Idlewild Presbyterian Church

This morning, as we gather in the New Year, we'll mark the feast of Epiphany and the last of our worship series Insisting on Hope. As we once again share the story of the Magi and the star they followed, we'll reflect on how we live the hope of God in the face of a fearful world. The words of the Gospel of Matthew will lead us to consider what it means to follow the Light of the World. Sermon on M...

Sermon delivered by the Reverend David J. Powers on December 24, 2025.

This morning, we continue our Advent sermon series, Insisting on Hope, by reflecting on the theme of love as God’s steady presence in times of fear and uncertainty. In Isaiah 41, God speaks words of deep reassurance—“Do not fear, for I am with you”—reminding us that divine love holds us fast even when the world feels unsteady. In Matthew’s telling of Jesus’ birth, we encounter a quiet, courageous...

This morning, we will continue our Advent sermon series, Insisting on Hope, by listening to stories where God’s joy breaks into ordinary lives in unexpected ways. In Jeremiah 1 and Luke 1, we encounter a God who calls before we feel ready and who speaks possibility into moments marked by uncertainty and fear. These scriptures invite us to consider how Advent joy is not shallow happiness, but a dee...

This morning, we continue our Advent journey by listening to Isaiah’s promise that God is “about to do a new thing,” and to Jesus’ words in Matthew 11 that reveal how God’s renewal springs up in surprising places. Together, these scriptures invite us to consider how peace takes root—not only in grand gestures, but in the quiet, steady work of God that heals, restores, and makes a way where none se...

This morning, we enter the holy season of Advent, a time of longing, watching, and preparing for God’s light to break into the world. As we gather, we also begin a new sermon series entitled “Insisting on Hope,” exploring how Christians are called to live faithfully in an age shaped by so much fear. Sermon on Lamentations 3:55-57 and Luke 1:5-13, delivered by the Reverend David J. Powers on Novemb...

This morning, we gather at the culmination of the church year as we celebrate Reign of Christ Sunday. As we look back over the movement of our liturgical year, we'll reflect on how we live and move in the world in light of God's promises. The words of the prophet Jeremiah lead us to consider what it means to trust and work toward God's kingdom in all we do. Sermon on Jeremiah 23:1-6, delivered by...

This morning, our worship we will grow from a beautiful passage in Ephesians, where Paul introduces the image of the body of Christ. We will be reminded that we are indeed one in Christ, called to live with humility, gentleness, and love, and we will remember that God gives each of us gifts—not for ourselves alone, but for building up the whole body until we grow into the full stature of Christ. S...

This morning, we will celebrate All Saints' Day, giving thanks for the great cloud of witnesses who have gone before us and whose faith still shapes our own. The Apostle Paul’s words in Ephesians 1:15–23 will remind us that the same power that raised Christ from the dead is at work in us today, binding us together as his body and filling all creation with his love. As we remember the saints, we al...

This morning, as we celebrate Commitment Sunday, we will conclude our series on generosity, Growing in Gratitude, by turning to 1 Corinthians 4:1–5, where Paul reminds us that we are “stewards of the mysteries of God.” In worship, we will consider how gratitude itself grows within us—nourished by the Spirit—as we learn to faithfully steward not only our financial gifts, but every good gift God has...

This morning, we'll turn to 1 Chronicles 29 as we continue our Sermon Series, Growing in Gratitude. In verses 10-16, we will hear a portion of King David's farewell address to his kingdom, as he reflects on the devotion and the resources necessary to build the Temple. Sermon on 1 Chronicles 29:10-16, delivered by the Reverend The Reverend Mary Newberg Gale on October 19th, 2025.

This morning, we will begin a new three-part sermon series on generosity which will help us explore our annual theme “Growing in Gratitude.” Our worship will be grounded by Lamentations 3:22–26 and Philippians 4:10–13, 19–20, where we will reflect on God’s steadfast love and the contentment that grows from trusting in God’s provision. Sermon on Lamentations 3:22–26 and Philippians 4:10–13, 19–20,...

