Sunday Sermons

Rev. Jim Quigley reflects with parishioners at St. David’s Episcopal Church on Maundy Thursday after meeting with Steven Rosen, a Jewish spiritual mentor, whose insights about Passover and the Seder deepen Quigley’s understanding of Christian Holy Week. He notes that synagogue attendance is declining similarly to churches and wonders what draws people away from shared ritual into individualism. Quigley offers three themes: ritual is “meaning acted out,” making time sacred by transcending past, present, and future; ritual commemorates and educates, as in the Seder’s focus on deliverance from enslavement and teaching children the story; and ritual is “radically creative,” since both the first Passover and the Last Supper were practiced before deliverance and resurrection were known, trusting God’s promises. He highlights Jesus washing the disciples’ feet as an added drama calling congregants to do likewise.00:00 Opening Prayer00:15 Meeting Steven Rosen01:52 Passover And Holy Week03:21 Rituals And Decline04:46 Ritual Is Meaning06:45 Commemorate And Educate09:03 Ritual Creates Promise09:59 Passover And Eucharist12:53 Foot Washing Call13:27 Closing Blessing

This is a recording from the sermon preached at St. David's Episcopal Church on Sunday, 3/29, Palm Sunday. Rev. Jim Quigley reflects on the Palm Sunday liturgy’s chaotic movement from “Hosanna” to “Crucify him,” noting that the 1979 Book of Common Prayer introduced the Passion liturgy on this day following broader 1970s liturgical reforms. Drawing on his seminary work painting the Way of the Cross and a proofreader’s comment about a die “so real” she wanted to roll it, he connects Holy Week to Christian ethical decision-making amid current turmoil and his own anxiety. Quoting Richard Rohr, he offers that addiction is “a healing to be requested,” and reframes discipleship—deny yourself, take up your cross, follow Jesus—as three words for the congregation: othering (making room for others), bearing (carrying what God gives strength to bear), and believing.00:00 Palm Sunday Whiplash00:36 Why Passion Liturgy Exists02:45 Thesis and Paintings03:40 A Die to Roll04:54 Chaos in the World05:43 Three Good Words06:05 Rohr and Healing08:07 Deny Yourself Reframed11:16 Cardiologist Garage Lesson13:19 Carry Your Cross15:21 Follow Me Believe17:18 Three Words Sendoff

This is a recording from the sermon preached at St. David's Episcopal Church on Sunday, 3/22, the Fifth Sunday in Lent. In this sermon, Rev. Kristen Hawley reflects on the Gospel story of Jesus raising Lazarus and asks the congregation to consider what “the glory of God” really looks like. Drawing on a story about her child Alec’s joy-filled Halloween costumes—especially dressing as a pizza delivery guy—Rev. Hawley contrasts the human tendency to fixate on what is broken and death-filled with Jesus’ invitation to see and share God’s glory in ordinary, transformative moments. She highlights that Lazarus emerges still bound, and Jesus calls the crowd to “unbind him,” inviting participation rather than spectatorship. Rev. Hawley connects this to choosing hope over fear, loosening what binds others, and bringing joy into dark places as resurrection work.00:00 Today’s Focus and Readings00:47 What Is God’s Glory01:34 Pizza Guy Theology Story04:21 Drawn to Death in Lazarus06:09 Glory Reimagined in John08:26 Unbind Him and Let Him Go11:04 Participating in Glory12:16 Bringing Joy into Darkness13:45 Resurrection Call and Amen

