This sermon was originally preached on January 25, 2026 at both Shepherd of the Lake Lutheran Church and Trinity Ingleside Lutheran Church. Relevant lectionary readings can be found here. “The church should stay out of politics!” That’s something I heard a lot growing up. For some people, I think, it was an opinion that was […]
This sermon was first preached at Trinity Lutheran Church in Evanston, Illinois on December 28, 2025. Relevant lectionary texts can be found here. Video of the service can be found here. This is a hard Sunday. It comes too close to Christmas. The lights are still glowing. The cookies are still soft. Some of us […]
This sermon was originally preached at a hybrid service of St. Barnabas’ Episcopal Church. Relevant lectionary readings here. Grace and Peace are yours from the Triune God, amen. This morning we read Jesus’ first sermon moment in the book of Matthew, sometimes known as the Sermon on the Mount – possibly the most famous sermon […]
This sermon was first preached at a hybrid online and in-person service of St. Luke’s Lutheran Church of Logan Square on Sunday, October 30, 2022. Relevant lectionary readings can be found here. The Gospel of Luke is full of images of the lowly being brought up and those on high being brought low. Subverting roles. […]
This sermon was originally preached at a hybrid online and in person service at St. John’s in Wilmette on Sunday, October 9, 2022. St. John’s is on the Narrative Lectionary. Relevant lectionary readings can be found here. The process to become an ordained pastor in the ELCA is complicated and confusing. So you may not […]
This sermon was originally given in a hybrid online and in person joint service of St. Luke’s Lutheran Church of Logan Square and Grace UMC on Sunday, August 28, 2022. Relevant lectionary readings can be found here. You are cordially invited. To a dinner party. This is real. It’s a real invitation. And I’ll get […]
This sermon was first preached for a virtual service of Lord of Life Lutheran Church in Kennewick, WA as part of a series featuring LGBTQIA+ and/or BIPOC preachers. Relevant readings can be found here. My name is Pastor Elle Dowd. I use pronouns like she or they. I am an author, activist, and ordained minister […]
This sermon was first preached at a hybrid in person and online service of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Wilmette on July 31, 2022. Relevant lectionary readings can be found here. Thousands of people had come to listen to Jesus preach and teach. There were so many of them that they were tripping over each […]
This sermon was first preached in a joint service for St. Luke’s of Logan Square and Grace Church. Relevant lectionary readings can be found here. It was a hot, hazy day. Abraham’s tent was enveloped by the shade of the oak trees. Trees in scripture are imbued with meaning. Oak trees, because of their age, […]
This sermon was first preached for Easter 7 at a hybrid online and in-person service of St. Luke’s Lutheran Church of Logan Square on May 29, 2022. Relevant lectionary texts can be found here. “These men are slaves!” the enslaved girl cried out. Day after day she raised her voice, “These men are slaves of […]
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