For the spirit of the city

In this reflection Rev. Dr. Lisa Johnson reflects on importance of seeing ourselves as victorious with God, and not think lesser of ourselves.

Joel Blunk's final sermon at Richmond Hill before his departure. He reflects on simplicity, shaking off rejection, stability, and healing.

Deborah Cannady explores Peter's betrayal of Christ and how trauma informs the text; and can lead to redemption.

Guest preacher Rev. Juan Shackelford preaches on the sermonic title "I Trust In You." He explores Psalms 56 as a basis to trust in God in spite of our hardships.

After a year where we were called into our homes, Rev. Lindsey Franklin hears in Mark's gospel Jesus' call back towards the stranger to heal a house divided.

Rev. Joel Blunk reflects on the church's celebration of "The Feast of the Visitation." Joel also reminds us that the Magnificant prayer highlights those in society who are often forgotten, but not forgotten by God.

This week Rev. Ben Hadley-Goggin looks at the miracle of Pentecost and how it connected people like never before through a common language of God’s love. Diversity is God’s gift and Pentecost reveals that God embraces our differences and does not erase who we are and our particularity.

The week before Pentecost, Anthony Gaboton considers the story of the disciple Judas, the one who betrayed Christ. Anthony encourages us to delve into the complexity of the wayward disciple.

Rev. Dr. Lisa Johnson delves into the 'Lord's Prayer' this week. She remnds us that as we pray, this model of prayer reminds us to ask for God’s daily portion of blessings.

Rev. Joel Blunk reflects on what it means to have Jesus as a friend. He weaves the scriptures as well as the ‘Icon of Christ and Abba Mena’ to illustrate our relationship with God.

This week Richmond Hill welcomes Rev. Hollie Woodruff from Seventh Street Christian Church. Rev. Hollie uses John 10:11-18 to explore God's analogy of being the Shepherd to God's people.

In these trying times it is easy to become consumed by our own concerns and not for those of others. This week Anthony Gaboton shares some of his own challenges with religion and life in contemporary times.

In today's message Rev. Dr. Lisa Johnson looks to Psalm 150. It is a message that declares while we have breath in our body we have been encouraged by the psalmist to let everything that has breath, praise the Lord.

In this first week of Easter Rev. Joel Blunk reflects on how God’s resurrection love removes any hindrance to the healing we seek and so desperately need.

Jesus had to go through the experience of trauma just as we do in our daily lives. Long-time resident DeBorah Cannady shares her reflection, "The Way of the Cross" and how sitting with and breathing into our pain is necessary for healing.

Ideas of sin and death that we contemplate during Lent take on new meaning in a time of national tragedy. Join us as Rev. Lindsey Franklin, Associate Pastor for Development, explores the themes of anger, love, and surrender in Psalm 51 and the teachings of Jesus in John 12.

This week we are pleased to have seminarian and former RH resident Jabriel Hasan reflect on today's Gospel lesson. Jabriel notes, "In Jn 3:14-21, we observe the human inclination to condemn others in order to rescue ourselves. We are to acknowledge the roots of this tendency and its profound impact on the text, the Church, and larger society. Reading against the grain allows us to retrieve an evan...

In this week's message Rev. Dr. Lisa Johnson asks us to consider what we’re willing to lay down for the sake of the call on our lives.

Like Abraham and Sarah, we are called – in spite of our limitations, past failures, and fears – to be good ancestors, those through whom God’s blessing is imparted for generations to come. Rev. Joel Blunk preaches from the sermonic title, "To Be A Better Ancestor."

During this first week of Lent, Anthony Gaboton Jr. ponders on the story of Noah and the Ark and how it is relevant in today’s world ravaged with the Covid-19 endemic.

Our Lenten Journey may be the perfect time to clean out our life closets. Rev. Ben Hadley-Goggin explores the Gospel readings of Matthew 6 as he preaches from the sermonic title, "“The Lenten Journey.”

In this week's message we are challenged to ask if our inability to believe negates God’s faithfulness? Rev. Dr. Lisa Johnson preaches from the sermonic title: "So what if they didn’t believe?"

Jesus was a wisdom teacher, speaking and acting with an authority that continues to undermine conventional - and not so conventional - ways of life. Though disruptive to the status quo, the wisdom way of Jesus offers hope for us all. Rev. Joel Blunk preaches "By What Authority" in today's sermon.

As we listen to Jesus' call to follow him in the fist chapter of Mark's Gospel, Rev. Lindsey Franklin asks us to reflect on our own call to discipleship. She encourages us to see our call in relation with and interwoven with one another.

Weeks after the insurrection at the nation’s capitol the country is still divided as ever. The day after MLK’s observance and a day before the Inauguration of the 46th president; Anthony Gaboton Jr. ponders on how we can hear the voice of God in such turbulent times.