Shallowford Presbyterian Church

Sermon by the Reverend Landon A. Dillard We continue celebrating the magnificent news of Emmanuel, God with us, and the wondrous picture of fulfilled expectation and realized hope it represents. Simeon and Anna had the privilege to be at the church building and to see baby Jesus. But in this strange 2020 year, we did not. Reflect on the idea that instead of coming to the church building, we were c...

Sermon by the Reverend Catherine E. Foster While the Christmas decorations may all be packed up, the Christmas story has one final gift for us. This morning we let the wise men lead us into the new year. These sages share some hard-earned wisdom.

Sermon by the Reverend Anna George Traynham If there is ever a time that we need to gather at the waters of grace and forgiveness, it is this week. In the midst of the chaos in our nation worship God and hear words of comfort and challenge.

Sermon by the Reverend Laura H. Jernigan "Come and see!" says Jesus. The good news in these difficult days is that Jesus invites us to see him. Jesus invites us to take an honest look within ourselves, and to find who God calls us to be. Jesus also invites us to see one another, and to be found as God's children.

Sermon by the Reverend Anna George Traynham Hear the call of Samuel. This is one of our most cherished stories in the Old Testament, and this week we will keep reading, even when our favorite part of the story ends. What does God call Samuel to do, exactly, and what does it have to do with us?

Sermon by the Reverend Anna George Traynham In this sermon you will hear a story of Jesus teaching in the synagogue on the Sabbath. No one seems to remember what Jesus said that day, but we all remember what he did. Explore what that means for us, as followers of Jesus!

Two fifth graders preach about what it means to be connected...to God, to the church, to others.

Sermon by the Reverend E. Bradley Kibler Have you ever wondered how Peter and James and John felt when Jesus transformed before them? We wonder how God's voice sounded through the cloud surrounding them. We wonder if we might have been terrified like the disciples on the mountaintop. Join us as we wonder together about the Transfiguration of Jesus.

Sermon by the Reverend Anna George Traynham We begin our journey through Lent, the forty days before Easter set aside for repentance and spiritual disciplines. Throughout Lent, we engage the theme "Again & Again." This week, we will reflect on Jesus' temptation in the wilderness. Again & Again, God meets us where we are!

Sermon by the Reverend E. Bradley Kibler Again and again, we are called to follow Jesus. This morning we continue our Lenten journey and explore how we might lean into that calling to follow by denying ourselves and taking up the cross.

Sermon by the Reverend Anna George Traynham What is your favorite image of Jesus? It might be Jesus as an infant, Jesus healing by the waters, or Jesus after the resurrection. It is probably not Jesus with a whip, turning over tables in the temple! As we read the story of Jesus cleansing the temple in John 2, we will explore what tables Jesus may want to "turn" in our own lives.

Sermon by the Reverend Anna George Traynham "For God so loved the world." Those are among the most familiar words in the New Testament, but there is so much more to the story! Join us to explore John 3:14-21 together. Again and again, God loves first.

Sermon by the Reverend Anna George Traynham We are diving into the Old Testament together this week, with words from Jeremiah 31:31-34. The prophet tells us that God will establish a new covenant, one "written on our hearts" forever. How does that affect the way we live?

Sermon by the Reverend Laura H. Jernigan On Palm Sunday, Psalm 118 invites pilgrims to take up this chant: “Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!” But Jesus does a re-write of this beloved script. Read Psalm 118 and Mark 11:1-11 and let us look again for the one who comes.

Good Friday sermon by the Reverend Landon A. Dillard Recall Christ’s death and sacrifice in this somber service of darkness.

Sermon by the Reverend Anna George Traynham

Sermon by the Reverend Landon A. Dillard It has been one week since the chaos and excitement of Easter, one week since the empty tomb, one week since we shouted “Hallelujah. Christ is risen. The Lord is risen indeed.” How is our life different after Easter? And what can we learn from “Doubting Thomas” about how to live into the reality that Jesus has risen?

Individual Faith Statements by Shallowford's 2021 Confirmands During the first 16 weeks of the year, these students explored their faith on a deeper level and on Sunday, they will stand before their Shallowford community ready to make a commitment to membership.

Sermon by the Reverend Anna George Traynham This week's sermon will explore JOY. What does it mean to be joyful, and what is the difference between joy and happiness? As Christians, what is the source of our joy?

Sermon by the Reverend Anna George Traynham This week's sermon explores the story of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts. The traveler is reading a scripture from Isaiah, and Philip asks if he understands what he is reading. "How can I unless someone guides me?" the Ethiopian responds. We will talk about what it means to guide and learn from each other in faithful community.

Sermon by the Reverend Anna George Traynham In today's reading from John 15, Jesus calls us his friends. We often think about "what a friend we have in Jesus," but friendship is a two-way street! What does it mean to be a friend to Jesus, and to be a Jesus-like friend to each other?

Sermon by the Reverend Anna George Traynham In the church, we often talk about being the hands and feet of Christ in the world. This week's reading from Ephesians 1 leads us to think about another part of the body: the head of the church, who is Christ Jesus! As Christ's body in the world, how do we make space to listen to our "head?" How do our feet know where to go?

Sermon by the Reverend Anna George Traynham Pentecost Sunday, the day when the Holy Spirit first came to the church! The sermon will explore the miracle of the first Pentecost. What was it, and why does it matter?

Nicodemus, the inquisitive Pharisee, gets a bad reputation for not instantly understanding Jesus' invitation to be born again. But Nicodemus has much to offer us modern Christians as we seek to be faithful in our almost post-pandemic reality. Listen to learn how Nicodemus helps us live into the Light.

Sermon by the Reverend Catherine E. Foster During Vacation Bible School our children learned the story of Jesus healing the paralytic whose friends lowered him through the roof. Beyond being super-fun to act out, this story is also an inspiring example of Christian friendship.