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The Lord’s Care and Protection
Worship Service: Informal Family - February 12, 2023
The Lord is compared to an eagle that “hovers over its young, spreading out its wings, taking them up, carrying them on its wings.” (Deuteronomy 32:11). The Lord’s “wings” can comfort and lift us up in our daily life and relationships. | By Rev. John L. Odhner | Bryn Athyn Heilman HallMemorial Service for Jacqueline S. Bostock
Memorial Service - February 11, 2023
| By Rev. Eric H. Carswell | Bryn Athyn CathedralBe Strong
Worship Service: Family (may include music) - February 05, 2023
When Naaman, an important man and sufferer of leprosy, was told by Elisha to wash in the Jordan seven times, Naaman at first was furious because he thought such an act would make him look weak (I Kings 5:11-12). What we consider to be signs of “weakness” or “strength” can actually be the opposite of what we imagine. Sometimes our weakness is a sign of strength and our strength a sign of weakness. | By Rev. Derek P. Elphick | Bryn Athyn CathedralBe Strong
Worship Service: Sermon only - February 05, 2023
In the corporate world or in competitive sports, no one deliberately reveals their weaknesses or shortcomings because this would give competitors and opponents a competitive edge. But when it comes to our spiritual growth and development this is precisely what we must do. Even though it seems counterintuitive, it is by admitting that we are weak, that we have no power or strength over evil, that makes us strong. We have to re-train our mind to think this way because outside forces often tell us the exact opposite. | By Rev. Derek P. Elphick | Bryn Athyn CathedralRepent
Worship Service: Childrens Talk & Adult Sermon - February 05, 2023
As our lives are challenged at this time, confusions, chaos and more uncertain burdens are coming our way, it is now the best time to find our way back to the LORD. John the Baptist is like a mirror before us today, to look at ourselves and “fish out” those bad tendencies in us that are detrimental to our spiritual prosperity. | By Rev. J. Bheki Dube | Westville, RSACleansing the Inside of the Cup
Worship Service: Childrens Talk & Adult Sermon - February 05, 2023
1st Lesson: Matthew 23:25-28 Talk: “Cleansing the inside of the Cup” 2nd Lesson: Exodus 20:17 3rd Lesson: True Christian Religion 326-327 Sermon: “Cleansing the inside of the Cup” | By Rev. Brett D. Buick | Kempton, PA"First Be Reconciled to Your Brother...."
Worship Service: Family (may include music) - January 29, 2023
Coming to church is about our relationship with the Lord but it is also a time to think about how our relationships with other people are going. Sometimes we will come to the uncomfortable realization that, to really be ready to worship the Lord, we need to work on being reconciled with other people first. | By Rev. Malcolm G. Smith | Bryn Athyn CathedralWorship and Reconciliation
Worship Service: Sermon only - January 29, 2023
It’s easy to think of our relationship with the Lord as something distinct from our relationship with other people and so we can think of coming to church as just a time for connecting with our God. Worship, however, is also about our relationship with other people and a number of teachings from the Lord’s Word indicate that we should also use coming to church as a time to check if we are holding anything against other people and then work towards reconciliation. | By Rev. Malcolm G. Smith | Bryn Athyn CathedralWe Need God
Worship Service: Childrens Talk & Adult Sermon - January 29, 2023
The New Church emphasizes how much charity matters. Charity is the primary purpose of our lives, and without it no amount of faith will save us. What then of faith in God? If charity is all that matters, can we dispose of a notion of an all-powerful divine being who watches over us? How significant is that belief anyway? According to the New Church: essential. Without some acknowledgment of God, we actually cannot practice true charity. We’ll look deeper into why a belief in God is so crucial to how we live. | By Rev. Joel C Glenn | Westville, RSAThe Second Coming
Worship Service: Informal Family - January 29, 2023
“The Second Coming” We often talk about the Lord’s second coming being associated with Swedenborg’s Writings. What does that mean? What does the Lord’s second coming look like in our spiritual lives? | By Rev. Solomon J. Keal | Bryn Athyn Heilman HallNaboth's Vineyard
Worship Service: Family (may include music) - January 29, 2023
1st Lesson: I Kings 21:1-25 2nd Lesson: Apocalypse Explained 160 3rd Lesson: True Christian Religion 400:11 Talk: “Naboth's Vineyard”(Text: 1 Kings 21:1-25) | By Rev. Judah E. Synnestvedt | Kempton, PAWhat Did Swedenborg Know About the Holy Land?
