Podcasts about wplc

At some point, I lost heaven. I can't remember exactly when that was. Suddenly I reached into the void. The sky was gone. I continued to search for a while, a little deeper, between the folds - or on the other side? No. My sky, the little piece of the puzzle, sky blue with cloud white - had disappeared... The post Seventh Sunday of Easter appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

Today's gospel is part of a longer conversation between Jesus and his disciples known as Jesus' “farewell discourse.” This final conversation began when Jesus washed his disciples' feet, and it continued with last Sunday's reading sharing Jesus' new commandment to love one another. Today, Judas (and not the Judas most people know but the other one) asked Jesus for clarification... The post Sixth Sunday of Easter appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

The most famous shepherd in Chicago, or the States or the world is LEO. However even Leaders like Presidents are shepherds. At any rate, in the spirit of antiquity and in the spirit of the Bible, they can be described as a shepherd. Because in ancient times, leaders of states were compared to shepherds, people in higher positions who had to lead others... The post Fourth Sunday of Easter appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

Wicker Park Lutheran Church Rev. Jason S. Glombicki May 4, 2025 Change is at the center of today's gospel reading, and … change is challenging. Change is hard because it almost always involves loss, uncertainty, and disruption – even when it's for the better. But not all change is the same. In fact, scholars note that there are two different types of change – technical change and adaptive change. Technical changes are easy solutions that often have apparent solutions. While […] The post Third Sunday of Easter appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

Wicker Park Lutheran Church Vicar Kornelius Koppel April 27, 2025 Thomas walked slowly through the streets. His eyes were fixed on the ground and his thoughts kept circling back to the events of the last few days. Thomas was sad. But he was also anxious and disappointed. This was not how he had imagined it would be. It had all started so well. They had found him, the Messiah, Jesus, the Savior. But now he was dead. Thomas was sad. […] The post Second Sunday of Easter appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

Wicker Park Lutheran Church Vicar Kornelius Koppel April 19, 2025 Listen to Vicar Kornelius’ sermon here! The post The Easter Vigil appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

Wicker Park Lutheran Church Rev. Jason S. Glombicki April 20, 2025 On a recent family trip, I visited a swamp with my partner and my cousin. At this sanctuary, we got a booklet about all the different types of plants and animals that we might see. After flipping through it, I really wanted to see the grey polypody fern. So, we set out on the 2.5-mile boardwalk above the swamp (thank God) and went to find alligators, turtles, air plants, […] The post Easter Sunday appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

Wicker Park Lutheran Church Rev. Jason S. Glombicki April 18, 2025 We gather tonight in a baren place. The lights are low, the altar is stripped, and the baptismal font is no longer visible. As Pastor Tim Brown puts it, tonight, we sit in a darkened tomb. We heard the story of that fateful night, a story that we know all too well; and not only because we've heard it every year, but also because we've lived it. This is […] The post Good Friday appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

Wicker Park Lutheran Church Vicar Kornelius Koppel April 17, 2025 I’m not worth it, I messed up my life. I had enough chances. A patient said this to me last year at Mount Sinai Hospital. I was doing my Clinical Pastoral Education, and doing my Chaplaincy rounds on behavioral and Detox Unit. He was alone in his Room and in the darkness. He was not really wanting to talk to me, or to anyone, but i sat on a little […] The post Maundy Thursday appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

Wicker Park Lutheran Church The Passion Reading April 13, 2025 Listen along to the Passion Reading here! The post Palm/Passion Sunday appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

How do WE show your love to Jesus? How do YOU thank him for redeeming you? If everyone were to answer one after the other, there would certainly be a colorful bouquet of ways in which you can show your love for Jesus: by singing hymns, through charity, through monetary donations, prayers, worshipping. And if we study and research the Gospels for further possibilities, this bouquet would become even larger and more colorful... The post Fifth Sunday in Lent appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

Who has heard today's gospel reading before? Who knows it by the title “the prodigal son?” Many people know this story from that perspective based on a section heading in the Bible. We need to remember that the section headings aren't in the original Greek text– they are added by the editor of whatever version of the Bible you're reading... The post Fourth Sunday in Lent appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

