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Know Your Spiritual Enemies: The Amalekites
Worship Service: Sermon only - July 02, 2023
We’re getting back to our ongoing series on knowing our spiritual enemies by considering the Amalekites. The Amalekites were a nasty enemy—one that would attack the children of Israel when they were at their weakest—and so, multiple times, the children of Israel were commanded to utterly destroy the Amalekites. We will look at a few different battles with the Amalekites to try to understand how to guard ourselves against this enemy and to appreciate just how much the Lord has done and continues to do to protect us. | By Rev. Malcolm G. Smith | Bryn Athyn CathedralMemorial Service for Willard G. Bostock
Memorial Service - July 02, 2023
Willard G. Bostock passed into the spiritual world on Monday, June 26, 2023. | By Rev. Kurt Hyland Asplundh | Bryn Athyn CathedralMemorial Service for Portia King O'Brien
Memorial Service - July 01, 2023
Portia King O’Brien passed into the spiritual world on Saturday, May 30, 2020. | By Rev. Jeremy F. Simons | Bryn Athyn CathedralSpiritual Washing
Worship Service: Family (may include music) - June 25, 2023
"Spiritual Washing" The story of Naaman (2 Kings 5) washing seven times in the Jordan river tells us how the Lord cleanses us from hurtful thoughts and feelings and heals our spiritual life. | By Rev. John L. Odhner | Bryn Athyn CathedralSpiritual Washing
Worship Service: Sermon only - June 25, 2023
Baptism by itself does nothing for our salvation, but the Spiritual Washing it represents and supports is a life change that takes us out of hell and puts us on the path to heaven. (Matthew 15:1-20, Secrets of Heaven 3147) | By Rev. John L. Odhner | Bryn Athyn Cathedral"I have seen, I have heard, I have felt."
Worship Service: Family (may include music) - June 18, 2023
"I have seen, I have heard, I have felt." (Arcana Coelestia 68). Imagine watching a movie at the theater without the soundtrack or listening to the soundtrack without the picture. Or imagine smelling bread fresh out of the oven but being denied a slice of it. Only when all our senses are engaged do we experience the fullness and richness of life. The same was true for Emanuel Swedenborg in his role as a revelator. The Lord could have simply told Swedenborg what to write down about heaven and hell but instead Swedenborg was fully immersed in the spiritual world where he saw, heard, smelled, tasted, and touched incredible things. The same is true of our spiritual lives - all our senses need to be engaged if we are to properly discern between good and evil. | By Rev. Derek P. Elphick | Bryn Athyn Cathedral"I have seen, I have heard, I have felt." (AC 68)
Worship Service: Sermon only - June 18, 2023
On the day before our celebration of New Church Day, we will take a moment to marvel at the nature of the Lord’s new revelation, given through His servant, Emanuel Swedenborg. The Lord could have simply dictated to Swedenborg all the necessary facts and information of this new revelation but instead Swedenborg spent decades living and breathing the sights and sounds and smells of the spiritual realm. Why was this necessary? Do we need a similar “immersion” in spiritual delights in order to properly discern between good and evil? | By Rev. Derek P. Elphick | Bryn Athyn CathedralMemorial Service for Christopher M. Carter
Memorial Service - June 12, 2023
| By Rev. Eric H. Carswell | Bryn Athyn CathedralThe Angel with the Little Book
Worship Service: Family (may include music) - June 11, 2023
Revelation chapter 10 tells a story that is at the heart of what New Church day is all about. | By Rev. Jeremy F. Simons | Bryn Athyn CathedralThe Seven Thunders
Worship Service: Sermon only - June 11, 2023
The seven thunders that are heard in Revelation chapter 10 are speaking a message that will literally change the world. But that message is sealed up and John is told not to write it down. The reason for this has to do with what is just about to happen in the book. | By Rev. Jeremy F. Simons | Bryn Athyn CathedralTwo Gateways to Eternal Life
Worship Service: Family (may include music) - June 04, 2023
The teachings of the New Church call baptism and Holy Supper two gateways to eternal life. Last Sunday we got to witness a baptism; this Sunday we get to have Holy Supper. This may be the first time a number of children will be witnessing Holy Supper and so the short family talk for this service will be a basic overview of the use and purpose of Holy Supper. | By Rev. Malcolm G. Smith | Bryn Athyn CathedralThe Lord Wants to Have Supper with You
Worship Service: Sermon only - June 04, 2023
When considering whether to take Holy Supper, we are often focused on whether we feel worthy to take it. This Sunday the short sermon will focus on what the Lord would like. | By Rev. Malcolm G. Smith | Bryn Athyn CathedralThe Importance of Baptism
Worship Service: Family (may include music) - May 28, 2023
This Sunday we have a very special service. One of the students in our school will be baptized. Baptism is SO important that even the Lord got baptized. Our teachings tell us that it is a sign and memorial. But what is so special about baptism? And why is it so important? Join us on Sunday to both celebrate the occasion and to learn a little bit more about this sacrament. | By Rev. Jeffrey Smith | Bryn Athyn CathedralSimplicity
Worship Service: Sermon only - May 28, 2023
There’s a part of us that rebels and scoffs at things that appear simple. We tend to equate “simple” with being naïve and unsophisticated and because life in this world gets complicated in a hurry we imagine the fix to our problems will undoubtedly require a complex solution. In reality, the Lord wants us to keep things simple because simplicity is the gateway to all the joys and delights of heaven. To be “simple” means to be of one mind. Deep down inside we’re drawn to the mindset of simplicity because it provides a type of freedom that acts in unison with the Lord’s goals and purposes, thereby “making wise the simple” (Psalm 19:7). | By Rev. Derek P. Elphick | Bryn Athyn CathedralMemorial Address for Jennifer O'Farrell
