St. Mary’s Episcopal Church
Religion & Spirituality
About
Sermons and other recordings from St. Mary's Episcopal Church has been in downtown Eugene for over 150 years to worship, serve, and grow in faith. Guided by the teachings and life of Jesus Christ, we value community, inclusiveness, compassion, our living tradition, health, and collaborative leadership. All are welcome at St. Mary's, no matter what age, ethnicity or race, gender identity, sexual orientation or economic and social circumstances.
Episodes
- Seeing with the Heart
Seeing with the Heart Sharon Rodgers My sister Trudy has been visually challenged her entire life. A good friend who had perfectly fine corrected vision until a few years ago, is experiencing the center of her field of vision slowly fade a…
- Rebranding Thomas: Finding Him a New Nickname
Rebranding Thomas: Finding Him a New Nickname The Rev. Bingham Powell Poor Thomas. Poor, poor Thomas. We have nicknamed him “Doubting Thomas”, and I think it is a most unfair nickname. He already has one, Didymus, which means “the twin”, b…
- More than an Anniversary: An Easter for the Present Time
More than an Anniversary: An Easter for the Present Time The Rev. Bingham Powell Alleluia! Christ is Risen! The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia! Happy Easter, my friends, Happy Easter! On this day, we celebrate the Good News of that histori…
- Good Friday: Behold the Image of the Invisible God
On Tuesday evening, a group of about 20 or so of us gathered together for the Stations of the Cross. The Stations are a different way to approach the Passion story that we just heard. You could say it is a more embodied approach. During th…
- Following Jesus like Nicodemus
Following Jesus like Nicodemus The Rev. Bingham Powell In our Gospel today we are introduced to the character Nicodemus. Nicodemus was a wealthy, well respected member of the community. He was also considered to be a leader among the Jews.…
- The Stark Humanity of Jesus and of Us
The Stark Humanity of Jesus and of Us Cara Meredith Perhaps like you, I got smudged this last Wednesday. The 18th, as you may recall, was Ash Wednesday, the first day in the season of Lent. It’s a day that dares us think about this thing c…
- Shine!
Shine! The Rev. Ryan Baker-Fones Let us pray: Come Holy Spirit and shine your light into our hearts today. In the name of the Holy and Undivided Trinity, One God. Amen. Two Sundays ago Bingham spoke to us about the theme of light that runs…
- The Way of the Cross: The Foolish Power of God
The Way of the Cross: The Foolish Power of God The Rev. Bingham Powell These past few weeks, we have been working our way through the opening of Paul’s first epistle to the Corinthians. In today’s installment, Paul asks a question that alw…
- Thread of Light
Thread of Light The Rev. Bingham Powell There is a thread through most of our lessons. Not in the Epistle, where there is a little insider stuff. The Epistle is rarely selected to match the other lessons, except on special days. Generally,…
- Hope Beyond Hope
Hope Beyond Hope The Rev. Bingham Powell We don’t talk enough about the Psalms, so today we are going to talk about the Psalms. The Psalms are an important book in the Bible that are unlike any other. We read a Psalm every single week. It…
- You Are My Beloved Child
You Are My Beloved Child The Rev. Ryan Baker-Fones Let us pray: Come Holy Spirit, speak to us of our beloved status and new life of grace in Jesus Christ your son. Amen. I love this story of the baptism of Jesus and it’s one that I often s…
- Even In Our Fear, God Is With Us
Even In Our Fear, God Is With Us Aimee Fritsch
- Advent: Preparing for the Journey with Christ
Advent: Preparing for the Journey with Christ The Rev. Bingham Powell Today is the first Sunday of Advent, the first Sunday of the new Church Year. It is the first Sunday of our annual journey through Jesus’s life, from his birth, ministry…
- The Hope of Resurrection
The Hope of Resurrection The Rev. Ryan Baker-Fones Let us pray: O God who makes us your children and heirs of eternal life, send your Holy Spirit today speak of the great mystery and joy of resurrection. In the name of the Holy and Undivid…
- The Feast of All Saints
The Feast of All Saints The Rev. Bingham Powell On Wednesday mornings we hold a Eucharist in the chapel, and most weeks we commemorate a different saint. Some of the saints are the Biblical saints: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Mary, Mary Mag…
- A Church Like Mary
A Church Like Mary The Rev. Ryan Baker-Fones Sermon for Sunday, August 17, 2025, Mary Sunday, St. Mary’s, Eugene, Oregon, Preacher: Ryan Baker-Fones+ Let us pray: Mary, our Sister in Faith, you always have your son Jesus in your heart or i…
- The Assurance of Things Hoped For
The Assurance of the Things Hoped For The Rev. Bingham Powell God has a dream for this world, a vision in which everyone can thrive, in which everyone doesn’t have everything they want, but they have at least everything that they need; tha…
- We Are Not Our Stuff!
