scientific Facebook poll among my friends this week found out: It’s not Christmas until… the lights and tree are up… we get to sing carols …
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. …
Note: An edited version of this reflection appears in the January 2020 issue of the UNITY Lutheran Church newsletter. As I write this article, I’m sitting in my apartment, in near-total darkness, except for the glow of the lights on my Christmas tree and two other strands of lights I have hanging around my front …
Pastor Josh Evans 