Banquet Address - January 27, 2023
The Word is full of references to places in the Holy Land and the Heavenly Doctrine explains the significance of many of them. But how much did Swedenborg know before he began to write the Arcana, while he was still a scientist and philosopher? (originally presented with slideshow: https://bit.ly/3YkSHVm) | By Rev. Stephen D. Cole | Bryn Athyn Heilman Hall"I Give You a Future"
Worship Service: Childrens Talk & Adult Sermon - January 22, 2023
(Jeremiah 29:11) In our first Community service back in September of last year, the theme of the day was how the Lord gathers His flock, and we considered some of the reasons why we, as a church community, might feel scattered and lost. In our second service in October we talked about re-building that which was lost and what that might look like in our own lives and collectively as a community. This upcoming service will conclude this opening three-part series by considering the future. What are the Lord’s plans for us as individuals and collectively as a church community? What role do we have in laying the foundation for a future that doesn’t repeat the mistakes of the past? | By Rev. Derek P. Elphick | Bryn Athyn CathedralThe Lilies of the Field
Worship Service: Childrens Talk & Adult Sermon - January 22, 2023
We live in a world filled with signs of Divine love and wisdom, and the Divine Providence which is governing our lives every moment – protecting, nurturing, and leading us. The world of nature presents an image of our spiritual lives, and can instruct us in how to grow spiritually. Yet these insights do not come just from studying nature, nor even from just studying spiritual things, but from living what the Word teaches, so that we can see from our hearts the messages from the Lord in the world around us. | By Rev. Joel C Glenn | Westville, RSANeither Do I Condemn Thee, Go and Sin No More
Worship Service: Childrens Talk & Adult Sermon - January 22, 2023
1st Lesson: Ezekiel 33:2-7 Talk: “The Warning of the Watchman” 2nd Lesson: Leviticus 18:1-4,20,22,30 3rd Lesson: John 8:1-11 4th Lesson: True Christian Religion 313 (portions) Sermon: “Neither Do I Condemn Thee, Go and Sin No More” | By Rev. Brett D. Buick | Kempton, PAOur Relationship with God
Worship Service: Family (may include music) - January 15, 2023
Jesus said, "No one comes to the Father but by Me." So, we understand that there is only one way we can really think about and love God, and that is in the human form, as the Lord, Jesus Christ. Even so, we do not see God in the Lord's natural body, we see Him in His love, His wisdom, and His power. Let's think about this today and see how the infinite God reveals Himself in the life and teachings of the Man, Jesus. | By Rev. Michael D. Gladish | Bryn Athyn CathedralHow to Comprehend the Infinite
Worship Service: Sermon only - January 15, 2023
God is so awesome and so powerful; it is hard to imagine how He can create and control everything in the universe. In fact, it is hard to imagine Him at all. This is why He has always presented Himself in the human form, especially in His life and teaching as our Lord in this world. But is the Infinite God really Human? Is He really a Man? Nothing in our spiritual lives is more important than this. | By Rev. Michael D. Gladish | Bryn Athyn CathedralMemorial Service for Gary R. Schnarr
Memorial Service - January 15, 2023
| By Rev. Philip B. Schnarr | Bryn Athyn CathedralChildren's Talk - Disagreement and Harmony
Worship Service: Childrens Talk only - January 15, 2023
What does it take to love someone you disagree with? At what point does a disagreement escalate to an argument, and in turn ruin a relationship? Is it even possible to fully love everyone you disagree with? There are lots of disagreements around us all the time, many of which do escalate. In spite of our best efforts we will have times when disagreements and arguments break the harmony of our relationships. Disagreement cannot, and should not, be avoided. But it does not have to be a messy affair that ends friendships. If we learn to disagree under the guidance of the Lord’s Word we will find greater harmony in the end. | By Rev. Joel C Glenn | Westville, RSAAdult Sermon - Disagreement and Harmony
Worship Service: Sermon only - January 15, 2023
What does it take to love someone you disagree with? At what point does a disagreement escalate to an argument, and in turn ruin a relationship? Is it even possible to fully love everyone you disagree with? There are lots of disagreements around us all the time, many of which do escalate. In spite of our best efforts we will have times when disagreements and arguments break the harmony of our relationships. Disagreement cannot, and should not, be avoided. But it does not have to be a messy affair that ends friendships. If we learn to disagree under the guidance of the Lord’s Word we will find greater harmony in the end. | By Rev. Joel C Glenn | Westville, RSAWhen We Don’t Understand the Word
Worship Service: Informal Family - January 15, 2023
Maybe you started reading the Lord’s Word again in this new year or maybe you’ve been in the habit for years. It’s great when you feel like you’re understanding the Word and getting something out of it, but what do you do when you don’t understand the Word? Let’s talk this Sunday about how much we should expect to understand the Lord’s Word and how we can still benefit from reading the Word, even when we don’t feel like we’re understanding very much. | By Rev. Malcolm G. Smith | Bryn Athyn Heilman HallHonor thy Father and thy Mother
Worship Service: Family (may include music) - January 15, 2023
1st Lesson: Isa 66:7-14, TCR 306, Matthew 12:46-50; 15:1-6 2nd Lesson: AE 1026:3, DP 95 Talk: “The covenant in two tables” (Text: Deut. 5:16) | By Rev. Andrew J. Heilman | Kempton, PAMemorial Service for Gerald Waters
Memorial Service - January 13, 2023
Memorial Service for Gerald Waters | By Rev. Joel C Glenn | Westville, RSAMemorial Service for Cheryl Farrell
Memorial Service - January 09, 2023
| By Rev. Jeremy F. Simons | Bryn Athyn CathedralTaste and See That the Lord is Good
Worship Service: Family (may include music) - January 08, 2023
"How sweet are Your words to my taste" (Psalm 119:103) Before we swallow food, we go through two lines of defense: we smell it and then taste it to see if it’s good, if it’s worth eating. On a physical level, our nose and tongue rarely let us down but what about our spiritual sense of smell and taste? How do we distinguish between attitudes and habits that are “stinky” versus “sweet?” Can we figure this out on our own or do we need help? | By Rev. Derek P. Elphick | Bryn Athyn Cathedral