Episcopal Church Of All Saints, Indianapolis

"What if we today are the servants with two talents or even five talents? New Testament scholars still debate how much a talent is worth. Conservative scholars estimate the talent's value around $30,000; more loosey-goosey scholars tell us that a talent is worth roughly $1.25 million. So let's go wild this morning and side with the liberals! Congratulations! You and I are multi-millionaires!" The Rev. Dr. Gray Lesesne preaches on the twenty-fourth Sunday after Pentecost (November 19, 2017). Readings: Judges 4:1-7; Psalm 123; 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11; Matthew 25:14-30

“So, Beloved, keep the faith, say your prayers, love one another, trust in God, so that when the dark comes—and come it will—when the waiting seems too long, and it times it will, you stay put, trusting the Bridegroom will arrive.“ The Rev. E. Suzanne Wille preaches on the Twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost (November 12, 2017). Readings: Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25; Psalm 78:1-7; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Matthew 25:1-13.

"Living as a Christian - I mean, really living living as a Christian, following the radical teachings of Jesus isn't easy, which is why being part of a community is so important." The Rt. Rev. Jennifer Baskerville-Burrows preaches on the twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost (November 5, 2017). Readings: Joshua 3:7-17; Ps. 107:17-7, 33-37; 1 Thes. 2:9-14; Matt. 23:1-12. Image: Tom Hard (https://www.flickr.com/photos/thart2009/) distributed under a CC-BY license.

"The Saints do not ignore the world as it is, but they have a kind of double vision, seeing the troubles of this world, its mixed-up values, while still able to see the Kingdom of God as the hope of what should be, of what is breaking in, and then choosing to live there and by those values of blessedness, rather than by the values of our tired old world." The Rev. E. Suzanne Wille preaches on All Saints' Day (November 1, 2017). Readings: 1 John 3:1-3; Psalm 34:1-10, 22; Revelation 7:9-17; Matthew 5:1-12

"In whatever way Mrs Hodgkins offended God's holy laws, she knew the grace and forgiveness of God and more importantly — she shared it with her neighbors." The Rev. Michael Stichweh preaches on the Twenty-First Sunday after Pentecost (October 29, 2017). Readings: Deuteronomy 34:1-12; Psalm 90:1-6, 13-17; 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8; Matthew 22:34-46

"Jesus may have escaped the trap that the Pharisees set for him, but he left a saying that has trapped Christians ever since: 'Give to the emperor the things that are the emperor's, and to God the things that are God's.'" The Rev. Tom Honderich preaches on the twentieth Sunday after Pentecost (October 22, 2017). Readings: Ex. 33:12-23; Ps. 99; 1 Thes. 1:1-10; Mat. 22:15-22. Image: Kevin Dooley (https://www.flickr.com/photos/pagedooley/) distributed under a CC BY license.

“So he invited everyone: good and bad, rich and poor, beggars and prostitutes, tax collectors and soldiers, Republicans and Democrats and Independents, Americans and North Koreans, Internet trolls and ACLU supporters, those who’ve lived admirable, saintly lives and those who have erred, screwed up, not been very nice. Everyone gets invited, everyone is welcomed to the party where the food is sumptuous and the wine flows. The only requirement for being there is to say “yes” to the invitation, to accept the generosity of the host.” The Rev. E. Suzanne Wille preaches on the Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost (October 15, 2017). Readings: Exodus 32:1-14; Psalm 106:1-6, 19-23; Philippians 4:1-9; Matthew 22:1-14

"This is tough for us, we humans neurally hardwired to punch back when punched, to think the only way to oppose violence is with more violence. But it is not God's way." The Rev. E. Suzanne Wille preaches on the eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost (October 8, 2017). Readings: Ex. 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20; Ps. 19; Phil. 3:4b-14; Matt. 21:33-46. Image: Gerry Menacsa (https://www.flickr.com/photos/gerrym/), distributed under a CC BY-NC license.

"In a country where so many command that we must stand for the flag, but never bow to the weak who need help; where the highest good is too often the individual who warns, 'Don't tread on me'; we turn to the only One who has true authority over us." The Rev. E. Suzanne Wille preaches on the seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost (October 1, 2017). Readings: Ex. 17:1-7; Ps. 78:1-4, 12-16; Phil. 2:1-13; Matt. 21:23-32 Image: "Gadsden Flag" by jackiembarr (https://www.flickr.com/photos/jackiembarr/), distributed under a CC BY license.

