Episcopal Church Of All Saints, Indianapolis

“That’s the kingdom of heaven: a cross-shaped economy of grace and mercy and forgiveness; where the king refuses to be in the sin-accounting business anymore. None of us will get what we deserve. Thanks be to God.“ The Rev. E. Suzanne Wille preaches on the Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost (September 17, 2017). Readings: Exodus 14:19-31; Psalm 114; Romans 14:1-12; Matthew 18:21-35. Image: Damon Winter/The New York Times

"If one holds the cynical view that human relationships are merely transactional, based on a tit-for-tat ethic, then it's impossible to understand why the church, why Christians, why we, would defend, care for, love, people for any reason other than personal gain." The Rev. E. Suzanne Wille preaches on the fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost (September 10, 2017). Due to some technical issues the first couple of minutes of the sermon are missing. Readings: Ex. 12:1-14; Ps. 149; Rom. 13:8-14; Mat. 18:15-20.

"Friends, no matter how we slice it, the only things that matter spiritually are divine things: our spiritual monument, our spiritual intentions, and most of all, our spiritual actions and outcomes." Deacon Brantley Alexander preaches on the Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost (September 3, 2017). Readings: Exodus 3:1-15; Psalm 105:1-6, 23-26, 45b; Romans 12:9-21; Matthew 16:21-28 Image: Cody Jones (www.codyljones.com), all rights reserved.

"Because they knew who their God was — the Creator who brought them and all creation into being — and called it all good, they saved baby boys, one of whom was Moses, who later led all of the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt. Who you say God is determines what you do next." The Rev. E. Suzanne Wille preaches on the Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost (August 27, 2017). Readings: Exodus 1:8-2:10; Psalm 124; Romans 12:1-8; Matthew 16:13-20. Image: Mike Maguire (www.flickr.com/photos/mikespeaks), distributed under a CC BY 2.0 license.

"Often when we are faced with the raw pain of another, we try to ignore it, hoping it will go away, and we can turn to something more pleasant. And if that doesn't work, we take comfort from friends who assure us this isn't our problem." The Rev. E. Suzanne Wille preaches on the eleventh Sunday after Pentecost (August 20, 2017). Readings: Gen. 45:1-15; Ps. 133; Rom 11:1-2a; Matt. 15:10-28 Image: Brooke Novak (https://www.flickr.com/photos/brookenovak/), distributed under a CC BY-NC-ND license.

Mr. Patrick Burke preaches on the Feast of St. Mary the Virgin, transferred (August 13, 2017). Readings: Is. 61:10-11; Ps. 34:1-9; Gal. 4:4-7; Lk 1:46-55. Image: Dimitris Kamaras (https://www.flickr.com/photos/127226743@N02/), distributed under a CC BY license.

The Rev. E. Suzanne Wille preaches on the Feast of the Transfiguration (August 6, 2017). Readings: Ex.34:29-35; Ps. 99; 2 Pet. 1:13-21; Lk. 9:28-36 Image: Andrea Kirkby (https://www.flickr.com/photos/andreakirkby/) distributed under a CC BY-NC license.

“I’d say Jesus is keeping the Kingdom weird or making it weird. And He’s inviting us to be weird, too. After all, if we risk everything we have to follow God, if we’re willing to have our whole lives changed, well, let’s face it - most people won’t understand. They’ll think we’re weirdos.” The Rev. E. Suzanne Wille preaches on the Eighth Sunday of Pentecost (July 30, 2017). Readings: Genesis 29:15-28; Psalm 128; Romans 8:26-39; Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52 Image: The Unipiper (snippier.com)

“Turns out we’re terrible at telling wheat from weeds and that if we start weeding, we’ll do nothing but focus on weeds rather than seeking the beautiful crop of wheat. God’s good kingdom, growing up around us.“ The Rev. E. Suzanne Wille preaches on the Seventh Sunday of Pentecost (July 23, 2017). Readings: Genesis 28:10-19a; Psalm 139:1-12, 23-24; Romans 8:12-25; Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 Image: Sleepy Claus (flickr.com/sleepyclaus), distributed under a CC BY-NC license.

The Rev. E. Suzanne Wille preaches at the funeral of Carol Ernsting (July 29, 2017).

"There is a wonderful mystery in the emergence of plants. We plant, yes, but we are not in final control of what happens. This parable reminds us that even though we may be planting seeds for the in-breaking Kingdom of God, the timing and ultimate germination of this Kingdom is not in our control." Brother Daniel-Chad Hoffman preaches on the sixth Sunday after Pentecost (July 16, 2017). Readings: Gen. 25:19-34; Ps. 119:105-112; Rom. 8:1-11; Matt. 13:1-9, 18-23 Image: "The Sower" (Millet), photograph by Thomas Hawk (https://www.flickr.com/photos/thomashawk/), distributed under a CC BY-NC license.