We Are Not Our Stuff! The Rev. Ryan Baker-Fones Let us pray: Come Holy Spirit, enliven these words and help us become richer toward God. In the name of the Creator, the Redeemer and the Sustainer. Amen. "Take care! Be on your guard against…
- Faith: Rooted in Relationship, Not in Answers
Faith: Rooted in Relationship, Not in Answers The Rev. Bingham Powell In the Epistle for today, Paul implores us to remain established in the faith, which brings up the question, what is the faith? What is faith itself? There is a popular…
- Rest!
Rest! The Rev. Ryan Baker-Fones Let us pray: Come Holy Spirit. Show us the one thing we need. Help us to rest in you. Amen. Such a familiar story, right? The two sisters, Mary and Martha, and Martha’s just busy and doing all the work and M…
- And Who Is My Neighbor?
And Who Is My Neighbor? Sharon Rodgers “And who is my neighbor?” Now there’s a question with worldwide implications 2100 years after the lawyer wanting to justify himself asked it. Indeed the question has a very personal meaning for me at…
- Urgency, Love, and the Nearness of God
Urgency, Love, and the Nearness of God The Rev. Bingham Powell Last week it seemed that Jesus was a bit cranky in the Gospel reading. We talked about why that might, the possibility that the crankiness came from a sense of urgency because…
- The Urgency of the Way of Love (or Why is Jesus so Cranky)
The Urgency of the Way of Love (or Why is Jesus so Cranky) The Rev. Bingham Powell I don’t know about you, but I think Jesus sounded rather cranky in the Gospel today. He is not quite the all-loving, all-patient, all-calm, all-compassionat…
- How Much Has God Done For You
How Much Has God Done For You The Rev. Ryan Baker-Fones Let us pray: May these words be in the name of the God who heals, restores, and liberates. Amen. Wow! What a fantastical story! We have a man who lives in the tombs and is possessed b…
- Trinity Sunday
Today is Trinity Sunday, considered the only major Christian feast day primarily based on a doctrine and not on a biblical event. It is the day when the preacher may attempt to explain the concept of the Trinity: God is Three in One; Fathe…
- Pentecost Sunday
Pentecost Sunday The Rt. Rev. Diana Akiyama Several years ago, Michael and I were helping to move his godfather out of his house into an apartment. His wife had recently passed away, and he no longer wanted to live in the house they had sh…
- Unity Not Uniformity
Unity Not Uniformity The Rev. Bingham Powell Today is the Seventh Sunday of Easter, the last Sunday of the Easter season before we begin the Pentecost season next week. We are in the period of time between the Resurrection and the coming o…
- Being Stewards of God's Creation
Being Stewards of God's Creation The Rev. Bingham Powell Our second reading today comes from the Book of Revelation, which is the last book in the Bible. But before we talk about the reading from Revelation, we need to go back to Genesis,…
- Jesus Calls Us By Name
Jesus Calls Us By Name The Rev. Ryan Baker-Fones Traditional Let us pray: O God, whose son Jesus is the good shepherd of thy people; Grant that when we hear his voice we may know him who calleth us each by name, and follow where he doth le…
- Right Where We Are
Right Where We Are The Rev. Bingham Powell Our Gospel that we just heard is from the Epilogue of John’s Gospel. Why do I call it an epilogue? The last two weeks we have been hearing stories of the Resurrection. We heard on Easter Day the s…
- Love Wins!
