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What Should We Do While We're Waiting?
Worship Service: Family (may include music) - October 06, 2024
“What Should We Do While We’re Waiting?” We can spend a lot of our time waiting for things — small things like waiting for dinner or waiting for the weekend and big things like waiting to be an adult or waiting to find someone to marry. What should we do while we’re waiting? What does the Lord say? | By Rev. Malcolm G. Smith | Bryn Athyn Cathedral
See Event (13m 39s)
Eating Together
Worship Service: Childrens Talk & Adult Sermon - September 29, 2024
I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 8:11) | By Rev. J. Bheki Dube | Westville, RSA
See Event (19m 14s)
The Narrow Way
Worship Service: Family (may include music) - September 29, 2024
“The Narrow Way” Does the Lord’s parable in Matthew 7:13 mean that only a few people go to heaven? | By Rev. Jeremy F. Simons | Bryn Athyn Cathedral
See Event (12m 18s)
A Blessing and a Curse
Worship Service: Family (may include music) - September 29, 2024
“A Blessing and a Curse” We look for unity, not polarization, from our leaders. Yet the Word is full of stories about division as well as unity, and both play an important role in our regeneration. | By Rev. Jeremy F. Simons | Bryn Athyn Cathedral
See Event (27m 53s)
Bread from Heaven
Worship Service: Informal Family - September 22, 2024
Every day for over 40 years, the Children of Israel were fed with miraculous manna. But Jesus said that He Himself was the true bread from heaven, more miraculous than manna. How do we receive the bread of life from the Lord? | By Rev. Coleman S. Glenn | Bryn Athyn Cathedral Undercroft
See Event (27m 41s)
Bringing Evil to Light
Worship Service: Childrens Talk & Adult Sermon - September 22, 2024
What’s the point of reflecting on your inner life? The things that go through your heart and mind? The problem is that evil that remains hidden will ultimately actually change who we are as individuals. The Lord wants us to work on our inner selves, our motivations and intentions, so that we can become truly heavenly people, in other words, people who do not just act heavenly, but who are heavenly at heart and in mind. In order for this to happen, the evils that exist within us must be examined, brought to light, and dealt with openly. | By Rev. Joel C Glenn | Westville, RSA
See Event (24m 25s)
Holy Supper and Redemption
Worship Service: Family (may include music) - September 22, 2024
We read that “the whole of the Lord’s redemption is present in the Holy Supper” (True Christian Religion 717). Let’s talk about what this means, especially in the context of our normal lives. | By Rev. Malcolm G. Smith | Bryn Athyn Cathedral
See Event (12m 47s)
Holy Supper and Redemption
Worship Service: Sermon only - September 22, 2024
“Holy Supper and Redemption” We read that “the whole of the Lord’s redemption is present in the Holy Supper” (True Christian Religion 717). Let’s talk about what this means, especially in the context of our normal lives. | By Rev. Malcolm G. Smith | Bryn Athyn Cathedral
See Event (19m 36s)
Bless this Community
Worship Service: Children & Adult - September 15, 2024
It’s been a humbling and gratifying experience for myself and the staff to brainstorm, plan and launch these Community Worship Services in the months we don’t have a festival service. However, in planning the topics for each service, I realized I’ve never spoken directly about the “community” part of these services. We are, of course, taught that heaven is made up of countless communities. Why is that? What is the purpose of these communities in heaven? Is Bryn Athyn built on this model? We’ll be looking at the story of Balaam being ordered by the king of Moab to curse the Israelites who instead blesses them. Do we ever “curse” that which “God has not cursed?” or denounce that which “the Lord has not denounced?” (Numbers 23:8). | By Rev. Derek P. Elphick | Bryn Athyn Cathedral
See Event (29m 36s)
Abide in Me
Worship Service: Childrens Talk & Adult Sermon - September 15, 2024
There are many ways we can think about what the Lord wants for us. One of the ways the Lord frames it is that He wants us to abide in Him so that He can abide in us. During the service we will be exploring how we can live our lives in a way that allows for the Lord to most fully abide in us, where we can feel His presence and experience His joy | By Rt. Rev. Bradley D. Heinrichs | Westville, RSA
