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Prepared
Worship Service: Childrens Talk & Adult Sermon - November 03, 2024
Have you ever felt well-prepared for something? It feels good to feel like we have the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual resources to handle a particular situation. Something comes up and we have what we need to respond appropriately. Great! Are you feeling prepared for the election next week and whatever happens after it? As we gather as a community to worship the Lord together (even as we will not all be voting for the same candidates), what would it look like for each of us to be better prepared by our Heavenly Father? The Lord can make a difference in our individual lives and in our community by preparing our hearts for these times of contention, stress, and fear for the future. Let’s talk about how. Choose a question or two to reflect on or discuss: 1. Describe a time when, because of the Lord and His teachings, you felt better prepared to respond to a difficult situation. 2. What would it look like for you to have more confidence in the Lord at this current time in the world? 3. What is an area where you feel least prepared? What might it look like to invite the Lord into that part of your life? | By Rev. Malcolm G. Smith | Bryn Athyn CathedralWhat 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 CathedralWhat Should We Do While We’re Waiting?
Worship Service: Sermon only - 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 find someone to marry or waiting to see our loved one who has died. What should we do while we’re waiting? What does the Lord say? | By Rev. Malcolm G. Smith | Bryn Athyn CathedralHoly 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 CathedralHoly 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 CathedralA 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 UndercroftKnow 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 CathedralKnow 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 CathedralFriday Plenary: GC Assembly 2024
Friday Plenary: Going Up the Mountain - 2024 General Church Assembly Rev. Malcolm Smith leads the plenary with three contributions from New Church members sharing their experience with faith. | By Rev. Malcolm G. Smith | Bryn Athyn Field HouseKnow Your Spiritual Enemies: The Assyrians
Worship Service: Family (may include music) - May 26, 2024
The Assyrians were a large and powerful nation—not just another neighboring nation to squabble with, but an international super-power. The Assyrians represent something very powerful within us: our rational mind—our ability to figure things out and think things through. Our rational mind can be a powerful enemy to our religious life that takes us into spiritual captivity or it can be a powerful ally. Let’s learn from the Lord how to have the right kind of relationship with the Assyrians. | By Rev. Malcolm G. Smith | Bryn Athyn CathedralKnow Your Spiritual Enemies: The Assyrians
Worship Service: Sermon only - May 26, 2024
| By Rev. Malcolm G. Smith | Bryn Athyn CathedralReaching Out
Worship Service: Childrens Talk & Adult Sermon - May 05, 2024
At this Community Service will be talking about having the courage to reach out—reaching out to offer help and reaching out to ask for help. Let’s talk about what stops us from reaching out and how the Lord can help us to reach out anyway. | By Rev. Malcolm G. Smith | Bryn Athyn CathedralWhat Kind of Savior Do You Need?
Worship Service: Family (may include music) - March 24, 2024
When Jesus came riding into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday the people cheered and cried out for Him to save them. They were hoping that a king of the natural world was riding into town to throw off their Roman oppressors. That wasn’t what the Lord was there to do but He was there to save them. If a powerful person could ride into your life and change things drastically, what would you want them to do? Maybe the Lord won’t do that, but what sort of spiritual salvation could He give you? This year we will have two identical services, both in the nave (there will be no Young Children’s or Informal Family Service in the Undercroft). There will be one talk for the whole family. At the end of the service, people will be invited to pick up palm branches on their way out of the building to then form a crowd outside and an actor playing the Lord will come past with a live donkey, while people sing and cheer. | By Rev. Malcolm G. Smith | Bryn Athyn CathedralKnow Your Spiritual Enemies: The Syrians
Worship Service: Family (may include music) - February 18, 2024
At times the Syrians were a persistent and deadly enemy of the children of Israel but, more than once, the children of Israel were instructed to care for the Syrians instead of destroying them. Why was this and what can we learn from this about how the Lord wants us to live? | By Rev. Malcolm G. Smith | Bryn Athyn CathedralKnow Your Spiritual Enemies: The Syrians
Worship Service: Sermon only - February 18, 2024
At times the Syrians were a persistent and deadly enemy of the children of Israel but, more than once, the children of Israel were instructed to care for the Syrians instead of destroying them. Why was this and what can we learn from this about how the Lord wants us to live? | By Rev. Malcolm G. Smith | Bryn Athyn CathedralKnow Your Spiritual Enemies: The Philistines