Every first Sunday in Lent we always here the story of Jesus' temptation from the viewpoint of a synoptic gospel (that is Matthew, Mark, or Luke). Compared to last year's version from Mark, we have a lot more to work with here. In Luke, we see three distinct scenes where Jesus was tempted by the “devil.” And the devil doesn't have a tail and a pitchfork, but in Greek, it is term for an “accuser” or “slanderer.”... The post First Sunday in Lent appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

One of my special moments was always when we stood on top of a mountain very early in the morning. But even after a long hike, reaching the top is something special. At this moment, everything was made up for. For getting up early and for the strenuous ascent. You were simply happy. And I was simply in awe of God's creation. Intoxicated by the magnificent view. The valleys and plains lie very small at your feet. Everyday life and daily worries are far away. I could stay up there for hours and just enjoy the view... The post Transfiguration Sunday appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

Today's gospel reading is challenging. While much of the reading was the focus of my Annual Meeting report earlier this month, I found myself in a different social location this time around. You see, instead of looking at this passage through the lens of the institution that this is Wicker Park Lutheran Church, I entered it in a more personal manner. This time, I saw it through a lens of the powerless... The post Seventh Sunday after Epiphany appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

Wicker Park Lutheran Church Vicar Kornelius Koppel February 16, 2025 So it begins. Then he looked up at his disciples and said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. “ (Luke 6:20) Jesus called his disciples, but the calling of the twelve was not the beginning of discipleship. Jesus had many more followers than the 12 apostles. But the question at issue is how things should continue now. With the new people of Israel? And […] The post Sixth Sunday after Epiphany appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

Listen along to Rev. Chrisida's sermon here! The post Fifth Sunday after Epiphany appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

Listen to Vicar Kornelius' sermon here! The post Fourth Sunday After Epiphany appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

Wicker Park Lutheran Church Rev. Jason S. Glombicki January 26, 2025 Every year on the final Sunday of January is “Reconciling in Christ” Sunday or RIC Sunday for short. It's a day when Lutheran congregations throughout the United States and Canada celebrate the affirmation and full inclusion of those of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities along with their commitments to racial equity. As our staff prepared for today's service, my phone kept buzzing with new information: presidential Executive Order […] The post Reconciling in Christ Sunday appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

It's been a while since I saw a short film that I still remember today. The title: Validation. (by Kurt Koenne) In any case, I can only recommend that you watch this 15-minute movie - you can do that on YouTube. It's a very humorous movie that also makes you think... The post The Baptism of Our Lord appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

The magi have fascinated Christians for thousands of years. They are depicted in 3rd century frescos in the catacombs of Rome and were carved into the façades of Chartres Cathedral in the 13th century. They were the subject of great artists like Leonardo da Vinci, Botticelli, and Dürer. And most church nativity scenes, as well as at-home devotional nativities, would look incomplete without them. But's it's only twelve verses and two mentions in one gospel that have sparked our fixation... The post Epiphany Sunday appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

Several weeks back, within these very pews actually, I heard a sermon that re-shaped the way I approached the Christmas season. It was Vicar Kornelius's sermon about the classic Christmas movie “The Grinch,” perhaps some of you remember it. It was so rich and thought-provoking a sermon that it had me analyzing all of my favorite classic Christmas movies as I watched them this year and examining their theological implications... The post First Sunday of Christmas appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

Last week's gospel introduced us to John the Baptist. We heard John's message of repentance and its connection to the prophet Isaiah. But there wasn't much meat about what repentance looks like, how it functions, or the purpose of it. But, this week is different as the story continued. We that heard the substance of John's message was, as one colleague put it, “harsh, urgent, and concrete.”... The post Sixth Sunday of Advent appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

Today's gospel reading has at least two parts – (1) a list of leaders and rulers and (2) the beginning of John the Baptist's teaching. If you're anything like me, I often want to skim past lists of names to get to the good part. A lot of times I cannot contextualize the names and frankly, I often fumble the pronunciation of their names as well. But these three short verses are not ones we want to zoom past. While they certainly give us some historical context to the environment in which John began his ministry, they also make a key theological claim... The post Fifth Sunday of Advent appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

“Where are you Christmas? Why can't I find you, Why have you gone away?” Are you Team Grinch or Team Santa? We just have to look around after Thanksgiving all decorations switch to Christmas immediately after Black friday. Grinch Lost... The post Fourth Sunday of Advent appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

