Glimpses of Grace

Rev. Brandon Nonnemaker, Ed. D. This sermon reflects on Jesus' healing of a woman bent down by burden and the clash between rigid law and liberating love. It invites us to move beyond limited perspectives—of ourselves, of others, and of God—and step into Christ’s expansive vision of dignity and compassion. For episode transcripts and more about Grace Episcopal Church, visit online at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ gr...

Rev. Stuart Higginbotham, DMin Jesus speaks of bringing division, and the shallow parts of ourselves push back against discomfort. But the deep teachings of Christian practice demonstrate how the wisdom of Jesus cuts through our illusions and patterns that thwart our own spiritual growth and evolution. That is the point of what we do, the goal of who we are. For episode transcripts and more about...

Rev. Brandon Nonnemaker, Ed. D. This sermon gently acknowledges the pervasive fear many face in an uncertain world and invites listeners to respond with faith and trust in God’s ongoing creative work. Drawing on Abram’s story and Jesus’ promise of the kingdom, it reveals how faith becomes the foundation for courage, generosity, and belonging amid life’s challenges. Ultimately, it offers a hopeful...

Rev. Stuart Higginbotham, DMin Greed is a tricky thing. When we dare to pause and pay attention to where we invest ourselves, we begin to learn where we truly place our trust. The Spirit challenges us to see where our deepest yearnings lie --and to take the first steps toward true freedom. For episode transcripts and more about Grace Episcopal Church, visit online at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ gracechurchgainesville....

Rev. Brandon Nonnemaker, Ed. D. This sermon explores the beautiful tension at the heart of prayer—a space where bold confidence in God’s love meets the mystery of God’s ways. Drawing on Psalm 138, Abraham’s prayerful bargaining, and Jesus’ teaching in Luke 11, it reminds us that prayer is not about having all the answers, but about trusting the One who hears. In joy or grief, with clarity or quest...

Rev. Stuart Higginbotham, DMin It is easy to choose certain Bible verses that reinforce our preconceived notions about the worthiness of other people, yet the Spirit hopes that our lives are transformed to see all of creation held in God's embrace. How can our practice of faith nurture a more inclusive vision in our lives, so that our lives are patterned more fully on the life of Jesus Christ?...

Rev. Dr. Betsy Powell A pitiful, stray dog on the side of an Alabama country road reminds us that the parable of the Good Samaritan isn't about being a do-gooder or a nice guy. The Good Samaritan is a story about radical mercy, love and action. Active love vs. benign neglect. It's about being a neighbor in the truest sense, and coming near. For episode transcripts and more about Grace Episcopa...

Rev. Stuart Higginbotham, DMin The earth bows down and sings, but do we hear it? In a world filled with noise and distraction, how do we stretch our spiritual muscles to truly listen to God's presence, not just in the extraordinary, but in every person and every moment? For episode transcripts and more about Grace Episcopal Church, visit online at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ gracechurchgainesville.org⁠/podcast ⁠⁠⁠...

Rev. Brandon Nonnemaker, Ed. D. This sermon explores how life’s sudden upheavals—the whirlwind moments—can be more than disorienting; they can be transformative. Drawing from Elijah’s ascent, Psalm 77, and Jesus’ resolute journey toward the cross, it challenges us to choose mercy and to follow God not around the storm, but through it. In the whirlwind, we find not chaos alone, but the presence of...

Rev. Stuart Higginbotham, DMin When Jesus heals a man beset by demons, the man's community asks Jesus to leave. Healing the man has upset the system they had adapted to, tolerated and even profited from. How do we exist in a system of dysfunction and toxicity, and how do we nurture the quiet voice of God through that speaks beneath the spectacles all around us? For episode transcripts and more...

Rev. Brandon Nonnemaker, Ed. D. This Trinity Sunday we explore the persistent, relational nature of God. Drawing on Psalm 8, Proverbs 8, and John’s Gospel, we experience a God who remembers us, delights in us, and stays with us. The Trinity is not a puzzle to be solved, but a promise of unwavering love and presence. For episode transcripts and more about Grace Episcopal Church, visit online at ⁠⁠⁠...

Rev. Stuart Higginbotham, DMin The Feast of Pentecost reminds us that the Spirit of God blows into our lives, breaking open the rigid constructs we hold to so tightly. We see that unity and diversity are not opposing realities; rather, they are held together within the deep flow of the Spirit. Our challenge continues to be to do our inner work so that we can be nimble and participate with the Spir...