See Event (43m 04s)
How the 5 Senses Mislead Us
Worship Service: Childrens Talk & Adult Sermon - September 08, 2024
Many religions have taught that there is virtue in denying yourself pleasure. The idea is that pleasure distracts us from what truly matters and entices us to live selfishly. And that is very true. But there is also a kind of pleasure, even worldly pleasure, that can fit perfectly well into a wholesome, spiritual life. The point is not to deny ourselves for the sake of denial, but rather to deny pleasures that take us away from the Lord and embrace the ones that allow us to delight in the Lord. | By Rev. Joel C Glenn | Westville, RSA
See Event (26m 27s)
A New Name
Worship Service: Informal Family - September 08, 2024
Partially inspired by the baptism which will be happening today, we will be talking about being given a new name by the Lord. It’s useful to reflect on the ways that we think about ourselves - the names and labels that we take on. What name would the Lord like to give you and how can you work with Him to become the person He created you to be? | By Rev. Malcolm G. Smith | Bryn Athyn Cathedral Undercroft
See Event (20m 33s)
Dealing with Devils - Attack on the Understanding
Worship Service: Family (may include music) - September 08, 2024
1st Lesson: Matthew 6:22-23 2nd Lesson: Psalm 124 3rd Lesson: Arcana Caelestia 1820 Talk: “How Hell Attacks the Understanding” | By Rev. Derrick Lumsden | Kempton, PA
See Event (15m 45s)
The Parable of the Two Brothers
Worship Service: Family (may include music) - September 08, 2024
The Lord told a parable about two brothers (Matthew 21:28-32). The first brother said he would not do as his father asked, but later he regretted it and did the work. The second agreed to work but didn’t actually do it. If we have said “no” to the Lord, we still have a chance to change our mind; and if we have said “yes,” we still have to follow through on our promises. | By Rev. Coleman S. Glenn | Bryn Athyn Cathedral
See Event (10m 12s)
Good Intentions
Worship Service: Sermon only - September 08, 2024
The road to hell is paved with good intentions… or so the saying goes. The Heavenly Doctrines say good intentions can take a person to heaven. But what does it mean to really intend something? To want to do it? To do it whenever the opportunity arises? We’ll explore the question through the lens of the Lord’s parable of two brothers whose deeds do not match their words (Matthew 21:28-32). | By Rev. Coleman S. Glenn | Bryn Athyn Cathedral
See Event (20m 49s)
6-1 Ratio
Worship Service: Family (may include music) - September 01, 2024
The third commandment in the Decalogue encourages us to remember the Sabbath Day, to keep it holy, and, in preparation for that day of rest, to labor six days. But why not labor for five days and rest for two or, even better, labor for three days and rest for four? Isn’t this 6-1 ratio of work to rest a little over the top? People sometimes think of heaven (that is, happiness) as being “rest” or “leisure,” a reward, a free pass, from ever having to “work” again, but would this make us happy? Would this be heaven? It turns out the Lord knows what He’s talking about – His prescribed ratio of 6-1 is perfect. Come find out why those in heaven “are caught up in a love of their work” (HH 393) and why “a life with no activity has no happiness” (HH 403). | By Rev. Derek P. Elphick | Bryn Athyn Cathedral
See Event (15m 23s)
6-1 Ratio
Worship Service: Sermon only - September 01, 2024
The third commandment in the Decalogue encourages us to remember the Sabbath Day, to keep it holy, and, in preparation for that day of rest, to labor six days. But why not labor for five days and rest for two or, even better, labor for three days and rest for four? Isn’t this 6-1 ratio of work to rest a little over the top? People sometimes think of heaven (that is, happiness) as being “rest” or “leisure,” a reward, a free pass, from ever having to “work” again, but would this make us happy? Would this be heaven? It turns out the Lord knows what He’s talking about – His prescribed ratio of 6-1 is perfect. Come find out why those in heaven “are caught up in a love of their work” (HH 393) and why “a life with no activity has no happiness” (HH 403). | By Rev. Derek P. Elphick | Bryn Athyn Cathedral
See Event (26m 03s)
Digital Well-Being
Worship Service: Childrens Talk & Adult Sermon - September 01, 2024
