Below you will find the audio and video recordings, as well as text, of recent sermons from Pastor Liz and guest preachers. Edgewood also has a dynamic lay preaching program that all church members are invited to participate in. Lay Preachers meet as a group to learn about the sermon writing process, workshop their ideas, and practice preaching. Each lay preacher has an opportunity to give a sermon on Sunday morning during the year. You will see some of those sermons in this archive.
Shame Cracked Open to Let in Love
Preacher: Pastor Liz MillerDate: March 19, 2023Text: Matthew 26:6-13 It was never about helping the poor.The disciples watched the woman approach Jesus, witnessed her pick up the jar of oil and pour it out above him. The oil streamed across Jesus’ hair and dripped down his face. As the disciples watched this scene before them, they became angry.Their eyebrows scrunched. Their eyes narrowed. Their shoulders tensed. Their voices raised as their anger poured out of their mouth Their words dripped…
Harm Cracked Open; Letting in Repentance
Preacher: Pastor Liz MillerDate: March 5, 2023Text: Genesis: 37: 3-8, 17b-22, 50: 15-21 The story of Joseph and his brothers is a sweeping saga of jealousy, betrayal, revenge,and finally forgiveness. It is the gold standard of ancient stories on harm and repentance because of how detailed it is and how significant the stakes are between the siblings that have harmed each other. It is also an important story because this is not strangers who cross paths and end up hurting…
Looking for a Blessing
Preacher: Pastor Liz MillerDate: January 29, 2023Text: Matthew 5:1-12 There are weeks when the troubles of the world are pressing in so hard that it feels like all I can do to muster the energy to say, “Well God, what you have you got for us?” Come to think of it, that feels like a pretty good beginning of a prayer.What have you got for us, God? What have you got for Tyre Nichols and his grief-stricken family? What have…
What We Left Behind
Preacher: Pastor Liz MillerDate: January 22, 2023Text: 1 Corinthians 1:10-18 and Matthew 4:12-23 Our scripture readings today are two chapters in the same story of Christian discipleship. The Gospel story of Jesus calling the fishermen away from their craft and away from their families to follow him is what we refer to as an origin story. Origin stories are one of the most popular kinds of stories you can tell. Origin stories are what we are asking when we get…
Come and See
Preacher: Pastor Liz MillerDate: January 15, 2023Text: John 1:29-42 This weekend as we honor the legacy and life of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. it is a common practice to listen or read his speeches, to remember his words and his call to justice. We often pull our favorite quotes from “I Have a Dream” and “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop.” Some of us probably have his words memorized.This year, I took a slightly different approach. I didn’t return…
We Keep Seeking
Preacher: Pastor Liz MillerDate: January 8, 2023Text: Matthew 2:1-12 As part of our welcome and centering ourselves for worship each Sunday, we proclaim that “no matter who you are or where you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here.” And frequently, through our prayers and liturgy and sermons we will specifically name different identities that may not have always been welcome or felt welcome in Christian community that we want to make sure hear an affirmation in this Christian…
There’s Room for Every Story
Preacher: Pastor Liz Miller Date: November 27, 2022 Text: Matthew 1:1-17 If I was to ask the congregation right now to tell the Christmas story, we would craft a narrative that begins with an angel visiting Mary and then Joseph, and then we would describe their long, laborious journey to Bethlehem, inn keeper and all. It is a story we know well, one we have seen acted out by our children and youth in Christmas Eve plays. It is…
Give Them Something to Eat
Preacher: Pastor Liz Miller Date: November 20, 2022 Text: Mark 6:30-44 As a church, we are in the business of feeding God’s people. We do that quite literally – every Wednesday night there is a community dinner where people bring food, pass a plate, and share a meal together. We do that symbolically, each month we e at a piece of bread and drink a sip of juice at the communion table as a reminder of the spiritual food…
To Be Seen
Preacher: Pastor Liz MillerDate: October 30, 2022Text: Luke 19:1-10 One of the most common questions I am asked is from folks who wonder, “Whichversion of the Bible should I be reading? Which one is the best?” The answer I always give is, “Whichever version inspires you to read the Bible! There is no best.” There are interpretations of the Bible that serve different purposes, and it’s a helpful exercise to read the same verses from multiple versions to see what…
In the Ring with God
Preacher: Pastor Liz MillerDate: October 16, 2022Text: Genesis 32:22-31 There once was a man who was caught between a rock and a hard place. The man was Jacob, and the rock was behind him, in the land of his father-in-law. His father-in-law had lied to Jacob, tricking him into 14 years of service and then 20 years, when it should have only been seven, and his father-in-law became very rich because of Jacob’s labor. Jacob grew angry and resentful at…
Increase Our Faith
Preacher: Pastor Liz MillerDate: October 2, 2022Text: Luke 17:5-10 When my niece Briley was little, she was really good at telling on her parents. Every time I would talk to her, she would tell me another story about some egregious thing they had done to her. Almost forgot her in a store. Burned dinner. Lost the family cat for several hours. She has pretty outstanding parents which probably made it easier to keep track of the wrongs they committed against…
What Does It Take?
Preacher: Pastor Liz MillerDate: September 25, 2022Text: Luke 16:19-31 CEB Last week we heard the parable of the middle manager who turned his loyalties from those at the top of systems of power to those who were most impacted by those systems. In this week’s parable the middle manager has seemingly disappeared and we’re introduced to two new characters: a rich man, and Lazarus.The rich man is really, really rich. Filthy rich. Only wears purple and fine linen, has his…