What are the days leading up to Christmas really all about? We call it the "holiday season," which is really short for "holy days season." What is holy about it? In the craziness of preparing for Christmas, we can often lose sight of the real essence of the season. This Sunday, December 9, we continue a series of sermons looking at the values that underlie the season of Advent and Christmas. Our message is titled "Tis the Season for... Generosity."

What are the days leading up to Christmas really all about? We call it the "holiday season," which is really short for "holy days season." What is holy about it? In the craziness of preparing for Christmas, we can often lose sight of the real essence of the season. We begin a new series of sermons in which we consider the values that underlie the season of Advent and Christmas. Let's get down to the heart of the matter - a simple message of good news.

We have learned to stop running, stop avoiding, stop worrying, and this week we will put an end to our culture of complaint!

A Faith that Works

Gethsemane Traditional

Sept. 30, 2018

We are looking at four habits that rob our lives of both meaning and joy, and consider how we might replace them with something positive. This week, we're going to stop avoiding and start facing.

We begin a new sermon series titled "Stop It!" and talk together about slowing our lives down so that we can experience the presence of God. During the month of November, we will look at four habits that rob our lives of both meaning and joy and consider how we might replace them with something positive. We can stop running, avoiding, worrying, and grumbling, and replace those habits with experiencing, facing, trusting, and thanking.

As we end our series over the Letter of James, we consider how important it is to actually take some action as Christians.

Do you ever wonder why you bother praying? Does it really make any difference? What is the point? We will talk together about the purpose and the power of prayer.

We will talk together about where we put our trust, and how our use of money is both an indicator and a stimulus for trust in God.

Let's talk about the importance of community and the challenges of getting along with others.

As we begin our sermon series "Show Me: The Letter of James,"we look at the relationship between faith and works, heart and hand, belief and action. Don't miss this Sunday's worship!

We concluded our series on Starting with Middle C. We have talked about convictions - having something to believe in, the rock in which to anchor your life, and about commitment - having something to anchor your life to, or for. This Sunday we will deal with the third essential C - community - having some people to love.

Second in the Series, Starting with Middle C

When learning to play the piano, a student begins by learning Middle C, a centering constant to which the student can always return. As we come back to school and church and start the year together, it is a good time to identify what is middle C for you and your family. Convictions, Commitment, and Community­-the three components that can make up Middle C for every family and every person.

When learning to play the piano, a student begins by learning Middle C, a centering constant to which the student can always return. As we come back to school and church and start the year together, it is a good time to identify what is middle C for you and your family. Convictions, Commitment, and Community­-the three components that can make up Middle C for every family and every person.

Last in the series, Bridges

How do we as Christians be in relationship with those of other faith traditions? What is your responsibility as a Christian when you speak to someone of the Jewish, or Muslim, or Hindu faith? Are all religions basically alike, just different pathways to the same goal? Or are Christians right and others just plain wrong?

Our new sermon series, "Bridges," focuses on how to address the fractures in our culture. For the next three weeks, the people of St. Luke's will consider in our Sunday messages some of the chasms that separate us from others, and how to build bridges across them. We talked this week about building bridges across opinions, seeking ways to bridge the "red-blue divide."

First in the series, Bridges

Gethsemane Campus

Scripture Lessons:

Philippians 4:8
Acts 16:22-31

We conclude our sermon series based on Philippians 4:8: "Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is beautiful, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, focus on these things." This week "whatever is excellent" is our theme.

"Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is beautiful, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, focus on these things."

This week, "whatever is beautiful" is our theme.

Scripture Lessons:

Philippians 4:8

Genesis 2:4a-9, 15-17

Fourth in the series, Focus on These Things

Gethsemane Traditional

"Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is beautiful, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, focus on these things." - Philippians 4:8

We consider the fourth phrase in the verse, "whatever is pure," and talk about internals: the holiness of heart and life.

Whatever is Just

Third in the Series: Focus on These Things

Gethsemane Campus

We look together at the phrase "whatever is just," and discuss what justice and righteousness really mean, and how we can fill our lives with the work of justice

We will unpack one single verse from Philippians 4: "Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is beautiful, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, focus on these things." We can choose what will command our attention, and "as we thinketh" we shall be!

We will unpack one single verse from Philippians 4: "Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is beautiful, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, focus on these things." We can choose what will command our attention, and "as we thinketh" we shall be!

Whatever Is True... (Gethsemane)
First in the Series: Focus On These Things

Sea to Shining Sea (Gethsemane)
Last in the Series: How to Pray the Psalms

We don't have kings anymore, but kings were understood to be the personal embodiment of a nation. How can we pray for our country? As we head into the week of Independence Day, we consider what we might learn from the psalms about how to pray for a nation, regardless of the nation we live in.

To Know and to Do (Gethsemane)
Fourth in the Series: How to Pray the Psalms

What does it mean to "live a good life"? How do we know what we are called to do and how we are called to live in our complicated world? How do the Psalms help us understand the wisdom of God?

The Lord is My Shepherd (Gethsemane)
Third in the Series: How to Pray the Psalms

The message this week looks at the psalms of trust, expressions of our faith in and dependence on God, our shepherd and king.

Yet,...There is Hope (Gethsemane)
Second in the Series: How to Pray the Psalms

The message this week looks at the psalms of lament, those moments when it seems God is so absent.

Everyday I Will Bless You (Gethsemane)
First in the Series: Praying the Psalms

The great pastor and martyr Dietrich Bonhoeffer called the Psalms "the prayer book of the Bible." At the same time, it was the hymnal for the people of Israel. In it, we find the words to express our deepest hopes and fears to be sung and prayed. Our first message in the series will look at the psalms of praise and thanksgiving with a message called "All the Time."