One of the most ubiquitous modern “idols” is the screen. It sucks us in with its promise of satisfaction, pleasure, and escape, only to rob us of time, energy, and connection. Ironically, even as we devote so much to a lifeless mass of wires and plastic, we disconnect more and more from the life-filled, flesh-and-blood people around us. We must relearn how to prioritize people, and above all the Lord, and have technology once again become a servant in pursuit of that priority. | By Rev. Joel C Glenn | Westville, RSA
See Event (37m 44s)
The Lord Always Blesses Us
Worship Service: Informal Family - September 01, 2024
When we learn the Lord invites us to do good work which will bring a blessing, like the laborers in the vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16), we learn gratitude is a gift from the Lord. "In a spiritual religion the main focus is charity, in which the Lord is present, by means of which he binds himself to humanity, and through which he alone accomplishes everything good." (SH 1069) | By Rev. J. Clark Jr. Echols | Bryn Athyn Cathedral Undercroft
See Event (28m 37s)
The Lord is My Shepherd
Worship Service: Childrens Talk & Adult Sermon - August 25, 2024
The 23rd Psalm is one of the most well-known portions of the Bible. In it, the Lord is compared to a shepherd, providing for all our needs and guiding us through dark places. This Sunday will be spent contemplating the deeper meaning we can find contained within these powerful words of Scripture. | By Rev. Joel C Glenn | Westville, RSA
See Event (34m 27s)
Know Your Spiritual Enemies: The Babylonians
Worship Service: Family (may include music) - August 25, 2024
This Sunday we will be talking about the last of our spiritual enemies, the Babylonians. This is the enemy that took Judah into captivity towards the end of the Old Testament story; this is one of the final enemies that had to be overthrown before the Holy City New Jerusalem could descend towards the end of the New Testament. What do the Babylonians represent in our lives and what do we need to do so that the Lord can save us from them? | By Rev. Malcolm G. Smith | Bryn Athyn Cathedral
See Event (18m 51s)
Know Your Spiritual Enemies: The Babylonians”
Worship Service: Sermon only - August 25, 2024
This Sunday we will be talking about the last of our spiritual enemies, the Babylonians. This is the enemy that took Judah into captivity towards the end of the Old Testament story; this is one of the final enemies that had to be overthrown before the Holy City New Jerusalem could descend towards the end of the New Testament. What do the Babylonians represent in our lives and what do we need to do so that the Lord can save us from them? | By Rev. Malcolm G. Smith | Bryn Athyn Cathedral
See Event (24m 12s)
Encouragement
Worship Service: Informal Family - August 25, 2024
One of the values of gathering for worship is to invite the Lord’s encouragement in a group setting. In spiritual community, we can be encouraged by the Lord and encourage each other. During this coming week, in preparation for the service, practice being an encourager. Notice any successes and challenges. | By Rev. Nathan D. Gladish | Bryn Athyn Cathedral Undercroft
See Event (33m 14s)
Meeting God in Nature
Worship Service: Childrens Talk & Adult Sermon - August 18, 2024
There’s something beautiful about being in nature, surrounded by trees and flowers, hearing the birds singing, watching as the sun lights up the clouds. It can feel like a truly spiritual experience. And in fact, it is: every last thing in nature is a reflection of the spiritual world, and ultimately, of the Lord. Nor is this just a symbolic connection: the life we see all around us is actually created and sustained by spiritual life from the Lord. Our relationship with nature is an opportunity to reflect and connect more deeply with the Lord. | By Rev. Joel C Glenn | Westville, RSA
See Event (24m 27s)
Don't Look Back
Worship Service: Family (may include music) - August 18, 2024
A number of stories in the Word warn us not to “look back” or “turn back” once we’ve made the decision to go forward. This speaks to the fact that there are certain times in our lives when we need to “move on” and put “hand to plough” (Luke 9:62). But what about those times in our lives when we “look back” with nostalgia, with fondness, on what has come before? Is this not appropriate? What’s the difference between these two kinds of “looking back,” and how do they help us move forward? | By Rev. Derek P. Elphick | Bryn Athyn Cathedral
See Event (14m 57s)