Saint Lukes Episcopal Church

The Wilderness Temptation of Jesus is remembered by the first three Gospels so we know it's important. This podcast will look at geography, history, and even science to learn why this is key for daily living, even daily happiness. Question: When were you last living in God's Time?

John 21 is the last chapter in that Gospel and for many remains a mystery. It is after Easter, and the disciples are back fishing, and yet this feels right to me. Two clues will help us find new meaning in this beachside scene. Reflection Question: What's the nicest thing anyone has ever done for you?

This podcast will take us to the world of Paul, which means those tiny books in the back of our Bible. Far away from the World of Jesus, Paul sets the world on fire with a new idea he calls the "Gospel," and like Jesus, this message invites trouble... Reflection Question: How is our faith costly? If not, why?

Sometimes Bible stories make sense during a Study or podcast, but when we get home they just look like words on a page. This podcast episode will step back and examine "how" to apply old stories to our daily lives.

It often surprises people to learn that over half the Gospels take place in a ten mile stretch along the shore of the Sea of Galilee. This episode explores why so many stories happened in so little space, and reveal a mystery coming from the mud of the lake today! Reflection Question: Where have we found God right under our noses?

The story of the woman caught in adultery is one of the iconic forgiveness stories, but it comes with a few mysteries of its own. This podcast will explore why this was such a "hot potato" topic, and what Jesus could possibly be doing as he wrote in the dust. Reflection Question: How do we forget to "see" people?

Living Water is on break this week, but today we are sharing a favorite podcast from last year.  Please It’s one thing to say Jesus loved someone, it’s quite another to watch him do it. In this episode, we see what happens when Jesus calls a man to follow - a tax collector who is hated by pretty much everyone.

The story of the Walk to Emmaus is an Easter story, and only found in Luke. It is also a mystery, because there are more than one place claiming to be the town! This podcast will try to solve the mystery and use new clues from history and archeology to bring new meaning to the old story. In short, this too is the story of us.  Reflection Question: Is our relationship with God more of a relationshi...

Rich and the Saint Luke's staff recently read the book Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Deserve by Will Guidara. Guidara is    former co-owner of legendary restaurant Eleven Madison Park. This book has sparked conversation amongst our office, and we wanted to share with you some of our most memorable takeaways and thoughts. Rich Webster, Rector, a...

Living Water is on break until January, but today we are sharing a favorite podcast from last year. The story of Mary contains a mystery that can be solved with history, context, and removing layers of tradition not found in the Bible. This podcast will seek to find the “real” Mary.. 

You might be interested to know that Samaritans are still a thing, with about 800 mostly living on Mt. Gerizim in Northern Israel. This episode will trace the origins of Samaritans, their religion, and why there is no fight like a family fight. Reflection Question: How is the term "Good Samaritan" provoctive for today.

In our Gospels we see Jesus encountering mostly invisible people, the poor and vulnerable. But in John Chapter 3, we meet a rich guy who wants to meet Jesus, and learn something about the power of starting over. Jesus calls this "Born Again" and we will see this idea baked into our Bibles from page one. Reflection Question: What do authentic apologies look like?

King Herod remains an object lesson in both genius and insanity. This episode will seek to connect the dots between his story and a much older tale, reminding us that a life of faith is different than one ruled by appetites alone. Question: Which appetites, left unchecked, will destroy us. 

In this episode, we will seek to undo what we think we know about John the Baptist, whether a hairy prophet or wild man in the wilderness, and consider John as one of the more exciting and intriguing figures in the whole Bible. Reflection Question: Where do you most feel the presence of Jesus?

The book of Exodus is more than a great escape story, it is the beginning of a people who would mirror opposite of the place they escaped. This podcast will look at burial practices (among other fun facts) of ancient people to reveal God's priorities in the practice of Good Religion. Reflection Question: How can we be more different than the world around us?

The story of Blind Bartimaeus is the last healing story recorded in Mark. It closes a chapter on Jesus’ earthly ministry and begins the lonely road to Jerusalem. In this podcast we will look carefully at special details that make this one of the more interesting and important stories in the Bible.  Reflection Questions: What does a life not ruled by appetites look like? Why is it hard to let go? T...

We all know that weddings are joyful, or at least they are supposed to be.  In this podcast, we will look at the wedding of Cana, considering that God cares about every corner of our existence, and trusting that no problem is too small to pray about. Reflection Questions: 1. How has God shown you compassion? 2. How do you feel God's presence at home?

Last time we learned that storms happen pretty quickly on the Sea of Galilee, and Jesus is master over storms. But rain and wind aren't the only kinds of storms, and in this podcast we will learn about a storm within a man's mind, and what happens next.  Questions:  How has God calmed your storms? What keeps us from telling the world?

The Bible doesn't tell us but the Sea of Galilee is the lowest freshwater lake on the planet. This means that the lake sits in a bowl and storms come in quick. In this episode, these facts and more will add color to this place where over half the gospels take place. Reflection Question: How have you felt Jesus in a storm?

Jerusalem is a problematic place to call your Capital City, especially with regards to water. In this episode we will learn why King David captured it, made Jerusalem his own, what happened next and how this 4,000 year old city lives in our hearts today. Reflection Question: When do we find it hard to pray?

Living Water is on break this weekend. In the meantime, listen to one of our favorite episodes from a previous season.  There are mysteries in the Bible that can only be solved by geography, history, and connecting the dots of a larger context. This episode shows us why Jesus and his friends strayed off the beaten path to a place far from home. Living Water returns next week. See you then!

It's common to think that ancient people were ignorant when a little context reveals we were always the same. This podcast will examine the logic behind the "Golden Calf," meet some new friends, and consider the danger of borrowing someone else's ethics... Reflection Questions: How does our belief inform our ethics? What does it mean to live a "trusting" life?

Two major backstories run through the Old Testament and set us up for the drama of the Gospels. The first is the Exodus, where a nation of slaves escape Egypt and head into a wilderness with no water. In this episode, we will look at the Exile, where God's people are attacked by another superpower and taken far form their homes and beloved Temple, only to find that God is with them always.  R...

Living Water is on break for Labor Day Weekend. In the meantime, listen to one of our most popular episodes from a previous season, titled Lookout Mountain. Living Water returns next week. See you then!

Water is a big deal in the Bible, and not just because it's scare and they all prayed for it. God's people were also caught between two superpowers that were big and bad, and yes, full of water. In a world like this, it can be hard to trust, and yet Scripture says we must.  Discussion Questions: What does it mean in our world to "trust God?" What would it be like to have everyt...