Sermon by Bishop Hector Monterroso — February 22, 2026

In this sermon, Bishop Hector Monterroso draws on his experience of learning English to describe the role of discipline in the life of faith. Just as language becomes natural through repetition and practice, he suggests that scripture must be internalized until it shapes instinct and response.

Reflecting on the temptations of Jesus in the wilderness, he presents the word of God as a steady guide in the face of pressures such as greed, power, and division. Faith, in this sense, is not abstract but formed through daily habits.

Speaking to those preparing for confirmation, Bishop Monterroso encourages a clear sense of identity grounded in Christ rather than in shifting circumstances.

The sermon emphasizes consistency. Through prayer, attention to scripture, and ongoing practice, believers are equipped to face the demands of their own wilderness experiences.

Find St. Francis Episcopal Church online ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠at this link.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

This podcast is a production of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Houston Creative Media.⁠⁠⁠

Sermon by Mother Emily Hylden — February 15, 2026

In this sermon, Mother Emily Hylden reflects on the difficulty of real change. Using the image of a child unwilling to let go of a toy, she describes how people often cling to familiar patterns of grief, anger, and hurt, even when they no longer serve them.

Drawing on the Transfiguration, she presents a contrast between God’s revelation of glory and the human tendency to resist it. The problem is not that transformation is unavailable, but that it requires a willingness to release what feels known and controlled.

Mother Hylden emphasizes that this surrender cannot be forced. It is an interior decision, one that involves risk and honesty about what we are holding onto.

The sermon frames spiritual growth as an ongoing inner struggle. It calls listeners to remain attentive and open, trusting that letting go of old burdens can lead to a more grounded and renewed life.

Find St. Francis Episcopal Church online ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠at this link.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

This podcast is a production of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Houston Creative Media.⁠⁠⁠

Sermon by Rev. Katie Gould — February 8, 2026

In this sermon, Rev. Katie Gould addresses the gap between outward religious practice and genuine spiritual integrity. Drawing on Isaiah and the Gospels, she challenges forms of faith that rely on routine, performance, or cultural expectations.

She calls listeners to move beyond surface-level worship toward a lived righteousness that takes seriously the needs of others. This includes confronting injustice and recognizing the suffering of others as inseparable from one’s own life.

The sermon shifts the focus from charity to solidarity. Faith is not only expressed in private devotion, but in active participation in the well-being of the community.

The message is direct: spiritual clarity is found not by turning inward, but by engaging the world with responsibility and care.

Find St. Francis Episcopal Church online ⁠⁠⁠⁠at this link.⁠⁠⁠⁠

This podcast is a production of ⁠⁠⁠⁠Houston Creative Media.⁠⁠

Sermon by Father Stuart Bates — February 1, 2026

In this sermon, Father Stuart Bates reflects on the difference between a successful life and the blessed life described in the Beatitudes. Drawing from the Sermon on the Mount, he presents Jesus’ teaching as a redefinition of what it means to live well.

Rather than pursuing power, status, or recognition, the Beatitudes point toward humility, mercy, and dependence on God. Father Bates invites listeners to examine their own priorities and consider where their lives are aligned, or out of step, with these values.

The sermon calls for a shift in direction. It emphasizes reliance on grace and a practical commitment to serving others as the foundation of a life shaped by Christ.

Find St. Francis Episcopal Church online ⁠⁠⁠at this link.⁠⁠⁠

This podcast is a production of ⁠⁠⁠Houston Creative Media.⁠⁠

Sermon by Father Bob Wismer - January 25, 2026

In this sermon from St. Francis Episcopal Church, Father Bob Wismer reflects on the theme of light in the season of Epiphany. Drawing on the Gospel of Matthew, he describes Christ as a light that reaches into places of uncertainty, fear, and spiritual blindness.

He explores the meaning of repentance, not simply as regret, but as a real change in direction. Using the conversion of St. Paul as a reference point, he presents faith as a shift in how one sees and responds to the world.

Throughout the sermon, Father Wismer grounds these ideas in lived experience, pointing to examples from daily life that reveal how change often begins in small, concrete ways.

The message is direct: to live under God’s reign is not abstract. It is expressed in steady acts of attention, responsibility, and care that bring light into ordinary situations.

Find St. Francis Episcopal Church online ⁠⁠at this link.⁠⁠

This podcast is a production of ⁠⁠Houston Creative Media.⁠⁠

Sermon by Mother Emily Hylden - January 18, 2026

In this sermon from St. Francis Episcopal Church, Mother Emily Hylden reflects on the opening chapters of the Gospel of John, drawing connections between its unfolding narrative, the seven days of creation, and the movement toward the resurrection.

She highlights the “second and third days” of Jesus’ ministry, linking his baptism to the separation of waters in Genesis and the calling of the disciples to the emergence of light. Through these connections, she frames the Gospel as a story of new creation already underway.

Centering on Jesus’ question, “What are you looking for?”, Mother Hylden invites listeners to consider their own place in that story. She points to Christ as the Lamb of God who enters into human struggle and brings light into it.

The sermon closes with a clear challenge: to move beyond routine faith and begin living in a way that reflects the presence and glory of Christ in everyday life.

Find St. Francis Episcopal Church online ⁠at this link.⁠

This podcast is a production of ⁠Houston Creative Media.⁠

Sermon by Father Stuart Bates - January 11, 2026

In this sermon, Father Stuart Bates reflects on the meaning of Jesus’ baptism. He points to Christ’s entry into the waters of the Jordan as an act of humility, choosing to stand among ordinary people rather than apart from them. In doing so, Jesus identifies fully with human struggle and begins his public ministry.

Father Bates contrasts John the Baptist’s call to repentance with the deeper meaning of Christian baptism. What begins as a sign of turning back becomes, in Christ, a passage into new life. Baptism is presented not only as a symbol, but as a participation in death and renewal, marking a shift in identity and purpose.

The sermon concludes with a practical challenge. If baptism names us as belonging to God, then it also calls us to live accordingly through mercy, integrity, and a willingness to love sacrificially in daily life.

Find St. Francis Episcopal Church online ⁠at this link.⁠

This podcast is a production of ⁠Houston Creative Media.⁠

Sermon by Father David Price — January 4, 2026

In this sermon at St. Francis Episcopal Church, Father David Price reflects on the early life of Jesus and the movement from childhood into spiritual maturity. Focusing on the Gospel account of the twelve-year-old Jesus in the Temple during Passover, he considers what it means to grow in wisdom and awareness of one’s calling.

Using this moment, Father Price invites listeners to examine their own lives at the start of a new year, asking where growth, discipline, and deeper understanding may be needed. He also reflects on the mystery of the Incarnation, presenting Christ as the meeting point between the human and the divine.

The sermon ultimately calls for a practical response: to pursue a life marked by spiritual clarity, strength, and a steady awareness of God’s presence in everyday experience.

Find St. Francis Episcopal Church online at this link.

This podcast is a production of Houston Creative Media.