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Heavenly Union - Part 1 - Spiritual Balance
Worship Service: Childrens Talk & Adult Sermon - July 30, 2017
Everything in the universe reflects the Divine marriage between Love and Wisdom. Without these two qualities everything would fall apart. Over the next two weeks we will be exploring this union. This week, we will focus on our need to marry love with wisdom if we want to be truly useful. Either one on its own is weak, but together they can do amazing things. | By Rev. Joel C Glenn | Westville, RSAFear - Both Hellish and Heavenly
Worship Service: Childrens Talk & Adult Sermon - July 02, 2017
We tend to become paralyzed when we feel fear. It holds us back from taking risks. But the Lord says do not be afraid. Even when the storms of life rage around us we have nothing to fear. In contrast is Holy Fear: this is the fear that we might let harm come to things that are good. When we feel this fear it does not paralyze us. Instead it inspires and empowers us to protect the good things in our lives. | By Rev. Joel C Glenn | Westville, RSAAn Open Invitation - Part 4 - An Open Door
Worship Service: Childrens Talk & Adult Sermon - June 18, 2017
This Sunday we conclude our series on the letters to the seven churches. We have explored how each church stands for some quality that the Lord wants us to work on so that we can enter His kingdom. The last two churches are Philadelphia and Laodicea, which stands for the best and worst of humanity. In both cases the Lord uses the imagery of a door: for the first, an open door that no one can shut; for the second, a closed door that He is eager to enter through. The lesson for us is that no matter where we are spiritually, the Lord is putting before us a path that leads to heaven. | By Rev. Joel C Glenn | Westville, RSAAn Open Invitation, Part 3, Empty Words and Empty Worship
Worship Service: Childrens Talk & Adult Sermon - June 11, 2017
Over the past couple of weeks we have been looking at the letters to the seven churches in the Book of Revelation. Each one describes a group of people that the Lord wants to bring into His church. This week we will look at Thyatira and Sardis. Thyatira represents us when we find excuses to not live our faith. Sardis represents us when we act spiritual but don't back it up with actual charity. In both cases the Lord offers a way out for us so that we can become part of His kingdom. | By Rev. Joel C Glenn | Westville, RSAAn Open Invitation, Part 1: Goodness vs. Rightness
Worship Service: Childrens Talk & Adult Sermon - May 28, 2017
What does it take to be part of the New Church? Being part of the New Church takes many forms but at heart it is all about looking to the Lord and repenting of evils. As we approach the celebration of the New Church's birth in June, we will explore how we look to the Lord and repent, and so become part of His Church. Specifically we will explore the letters to the seven churches, each of which reveals some new quality of the Lord and some new evil that we can work on. This Sunday we will look at the letter to the Church in Ephesus, which urges those who put great weight in being right to focus more on doing good. | By Rev. Joel C Glenn | Westville, RSAFinding Jesus in the Life of Abraham, Part 3
Worship Service: Childrens Talk & Adult Sermon - May 14, 2017
This Sunday we continue with our exploration of the Abraham story and how every detail speaks directly to the heart and mind of Jesus Christ. As our final entry in the series we will look at the near sacrifice of Abraham's son Isaac. While horrendous on the surface, the deeper meaning reveals the trauma that Jesus faced as He fought to embody Divine Love in everything that He did. | By Rev. Joel C Glenn | Westville, RSAFinding Jesus in the Life of Abraham, Part 1
Worship Service: Childrens Talk & Adult Sermon - May 02, 2017
What can the life of a man, dead now for thousands of years, teach us about our God? The story of Abraham, called to leave his home, tasked with producing a new nation, a people for God, may seem a distant fable. Yet in the details of Abraham's life we can find, if we look deeply enough, insight into the life of God Himself. This Sunday we will look for some of these insights and find a deeper understanding of our Lord. | By Rev. Joel C Glenn | Westville, RSAFailure is an Option
Worship Service: Childrens Talk & Adult Sermon - April 16, 2017
Failure is an option. In fact, it's inevitable. From our point of view anyway. If the Lord hadn't "failed" the expectations of His followers, He never would have achieved His goals. He needed to face hell, be crucified, and die in order to achieve the greater victory of the resurrection. We cannot avoid the apparent failures that come our way. We can, however, trust that in letting us fail the Lord has a greater plan for us, and if we are willing we will find something better than any of our expectations. | By Rev. Joel C Glenn | Westville, RSAA Humble Mind, a Joyful Heart
Worship Service: Childrens Talk & Adult Sermon - April 09, 2017
Palm Sunday represents a crucial turning point in the Lord’s ministry: It was the point at which He went from preaching in the outskirts of the countryside to directly challenging those at the heart of religious life. It also led to His death and eventual resurrection. There is also a turning point for us when we submit to the Lord as King: as He enters we find new challenges, unseen evils, and deep spiritual struggle. Yet ultimately it is all for the good: just as Palm Sunday points through the Crucifixion to Easter Sunday, the Lord’s presence with us cuts through temptations and brings us to eternal peace. | By Rev. Joel C Glenn | Westville, RSAMaking Choices
Worship Service: Childrens Talk & Adult Sermon - April 02, 2017
When confronted with hard choices the easiest thing to do is to make no choice at all. Yet this choice is often the worst choice of all: in trying to keep our options open we lose out on all of them. The Lord is adamant that we make a committed choice: He sets before us life and death and urges us to choose life. Commitment to a choice is the only way to succeed spiritually. | By Rev. Joel C Glenn | Westville, RSAMindful Communication Challenge - 4 - Is it Useful?
Worship Service: Childrens Talk & Adult Sermon - March 19, 2017
We have spent time exploring the questions "Is it true?" and "Is it kind?" This week we ask "Is it useful?" At the heart of this question is putting truth and kindness into action. Truth and kindness without use are simply airy ideas. By asking "Is it useful?" we bring our focus to the actual impact that our words will have on the people around us. | By Rev. Joel C Glenn | Westville, RSAMindful Communication Challenge - 2 - Is it True?
Worship Service: Childrens Talk & Adult Sermon - March 05, 2017
Truth matters a lot. Without it we would have no direction or guidance in life. We can however use truth as a bludgeon. I'M right, YOU'RE wrong. The truths that matter most are not the ones that prove us right, but the ones that give us the Lord's perspective on things. When we seek this higher truth the Lord can fill our communication with wisdom. | By Rev. Joel C Glenn | Westville, RSAWarriors for the Lord
Worship Service: Sermon only - June 21, 2015
"And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought." (Revelation 12:7) "And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death." (Revelation 12:11) In other words, they were willing to give up their own lives in order to stand firm against what is false and evil. Are we willing to do the same? Rev EJ Buss gives closing prayer. | By Rev. Joel C Glenn | Bryn Athyn CathedralBecoming a Hero
Worship Service: Family (may include music) - June 21, 2015
We often see soldiers and warriors, like the angel Michael, as heroes. Spiritual warriors can also be heroes in our lives. When we look to the Lord and fight to keep His commandments, we become like Michael fighting the dragon. Copyright music not included. | By Rev. Joel C Glenn | Bryn Athyn Cathedral