St. Anne's Episcopal Church

Jealousy, Favoritism, and the Mercy That Sets Us Free

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 11, 2026 17:26

In this Sunday sermon, Rev. Alice Grant reflects on the destructive power of jealousy through a childhood story, the account of Joseph and his brothers, and the ways comparison can rob us of joy. Exploring the themes of envy or jealousy, favoritism, sibling rivalry, grief and mercy, she reminds us that God works through imperfect people and offers each of us the assurance that we are enough and deeply loved. The sermon concludes with an invitation to examine our own habits of favoritism and shake them off by embracing the generous, impartial love of God in our families, friendships, and communities.

god rev exploring jealousy favoritism

Holding on Through the Night

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 4, 2026 13:00

Life often feels more like a wrestling match than a journey. We wrestle with our past, our fears, ourselves, and even with God. Yet Scripture reminds us that God meets us in the struggle. The promise is not an unwounded life or a future free from uncertainty. In Sunday's sermon, we encounter Jacob wrestling at the river, Paul wrestling with sorrow and mystery, the disciples wrestling with scarcity, and even Odysseus wrestling with regret and failure. Through each story, we discover a common truth: faith does not mean we stop wrestling. Faith means that, in the darkness, we learn whom we are holding. As Jacob crosses the river limping yet blessed, we are reminded that God meets us in our struggles, transforms us through grace, and never leaves us to walk alone. "We are not named for mastering God, but for clinging to God through the night."

god holding odysseus yet scripture

The Moral Scaffolding of Grace - Feast of St. Anne and St. Joachim | St. Anne's Episcopal Church

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 27, 2026 13:43

What does it mean to inherit a faith we did not create? On the Feast of St. Anne and St. Joachim, we reflect on the hidden work of formation that makes faith possible. Drawing on Abraham Lincoln's vision of inheritance, the tradition surrounding Mary's parents, and God's covenant with Abraham, this sermon explores the "moral scaffolding" that supports generations of faith. Just as scaffolding enables a building to rise, countless acts of faithfulness- teaching children to pray, welcoming strangers, caring for the poor, and preserving the witness of the Church- create the conditions in which people can hear God's call and respond with courage. As St. Anne's celebrates another year of parish life, we consider the gifts we have received, the responsibilities we bear, and the question that every generation must answer: What are you building today that will help someone else say “yes” to God tomorrow? May we become a household where faith is formed, hope is sustained, and generations yet unborn discover the freedom to say, "Let it be with me according to your word." Continue the conversation beyond Sunday. Listen to the sermon during the week and reflect on how God is inviting you to grow in faith, hope, and love.

god church drawing moral feast abraham lincoln joachim episcopal church scaffolding st anne st joachim