St. Philip Lutheran Church8 May 2022 + Fourth Sunday of Easter /Julian of Norwich, renewer of the churchJohn 10.22-30; Psalm 23Rev. Josh Evans In case you still need a Mother’s Day card, might I suggest Cards by Julian? On the front: “The mother’s service is the closest, the most helpful and the most sure, for …
St. Philip Lutheran Church17 April 2022 + Resurrection of Our LordLuke 24.1-12Rev. Josh Evans The women stood by Jesus until the very end. They saw everything – the trial, the crucifixion, the death. They watched as his body was laid in the tomb, paying careful attention, so that they could come back with their spices …
St. Philip Lutheran Church16 May 2021 + Seventh Sunday of EasterJohn 17.6-19Rev. Josh Evans, preaching “Pastor, will you say a few words?” “I’ve never known exactly what is meant by this request,” admits one minister-turned-seminary president. “Do they want me to say a few words of inspiration, prophecy, consolation, biblical theology - or just a …
St. Philip Lutheran Church9 May 2021 + Sixth Sunday of EasterJohn 15.9-17Rev. Josh Evans, preaching Everything is about to change… It was the second-last week of classes. Or more precisely, the last second-last week of classes, and the last semester of our senior year, only a matter of weeks before graduation. We were sitting in …
St. Philip Lutheran Church2 May 2021 + Fifth Sunday of EasterActs 8.26-40Rev. Josh Evans, preaching Before we get to the wilderness road between Jerusalem and Gaza, there’s another road between Jerusalem and Emmaus. Two disciples are walking along together, in shared grief over the death of Jesus, when they are joined by an unknown traveler, …
St. Philip Lutheran Church18 April 2021 + Third Sunday of EasterLuke 24.36b-48Rev. Josh Evans, preaching You are witnesses of these things. YOU are witnesses of these things. You, the people of God in this place - seated here in-person or watching online from home. In Glenview, in Florida, and everywhere in between. You, in the …
St. Philip Lutheran Church4 April 2021 + Resurrection of Our LordJohn 20.1-18Rev. Josh Evans, preaching It was the strangest funeral I’ve ever led. I wasn’t allowed to pass out the bulletins I had brought. Everyone wore face masks. Even the family that had carpooled together was told to stand six feet apart from each other …
Unity Lutheran Church + Cross of Life Campus26 April 2020 + Easter 3ALuke 24.13-35Rev. Josh Evans, preaching https://vimeo.com/411859638 Video of the entire liturgy. The gospel reading and sermon begin at 15:17. https://soundcloud.com/cross-of-life/04-26-2020-we-had-hoped Audio of gospel reading and sermon only. Can you feel the disappointment, the despair, the grief? As they walk along, thinking out loud, …
Unity Lutheran Church11 April 2020 + Great Vigil of EasterJohn 20.1-18Rev. Josh Evans, preaching https://vimeo.com/406644897 Video of the entire liturgy. The homily begins at 36:00. Before I started seminary, I knew I needed to join an ELCA congregation if I wanted to pursue ordination in the ELCA. I had grown up in another Lutheran church …
Originally written for the April 2020 issue of the UNITY Lutheran Church newsletter Recently I had the opportunity to gather virtually with some members of my home congregation in Chicago for a Lenten mini-retreat. We centered our time on the theme of journeys - always a good retreat topic. The language of journey and journeying is fitting …
Pastor Josh Evans 