A sermon given on Sunday, August 23, 2026 by the Rt. Rev. Alan M. Gates, Bridge Pastor I learned early on as an ordained minister that a lot of people have definite ideas and assumptions about clergy. Once I was changing the oil and spark plug in my lawn mower when a member of my parish pulled into the rectory driveway. She looked stricken, asked if I really knew how to do that, and phoned her husband to get over there right away before I damaged the church mower. In her

A sermon given on Sunday, August 16, 2026 by the Rt. Rev. Alan M. Gates, Bridge Pastor Two things for you to know about my parents, of sainted memory: First, my parents were very frugal people. As products of the Great Depression, they were admirably loath to discard anything. I told you last month how my dad would not waste his volunteer “squords.” Likewise, there were drawers full of old bread bag twisties, creative ways to reuse the inner lining of a cereal box, and cr

A sermon given on Sunday, August 9, 2026 by the Rt. Rev. Alan M. Gates, Bridge Pastor A couple of weeks ago a young lifeguard’s skilled rescue of a child caught in the California surf made the rounds on the internet. It brought back a childhood memory of my own. At the age of six I nearly drowned. At least, that is how it seemed to me at the time. I was visiting cousins in Illinois, and we went to the local swimming pool. I didn’t realize how quickly the depth of the poo

A sermon given on Sunday, August 2, 2026 by the Rev. Thaddeus Bennett In the name of God who feeds us with divine compassion. Amen. So I think it's always helpful to know who is this preacher who's preaching? So my name is Thad Bennett. My spouse George and our cat Harvey moved to Easthampton about a year and a half ago. And I've been ordained in the Episcopal Church for just over 46 years. Not quite as exciting as a birthday that apparently isn't getting mentioned, but it's

A sermon given on Sunday, July 26, 2026, by the Rt. Rev. Alan M. Gates, Bridge Pastor Today’s Gospel reading from Matthew [13:31-33,44-52] is a smorgasbord of mini-parables. Most of them relate to obtaining some treasure or some prized commodity: leavened bread, hidden wealth, fine pearls, a good haul of fish. And in most cases, the parable presents an increase of that treasure, some multiplication of the blessing, some leveraging of the treasure from smaller to greater: se

A sermon given on Sunday, July 19, 2026 by the Rt. Rev. Alan M. Gates, Bridge Pastor My father was an original organic gardener. Fifty years ago, long before it was fashionable, his vegetable garden was covered with mulch and compost. Among the produce was always a bountiful quantity of squash, and plenty of gourds. Over the years some cross-pollination took place. Volunteer plants would sprout up which were a hybrid combination of squash and gourd. Dad calle

Sermon preached by the Rt. Rev. Alan M. Gates, Bridge Pastor My grandmother had what we always called “selective hearing loss.” You could tell her loudly a dozen times that you were not going to make it for Sunday dinner, but always she was still expecting you. On the other hand, your stomach could growl softly and she was right there suggesting a drive to Dunkin Donuts - her favorite snacking spot! By some miracle of physiology, when you said something she wanted to hear,

Sermon preached by Rebecca Taylor (Genesis 24:34-38, 42-49, 58-67; Psalm 45: 11-18; Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30) “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens…” (Mt 11:28) I have to admit: in preparing to preach this morning, I was drawn to the passage from Genesis, the story of Rebekah’s marriage to Isaac. She and I share the same name: Rebecca. And, 51 years ago today, I married my husband. What a lovely coincidence that our two stories should coinci

Sermon preached by the Rev. Michael Anderson Bullock [Genesis 21:8-21; Romans 6:1b-11; Matthew 10:24-39] As the time for my departure as your priest winds down from concept to actuality, I have tried to keep a balance between this looming reality and (as we have often said together) “keeping our eyes on the prize”. In this time, in my preaching and teaching, in my pastoral and administrative leadership, I have struggled (and that is the word) – struggled to keep this balanc

Sermon preached by the Rev. Michael Anderson Bullock [Genesis 12:1-9; Romans 4:13-25; Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26] You may recall that I raised this question with you in last Sunday’s sermon, applying it as we followers of Jesus enter the long, green season of Pentecost. This six-month season of time (something the liturgical tradition refers to as “ordinary time”) – this season concerns what followers of Jesus do after experiencing the reality of the Resurrection. This is to sa

