Spiritual Journeys: Weekly Messages from St. Peter's Episcopal Church

Ever had a moment when you wondered, Is God actually here?

Not as a theological question. A real-life question.

When the headlines are overwhelming. When people disappoint you. When your prayers seem to go nowhere. When you’re trying to do the right thing—and you’re still wondering whether any of it matters.

The ancient Israelites asked the same question: “Is the Lord among us or not?”

And their question becomes ours.

In this sermon, Mother Paige looks at three powerful passages from Exodus, Philippians, and Matthew to explore what faith looks like when life gets messy—and why the answer to “Is God among us?” isn't simply something we say. It's something we live.

Paul gives us a surprisingly practical answer: live with humility, compassion, sympathy, and concern for others. Jesus takes it even further, reminding us that what we do matters more than simply saying all the right things.

Because faith isn't just about having the right words.

It's about what those words turn us into.

• Why the question “Is God among us?” is one we all ask—even when we have faith.

• What the story of Moses and the Israelites can teach us about doubt, frustration, and uncertainty.

• Why Paul connects a life of faith with humility, compassion, and looking out for other people.

• The difference between saying the right thing and actually living it.

• Why Jesus' story of the two sons isn't about being perfect—it's about what we ultimately do.

• How to bring your faith, values, and beliefs into the way you actually live.

You don't have to have everything figured out.

You don't have to get every word right.

The invitation is simpler: align your life with what you say you believe—and go do some good in the world.

Because God is among us.

And God is at work in us.

So the question isn't only “Is the Lord among us or not?”

The question is:

What will we do about it?

Watch the sermon and then take that question with you into your week.

00:00 Opening Prayer

00:11 Quarrel Town Question

02:25 Living Worthy Lives

04:24 Christ Hymn Why

06:41 Matthew Parable Context

09:23 Two Sons Story

11:35 Words Versus Actions

13:08 Sent Into Vineyard

What if the person who showed up at the very last minute received exactly the same grace as the person who had been there all day?

That’s the uncomfortable question Jesus puts in front of us in this week’s Gospel.

And honestly? We don’t like it.

We live in a world that keeps score. We believe people should get what they earn. Work longer, get more. Show up first, get rewarded first. Do more, deserve more.

But Jesus tells a story that completely disrupts that logic.

A landowner hires workers throughout the day—at dawn, at 9, at noon, at 3, and finally at 5 PM. When it’s time to get paid, every single person receives the same daily wage.

The people who worked all day are furious.

And Jesus seems to say: That’s the point.

Mother Paige connects this strange and uncomfortable parable with the story of manna in the wilderness and Paul’s words to the Philippians:

“Live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.”

What does that actually mean?

Maybe it means remembering that none of us earned our way into God’s grace.

We all showed up at 5 PM.

We are all living in the generosity, mercy, and love of a God who keeps coming back for us.

Again and again.

The landowner in Jesus’ story doesn't give up on the people who haven't been hired yet. He keeps going out—morning, noon, afternoon, even at 5 PM—to make sure no one is left behind.

God never stops seeking us.

And once we recognize that, something changes.

We can stop keeping score.

We can stop asking who belongs and who doesn't.

We can stop deciding who deserves grace.

And we can start noticing the moments when we're called to be grace for someone else.

• Grace isn't something you earn. The good news is that God's love isn't a paycheck for good behavior.

• God keeps coming back for us. The landowner's persistence is a powerful picture of a God who never gives up seeking us.

• Pay attention to your own reactions. Who do you instinctively think deserves more—or less?

• Everyone belongs. Jesus challenges our assumptions about who is “in” and who is “out.”

• Gratitude changes the way we live. Instead of resenting someone else's grace, we can become grateful for the grace we've already received.

The question isn't whether you showed up early enough.

You showed up.

And at 5 PM, God was still there—with more than enough grace to go around.

Amen.

00:00 Opening Prayer and Welcome

00:07 Manna and Daily Provision

01:11 Why Philippians Matters

02:35 Live Worthy of the Gospel

03:37 Matthew Parables Get Prickly

04:28 Why This Parable Offends Us

05:46 Context in Matthew 19–20

07:01 Not Anti Jewish but Anti Presumption

08:25 The Landowner Who Never Quits

09:29 Living Gratefully at Five O Clock

You are not stuck. You are not forgotten. And you are not alone in the water.