Worship Service: Family (may include music) - January 28, 2024
There are many stories in the Old Testament about the Philistines. They were the main enemy of the children of Israel in the time of heroes like Samson, Saul, and David. They were a powerful and persistent enemy, and yet they could be defeated. What do the Philistines represent within us and what can the Lord’s Word teach us about how to fight against them? Find out this Sunday in the next sermon in our series about knowing your spiritual enemies. | By Rev. Malcolm G. Smith | Bryn Athyn CathedralKnow Your Spiritual Enemies: The Philistines
Worship Service: Sermon only - January 28, 2024
There are many stories in the Old Testament about the Philistines. They were the main enemy of the children of Israel in the time of heroes like Samson, Saul, and David. They were a powerful and persistent enemy and yet they could be defeated. What do the Philistines represent within us and what can the Lord’s Word teach us about how to fight against them? Find out this Sunday in the next sermon in our series about knowing your spiritual enemies. | By Rev. Malcolm G. Smith | Bryn Athyn CathedralThe Lord's Presence in Times of Transition
Worship Service: Informal Family - January 07, 2024
The story of Jacob’s dream seemed like a good story to focus on for our first Informal Family Service in the Cathedral Undercroft. At that point in the story, Jacob is in a time of transition, in an unfamiliar place, and yet — even there — the Lord was in that place. Can we learn to become aware of the Lord’s presence, even in times of transition and uncertainty? | By Rev. Malcolm G. Smith | Bryn Athyn Cathedral UndercroftThe Perspective of Simeon and Anna
Worship Service: Family (may include music) - December 31, 2023
As we reflect back this year and look ahead to next year, let’s try to look at things from the perspective of two wise old people who trusted in the Lord: Simeon and Anna. | By Rev. Malcolm G. Smith | Bryn Athyn CathedralThe Perspective of Simeon and Anna
Worship Service: Sermon only - December 31, 2023
As we reflect back this year and look ahead to next year, let’s try to look at things from the perspective of two wise old people who trusted in the Lord: Simeon and Anna. | By Rev. Malcolm G. Smith | Bryn Athyn CathedralKnow Your Spiritual Enemies: The Amorites
Worship Service: Family (may include music) - November 19, 2023
This year we’ve been working our way through a series of sermons on ancient enemies in the stories of the Word and their spiritual significance in our lives today. The Amorites will be our focus this Sunday. This enemy shows up in a number of different stories but particularly in the stories of the conquest of the land. We will be exploring the spiritual implications of the idea that our spiritual lives (represented by the Children of Israel) must find their home in areas previously governed by selfishness and worldliness (represented by the Amorites). | By Rev. Malcolm G. Smith | Bryn Athyn CathedralKnow Your Spiritual Enemies: The Amorites
Worship Service: Sermon only - November 19, 2023
This year we’ve been working our way through a series of sermons on ancient enemies in the stories of the Word and their spiritual significance in our lives today. The Amorites will be our focus this Sunday. This enemy shows up in a number of different stories but particularly in the stories of the conquest of the land. We will be exploring the spiritual implications of the idea that our spiritual lives (represented by the Children of Israel) must find their home in areas previously governed by selfishness and worldliness (represented by the Amorites). | By Rev. Malcolm G. Smith | Bryn Athyn CathedralThe Word of God
Worship Service: Childrens Talk & Adult Sermon - October 29, 2023
Community Service. We will be reminding ourselves of how powerful the Word of God is and how lucky we are to have it in our lives and community. | By Rev. Malcolm G. Smith | Bryn Athyn CathedralTruth for the Sake of Truth and Good for the Sake of Good
Worship Service: Family (may include music) - September 24, 2023
This Sunday we will be offering Holy Supper (with alternatives) during the Family Service. Read the full description of how the service will go at brynathynchurch.org/holy-supper. The readings and short talk will be about a phrase that comes up repeatedly in the teachings of the New Church: loving truth for the sake of truth and good for the sake of good. As we think about taking the bread and wine from the Lord, we will try to be ready to gratefully receive what the Lord has to offer. | By Rev. Malcolm G. Smith | Bryn Athyn CathedralTruth for the Sake of Truth and Good for the Sake of Good
Worship Service: Sermon only - September 24, 2023
This Sunday we will be offering Holy Supper (with alternatives) during the Adult Service. The readings and short sermon will be about a phrase that comes up repeatedly in the teachings of the New Church: loving truth for the sake of truth and good for the sake of good. As we think about taking the bread and wine from the Lord, we will try to be ready to gratefully receive what the Lord has to offer. | By Rev. Malcolm G. Smith | Bryn Athyn Cathedral