Emmanuel Episcopal Church

Homily for the Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost - Seeking the Kingdom

The Gospel - Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52

Homily by the Rev. Dr. David Smith

Seeking the Kingdom

If ever we see the impossibility of clearly and finally describing the nature of the Kingdom of God, it is here.  Even the Lord himself could not find a simile that worked all the time, or was broad enough to illustrate clearly everything he wanted to say.  The Kingdom of God is too much.

And no doubt about it, Jesus is on something of a simile binge.  The kingdom is . . . a mustard seed . . . a bit of yeast in dough . . . a hidden treasure . . . a pearl of great value . . . a net catching fish.    It’s most interesting how easily Jesus slides from the agricultural to the culinary to the marketplace and then to fishing.  At first, it all seems quite jumbled together

But even though Jesus is throwing out these various images at a fast and furious pace, he is also explaining one of the most remarkable truths that emerges from the gospel: namely this, the kingdom of God is hidden and utterly defies our ability to capture it.

A Field Trip to the Molasses Grill

The Molasses Grill in Halifax, Virginia was the scene of the Dinner Clubs’ mid-summer outing on Saturday evening July 12th.

Some seventeen Emmanuel parishioners and friends enjoyed the Grill’s fine “Southern Inspired Cuisine” including a variety of seafood and fine steaks followed by the Grill’s delectable desserts.

The Ven. Bill Jones, Guest Preacher & Celebrant on July 13

Our preacher and celebrant for Holy Eucharist on July 13 will be the Ven. Bill Jones.  Bill was recently named Archdeacon for Deacons for the Diocese of Southern Virginia, succeeding the Ven. Patti Davis. Ordained in 1989, Bill has served as secretary, vice-president, and president of the North American Association for the Diaconate. Currently he serves as assistant secretary of the Fund for the Diaconate. His diaconal ministry has focused on work in prisons and until his new appointment, he served as deacon at St. David’s in Richmond.

Homily for the Eighth Sunday after Pentecost - The Invitation

The Gospel - Matthew 11:25-30

Homily by the Rev. Dr. David Smith

The Invitation

 I trust everyone had a wonderful 4th of July. We are still basking in the afterglow of fireworks and patriotism, the land of the free and the home of the brave, "One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. 

We also celebrate the anniversary of our constitution, which says, "We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union offering everyone the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”

 

As we considered the 4^th, I hope all of us took to heart these qualities of our life together.  For some, the 4th of July is merely another sanctioned opportunity to celebrate, to whoop it up and to have a day off.  But it should be more.