Love Wins! The Rev. Ryan Baker-Fones Let us pray: Send your Holy Spirit and pour into our hearts your greatest gift, which is love, the true bond of peace. In the name of the Holy and Undivided Trinity, One God. Amen. Today we continue wit…
- Blessed Are We
Blessed Are We The Rev. Ryan Baker-Fones Let us pray: God of love and life, enliven these words, speak to our hearts of the fullness of life found in relationship with you. Amen. At this point in Jesus’ ministry, word has really begun to s…
- Ordinary People - Extraordinary Ministries
Ordinary People - Extraordinary Ministries Sharon Rodgers In today’s readings we hear about Peter and from Paul, two of the giants of early Christianity. Contemporaries, they became followers of Jesus very differently, though they reported…
- Seek the Light. Share the Light.
Seek the Light. Share the Light. The Rev. Bingham Powell Today, on the Feast of the Presentation, we find ourselves smack dab in the middle of Epiphany. We are a month in, but still have a month to go because the beginning of Lent is late.…
- Jesus' Mission, Our Mission
Jesus' Mission, Our Mission The Rev. Ryan Baker-Fones Let us pray: Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer. Amen. Here we are, the third Sunday after the Epi…
- Gifts for the Common Good: Living Out Love
Gifts for the Common Good: Living Out Love The Rev. Bingham Powell Our Epistle today is from Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians. These letters that Paul wrote to the various communities that he had helped found are not regular check-in…
- Precious and Beloved: An Eternal Truth
Precious and Beloved: An Eternal Truth The Rev. Bingham Powell Our first reading today comes from the book of Isaiah. In it Isaiah tells the people that they are precious in the sight of the Lord. They are loved by God. But He speaks these…
- The Gift of Seeking: Becoming One of the Magi
The Gift of Seeking: Becoming One of the Magi The Rev. Bingham Powell In today’s Gospel story we heard the story of the Magi, or the Three Kings or Three Wisemen. We know very little about these three Magi, and I mean very little. The Chur…
- Christmas: A Feast of Light and Love
Christmas: A Feast of Light and Love The Rev. Bingham Powell Merry Christmas! Today is the 5th Day of Christmas, and I hope your true love gave you five gold rings this morning. It is still Christmas. Christmas is twelve glorious days that…
- Christmas in a Minor Key
Christmas in a Minor Key The Rev. Bingham Powell
- Pregnant Singing Women
Pregnant Singing Women The Rev. Ryan Baker-Fones Let us pray: God who comes to us as we are, as we approach the birth of Jesus, may we come closer to one another, and find ourselves closer to you. In the name of the Creator, the divine Hum…
- Pebbles of Hope
Pebbles of Hope The Rev. Bingham Powell This week and last week we have been hearing about John the Baptist. Last week we heard that John was a Prophet. We heard it first in the Canticle, the Song of Zechariah, that was in place of the Psa…
- Embracing Joy this Advent
Embracing Joy this Advent The Rev. Bingham Powell What brings you joy? Is there a hobby you like to do, maybe baking or cooking or eating? Perhaps watching movies or TV shows, listening to music or making music? What brings you joy? Time w…
- Advent: Preparing to Welcome Jesus Today
Advent: Preparing to Welcome Jesus Today The Rev. Bingham Powell Happy Advent! Today is the First Sunday of Advent, the first Sunday in the new church year. The word advent means coming. During the season of Advent we prepare for the comin…
- What is Truth
What is Truth The Rev. Bingham Powell Pontius Pilate was the Roman Procurator of Palestine during the reign of Tiberius. Though he commanded a Roman legion of 4500 soldiers, his was not a plush assignment. Saddled with governing one of the…
- Forward in Love and Good Deeds
Forward in Love and Good Deeds The Rev. Ryan Baker-Fones Let us pray: Good and loving God, send your Spirit to work through these words that they may bring us peace, comfort, and hope. In the name of the Creator, the Redeemer and the Susta…
- Trusting God’s Unbreakable Promise in a Fragile World
Trusting God’s Unbreakable Promise in a Fragile World The Rev. Bingham Powell Our psalm today, Psalm 146, is the first of a set of five psalms that finish out the psalter that we might call the Hallelujah Songs of Praise psalms. Why not ju…
- Do God's Work Together
Do God's Work Together The Rev. Bingham Powell
- God made you worthy of dignity and respect
God made you worthy of dignity and respect The Rev. Bingham Powell
- Faith is not about being perfect
Faith is not about being perfect The Rev. Bingham Powell In this long season after Pentecost, we are 17 weeks into it, we have been hearing stories from the Gospel According to Mark. We have been working our way through Mark’s telling of t…