Rev. Daniel Bentley preaches at St. David’s Episcopal Church on the Fourth Sunday in Lent about the question of suffering, recalling his chaplaincy internship at a nursing home where a resident asked him why God allows suffering and whether suffering is punishment. He notes that scripture contains differing perspectives on punishment and suffering, and connects this to the Gospel reading where the disciples ask who sinned that a man was born blind. Bentley argues Jesus redirects the focus from “why” to “where is God now,” emphasizing that God is present in suffering through healing and through “helpers,” echoing Fred Rogers’ counsel to look for the helpers. He concludes that while he lacks a definitive answer to “why,” he believes God is not dispassionate, has known suffering in becoming human, and is often closer than congregants think.00:00 Opening Prayer00:15 Chaplaincy Toolkit01:29 Meredith's Big Question02:28 Why Suffering Exists03:30 Scripture's Mixed Messages04:37 Blind Man and Blame05:15 Not Why but Where05:51 Look for the Helpers07:57 God in Our Suffering08:46 Closing Charge

Rev. Kristen Hawley preaches at St. David’s Episcopal Church on the Third Sunday in Lent at the 5pm Celtic Service, reflecting on the Gospel story of the Samaritan woman and the overlooked detail that she leaves her water jar behind after encountering Jesus. She explores wells in scripture as powerful places where God starts something new and where human thirst meets God, noting Jacob’s well as deep and comparing drawing water to lowering one’s questions, griefs, wounds, and hopes into the soul. Citing John O’Donohue’s image of an inner wellspring of love, she invites parishioners to recognize that God’s living water rises within and cannot be contained in a jar. She asks congregants to consider the “jars” they carry—worry, expectations, to-do lists, anxieties—and to find courage to leave some behind.00:00 Welcome and Setup00:58 Leave the Jar02:33 Why Wells Matter04:57 Deep Thirsts06:38 The Well Within08:31 What Jars We Carry10:01 Living Water Invitation11:07 Courage to Let Go

Rev. Kristen Hawley preaches at St. David’s Episcopal Church on the Third Sunday in Lent, centering the Israelites’ desert complaint in Exodus—“Is the Lord among us or not?”—and connecting it to congregants’ own moments of fear, loss, and uncertainty. She recalls a Mr. Rogers episode featuring 10-year-old Jeff Erlanger, whose sense of self blossomed when Fred Rogers asked him, unexpectedly, to pray for him. Hawley parallels this with Jesus’ first move toward the Samaritan woman at the well: not condemnation or instruction, but a humble request—“Give me a drink”—that sees her whole story without humiliation and offers living water as gift. Lent, she suggests, is less about proving worthiness and more about turning to find God already meeting us where we are.00:00 Welcome and Gospel Setup00:26 Is the Lord Among Us02:14 Mr Rogers Story Begins05:04 Its You I Like06:40 Would You Pray for Me08:33 Jesus Meets the Woman11:39 Grace at the Well12:53 Lent as Turning Toward God14:05 Living Water Conclusion

On Sunday 3/1, the Second Sunday in Lent at the 5pm Celtic Service at St. David’s Episcopal Church, the Rev. Jim Quigley reflects on John’s Gospel and Nicodemus’ three appearances (John 3, 7, and 19) to describe a progressing faith: seeing the signs, being intellectually challenged by Jesus, breaking out of an old paradigm, dropping into a new one, and “doing a new truth.” He notes Jesus’ message that he came not to condemn the world but to save it, contrasting this with the Sanhedrin’s condemnation. Rev. Quigley connects the theme to his 1987 experience living with a gay roommate and to recent ordinations at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, then quotes Richard Rohr on moving from judgment about sin to acknowledging brokenness and seeking healing.00:00 Welcome and Wisdom01:02 Why Nicodemus Matters03:15 John 3 7 19 Roadmap07:55 Four Step Faith Shift09:25 Roommate Story 198711:45 Church Change and Ordination13:30 Richard Rohr on Healing15:44 Invitation and Blessing

