Ascension Written Sermons

We Are All in This Together The Reverend Dr. Howard J. Hess 24 th Sunday After Pentecost 11/11/12. The Episcopal Church of the Ascension I. Introduction. There are no coincidences . This morning’s Gospel reading from Mark presents us with a very clear teaching by Jesus about giving, pride, and humility. This passage about the widow’s mite, through no design of our own, has coincided with the ingathering of our pledges for 2013. Our God is a God of immediacy – speaking to us in the here and now about our stewardship campaign and about our giving decisions. Jesus attached great importance to the topic of giving, and I believe that it is safe to assume that God is desiring to talk with us this morning, not only about what amount we give, but also about the attitudes and motivations associated with our giving. II. The Widow’s Faithfulness. The most immediately apparent part of Christ’s message in today’s Gospel is his lifting up of the widow’s faithful...

November 4, 2012, The Twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost The Rev. Nancy P. Acree It has been almost twelve years since I stood in this place and my heart is full to be standing here today.  Even tho I was quite relieved to find God lives in Ga as well as Tn.,, this still feels like home to me and I’m mighty glad to have come home.  I don’t remember much about that last day except that I told you about the time my slip fell off while I was serving communion.  If that had anything to do with the gospel I surely don’t know what at this point.  But, I do remember so much, grieving together, laughing together, all with such love.  I thank you for those memories. There is a quote from Frederich Buechner that seems most appropriate as we observe All Saints Day.   He wrote WHEN YOU REMEMBER ME IT IT MEANS THAT YOU HAVE CARRIED SOMETHING OF WHO I AM WITH YOU, THAT I HAVE LEFT SOME MARK OF WHO I AM ON WHO YOU ARE.  IT MEANS THAT YOU CAN SUMMON ME B...

All Saints Day Sermon , Robert P. Wadley Nov. 4, 2012 – 8:00 AM Today we celebrate All Saints Day.  Actually, in the liturgical calendar, All Saints Day was November 1 st , followed on November 2 nd by All Souls Day.  On All Saints Day, we honor all the saints, both known and unknown, while on All Souls Day we remember the faithful departed.  To me it seems we tend to combine the two into one, maybe because we're not exactly sure how to define a saint.  In the Methodist Church, the word “saints” refers to all Christians and therefore, on All Saints Day, the “Church”, meaning all members living and dead, are honored and remembered.  My brother-in-law, who is a Methodist pastor in Florida, is quick to point out it's a good thing I'm not a Methodist; they would have to reconsider their definition of a saint. Our readings today are all about life and death, and about God being with us, as we live and through death to life again.  We began with the ...

The Rev. Robert P. Travis Pentecost 22 nd Sunday Sermon – 8:00am and 10:30am Church of the Ascension, Knoxville TN RCL Proper 25 Year B 10/28/2012 Scripture Text: Job: 42:1-6, 10-17, Psalm 34:1-8, Hebrews 7:23-28, Mark 10:46-52  Sermon Text: Last week many of us with children were having fall break because of the Knox County School schedule. I was blessed to be able to take my kids down to my parents’ house in Florida, while Jackie stayed home to work at her new job. On the beach one afternoon I had an interesting experience. I was standing there, talking to my dad, while watching my three kids in their various places. Jack was playing in the sand just a few steps away. Annalise was playing in the waves nearby. Eva Jane, my oldest, was playing in the waves where they had pushed her, a little further down the shore. The sun was bright, the waves fun, but not too high. There was a soft breeze. It seemed things could...

19 th Sunday After Pentecost: Oct. 7, 2012 The Episcopal Church of the Ascension The Presence of the Sacred in the Sanctuary The Reverend Dr. Howard J. Hess I. Introduction. The Celebration of Sanctuary : This morning, as a result of the outstanding efforts of our Stewardship Committee, we are celebrating the gift of sanctuary at The Episcopal Church of the Ascension. It goes without saying that God has blessed us with the incredible gift of this most beautiful space in which to worship, to enter into the Sacraments, and to fellowship together. Many have told me that in their opinion, God has gifted us with one of the most original and exquisite worship spaces in our city. I agree and hope that God will excuse my pridefulness. I look forward to hearing Bob Parrot’s tour of this sanctuary, following our 10:30 service. All are invited to participate. II. Sacred Space . Although it may appear that we might, in celebrating sanctuary, concentrate only on our phy...

The Rev. Robert P. Travis Pentecost 18 th Sunday Sermon – 8:00am and 10:30am Church of the Ascension, Knoxville TN RCL Proper 21 Year B 9/30/2012 Scripture Text: Esther 7:1-6,9-10; 9:20-22, Psalm 124, James 5:13-20, Mark 9:38-50 Sermon Text: I'm going to ask you to do something a little difficult this morning, I'm going to ask you to remember the end of the gospel passage from last week, so that we can have an entrance into the Gospel passage for this week. Do you remember it? Ok, well, then I'll give it to you, because honestly, when I was preparing this, I had to look back at it myself to remember what Jesus said. In the last verse in last week's Gospel, Jesus said “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me, welcomes not me but the one who sent me.” Now there's a subtle second meaning in that verse that we often don't ge...