"Even as we celebrate St. Michael's triumph in heaven and ask the help of all the angels, the devil now prowls the earth, where we are, struggling with Satan, or if you are of a more metaphorical mindset, with evil and sin." The Rev. E. Suzanne Wille preaches on the Feast of St. Michael and All Angels (transferred, September 24, 2017). Readings: Gen. 28:10-17; Ps. 103:1-2, 19-22; Rev. 12:7-12; Jn. 1:47-51. Image: Coventry Cathedral by Herry Lawford (https://www.flickr.com/photos/herry/), distributed under a CC BY license.

“That’s the kingdom of heaven: a cross-shaped economy of grace and mercy and forgiveness; where the king refuses to be in the sin-accounting business anymore. None of us will get what we deserve. Thanks be to God.“ The Rev. E. Suzanne Wille preaches on the Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost (September 17, 2017). Readings: Exodus 14:19-31; Psalm 114; Romans 14:1-12; Matthew 18:21-35. Image: Damon Winter/The New York Times

"If one holds the cynical view that human relationships are merely transactional, based on a tit-for-tat ethic, then it's impossible to understand why the church, why Christians, why we, would defend, care for, love, people for any reason other than personal gain." The Rev. E. Suzanne Wille preaches on the fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost (September 10, 2017). Due to some technical issues the first couple of minutes of the sermon are missing. Readings: Ex. 12:1-14; Ps. 149; Rom. 13:8-14; Mat. 18:15-20.

"Friends, no matter how we slice it, the only things that matter spiritually are divine things: our spiritual monument, our spiritual intentions, and most of all, our spiritual actions and outcomes." Deacon Brantley Alexander preaches on the Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost (September 3, 2017). Readings: Exodus 3:1-15; Psalm 105:1-6, 23-26, 45b; Romans 12:9-21; Matthew 16:21-28 Image: Cody Jones (www.codyljones.com), all rights reserved.

"Because they knew who their God was — the Creator who brought them and all creation into being — and called it all good, they saved baby boys, one of whom was Moses, who later led all of the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt. Who you say God is determines what you do next." The Rev. E. Suzanne Wille preaches on the Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost (August 27, 2017). Readings: Exodus 1:8-2:10; Psalm 124; Romans 12:1-8; Matthew 16:13-20. Image: Mike Maguire (www.flickr.com/photos/mikespeaks), distributed under a CC BY 2.0 license.

"Often when we are faced with the raw pain of another, we try to ignore it, hoping it will go away, and we can turn to something more pleasant. And if that doesn't work, we take comfort from friends who assure us this isn't our problem." The Rev. E. Suzanne Wille preaches on the eleventh Sunday after Pentecost (August 20, 2017). Readings: Gen. 45:1-15; Ps. 133; Rom 11:1-2a; Matt. 15:10-28 Image: Brooke Novak (https://www.flickr.com/photos/brookenovak/), distributed under a CC BY-NC-ND license.

Mr. Patrick Burke preaches on the Feast of St. Mary the Virgin, transferred (August 13, 2017). Readings: Is. 61:10-11; Ps. 34:1-9; Gal. 4:4-7; Lk 1:46-55. Image: Dimitris Kamaras (https://www.flickr.com/photos/127226743@N02/), distributed under a CC BY license.

The Rev. E. Suzanne Wille preaches on the Feast of the Transfiguration (August 6, 2017). Readings: Ex.34:29-35; Ps. 99; 2 Pet. 1:13-21; Lk. 9:28-36 Image: Andrea Kirkby (https://www.flickr.com/photos/andreakirkby/) distributed under a CC BY-NC license.

“I’d say Jesus is keeping the Kingdom weird or making it weird. And He’s inviting us to be weird, too. After all, if we risk everything we have to follow God, if we’re willing to have our whole lives changed, well, let’s face it - most people won’t understand. They’ll think we’re weirdos.” The Rev. E. Suzanne Wille preaches on the Eighth Sunday of Pentecost (July 30, 2017). Readings: Genesis 29:15-28; Psalm 128; Romans 8:26-39; Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52 Image: The Unipiper (snippier.com)

“Turns out we’re terrible at telling wheat from weeds and that if we start weeding, we’ll do nothing but focus on weeds rather than seeking the beautiful crop of wheat. God’s good kingdom, growing up around us.“ The Rev. E. Suzanne Wille preaches on the Seventh Sunday of Pentecost (July 23, 2017). Readings: Genesis 28:10-19a; Psalm 139:1-12, 23-24; Romans 8:12-25; Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 Image: Sleepy Claus (flickr.com/sleepyclaus), distributed under a CC BY-NC license.

The Rev. E. Suzanne Wille preaches at the funeral of Carol Ernsting (July 29, 2017).