WHPChurch

The historical moment of the Advent story, “the days of King Herod,” was a violent and scary period of history. And yet, it is in that moment that God broke in to the world. In this first week of advent, we will read the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth, when God broke in to their world in such a startling way that they had to face their fears. [Luke 1:5-13]

Philippians 1:3-4 I thank my God for every remembrance of you, always in every one of my prayers for all of you, praying with joy. Today we give thanks for the amazing retreat that happens every August for our youth called Celebration.  Take a moment for gratitude.

Philippians 1:6-7a I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work in you will continue to complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. It is right for me to think this way about all of you, because I hold you in my heart.   Today, we give thanks for a little patch of land in the middle of Community First Village, a housing development for the formerly unhoused in East Austin.  Take a moment for gratitude.

Colossians 3:16   Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. Today, we give thanks for those in our faith family who teach us and remind us of God's word through music.  Take a moment for gratitude.

Matthew 19:14-15 ...But Jesus said, “Let the children come to me, and do not stop them, for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.” And he laid his hands on them and went on his way. Today we give thanks for the children being brought to our church by their parents and grandparents.  Take a moment for gratitude.

Acts 2:46-47a Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous  hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. Today we give thanks for a ministry of Westlake Hills Presbyterian Church called the Gathering.  Listen and take this moment for gratitude.

What a perfect time to reflect upon the role gratitude plays in the life of faith! Let's celebrate what gratitude does in our lives and in our community! Colossians 3:12-17

Luke 12: 33b-34 Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Where is your treasure? Take a moment for gratitude.

Psalm 84:2— My soul longs, indeed it faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh sing for joy to the Living God. How will you lend your heart to joy today? Take a moment for gratitude.

Psalm 28:7– The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him and I am helped. Therefore, my heart greatly rejoices, and with my song I will praise Him. What is the most impactful thing you could entrust to God today?

1 Samuel 12:24– But be sure to fear the Lord and serve Him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things He has done for you. What great thing is God working in your life? Take a moment for gratitude.

Colossians 6:15– And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Where do you need peace in your heart today? Take a moment for gratitude.

Today we celebrate with gratitude to God.Everyone is invited to present their pledge commitment for 2026. We will explore together how Kingdom economics are vastly different than the marketplace of today, and what our role as stewards is in that economy. 2 Corinthians 9: 6-15

Psalm 90:17– May the favor of the Lord our God be upon us; establish the work of our hands for us–yes, establish the work of our hands. What do you want God to establish with your hands today?

Temp Psalm 95:2– Let us come into His presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to Him with songs of praise! What do you have to shout about today? Take a moment for gratitude.

Isaiah 12:3-4 With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. And you will say in that day: Give thanks to the Lord, call on His name; make known His deeds among the nations; proclaim that His name is exalted. What refreshment do you need to draw from God's living water? Take a moment for gratitude.

Jonah 2:9 But I, with the voice of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to You; what I have vowed I will pay. Deliverance belongs to the Lord! Right now, where is it difficult to give of yourself? Why? Take a moment for gratitude.

2 Corinthians 9:11 You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. How has God enriched you? Has that made you generous? Take a moment for gratitude.

“My pleasure.” What restaurant has made these two words iconic? Chick-fil-A, of course. Employees who work for this corporation say this response becomes automatic, even after years of not working there. Gratitude is a fruit of the Holy Spirit of God that should overflow from the mouths of Christ followers. Today, we look at a healing story from Luke's Gospel and lean in to see what Christ says about those who practice saying thanks. Luke 17:11-19

Ephesians 1:18-19a "I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in His holy people, and His incomparably great power for us who believe." What do the eyes of your heart need to see today? Take a moment for gratitude.

Psalm 119:18 Open my eyes, that I may see wondrous things from Your law. Pope Francis said, "To follow God's law, let us begin with gratitude.” What will you begin with today? Take a moment for gratitude.

Psalm 8:1-5. "LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory in the heavens. When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers…what is mankind that you are mindful of them…yet you crown them with glory and honor." How do you sense God's delight in creation? In other people? Take this moment for gratitude.

Psalm 118:24– This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. How can you slow down and take joy in God's creation? Take this moment for gratitude.

Matthew 13:16-17 But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. Truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it. What is God showing you that takes your breath away? What is God showing you that brings you joy? Take this moment for gratitude.

