Field Notes: Stories from St. Martin's

This week’s gospel reading tells the story of a rich man who feasted every day and a poor man named Lazarus who longed for crumbs at his gate (Luke 16:19–31). The rich man never saw Lazarus as a neighbor. Even in death he only saw him as a servant. But the good news of Jesus is not a morality tale about being nicer. It is the announcement that God sees us. Whether we feel like Lazarus, wounded and...

We’ve all been there. The moment you realize you messed up. You squandered the opportunity. You wasted the time. You failed the people who trusted you. In Luke 16, Jesus tells the story of a steward who had blown it completely. And yet, instead of being discarded, he discovers something surprising: grace. In this sermon, Father Alan explores what it means to face our failures honestly, to trust th...

In this sermon, A Turning Point, Father Alan explores 1 Timothy 1:12–17 and Luke 15:1–10, where Paul calls himself the “foremost of sinners” and Jesus tells parables of the lost sheep and lost coin. Both passages point us to a God whose grace is greater than our sin, whose love is relentless, and whose joy erupts when the lost are found. From the humor of a runner dropping their keys into a portap...

Using Paul’s letter to Philemon, we explore what it means to be made in the image of God...even when we forget it. Using the story of Onesimus, a runaway slave transformed by the gospel, we see how God never gives up on us, no matter where we’ve been or what we’ve done.  This is grace. This is the gospel. You are not forgotten. You are not lost. You are loved. Come home.

The Rev. Ayo Ominiyi preaches on Luke 14:1, 7-14.

Jesus shocked His followers when He said His coming would bring division, even within families. What could that possibly mean? In this sermon we explore how the love of God sometimes disrupts before it heals. We turn to the prophet Micah, the Parable of the Prodigal Son, and the witness of Jonathan Daniels who gave his life for justice in Selma. We also reflect on our church’s call to host the are...

We all carry backpacks — not just to school, but in life: 💼 pressure to prove yourself 🏋️ performance and appearance expectations 🧳 the weight of possessions and “more, more, more” These “backpacks” are heavy when our worth depends on what’s inside them. But Jesus says: ✨ “It is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” ❤️ You are already enough. 💡 You are already chosen. 🙏 You ar...

The Rev. Ron Pogue preaches on Luke 12:13-21.

What does it really mean to pray? In this week’s sermon, “How to Pray,” we explore Jesus’ simple, powerful teaching on prayer from Luke 11. When the disciples ask him how to pray, Jesus doesn’t give them rules or rituals—he gives them words of grace. This sermon reflects on the Lord’s Prayer as a gift for broken, everyday people—and connects it with the public art at Lake Como Park that simply say...

The Rev. Laura Warner Gilmer preaches on Luke 10:38-42.

The Rev. Ron Pogue preaches on the parable of the good Samaritan in Luke 10:25-37.

This sermon, titled “Dependence Day,” was preached on July 6, 2025, during Independence Day weekend. While our nation celebrates freedom and self-reliance, this message from Luke 10:1–11, 16–20 calls us to something deeper: a life of dependence...on God and on each other. In the wake of tragic flooding in Kerrville, where lives were lost and communities shaken, we’re reminded that we were never me...

The Rev. Ayo Ominiyi preaches on our call to follow Jesus, even when it's hard.

Today in our children’s message, we talked about Lincoln Logs. These are simple wooden toys that have been around for more than one hundred years. While many toys break or get thrown away, Lincoln Logs are still around and still loved. They remind us that some things are worth coming back to again and again. We also told the story of three young men in the Bible. Their names were Shadrach, Meshach...

In this week’s sermon, we reflect on what lasts. We begin with a story about Abraham Lincoln’s cabin. Not the original one, but a recreated version in Kentucky that still draws visitors. Why? Because the story it tells - about humility, strength, and endurance - still matters. From that same story came something simple but lasting:  Lincoln Logs . For over 100 years, children have played with thes...

In this sermon from our Historical Markers summer series, we explore a story of healing at the Pool of Bethesda, and the surprising grace of Jesus. Set alongside the history of Mineral Wells, Texas, once known for its “healing waters,” we reflect on how many of us are still striving for healing, wholeness, and purpose. But what if grace doesn’t meet us in our hustle? What if Jesus shows up not whe...

The Rev. Alan D. Bentrup preaches about teachers, students, and remembering that we are loved. The text is John 13:31-35.

The Rev. Alan D. Bentrup preaches about main characters, God's call, and how love is shown through everyday people. The text is Acts 9:36-43.

Deacon Ayo Ominiyi preaching on John 21:1-19.

The Rev. Alan D. Bentrup preaches about Jesus' presence in the locked rooms of our lives, from John 20:19-31.

Alleluia, Christ is risen! The Lord is risen indeed! The Rev. Alan D. Bentrup preaches on Easter Sunday, from Luke 24:1-12.

The Rev. Alan D. Bentrup preaches on Good Friday, from John 18:1-19:42.

The Rev. Alan Bentrup preaches on Maundy Thursday, from John 13:1-17, 31b-35.

The Rev. Alan Bentrup kicks off our Holy Week series, preaching on Luke 23:1-49 in "Woven Together: Palm Sunday."

The Rev. Alan Bentrup preaches about God's extravagant love in John 12:1-8.