Wicker Park Lutheran Church Rev. Nathan Houstin November 24, 2024 Listen to the sermon here! The post Third Sunday of Advent appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

Today we finish our year-long study of Mark's gospel. It is the last time we'll hear from Mark until November 29, 2026. This final reading wasn't the chronological ending of Mark's story– that was the empty tomb we studied on Easter. Nor did the lectionary bring us back to the beginning with a quote from Isaiah and John the Baptist – remember, there was no birth narrative in Mark. Rather, we are left in the middle of the gospel in what is often called the “little apocalypse.”... The post Second Sunday of Advent appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

In today's reading, Jesus was in the temple. He had been teaching through parables and answering questions about taxes, the resurrection, the messiah, and the greatest commandment. Before he took a break, Jesus spoke about his primary challengers in Mark's gospel, that was the scribes. The scribes were men who had a deep knowledge of the law and could draft legal documents, like contracts for marriages, divorces, loans, inheritance, and mortgages. These scribes curated a public reputation of being pious with lengthy prayers to convince people that they were trustworthy... The post First Sunday of Advent appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

Have you ever met people who have a quick answer when you suffer a loss? People who might say, 'Oh, you'll get over it quickly, cheer up' or 'It was for the best after all'. Or, especially when we mourn the loss of a child, 'Now the good Lord has one more angel in paradise'. And maybe the worst: 'You may not understand it now, but God has a plan' The post All Saints Sunday appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

Today we're jumping back into John's gospel.  While we hear this same text every year on Reformation Sunday, there are some deep facets to explore together as we celebrate 145 years of ministry at the corner of Hoyne Ave. & Le Moyne St. in the Wicker Park neighborhood of Chicago. We're going to focus on those first two verses. Hear them again: Jesus said to those who had believed in him, “If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”... The post Reformation Sunday appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

Today's gospel reading is uncomfortable. Jesus brings up a topic that most church-going folk do not want to talk about: money and possessions. And that is why so many pastors, theologians, and biblical scholars have spent time trying to explain away or manage the complexity of this text by softening or ignoring parts. Rev. Dr. Sarah Hinlicky Wilson summarizes some of the management techniques used to soften the passage... The post Twenty-First Sunday after Pentecost appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

“Do not worry about your life,” says Jesus in today's reading from Matthew.  Clearly Jesus did not know about Pandemic, or hurricane Helena, or other disappointment, tragedy or other unexpected event. “Don't worry” – are you kidding?  There is so very much to worry about – the economy, school, my children, the election, my parents, the President's health, democracy, systemic racism. (I could name more but you get the picture and probably have your own list of worries).  Worry is one of those things that can consume us overwhelm us, weigh us down with the sheer force of its load... The post The Feast of St. Francis of Assisi appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

Today's reading from Mark continues where we left off last week. Jesus still has a child in his arms after he reminded the disciples that welcoming the powerless, the dependent, and the vulnerable is what makes someone the greatest. And then, without missing a beat, John pipes up with what, I imagine, was an attempt at a humble brag. He says, “Hey, Jesus, I saw this person who was working for justice, liberating people from infliction, and healing people in your name... The post Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

They just don't get it. How many times does Jesus need to talk about his betrayal, execution, and resurrection? How many times will he need to tell them to focus on the marginalized, the lowly, the poor, and the outcast? It's as though the disciples will never understand... The post Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

Wicker Park Lutheran Church Vicar Kornelius Koppel September 8, 2024 Listen to Vicar Kornelius’ sermon here! The post Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

Listen to Rev. Chrisida's sermon here! The post Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

Today's gospel is known as the Magnificat. It's a song of praise sung by Mary, Jesus's mother, but it seems oddly out of place in the narrative. Up to this point, an angelos, that is Greek for “messenger” or an angel, came to Mary. This messenger told Mary that she would conceive a son. And, she's shocked, because she's a virgin at that point. Nevertheless, before Mary's shocked face wore off, she learned that her much older post-menopausal relative, Elizabeth, was pregnant. During the conversation, Mary consented to having Jesus and went to see Elizabeth... The post The Feast of Mary, Mother of Our Lord appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