Memorial Service - May 25, 2023
Jennifer O'Farrell (Zagorski) | By Rev. Charles E. Blair | Bryn Athyn CathedralGathered, One by One
Worship Service: Childrens Talk & Adult Sermon - May 21, 2023
At our first Community Worship Service in September of last year we talked about gathering. This Sunday, at our last Community Worship Service of this school/fiscal year, we will again be talking about gathering—this time with a focus on the individual work that we need to do in order to be gathered by the Lord and the role we can play in helping the Lord to gather other people, one by one. | By Rev. Malcolm G. Smith | Bryn Athyn CathedralAngelic Mothers and Guardian Angels
Worship Service: Family (may include music) - May 14, 2023
At the crucifixion, Jesus gave charge of His mother Mary to the disciple John. And this reflects the invitation the Lord offers to us all. The Lord forms the church in our hearts. In as much as we love the truth, our neighbor, and the Lord, the church grows within us. Yes, the church has structure from the doctrines the Lord has given us through His Word. Yes, there is a natural organization of people who share the values of those teachings. But it is all from the Lord's love, and it is from that love that the church finds life. The family service will focus on angelic mothers and guardian angels. And yet, the teachings are related. | By Rev. Pearse M. Frazier | Bryn Athyn CathedralThe Church of Our Hearts
Worship Service: Sermon only - May 14, 2023
At the crucifixion, Jesus gave charge of His mother Mary to the disciple John. And this reflects the invitation the Lord offers to us all. The Lord forms the church in our hearts. In as much as we love the truth, our neighbor, and the Lord, the church grows within us. Yes, the church has structure from the doctrines the Lord has given us through His Word. Yes, there is a natural organization of people who share the values of those teachings. But it is all from the Lord's love, and it is from that love that the church finds life. | By Rev. Pearse M. Frazier | Bryn Athyn CathedralMemorial Service for Anne T. Synnestvedt
Memorial Service - May 13, 2023
| By Rev. Jeremy F. Simons | Bryn Athyn CathedralTrusting in God
Worship Service: Family (may include music) - May 07, 2023
David had been anointed as the next King, but Saul was trying to kill him, and so he had to leave his wife Michal, and his best friend Jonathan, to run away and hide (1 Samuel 20). During this time David wrote many psalms about trusting in God. How can this story about David help us to trust in God as well when things aren’t going the way we want them to? | By Rev. Solomon J. Keal | Bryn Athyn CathedralTrusting in God
Worship Service: Sermon only - May 07, 2023
David had been anointed as the next King, but Saul was trying to kill him, and so he had to leave his wife Michal, and his best friend Jonathan, to run away and hide (1 Samuel 20). During this time David wrote many psalms about trusting in God. How can this story about David help us to trust in God as well when things aren’t going the way we want them to? | By Rev. Solomon J. Keal | Bryn Athyn CathedralKnow Your Spiritual Enemies: The Egyptians
Worship Service: Family (may include music) - April 30, 2023
We’re continuing a series on knowing our spiritual enemies. This Sunday we’re going to focus on the Egyptians. The people in the Word have a long history with the Egyptians, starting back with Abram in the book of Genesis. To try to get a good understanding of what the Egyptians might mean in our lives we’re going to look at a number of different stories about the Egyptians from across the Word. | By Rev. Malcolm G. Smith | Bryn Athyn CathedralKnow Your Spiritual Enemies: The Egyptians
Worship Service: Sermon only - April 30, 2023
We’re continuing a series on knowing our spiritual enemies. This Sunday we’re going to focus on the Egyptians. The people in the Word have a long history with the Egyptians, starting back with Abram in the book of Genesis. To try to get a good understanding of what the Egyptians might mean in our lives we’re going to look at a number of different stories about the Egyptians from across the Word. (To find all sermons in this series, scroll down to "Know Your Spiritual Enemies" in the GROUP search field.) | By Rev. Malcolm G. Smith | Bryn Athyn CathedralMaking Judgments
Worship Service: Family (may include music) - April 23, 2023
On any given day we are required to make all sorts of judgments - what to wear, what to eat, what to do or say, when to work and play, stay up or go to bed. Judgments come in all shapes and sizes - some help get us through the day, others help us prioritize, and some help build character. We will be looking at the different types of judgment that the Lord speaks about in His Word as a way of helping us make good and useful ones. | By Rev. Derek P. Elphick | Bryn Athyn CathedralMaking Judgments
Worship Service: Sermon only - April 23, 2023
We live in a world of tense political division, of strong partisan animosity. Without even realizing it, we can become a part of this, silently building our case against each other, mentally listing our grievances as to why we can’t get along. And without even realizing it, we put ourselves in danger of pushing God out of the equation. This is why it’s important to revisit what the Lord says in His Word about making judgments. Some judgments are necessary, others are not, and only the Lord can help us navigate between the two. | By Rev. Derek P. Elphick | Bryn Athyn Cathedral