Rev. Brandon Nonnemaker, Ed. D. Ascension Sunday invites us into mystery—not a farewell, but a new beginning. In the swirling clouds, we are reminded that Christ reigns with love, not domination, and calls us to live with eyes lifted and hearts open. Even in a broken world, joy takes root, for the Lord is King—and that changes everything. For episode transcripts and more about Grace Episcopal Chur...

Rev. Stuart Higginbotham, DMin Today’s Gospel reading emphasizes the way Jesus engaged with those who are seeking healing. Jesus never assumes; rather, he offers us an opportunity to participate fully in God’s healing actions. How are we called to pay attention to the Spirit’s work in our lives, and what do we need to name in order to share more fully in God’s compassionate embrace? For episode tr...

Rev. Stuart Higginbotham, DMin Like Peter, we often inherit frameworks—beliefs and assumptions passed down through family, tradition, or culture—that offer comfort and a sense of control. But God’s movements, the Divine Economy, does not operate on our terms or within our boundaries. It is expansive, surprising, and rooted in love that refuses to be contained. What happens when God’s grace flows b...

May 11 was Youth Sunday at Grace, and the homily was delivered by Evelyn Higginbotham, a graduating Senior. We are called by Jesus, the Good Shepherd, to love one another as He loves us. He asks us to engage in an active relationship with Him in order to make the world a better place. Are we willing to sacrifice our own wants and desires, to take His hand and trust that He will lead us to green pa...

Rev. Brandon Nonnemaker, Ed. D. In the wake of awe-filled moments when God feels near, we often return to ordinary routines wondering what comes next. This sermon explores the disciples’ post-resurrection confusion and Jesus’ quiet recommissioning—an invitation to live out faith not just in the extraordinary, but in daily acts of love and service. Discipleship, we discover, means casting the net a...

This sermon was originally delivered on Easter Sunday, April 20, 2025. We recorded Rev. Brandon Nonnemaker, Ed. D., on 4/29/2025 to add them to this podcast series. Easter doesn’t restore order—it upends it. This sermon celebrates the holy disruption of resurrection, where death is defeated, power is reversed, and grace runs wild. In a world shaped by control and conformity, we are invited to live...

This sermon was originally delivered on Saturday, April 19, 2025 for Easter Vigil. We recorded Rev. Brandon Nonnemaker, Ed. D., on 4/29/2025 to add them to this podcast series. At the Great Vigil of Easter, we stand not in full light, but on the threshold—between darkness and dawn, between death and new life. The first Easter did not come wrapped in triumph but in trembling, as faithful women carr...

Rev. Stuart Higginbotham, DMin When it comes to religious life, St. Thomas often gets viewed through a suspicious lens. We often view doubt as a weakness or moral failing, but what if doubt is viewed through the lens of wonder and curiosity? How can doubt actually be a sign of deepening faith, as we engage with the Spirit in our lives and seek to grow? For episode transcripts and more about Grace...

Rev. Stuart Higginbotham, DMin Beneath the sparkle and the dye, beneath all that catches our eye, there flows a Deep Easter, a truth that new life is always present. How can we find hope in times of uncertainty, as we recognize how fragile and resilient life is? Thank goodness we have a full fifty days to celebrate Easter, because we need all the time we can get to become saturated with the promis...

Rev. Stuart Higginbotham, DMin In the Crucifixion, God takes all of human experience and pain onto God's Self, entering into the deepest crevices of death to heal the pain of our lives. By reflecting on God's all-embracing love, we see that we have no reason at all to fear death. For episode transcripts and more about Grace Episcopal Church, visit online at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠gracechurchgainesville.org...

Rev. Dr. Cynthia Park So much around Holy Week involves symbols, metaphors, and very specific "labor". All that silver doesn't polish itself, and flowers don't just jump into pots! Eight hundred service leaflets have to be composed, edited, printed. Choral music work for Easter begins shortly after the final verse of Silent Night on Christmas Eve. It can be easy to go through the...

It is tempting to skip straight from Palm Sunday to Easter, and if we do, we miss so many of the powerful moments Holy Week invites us to explore. By exploring a different Gospel text this year, we can reflect on the potential we have for transformation as we step into these holy days. What do we need to face, so that we can nurture healing in our lives? For episode transcripts and more about Grac...

This sermon explores the extravagant, unsettling act of Mary anointing Jesus’ feet with a goodly portion of expensive perfumed oil—a gesture of love that defied the logic of her world. In contrast to the practical and measured response of the world, Mary embodies the dangerous oddness of the Gospel. We are invited to join her in disrupting systems of control and scarcity with acts of imagination,...