Today we continue our exploration of John's gospel focused on bread. Last Sunday, Vicar Vicky was back with us, and she shared a powerful sermon about the word “belief” in John's gospel. She reminded us that “belief” in John's gospel is always a verb, which means its active. It's not something you have but it's something done. It could be translated as “do faith” or even better, trust. And that's an important reminder for us as we look at today's potion of John 6... The post Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

When I was in seminary I took a course that was just “Preaching the Gospel of John” because while John is my favorite gospel writer, by a wide margin, he's also the one that confuses me the most and the thought of needing to preach him intimidated me. Because like…John will say all of these words and…it's not even like they're words I don't know! The sentences themselves will make perfect sense to me, but I still often will feel like something is happening in the passage that I am just not getting... The post Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

Today we find ourselves in John chapter 6. We will stay in John's gospel for the rest of the summer except for the Feast of Mary Mother of Our Lord in a few weeks. After that, we will get back to Mark's gospel which is the focal gospel for this liturgical year... The post Tenth Sunday after Pentecost appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

Wicker Park Lutheran Church Rev. Jason S. Glombicki July 21, 2024 Today, we celebrate the feast of Saint Mary Magdalene. She is probably one of the most misunderstood saints and biblical characters. Part of the confusion stems from the fact that she has been reinvented and rebranded century after century. For some centuries she was seen as the embodiment of Christian repentance. Other times she was called a prostitute. She was branded as everything from a mystic to a celibate […] The post The Feast of Mary Magdalene appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

With today's gospel, we're wrapping up a largely chronological study of Mark. We're not done exploring Mark yet, but we're going to take a break until September. Next week we'll celebrate the feast of Mary Magdalene followed by a 5-week series on John's “bread of life” discourse. So, it's sort of odd that this eight-week series on Mark ends with a passage that isn't about Jesus. If you strolled in here today and didn't know any better, this gospel reading might lead you to believe that Christianity is all about John. After all, today's story sounds a lot like Jesus'... The post Eighth Sunday after Pentecost appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

Today is the halfway point of our 8-week study on Mark's gospel. We're picking up where we concluded last week directly after Jesus shared two final parables – one about spreading seeds and another about an out-of-control mustard weed... The post Fifth Sunday after Pentecost appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

Today we continue our 8-week study on Mark's gospel. Last week, we heard about two different reactions to Jesus' message both from his family and the scribes. Between last week and today's readings, Jesus began to tell parables about the kingdom or reign of God. So far, he's told the famous parable about a Sower spreading seed onto different types of soil, and he followed that up with some comments about the revelation of Jesus' ministry being like a lamp being put on a lampstand instead of under a bushel basket.. The post Fourth Sunday after Pentecost appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

If I had to pick a favorite genre of Bible stories “Jesus gets tired of people's nonsense and responds with scripture and snark” would be right at the top of the list.  And perhaps that is because it's one of my go to techniques when I'm tired of people's nonsense. And perhaps that's one of my go to techniques because Jesus modeled it for me. Who can say really?... The post Second Sunday after Pentecost appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

This is the day of Pentecost – my very favorite day of the church year. But the story of Pentecost is bigger than just one day. This story has been unfolding for a very long time... The post Pentecost Sunday appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

This week Jesus says, “As my father has loved me, so I have loved you. And this is my commandment: that you love one another as I have loved you..." The post Sixth Sunday of Easter appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

Today's gospel reading is from John. As a gospel, John is deceptively difficult to read. It's complex, filled with deep theology, and possesses a high Christology. It's a gospel where the shorter readings in our lectionary often make it more confusing. In today's gospel, we heard the circularity in the text that is emblematic of John... The post Fifth Sunday of Easter appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

In the summer of 2020 I was a hospital chaplain. I was in my first year of seminary and I was nervous about it, and I would have been nervous anyway, but the global pandemic happening didn't make anything easier. The chaplain supervisor at the hospital said, “I know you're scared, but it doesn't matter.” She said she needed all hands on deck because almost everyone else in my program had dropped out. So… I showed up. And I got to work... The post Fifth Sunday of Easter appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

As we move through the Easter season, we're invited into explore new life and resurrection in the texts. So too, as we continue the “A Place” sermon series that reflects our A Place for All campaign, we're looking at these readings with a lens toward how we are called to create “a place” to best live out God's vision. Holding all of that, three central verbs struck me in today's reading. They are meet, teach, and send... The post Third Sunday of Easter appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.