On All Saints Sunday we celebrate our loved ones and church members who have died and now live eternally with Christ. We will lift prayers of gratitude with white roses for the saints who have gone before us. Hebrews 12:1-2

In this sermon we turn to one of Scripture's most haunting questions: “Where is your brother?” In the story of Cain and Abel, God reveals that faith is not just about belief, but about responsibility, the sacred call to care for one another. Join us as we explore what it means to live as our brother's and sister's keeper in a world that often forgets we belong to each other. [Genesis 4:1-10]

This is a challenging text (Mark 5:1-20) with its graphic imagery and the unsettling depiction of a man possessed by demons. It is crucial for us to study these hard texts as we consider what the Bible says about how Christians should engage with the poor, the marginalized, and the overlooked. Today we will see the beautiful way that Jesus restored this man's dignity.

The Bible calls us to love God and to see the beloved in all people, with a particular emphasis on caring for the overlooked, or the least among us. How should Christians engage with the overlooked, or those who live on the margins in our city and world? [scripture - John 4]

We begin a new sermon series that explores the Bible and how Christians can engage with the issue of poverty. Jesus often talked about being a good neighbor. But more importantly, he demonstrated this in his daily life. This morning, we focus on a story where Jesus exemplifies the kind of neighbor we should be. [scripture - John 6:1-14]

Sept. 28 - Does the Bible Really Say That?: "Children Should Be Seen and Not Heard" | Stephen Finkel by WHPC

Certain scriptures guide our lives, and we believe them with every fiber of our being. Yet, there are other scriptures that we do not consider to be true. Isn't all of scripture true? Join us this Sunday as we take an honest look at how we interpret the Bible and what the Word of God truly means for today. Matthew 5:17-20

Can the devil control a person? If so, can we blame this enemy of God for our wrongdoings? This Sunday, we examine what the Bible truly says about the root cause of our sin. James 1:12-16

The Bible says a lot about sin, but even more about love. What is sin, and how are we to deal with it in love? This Sunday, we will see how Jesus dealt with sinners in his life. Luke 18:10-14

Scripture: Matthew 25:31-40

Sometimes life throws a curveball, and we're left wondering, "Does everything happen for a reason?"

Aug 17 - Does the Bible Really Say That?: "God Never Gives You More Than You Can Handle" | Stacy Ikard by WHPC

If you could ask God for just one thing during a moment of weakness or difficulty, what would it be? In our passage this week, David finds himself in such a situation and asks to behold God's "noam" (beauty). Join us this Sunday as we explore this Hebrew word for beauty and examine why David would choose to ask for this above all else in his moment of need. (Scripture: Psalm 27:4-6)

Jesus calls us to move into the unknown and to go where we have not been. Listen as Pastor Al challenges us as individuals and as a church to follow Christ into the deep waters of faith. (Scripture: Luke 5:1-11)

What does it mean to be great? What does it mean to live a great life? Join us this morning and reflect with us on Jesus' definition of greatness. Scripture: Mark 10:35-45

What does it mean in the New Testament when writers refer to the “ekklesia,” what we translate as “the church”? And what does it mean to be the church beyond the first century? Learning from how this word is used in Scripture will equip us to be the church more fully in our lives today. Scripture: Colossians 1:1-20

What happens to us when we are depleted, spiritually and emotionally? What keeps us from quitting? Hear The Apostle Paul answer that question.

July 6 - What's In A Word: Steadfast Love | Rev. Chris Knepp by WHPC

June 29 - What's in a Word- Still Small Voice | Dr. Carolyn Helsel by WHPC

June 22 - What's In A Word: Power | Stacy Ikard by WHPC

June 15 - What's in a Word: All Things | Stephen Finkel by WHPC

June 8 - What's In A Word: Paraclete | Kevin Ireland by WHPC

June 1 - What's In A Word: Peace | Emily Wright by WHPC

May 25 - What's In A Word: Evangelize | Dr. Carolyn Helsel by WHPC

In the final sermon of our Never Alone series, we will boldly proclaim together that even death itself cannot separate us from God - even after life, we are Never Alone.

May 11 - Never Alone: A God We Can Trust | Emily Wright by WHPC

May 03 - Never Alone: The Community Will Guide You | Emily Wright by WHPC