"Whatever our fears are, they are from us: from our culture, from our brokenness. Whether they’re rational or not can certainly be debated, but they are not from God. Justice and mercy: they are from God, and when we make the choice to resort to violence, that is not from God. That is not living into the Kingdom, and as Christians, that is what we’re called to do.” #AaronBailey Mr. Patrick Burke preaches on the Fourth Sunday of Pentecost (July 2, 2017). Readings: Genesis 22:1-14; Psalm 13; Romans 6:12-23; Matthew 10:40-42. Image: Christ Church Cathedral, Indianapolis

"John the Baptist's version of faith is too hard! Jesus' is too easy! Just like us, they want what THEY want: a God, a faith, that is 'just right.' And, of course, 'just right' usually means 'just like me.' Not surprisingly, Jesus isn't having it." The Rev. E. Suzanne Wille preaches on the fifth Sunday after Pentecost (July 9, 2017). Readings: Gen. 24:34-38, 42-49; Ps. 45:10-17; Rom. 7:15-25a; Matt. 11:16-19, 25-30. Image: Rick Gordon (https://www.flickr.com/photos/rgordon/), distributed under a CC BY-NC-ND license.

"Thurman is writing to men and women of color, but even among the majority of us in this congregation who are white, many of us know in our bones what this feels like: that for some of us to hold hands or present as one's true gender in public is to invite violence; that to struggle with health or money solicits derision from congressmen who say it would all be affordable if you just bought a cheaper phone." Brendan O'Sullivan-Hale preaches on the third Sunday after Pentecost (June 25, 2017). Readings: Genesis 21:8-21; Psalm 86:1-10, 16-17; Romans 6:1b-11; Matthew 10:24-39 Image: Alberto Alerigi (https://www.flickr.com/photos/albertoalerigi/), distributed under a CC BY license.

"The Anglican Communion had been struggling over our identity for some time as the British Empire collapsed but the churches birthed by the Church of England remained. The consecration of Gene Robinson was a flashpoint for the Church. The crisis led to a conversation about what held us together as a worldwide body - our history? The Archbishop of Canterbury? Our shared liturgy?" The Rev. E. Suzanne Wille preaches on the Feast of Corpus Christi (June 18, 2017). Readings: Deut. 8:2-3; Ps. 116:10-17; 1 Cor. 10:1-4, 16-17; Jn. 6:47-58. Image: Karin Hamilton (https://www.flickr.com/photos/episcopalct/_, distributed under a CC BY-NC license.

Gordon Chastain, Geoffrey Butcher, and Tom Honderich remember the Rev. Tom McCart at his funeral, June 17, 2017.

"It's why the doctrine of the Trinity resonates with us so well: this interplay and this dance between Father, Son, and Spirit Is relational. It includes all of creation, which is blessed and good in the eyes of God." Mr. Patrick Burke preaches on Trinity Sunday (June 11, 2017). Readings: Genesis 1:1-2:4a; Psalm 8; 2 Corinthians 13:11-13; Matthew 28:16-20. Image: Joanna Young (flickr.com/joanna_young), distributed under a CC BY-NC license.

"The Holy Spirit is calling us, we the Church, out into the world - now and always." The Rev. E. Suzanne Wille preaches on the Feast of Pentecost (June 4, 2017). Readings: Acts 2:1-21; Psalm 104:24-34, 35b; Romans 8:22-27; John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15. Image: © Tim Jensen, used with permission.

"For each of us there is a place in God's house; there is a place especially for you, Erin, on that's not about how good or wonderful you are, but one that's about loving you for exactly who you are." The Rev. E. Suzanne Wille preaches at the ordination of Erin Hougland to the Sacred Order of Deacons on June 1, 2017. Readings: Jer. 1:4-9; Ps. 84; Acts 6:2-7; Lk. 22:24-27

"Let's not stare up into heaven, waiting for the coming of the Kingdom. We who are in the world must love it for the sake of God." The Rev. E. Suzanne Wille preaches on the seventh Sunday of Easter (May 28, 2017). Readings: Acts 1:6-14; Ps. 68:1-10, 32-36; 1 Pet. 4:12-14, 5:5-11; Jn. 17:1-11. Image: Clive A. Brown (https://www.flickr.com/photos/cliveabrown/), distributed under a CC BY-NC license.