That's the energy Rev. Madeline brings to this week's sermon, and here's why it matters to you, right now, today.

Rev. Madeline takes you back to one of the most famous stories ever told — the Israelites, trapped between Pharaoh's army and the Red Sea, terrified, exhausted, and out of options. And then the water parts. That's the moment everyone remembers. But the real teaching? It's about everything that happens after.

Because freedom isn't just a one-time event. It's a practice. It's a choice you have to keep making.

• Liberation is God's whole thing. Not a side project. Not a bonus feature. Rev. Madeline makes the case that a God who frees people from bondage is the core identity of the divine — not an isolated miracle.

• This story didn't stay in the Bible. It became fuel. Harriet Tubman was called "Moses" for a reason. Dr. King stood in a pulpit in 1956 and said the Supreme Court just opened the Red Sea. Rev. Madeline traces how this story has been showing up in real human courage for centuries.

• Ask yourself: where are you in the story right now? Are you on the far shore, singing? Are you mid-crossing, with freedom in sight but danger still breathing down your neck? Or — and this is the uncomfortable one — are you still in Egypt?

• Here's the plot twist that keeps this honest: sometimes you're not the Israelites. Sometimes you're Pharaoh. Rev. Madeline doesn't let you off the hook — she points out that the oppressed can become the oppressors the second they forget the point was never just their own freedom. It was freedom for everyone.

• The celebration is allowed — and it's complicated. When the Israelites sing about their enemies drowning, Rev. Madeline doesn't sanitize that discomfort. She sits in it. Because real liberation stories aren't clean. They're human.

"God's dream is to free people from the bonds of oppression."

Not your bonds. Not "some people's" bonds. Everyone's.

Whatever you're pinned against right now — a situation, a fear, a system, a version of yourself that's keeping you small — Rev. Madeline is telling you: the water can part. It has before. And the people who believed that hardest were usually the ones who had the least reason to.

Ask yourself one question this week: Am I still standing at the edge of my own Red Sea — or am I ready to walk?

00:00 Opening Prayer

00:22 Setting the Exodus Scene

02:07 Red Sea Deliverance

03:10 Exodus as Liberation Story

04:29 Exodus in Black History

08:09 God of Liberation Today

08:47 Who Are You in the Story

10:10 Wrestling with Violence

11:29 Go Down Moses 

What if the moment you’ve been waiting for isn’t coming? What if it’s already here?

In this sermon, we explore what the Bible means when it talks about “the right time”—and why following Jesus may have less to do with waiting for the perfect moment and more to do with recognizing that this moment matters.

Drawing from Romans 13 and Matthew 18, we’ll look at the difference between chronos—the ordinary passing of time—and kairos—a moment that is ripe with possibility, meaning, and purpose.

And that raises a powerful question:

What would change if you lived today as though God is already present in the middle of it?

From Harry Potter and the end of summer to Dolly Parton’s music and the surprising power of hope, this sermon invites us to wake up to the sacred possibilities already around us.

• How to recognize a “kairos” moment when life gives you one

• Why fear doesn’t get the final word

• What it means to love your neighbor in real life

• How to approach conflict without losing sight of one another

• Why Christian hope is more than wishful thinking

• How to live as though Jesus really is in our midst

Maybe you’ve been waiting for the right time to change something, repair something, begin something, or simply pay attention.

It’s about time.

The question is: What will you do with this moment?

Romans 13:11–14
Matthew 18:15–20

St. Peter’s Episcopal Church is a welcoming Episcopal community in Del Mar where curiosity, compassion, and community come together.

Whether you’re deeply rooted in faith, asking questions, or somewhere in between, there’s room for you here.

What You’ll Take AwayScriptureFrom St. Peter’s Episcopal Church

00:00 Opening Prayer

00:14 Its About Time

02:15 Love Fulfills Law

03:05 Jesus in Our Midst

05:10 Fear Versus Faith

05:42 Summer Music Reflections

06:28 Harry Potter and Dolly

08:31 Light of Clear Morning

09:26 Sacred Hope Forward

What if God is already trying to get your attention?