Last in series, Keeping Your Amateur Status

Rev. Carrie Leader preaching
Second in the Series: Keeping Your Amateur Status

Worship is an expression of our love to God. Is your faith "religion" or is it a relationship of love?

Do you still approach life and others with passion? Or has life and relationship and faith become just a job for you? We will challenge ourselves to make a choice to love - love one another, love life, and love God. This week, we will look at daily life and work, and consider how to receive each day as a gift.

First in the Series: Keeping Your Amateur Status

The word “amateur” comes from the French word meaning “lover.” Do you do what you do because you love it? Do you still approach life and others with passion? Or has life and relationship and faith become just a job for you? This week, we will look at our relationships, and the discipline of choosing to love one another with both heart and hand.

Community is a basic human need. How can the church be the community we were created for?

We consider “My Child, You Are…A Part of Us.” How can we make each child of God find a place to belong?

Perfection is Overrated. Imperfection is a gift. Let God be the perfect one. You be the imperfect one who gets to fail and grow.

How can we become more self-aware of our own limitations and failures, and recognize our need for God’s grace?

Third in the series: "My Child, You Are..."

We're looking at three more eternal truths our kids need to know: You are Awe-ful. You are Responsible. You are Purposeful.

At a level that is below our rational thinking, deeper than our emotions, more central than even our religious beliefs, each one of us has a basic sense of identity about who we are. Most of this comes to us as children, and is rooted in experiences we have very early in life, in those days which we can’t even consciously remember. This sense of identity continues to form as we mature and controls much of the way we respond to the world. The Bible has a picture of what God intends our core identity as human beings to be, and part of our job as a church is to form that Biblical core identity in each and every person, each and every child of God, no matter the age. Each week, we will look at one of four key components of that identity, and reflect together on how we can help form it in one another. This week, we consider that “My Child, You Are…Amazing.” We will look together at how we can celebrate what you are doing in each of us, and help one another dream a little more and reach a little higher.

First in the Series: "My Child, You Are..." We're finishing that sentence today with three eternally true words that define our relationship with God.

As we conclude the series on Ezekiel, we talk about the river as an image for our relationship with God through stories in the Bible; ending with the River of Life in Ezekiel and Jesus our Living Water.

Can These Bones Live? (Gethsemane)
Seventh in the Series: These Bones Shall Live

At a level that is below our rational thinking, deeper than our emotions, more central than even our religious beliefs, each one of us has a basic sense of identity about who we are. Most of this comes to us as children, and is rooted in experiences we have very early in life, in those days which we can’t even consciously remember. This sense of identity continues to form as we mature and controls much of the way we respond to the world. The Bible has a picture of what God intends our core identity as human beings to be, and part of our job as a church is to form that Biblical core identity in each and every person, each and every child of God, no matter the age.

We conclude our sermon series on Ezekiel with a discussion of the City of God and the River of Life that are found in his final vision. Where do you think creation is headed? How can you and I be a part of getting it there?

The Shepherd King (Gethsemane)
Sixth in the Series: These Bones Shall Live

Good Friday

Westheimer Traditional

Dr. Tom Pace preaching

Maundy Thursday

Westheimer Traditional 

Rev. David Horton preaching

Easter Sunday

Westheimer Traditional

04-01-2018

Burn It Off (Gethsemane)
Fifth in the Series: These Bones Shall Live

This week, we continue in week five of our series on Ezekiel, and the story of the exiles in Babylon reaches its climax with the siege and destruction of Jerusalem. What do we do when the world falls apart around us? How do we deal with the consequences of the mistakes we have made?

Fifth in the Series: These Bones Shall Live

The Devil's in the Details (Gethsemane)
Fourth in the Series: These Bones Shall Live

We will see how Ezekiel speaks of the idolatry in Judah, and compares the people of Judah to an unfaithful wife. Let’s consider what we have allowed to become idols for us, placed on the same level as God himself.

Hear the Love. Do the Love. Be the Love (Gethsemane)
Third in the Series: These Bones Shall Live

When God Sleeps on the Couch (Gethsemane)
Second in the Series: These Bones Shall Live

All Hat, No Cattle (11am Traditional)
Third in the Series: These Bones Shall Live

When God Has Left The Building (11am Traditional)
Second in the Series: These Bones Shall Live

Rev. Eric Huffman preaching

Eat This Scroll

Gethsemane

02-18-2018

Eat This Scroll (11am Traditional)
First in the Series: These Bones Shall Live

How To Be Free (Gethsemane)
Last in the Series: Getting Through The Storms

Addiction (11am Traditional)
Last in the Series: Getting Through The Storms

Guilt and Shame (Gethsemane)
Fourth in the Series: Getting Through The Storms

God, Illness, How to be a good patient (Gethsemane)
Third in the Series: Getting Through The Storms

How to Grieve With Hope (Gethsemane)
Second in the Series: Getting Through The Storms

Guilt and Shame (11am Traditional)
Fourth in the Series: Getting Through The Storms

Illness (11 am Traditional)
Third in the Series: Getting Through The Storms

Betrayal (Gethsemane)
First in the Series: Getting Through The Storms

Grief (11 am Traditional)
Second in the Series: Getting Through The Storms

Betrayal (11 am Traditional)
First in the Series: Getting Through The Storms

A Fresh Slate (11am Traditional Service)

Like Looking in a Mirror (Gethsemane Service)

12-31-2017

When You Follow a Star and Find a Stable (11am Traditional Service)
Rev. Bill Denham preaching
12-31-2017