Sermon preached by the Rev. Michael Anderson Bullock [Genesis 12:1-9; Romans 4:13-25; Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26] There is so much going on in the world and in our own lives – both personally and as members of St. Philip’s – that it is easy to feel overwhelmed, powerless by unruly events and things. So it is, I think, that we need to keep tending to those resources that provide our lives with the stability of roots and the openness of wings. A mature orientation to and relations

Sermon preached by the Rev. Michael Anderson Bullock [Genesis 1:1-2:4a; 2 Corinthians 13:11-13; Matthew 28:16-28] In terms of the liturgical calendar, today inaugurates the second half of the Christian worshipping year: that is, how we followers of Jesus keep track of the God-life. Today, we start the long, green season of Pentecost; and before we head out as our current edition of representing Christ for the sake of the world, we mark “Trinity Sunday” as a quick reminder of

Sermon preached by the Rev. Michael Anderson Bullock [Acts 21:1-12; 1 Corinthians 12:3b-13; John 20:19-23] The 50th Day. Just to be clear about this and to re-make the essential point, Easter is not simply about one morning’s unique (albeit, joyful) events. This is to say that while Easter most certainly is rooted in Christ’s resurrection and the revelation that God’s life and love are stronger than fear and death, this triumphant news is not all there is to our proclamatio

I was ordained in 1988, thirty-eight years ago. I realize that this is not even close to my much (much) older brother, Michael, but still, it’s a long time ago, in a galaxy far away. In all that time, however, I’m pretty sure that I have never preached on First Peter. And I’m positive that I have not done so on this day, the Sunday after the Ascension Day, when I’ve normally felt obligated to say something about the Ascension. Not once in nearly four decades! But I’m going to

Sermon preached by the Rev. Michael Anderson Bullock [Acts 7:55-60; 1 Peter 2:2-10; John 14:1-14] I was twelve years old. It was the night before my family and I were moving to another city in another state. My Dad had received a promotion in the corporation he worked for all his life. The transition’s ambiguity between the familiar to the unclear new created a hard year for all of us. When my Dad finally settled on one opportunity, it meant that he had immediately to go

Sermon preached by the Rev. Michael Anderson Bullock [Acts 2:14a, 36-41; 1Peter 1:17-23; Luke 24:13-35] I remember running a Bible Study group, much like the one we have here at St. Philip’s, where the scriptures used for the upcoming Sunday’s worship are carefully looked at and discussed. It was this time of year, spring. Liturgically, the upcoming Sunday was the Fourth Sunday of Easter: “Good Shepherd Sunday”. I remember vividly one of the class participants reading the

Sermon preached by the Rev. Michael Anderson Bullock [Acts 2:14a, 36-41; 1Peter 1:17-23; Luke 24:13-35] That first Sunday of Resurrection must have been a perplexing swirl for the followers of Jesus. From the accounts of the four gospel writers, there was a lot going on that day – and it would seem that it was all happening at once! Like “Eyewitness News” reporters, the gospel accounts of that first Easter emerge in rapid-fire succession to form a collage of stories, invol

Sermon preached by the Rev. Michael Anderson Bullock [Acts 2:14a,22-32 ; 1 Peter 1:3-9;John 20:19-31] “Monday, Monday”. In addition to being the title of the 1966 hit song by “the Mommas and the Papas”, it was also how I felt on Easter Monday. After a most intense Holy Week and a powerful Easter Sunday, I struggle with the disappointment and emotional fatigue that the world-at-large doesn’t seem to get the message of new life. “Monday, Monday…can’t trust that day…” I me

Sermon preached by the Rev. Michael Anderson Bullock [Jeremiah 31:1-6; Colossians 3:1-4; John 20:1-18] It is not possible for me to ignore that I am in the last lap of my time with you as your priest; but I am glad not to have been overwhelmed by this fact – at least to this point. I haven’t dwelt very much on sentimental things. Yet, knowing that soft, Irish part of my heart as I do, the sentiment will have its day – arriving mostly unannounced. And for the record, I sha

Sermon preached by the Rev. Michael Anderson Bullock [(Matthew 21:1-11 – Lit of Palms); Isaiah 50:4-9a; Philippians 2:5-11; Matthew 26 – 27:66] It was the spring of the year 30 of the Common Era. Preparations were beginning for the Hebrew people’s most sacred time of the year – Passover. Amidst the high expectations of this seasonal event, two “parades” began to form on opposite sides of city. [1] One demonstration took shape at the east gate of the city. The other gather