Moses wasn’t looking for a life-changing encounter. He was simply doing his job, tending sheep in the wilderness, when something strange caught his eye: a bush on fire that wasn’t burning up. Moses could have kept walking. Instead, he turned aside. He paid attention. And that moment changed everything.

In this sermon, we explore the story of Moses and the burning bush and what it can teach us about recognizing God in our own lives. God may not speak to us through flames on a mountainside. Sometimes the invitation comes through a conversation we can’t stop thinking about, a moment of unexpected beauty, a growing sense that something needs to change, or a quiet tug on the heart asking us to take the next step.

The question isn’t whether we have everything figured out. Moses certainly didn’t. His first response was, “Who am I?” But God wasn’t asking Moses to feel completely ready. God was asking him to be open.

What might happen if we started treating ordinary moments as possible encounters with the holy? What might we notice if we were curious enough to turn aside? And when God calls us toward something new, could we find the courage to answer: “Here I am”?

Sometimes one small yes can change the direction of a life—and sometimes, by God’s grace, it can change far more than that.

00:00 Opening Prayer

00:21 Moses Grows Up

01:10 The Burning Bush

02:58 God Shows Up

03:32 I Am Who I Am

05:26 Ready For The Call

05:53 Moses Hesitates

07:07 Saying Yes Changes Everything

08:16 Here I Am Lord

What if the parts of yourself you’re tempted to hide are the very parts God can use?

This week, we find an unexpected connection between the women who saved Moses, Paul’s call to “be transformed,” Peter’s imperfect faith—and yes, KPop Demon Hunters.

At the heart of all these stories is one powerful idea: transformation begins when we allow ourselves to truly know God and be known by God. Not the polished version of ourselves. Not the person we think we’re supposed to be. Our real, imperfect, gifted selves.

Shiphrah, Puah, and Miriam use their courage and their voices to stand against a power determined to destroy. Paul reminds us that belonging to Christ doesn’t require becoming someone else. And Jesus looks at the wonderfully imperfect Peter, knows exactly who he is, and still says, “On this rock I will build my church.”
That same theme runs through KPop Demon Hunters: hiding who we are weakens our connection, while truth, authenticity, community, and offering our unique gifts can become forces for healing.

The invitation for this week is simple: begin each day by offering your truest self to God. Pray the Collect for Purity, write your own prayer, or simply ask God to help you know—and be known—more deeply.

Because God isn’t waiting for a perfect version of you.

God is ready to work through the real you.

00:00 Opening Prayer

00:40 Purity and Renunciation

02:03 Exodus Women and Moses

02:26 Bible Study Ark and Names

04:03 Romans Living Sacrifice

06:00 Matthew Who Is Jesus

08:00 Peter the Rock

09:34 K Pop Demon Hunters

11:33 Authenticity Heals the World

12:54 Closing

What if the biggest obstacle to seeing God at work isn’t a lack of faith—but the lines we’ve drawn around who belongs?

In this sermon, we encounter one of the more uncomfortable moments in Matthew’s Gospel. Jesus challenges the Pharisees’ obsession with religious rules and reminds us that holiness isn’t about looking right on the outside. It’s about what comes from the heart.

Then a Canaanite woman shows up.

She’s an outsider by nearly every standard of her time. The disciples want to send her away. But she refuses to disappear. She asks for mercy, keeps asking, and demonstrates a faith no one expected.

And Jesus sees her.

That encounter forces us to confront a question that still matters today: Who have we decided is on the outside?

We all draw lines—political, racial, economic, religious, cultural. Sometimes we don’t even realize those lines are there until someone crosses them. But the Gospel keeps reminding us that God’s mercy is bigger than the boundaries we create.

Holiness isn’t measured by how many Bible verses we know, what denomination we belong to, or whether we get every religious practice exactly right. It shows up in what flows from our hearts: mercy, compassion, humility, forgiveness, love, and faith.

The Canaanite woman came asking for a crumb. She discovered there was room at the table.

Maybe the question isn’t, “How did they get in?”

Maybe it’s:

“Why did we ever think they were outside?”