On Sunday 3/1, the Second Sunday in Lent and St. David’s Day, the Rev. Kristen Hawley preached at St. David’s Episcopal Church, noting that not all churches celebrate the day and that St. David is often confused with King David, as depicted in the church’s stained glass. She shared “fun facts” about St. David, including traditions that he was born during a great storm, that a dove would rest on his shoulder when he preached, and that the ground rose beneath him so people could see him; she also connected St. David’s Day with daffodils and the first day of spring. The Rev. Hawley then focused on St. David’s final message: “Be joyful in the storm. Be faithful and do the little things,” encouraging the congregation to face life’s hardships with hope and to change the world through small acts of kindness.00:00 Lent and Today’s Feast00:30 Meet Saint David02:36 Saint Patrick’s Dream03:29 Storm Birth and Symbols07:09 Daffodils and Spring07:44 Our Own Storm Stories09:09 Be Joyful in Storms11:15 Do the Little Things13:09 Final Blessing

This is a recording from the sermon preached at St. David's Episcopal Church on Sunday, 2/22, the First Sunday in Lent.In this sermon, seminarian Daniel Bentley addresses the unfashionable topic of sin in the Episcopal Church, arguing that avoiding honest reckoning with sin risks preaching what Dietrich Bonhoeffer calls “cheap grace.” Drawing on Genesis, he challenges a simple Sunday school reading of Adam and Eve’s disobedience and identifies the root of sin as pride—reaching for God’s status by becoming one’s own source of wisdom and refusing to trust God. He traces how pride fuels judgment, comparison, gossip, accumulation, and self-definition through status and achievement. Daniel shares a personal story about receiving a “not proficient” result in theology on his ordination exams just days before his ordination, describing how humiliation exposed his reliance on image and self-sufficiency, and how Bonhoeffer suggests such moments can “crack us open” to grace. He emphasizes that Christ’s forgiveness does not remove sin’s consequences, pointing to the cross, and presents humility as the remedy: remembering that the congregation is not God and does not need to be. In the Gospel reading, Jesus in the wilderness models the trust and submission Adam and Eve did not, beginning and ending his earthly ministry in humility. Daniel concludes by inviting the congregation, during Lent, to examine where they have been grasping for what is not theirs, to allow themselves to be broken open for God’s grace, and to remember that God does not abandon them.00:00 Opening Prayer00:19 Why Talk About Sin00:57 Cheap Grace Warning01:56 What Is Original Sin02:19 Genesis Beyond Disobedience04:11 Pride as the Root05:04 Pride’s Ripple Effects06:20 Ordination Exam Humbling09:34 Bonhoeffer and Being Cracked Open10:10 Consequences and Humility11:47 Jesus Trusts in the Wilderness12:45 Lent Practice and Closing

Rev. Kristen Hawley preaches an Ash Wednesday sermon at St. David’s Episcopal Church in Washington, D.C., reflecting on the prophet Joel’s call to return to God, who is gracious, merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love. She contrasts the ways congregants may experience Ash Wednesday as either a joyful invitation or a daunting summons to repent, fast, pray, and give alms, emphasizing that God extends both the invitation to feast in being marvelously made and the invitation to confront how people fall short and grow distant from God, neighbor, and self. She critiques reducing Lent to minor sacrifices and urges congregants to do the harder, embodied work of self-examination and real spiritual practices—especially fasting joined to prayer—framed as a “tithe” of the year meant for transformation rather than punishment. The sermon culminates in the church’s traditional Ash Wednesday invitation, recalling Lent’s origins in preparing converts for baptism and reconciling those separated by sin, and calling the congregation to observe a holy Lent through self-examination and repentance, prayer, fasting and self-denial, and reading and meditating on God’s word.00:00 Ash Wednesday Call: “Return to the Lord” 00:23 The “Who Knows?” God: Fear, Mercy, and Taking Repentance Seriously01:45 What Kind of Invitation Did You Receive? Feast vs. Fast04:15 Marvelously Made… and Yet We Fall Short: Why Lent Gets Uncomfortable05:51 How We’ve Softened Lent: More Than Giving Up Chocolate07:17 Lent as a Tithe of the Year: The Hard Work That Heals08:47 The Three Pillars in Practice: When You Fast, Pray, and Give10:12 Take the Invitation Home: Lent Can Change Your Life11:26 The Church’s Formal Invitation to a Holy Lent