This morning, we will celebrate World Communion Sunday, a day when Christians around the globe gather at the Lord’s Table. In Luke 24, the disciples’ eyes were opened at Emmaus when Jesus blessed and broke bread with them, turning their despair into joy and their confusion into hope. At the Lord’s Table, we too encounter Christ’s living presence—a presence that binds us together across nations and...

This morning, we will turn to Mark 9 as we reflect on how we understand and practice faith. Together, we'll explore the relationship between faith and uncertainty in a world that demands conviction in all things. Come and join us as we listen for God's Spirit amidst our doubts. Sermon on Mark 9:14-27, delivered by the Reverend The Reverend Mary Newberg Gale on September 28th, 2025.

This morning in worship we will turn to one of my favorite passages of Scripture, Deuteronomy 6:10–14a. Together we’ll discover how we are inheritors of God’s good gifts—both personally and as a community. As we give thanks for the gifts of God passed down through our forebears who shaped the life of faith at Idlewild, we will also pause to remember the countless saints who have poured into each o...

This morning, as we begin our season of generosity, our worship will center on the well-known story of the prodigal son from the Gospel of Luke. In telling the parable, Jesus teaches us that faithful generosity springs from relationship -- our relationship with Him, His unending generosity toward us, and the life we share as His body, the Church. We’ll see that God’s generosity is not earned or ca...

This morning, as we celebrate the official start of the programmatic year with Kickoff Sunday, our worship will be centered on the Book of Acts. In Acts 6, we read about a grievance brought by the Hellenists against the Hebrews in the early church: the Hellenist widows were being neglected in the daily distribution of food. In response, the Disciples instructed the community to choose seven indivi...

This morning we will continue our exploration of the lectionary as we meet Jesus at Sabbath meal in Luke 14. There, Jesus offers a parable to the guests seeking places of honor and prominence. As we worship we will explore how insecurities often send us following after the limelight rather than Christ, and remember that we are each called a child of God, and that is enough. Sermon on Luke Luke 14:...

This morning, the lectionary lesson will situate us alongside Jesus as he teaches in the synagogue on the sabbath. Seeing a woman crippled by a spirit, Jesus will pause his lesson, call the woman over, and heal her saying, “Woman, you are set free from your ailment.” While the woman will praise God for her healing, the leader of the synagogue will grow indignant saying, “There are six days on whic...

This morning, our worship will grow from the words of Jesus found in the lectionary Gospel passage. In Luke 12, as he teaches several lessons to his disciples, Jesus' tone changes. He begins to speak about bringing fire on the earth and dividing families again themselves. Jesus says that fathers will divided against sons, and mothers against daughters. Sermon on Luke 12:49-53, delivered by the Rev...

This morning, we will continue our month-long exploration of the Revised Common Lectionary by studying the Gospel of Luke. In Luke 12, Jesus shares many lessons on faith and practice, and as we worship, we will listen as Jesus instructs the disciples on generosity and sacrificial giving before leaving them with one of the most enduring lessons in scripture, "where your treasure is, there your hear...

This morning, we'll reflect on the Parable of the Rich Fool. It is a story unique to the Gospel of Luke and provides us an opportunity to contemplate how our daily living reflects richness toward the One who created and sustains us. Sermon on Luke 12:13-21, delivered by the Reverend Mary Newberg Gale on July 13, 2025.

This morning, Genesis 32:22–31 will guide and inspire our worship. We’ll step into the darkness of Jacob’s long night of wrestling. As day breaks, we’ll explore what it means to encounter God in the struggle and emerge transformed.å Sermon on Genesis 32:22–31, delivered by the Reverend Courtnay Veazey on July 27, 2025.

Last week, Pastor Mary helped us wrestle with how God's commandment to observe sabbath rest is an act of resistance and even defiance in an anxious and restless world. Today, the Reverend Joshua Narcisse will lead us in a meditative worship experience that puts into practice all we've explored together in worship this month. Elements of worship will remain the same; however, there will be time set...

Last week, Pastor Courtnay kicked off our new sermon series, Sabbath Rest: Rejuvenation in the Spirit. She encouraged us to imagine how the sabbath becomes a way to attune our presence to the presence of the Living God. This morning, we'll wrestle with how God's commandment to observe sabbath rest is an act of resistance and even defiance in an anxious, capitalistic world. In the instruction to re...