Listen and discover why God’s table may be much bigger than you think.00:00 Opening Prayer00:30 Meet the Theologians01:43 Pharisees and Food Laws03:35 What Defiles the Heart05:01 Canaanite Woman Appears06:38 Crumbs and Great Faith09:53 Who Is Really Outside11:54 Gods Mercy Beyond Lines13:02 Holiness From Within13:59 Bigger Table Conclusion

What do you do when the storm is bigger than you are?

In this sermon, Mother Paige explores the unforgettable story of Jesus walking on water—and Peter doing the unthinkable: stepping out of the boat to meet him.

At first, Peter walks on the water. Then he notices the wind. Fear takes over. He begins to sink. And suddenly, his whole prayer comes down to three words:

“Lord, save me.”

Jesus immediately reaches out and catches him.

That moment reveals something important about faith. God never promises us a life without storms. Faith doesn’t mean we’ll never be afraid, overwhelmed, exhausted, or unsure of what comes next. Instead, God promises to meet us in the middle of it all with grace, mercy, and love.

And sometimes, the storms we would never choose become the places where our deepest transformation happens.

Think about the lessons that have shaped your life. Did you learn them when everything was comfortable and predictable? Or did some of the most important lessons come through uncertainty, disappointment, loss, change, or fear?

From Peter stepping onto the raging sea to Joseph enduring years of hardship, Scripture reminds us that God is present even when life feels out of control.

When the waves rise, God is there.

When you’re exhausted, God is there.

When your courage disappears and all you can manage is “Lord, save me,” God is there.

You don’t have to be able to walk on water. You just need to remember who reaches for you when you begin to sink.

This sermon was preached at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Del Mar, California.

Scripture: Matthew 14:22–33

In this sermon: Jesus walks on water • Peter steps out of the boat • faith and doubt • finding God in difficult times • transformation through adversity • grace, mercy, and love • trusting God • Christian discipleship00:00 Opening Prayer00:11 Louis Crew Story01:17 Pentecost Season Theme02:24 Stormy Sea Setup03:17 Get In The Boat04:54 Fourth Watch Arrival06:17 Peter Steps Out06:48 Lord Save Me08:24 Lessons From Storms09:40 God With Us

Rev. Madeline reflects on the feeding of the 5,000, the only miracle recounted by all four Gospel writers, urging listeners not to gloss over its familiar details. She invites the congregation to imagine the scene: Jesus, grieving John the Baptist’s murder, retreats to the wilderness but is followed by thousands who arrive hungry and unprepared. When the disciples worry there is “nothing” but five loaves and two fish, Jesus gives thanks, breaks the food, and the disciples distribute it as it multiplies into an abundant feast with leftovers. The sermon highlights the story’s tangible focus on God meeting physical needs, challenges the myth of scarcity, and emphasizes that the disciples actively participate in the miracle, calling believers to trust God’s provision and join in caring for others’ material needs.00:00 Opening Prayer00:24 Why This Miracle Matters01:29 Imagine The Wilderness Crowd03:32 Hunger And The Disciples Doubt04:45 Bread Broken Abundance Appears06:08 A Tangible Human God07:38 Scarcity Myth To Abundance08:45 Disciples Do The Feeding09:45 Invitation To Trust And Serve00:10 Final Amen

Mother Paige reflects on empathy as a divine superpower, pointing to the incarnation as God’s ultimate act of empathy and focusing on Romans’ promise that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ—hardship, distress, death, powers, or anything in creation. She rejects messages that claim people can be separated from God’s love as lies, emphasizing God’s relentless, indelible love and God’s invitation for us to partner in transforming the world through the reign of God. Turning to Matthew’s “parablepalooza,” she explores the surprising, subversive images of the mustard seed, hidden yeast, hidden treasure, priceless pearl, and dragnet, inviting listeners to locate themselves in these stories as seekers or as what God has found. She urges embracing transformation through the sacraments at the altar.00:00 Opening Prayer and Welcome00:12 Empathy and the Incarnation01:26 Romans Nothing Separates Us04:34 Relentless Love and Our Role05:15 Power of Love and Parablepalooza07:10 Mustard Seed and Yeast Surprise09:15 Treasure Pearl and Dragnet10:54 Audience Favorites and Reflection13:30 Transformation Through Sacraments14:06 Final Assurance and Amen