What are the systems that structure our world to which God says, zealously, furiously, NO? Where in our common life do we find Jesus turning over tables? How are those systems that God condemns—the inequality, injustice and exploitation we call sin—thriving among us, we who are the temple of God?

Emilee Walker-Cornetta: An economy overturned

The resurrection is a deep wildness in God’s mercy. Easter tells us Jesus' revolution of love won't happen on our terms. Jesus' resurrection asks you to hope, and to hold your hope in a direction you can't control.

The Rev. Mike Angell: Easter, the Wildness of God's Mercy

Our seminarian takes us through the different layers of Biblical interpretation using the Song of Songs. How have Christians interpreted this sensual love poems? What can in mean for us today? Join us for virtual coffee hour Sunday at 11:30am for a discussion of today’s forum.

The Forum: The Song of Songs Bible 101 with Seminarian Emilee Walker-Cornetta

This forum is part of our ongoing discussion around housing policy. Professor Todd Swantrom has studied housing policy and justice throughout his career. He came to St. Louis, in part, to study the "most depopulated city in the world." He talks about the concept of gentrification and asks whether St. Louis is actually experiencing its effects.

Click here for the slides :https://holycommunion.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/GentrificationPresentation.4.13.21.pdf

The Forum: Housing Policy and Gentrification with Professor Todd Swanstrom

The early church in Acts encounters God’s Spirit working in people who are unlike them, that perhaps may even offend them, and as they do, they are invited to convert all over again to the way of God in Christ. Beholding the unconventional, but also unquestionable work of the Spirit, they face the question: are you ready?

Seminarian Emilee Walker-Cornetta:  Conversion at the crossroads

Our priest associate, the Rev. Marc Smith, explores the fundamental elements of faithful discipleship in "What Would God Have Me Do:  Micah on Discipleship."

The Forum: Bible 101 Micah on Discipleship with the Rev. Marc Smith

This Mother's Day, an unconventional sermon. The rector invited three mothers in the congregation to talk about their experience of mothering. We give thanks for Debbie Nelson-Linck, Karen Payne, Emilee Walker Cornetta, and all mothers and those who practice mothering virtues.

The Rev. Mike Angell: Complicating Mothers Day

There are plenty of Goliaths out there. There are plenty of shiny, slick, powerful forces, and the world is very impressed. But don't confuse largeness with rightness. Don't equate a win in the Supreme Court with God's endorsement. For that matter don’t confuse an institutional church's opinion with God's. God doesn't see as humans see. The way through the storms of hate and bigotry is now and ever shall be calm expansive love.

The Rev. Mike Angell: Fathers' Day and Expansive Love

In the first Forum of the 2021-2022 series, the Rector speaks with Bishop Deon Johnson. Bishop Deon will be with us for services on Sunday September 12, and for Q and A at 9:15am on the front lawn.

The Forum: Catching Up with Bishop Deon Johnson

Tired of the pandemic?  Frustrated by vax deniers?  Angered by so many preventable deaths?  Us, too!  Join the Rev. Marc Smith, our priest associate for a discussion of the plagues which descended on Ancient Egypt and eventually forced Pharoah to "let God's people go."  God's message to the people of Israel, as well as the Egyptian empire, have much to teach us about our response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Forum Bible 101: The Plagues of Egypt and COVID with the Rev. Dr. Marc Smith

The wisdom of the cross asks us to see the painful truths, to see the suffering of climate change, not to avert our gaze, and the wisdom of the cross asks us to also see the beauty that can happen even in the ugliest of situations. The wisdom of the cross is that dread does not have the last word. There is always a reason to hope. There is always a reason to call our fellow human beings to stop living out of fear, to stop living in denial, to work with hope for new life.

The Rev. Mike Angell: The Wisdom Of The Cross And Climate Change

In the midst of our "Season of Creation" our rector interviews Dr. Rachel Penczykowski, assistant professor of biology at Washington University studying "disease ecology." We talk about climate change, disease/host interactions, and about faith in response to human driven environmental change. Join us Sunday September 26 at 9am on the Front Lawn of the church for a discussion about the forum.

The Forum: Ecology and Disease with Dr. Rachel Penczykowski

We don't have to live this life, face this pandemic, wrestle with what to do about climate change or how to live peacefully by ourselves.

The Rev. Chester Hines: My Burden Is Light

Brought to you by Grace GatheringS. We host Terrie Desloge of Synapsory. Terrie offers personal experience, practical tools and ways for spiritual communities to be in a supportive & mutual relationship with individuals with specific needs, and diverse abilities and their parents and caregivers.

The forum: Please Don't Stare with Terrie Desloge

The Rev. Julie Graham preaches on the young man who comes to Jesus to ask, "what more must I do?" Jesus' response, to love, counters our expectations.

The Rev. Julie Graham: To Be Good Or To Be Loved?

Christian Art theologian, Lisa Thorpe discusses her work, "Na'amah of the Ark" with the Rev. Julie Graham. The piece will be on loan to Holy Communion through Advent.

The Forum: Exploring the Sacred Feminine; What's lost , Whats found" with Lisa Thorpe

The Rev. Hope Jernagan preaches on the first Sunday of Advent.

The Rev. Hope Jernagan: The only way out of it is through it

This time of year is chock-full of nostalgia. How many of us measure our Christmas present against some ghost of a Christmas past? Could this Advent be about something else? Could Advent be about God showing up in the unexpected places?

The Rev. Mike Angell: Advent is not about Nostalgia

This week on the Forum our presenters ask, what is it about the music of this season? Join us for an informative and at times hilarious romp through Christmas music past and present: the good, the bad, the sacred and the secular.

