Idlewild Presbyterian Church

We reflect on our beliefs regarding the purpose, efficacy, and transformational power of the Church specifically and Chrisitan community more broadly. Acts 2:37-47 guides our worship as we reflect on the witness of the early Church and how that witness continues to shape the call of the Church today. Sermon delivered by the Reverend Joshua H. Narcisse on July 21, 2024.

As we continue our Theology 101 sermon series, we read Romans 8:28-29 and consider the doctrine of predestination. We reflect on our understanding of God’s power, might, and activity in our lives, and also address common cultural misconceptions of predestination and free will. Paul’s letter to the Romans will help us center our worship on the truth of God’s amazing and everlasting love for God’s p...

In a world filled with trouble that causes us to doubt God’s caring presence, this sermon invites us to consider God’s creation as a spiritual practice of reacquainting ourselves with God’s active, living, concerned care. We read Matthew 6:24-34 and reflect on how trusting God’s providence guides our way into Jesus’ vision for the world. Sermon delivered by the Reverend Courtnay Veazey on July 7,...

Today we reflect on what it means to be sanctified or “made holy” by the power of God. Please note, that we read Philippians 2:1-13. However, Rev. Powers mistakenly references Colossians in place of Phillippians in this sermon. In his epistle to the Philippians, Paul instructs the church to have the same mind as Christ Jesus; to do nothing from selfish ambition while allowing humility to shape the...

Justification is far from a household word, but it’s one of the more important concepts in Christian theology. Where justification is not understood—and felt—we embark on projects of self-justification that alienate us from God and make it difficult to hear the message of the Gospel. We will read Romans 3:23-28 and discover how the doctrine of justification can shape our faith and lives in helpful...

How might we experience the revelation of God in our lives and the world? In Acts 9:1-9, Saul is the primary antagonist of the Apostles; breathing threats of murder against them and other early disciples of Jesus, until Jesus speaks to Saul in a holy episode on the road to Damascus. For Saul, the revelation of Jesus on the road to Damascus becomes the transformational experience of Saul’s life; co...

What does it mean to be saved by Jesus? In Acts 4:8-12, the religious authorities confront Peter and John about how they healed a man who had been lame from birth. Filled with the Holy Spirit, Peter was forceful in his public declaration to the authorities and onlookers that the man was healed by the name of Jesus Christ. Going further, Peter declared that salvation could be found in none other th...

The doctrine of sin is foundational to Reformed theology, but few Presbyterians can articulate it in a way that is both thorough and accessible. Many churches focus so much on personal sin that they neglect the evils of corporate sin while others focus so much on corporate sin that they fail to take seriously the evils of personal sin. In Romans 7:14-25a Paul articulates his personal struggle with...

As we celebrate Trinity Sunday, we read John 1: 1-5, 9-14, 16-18, and explore what it means to say we worship one God in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, who are coequal, coeternal, and consubstantial. Sermon delivered by the Reverend Mary Newberg Gale on May 26, 2024.

On the Day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit fell upon the people of God in a divine and dizzying display. In Acts 2:1-13 people from all across the region were gathered in Jerusalem when a sound like the rush of a violent wind made known to them the presence of the Holy Spirit. Without warning, each person began speaking in a foreign language yet they could understand each other perfectly. As we cont...

Amongst deep divides and seemingly endless wars, what does it mean for the Christian to embody a faith which is steadfast in its claim that death has been swallowed up in victory? In 1 Corinthians 15:51-57 Paul admonishes those who deny the resurrection of the dead by proclaiming that in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, “death has been swallowed up in victory.” In a world where death is an all to...

The Reverend Mary Newberg Gale reads Psalm 150, and then the Reverend David J. Powers reflects on the words of the Psalmist who calls “everything that breathes” to praise the Lord. The sermon was delivered on May 5, 2024, as part of Music Appreciation Sunday.

We are called to be united in our diversity. In 1 Corinthians 1:10-18, Paul warns the young church against forming rival groups within their community. He urges them to remember their unity in Christ which will overcome any worldly division they create. As our youth lead us in worship, we will be challenged like the Corinthians to remember the ways in which we are inextricably bound together by Ch...

In Acts 17:1-9, we hear the story of Paul and Silas sharing the Gospel in Thessalonica. While some are persuaded by his message, many others become angry and seek to bring him before the authorities of the city. As we study this unsettling account, we will sit with Paul’s persistent preaching and wrestle with the angry response of the townspeople. How might we learn from Paul’s impassioned message...

Acts 3:1-10 describes an encounter between Peter, John, and an unnamed man seeking alms in front of the Beautiful Gate of the Temple. We will explore how the encounter challenges our notions of charity, relationship, healing, and the role of beauty in our lives. Sermon delivered by the Reverend Joshua H. Narcisse on April 14, 2024.

We are called to be witnesses to the resurrecting power of Christ at work in the world. In Acts 1:1-11, we read about the appearances of Jesus to the disciples over the 40 days he walked the earth after the resurrection, and then, his ascension into heaven. We will reflect on what valuable lessons Jesus communicated to the disciples. Sermon delivered by the Reverend David J. Powers on April 7, 202...

There is no future that you can walk into where Jesus has not already gone ahead of you. On Easter, we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ with a reading of Mark 16:1-8. We hear of the women making their way to the tomb; wondering who will roll away the stone from its entrance. The women arrive to find not a stone, but a young man who tells them that Jesus has been raised from the...

As we celebrate Palm Sunday, we center on the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem as described in Mark 11:1-11. Jesus sent his disciples ahead to secure a donkey on which he could ride into the city. We ask ourselves how this familiar scene might once again comfort and convict us. Given what will take place, how can we rightly call Jesus’ entry triumphal? Sermon delivered by the Reverend David...

Greater attentiveness to Christ has the power to change our lives and the world. Mark’s thirteenth chapter is devoted to stories of Jesus foretelling future events including the destruction of the Temple and persecution of those who proclaim the Good News of Jesus. Mark 13:32-37 closes the chapter with Jesus repeatedly, if cryptically, warning his disciples to “keep awake.” While much of what he f...

When asked which of the commandments is the greatest, Jesus replies with a two-part answer which lays out two familiar commandments – to love God and to love our neighbor. The scribe is pleased by Jesus’ response, and Jesus encourages the scribe that he is “not far from the Kingdom of God.” As we study scripture, we will explore together how we might transcend the world’s noise in order to realign...

When we hear stories that convict us, we have a choice in how we respond. In Mark 12:1-12, the religious leaders - chief priests, scribes, and elders - take notice of Jesus and begin to challenge his ministry. Jesus shares a parable in which tenants repeatedly disrespect their landowner and ultimately murder the landowner’s son. Jesus asks the religious leaders, “What then will the (landowner) do?...

What do we truly desire Christ to do in our lives? In Mark 10:46-52, Jesus encounters a man who is blind named Bartimaeus. Attempting to grab his attention, Bartimaeus shouts, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” After calling the man to him, Jesus asks a life-changing question, “What do you want me to do for you?” The man expresses that he wants to see, and immediately, he regains his sight....

Sermon delivered by Dr. Catherine Meeks on Feb. 18, 2024.

Sermon delivered by the Reverend David J. Powers on Feb. 11, 2024.

Sermon delivered by the Reverend David J. Powers on Feb. 4, 2024.