Rise! A Sermon

Watch Beth Malena’s Sunday morning sermon from the Ontario Generous Space retreat last month!

“Instead of sucking up to the other rabbis and powerful people, playing their games, Jesus called them whitewashed tombs. Vipers. He called them to give up their pretenses, their need to be first and best.”

Beth Malena works with the Toronto-based ministry New Direction, where she offers pastoral care and facilitates connections and understanding between LGBT Christians, their families, and their churches. She is also an Oriented to Love alumnus. This sermon originally appeared on the New Direction website, and appears here by kind permission of the author.

You may also want to read

Why I Go to Confession

By Allison Duncan

The week before Easter, I go to confession with a whole two pages’ worth of sins I’ve been collecting throughout Lent. Pastor Beverly welcomes me into her office, and together we open the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer to the brief service of the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

The Lessons of Pentecost

By Noel Castellanos

This past Sunday, churches across the globe celebrated Pentecost, the day we as Christians mark the arrival of the Holy Spirit after the death, resurrection and ascension of Christ. As I have considered the significance of this time in history and this moment in ours, I am drawn to a place of reflection, resilience and hope.