The Forum: Christmas Music and Nostalgia with Eliana Haig and Alex Stefaniak

There's one word we usually associate with John the Baptist: Repent. But what if we interpreted the word differently? What if Advent is a chance to open your heart, to change your life, for the sake of others?

The Rev. Mike Angell: Change Your Hearts And Lives

The Rev. Julie Graham preaches on pre-teen Jesus in the temple: "What if we encountered one another, including our teens, with the same kind of passion Mary and Joseph brought to their search for Jesus? And when we encountered them, we dared to take the time and effort to see the person right in front of us?"

The Rev. Julie Graham: Love The Child In Front Of You

The wisest spiritual teachers say control is, almost always, an illusion. With one important exception...

The Illusion Of Control -The Rev. Mike Angell

Our rector speaks with Alison Nash MD, the chair of our Pandemic task force for Holy Communion and with Paul Mensah, PhD, Vice President of Biotherapeutics Pharmaceutical Sciences at Pfizer. We talk about omicron, the current precautions at church, and the hope on the horizon with expanded vaccine access and therapeutic treatments.

The Forum State Of The Pandemic With Alison Nash MD And Paul Mensah PhD

Preaching on Jesus' reading of Isaiah in the synagogue, the Rev. Julie Graham asks, "what do you do if you believed the Spirit of God is upon you?"

First things First - The Rev. Julie Graham

As Missouri’s state legislature considers several proposals to regulate the lives of Trans people in our state, including a ban on children trans athletes, we offer this week and next week two chances to engage the conversation. This week we are re-posting our “Trans Expansive 101” training from 2020 led by Sayer Johnson,  director of the Metro Trans Umbrella Group. (Next week we’ll have a conversation specifically about the proposed athlete ban and other legislation). Join us live in person Sunday morning at 9:00am as we have conversation during coffee hour. 
Download the slides: https://www.holycommunion.net/s/trans-expansive-101.pdf

The Forum: Trans 101 A Training with Metro Trans Umbrella Group

As we come to the end of the church year, the rector pauses to reflect. What does it mean to live in God's time? What does it mean to tell the sacred story again and again? How do we believe, against all the false tales the world wants to hand us, that we are God's beloved?

In God's Time - The Rev. Mike Angell

On Pentecost, what do we miss because of our self-protective cynicism? Can we make room for mystery? Can we make room for God's Spirit? Can we learn to trust?

A Little More Pentecostal- The Rev. Mike Angell

On the Feast of the Trinity, the Rev. Julie Graham speaks about the love of the Trinity as a practice of giving up fear.

The Practice of the Trinity- The Rev. Julie Graham

Is your faith a system of belief, or is your faith a journey? How we frame what we mean by faith can determine the kind of Christians we become.

Faith In the Unexpected Journey- The Rev. Mike Angell

The Rev. Chester Hines preaches on Jesus' sending out of the 12 apostles in mission to the world.

Love Everyone- The Rev. Chester Hines

After notifying the congregation that he has taken a new call, the Rev. Mike Angell preaches: "Life comes with complicated emotions. It is okay, when a pastor leaves to feel excited for them, and a bit sad, and a bit angry. It's okay if your emotions are complicated, and it has nothing to do with church too."

Trust - The Rev. Mike Angell

Join us for a conversation with Rabbi Daniel Bogard. Daniel has been co-teaching a class at Eden Seminary this semester on theology and Star Trek. How does science fiction reflect and affect our faith today? Trekkies and non-trekkies are welcome

Theology On Tap Faith And Star  Trek With Rabbi Daniel Bogard

In her last sermon at Holy Communion, the Rev. Loretta Go talks about her time with us. We wish her every blessing in her future ministry. (Apologies for issues with the audio. A lightning strike near the church overnight temporarily disabled some of our equipment).

Led Out to Do God's Work- The Rev. Loretta Go

In our rector's second to last sermon he invites us: "keep seeking to follow Jesus. Don't let the anxieties of the world or the church weigh you down. Keep inviting all the wrong people to the table. Keep gathering in a spirit of gentleness, of humility, keep sharing joy and love."

Discipleship- The Rev. Mike Angell

After 8 years as rector, and hosting theology on Tap, the Rev. Mike Angell is departing to be rector of a congregation in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Hannah Shanks interviews him, and the gathering asks questions as we prepare to say goodbye.

Mike Angell's Last Theology on Tap

In his last Sunday at Holy Communion, the Rev. Mike Angell preached a sermon he didn't expect to preach: The parable of the sower is not about faith or performance. Jesus' story is about God's abundant, reckless, love.

Love Recklessly -The Rev. Mike Angell

In the first of our series: "Mondays with the Modern Mystics" the Rev. Mike Angell introduces us to two leading figures in the recovery of Contemplative Christianity: Richard Rohr and Cynthia Bourgeault

Mondays With The Mystics  Richard Rohr And Cynthia Borgeault

The Rev. Dr. Ben Sanders III, assistant professor of theological ethics at Eden Seminary, will be with us as we look at the place of the Black Church within American and worldwide Christianity. Professor Sanders and the Rev. Mike Angell will dialogue together about what it means to be a person of faith in today’s America.

Theology On Tap Interfaith Conversations: The Rev. Dr. Ben Sanders

This class takes us through the "Way of Love" practices of Rest and Pray. What are the practices of Prayer, Contemplation, and reflection that can sustain us from day to day, week to week? How does the balance of contemplation/meditation/prayer encounter a life out in the world. In this session, we will learn about some of the deep resources in the Christian Spiritual tradition, and we will talk about the radical practice of sabbath, or rest (the all too neglected part of the Spiritual life).

Pilgrimage  Sabbath And Contemplative Prayer

The Episcopal Church of the Holy Communion is a welcoming and diverse community seeking to walk in the way of Jesus and to reveal Christ’s reconciling love in our city, nation, and world.

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