St. Mark's New Canaan

The Seventeenth Sunday after PentecostLife isn't fair. We learn that almost as soon as we're old enough to protest. But what if following Jesus means learning not to get stuck there? Rev. Elizabeth explores Jesus' challenging parable of the workers in the vineyard and a radically different way of looking at fairness, grace, and the Kingdom of God.

The Sixteenth Sunday after PentecostWhat if forgiveness isn’t about excusing what happened or waiting for someone else to make things right? What if it’s about what happens within us when we refuse to let go? Fr. Peter explores a shocking lesson and the surprising freedom that might be waiting on the other side of forgiveness.

The Fifteenth Sunday after PentecostWhat if the conflict we avoid is sometimes the very conversation we need to have? Fr. Peter explores the difficult work of reconciliation and reflects on how unresolved hurt escalates, why our triggers matter, and how seeking to understand can help us become instruments of peace.

The Fourteenth Sunday after PentecostIn the life and legacy of Dolly Parton, Rev. Elizabeth finds an unlikely spiritual icon: a woman whose generosity, humility, empathy, and love embodied Paul’s call to “overcome evil with good.” Her example helps us hear Jesus’ command to Peter (and to us) to get behind him and follow a way of power defined not by domination, but by sacrificial love.

The Thirteenth Sunday after PentecostWhat happens when Jesus becomes more than someone we believe in and becomes the organizing principle of our lives? Fr. Peter explores how our answer to Jesus’ question, “Who do you say that I am?” shapes who we are becoming. Through St. Peter’s own imperfect journey of faith, we discover a discipleship marked not by instant perfection, but by transformation, course correction, and a relationship in which Jesus keeps hanging in with us.

The Twelfth Sunday after PentecostWhat happens when faith refuses to accept the limits we’ve inherited? In Matthew 15, a Canaanite woman challenges ancient divisions, refuses to take no for an answer, and becomes an unexpected model of fearless faith. Rev. Elizabeth explores what her encounter with Jesus can teach us about mercy, persistence, changing our minds, and finding the courage to imagine something new when fear tells us nothing can change.

The Eleventh Sunday after PentecostWhat keeps us in the boat, even when we know something needs to change? In the story of Jesus walking on water, Peter does something extraordinary: he steps out. This sermon explores faith, doubt, the comfort of the familiar, and what we discover when we risk moving into the unknown and trust that Christ will meet us there.

The Tenth Sunday after PentecostWhat does it mean to leave home, and can we carry a sense of home with us wherever the journey leads? On his final Sunday as Associate Rector of St. Mark’s, Fr. John reflects on the places and people that shape us, the deeper journey toward our truest selves, and the grace that sustains us along the way. In a deeply personal farewell sermon, Fr. John considers what it means to venture forth while discovering that the journey away from home may also be a journey more deeply toward it.

The Ninth Sunday after PentecostWhere do you expect to find God at work? Rev. Elizabeth explores a set of surprising parables and reveals how these familiar stories challenge our assumptions about power, belonging, and where God's Kingdom takes root, inviting us to look again at the people and places we might otherwise overlook.

The Eighth Sunday after PentecostBaptism is often seen as a beautiful family tradition. But it's far more than that. Fr. John explores Jesus' challenging parable of the wheat and the weeds to reveal baptism as a lifelong decision about who we are, what we stand for, and how we choose to live.

The Seventh Sunday after PentecostWhat if the clearest evidence of God's presence isn't found in one dramatic miracle, but in a lifetime of ordinary moments? Celebrating nearly sixty years since his ordination, Fr. John Schultz shares stories of ministry, loneliness, unexpected turns, family, and grace. Through these deeply personal memories, we're invited to look back on our own lives and discover the quiet ways God has been present all along.

The Fifth Sunday after PentecostFreedom is one of America's defining ideals. But what if the deepest freedom can't be found in unlimited choices? Fr. John explores St. Paul's surprising vision of freedom, the example of Jesus, and why becoming "a slave to love" may be the most liberating invitation we'll ever receive.

The Fourth Sunday after PentecostWhat does Jesus mean when he says we must love him more than our own families? In this Father's Day sermon, Fr. Peter reflects on parenthood, divine love, and one of Jesus' most difficult teachings. Discover why Jesus isn't calling us to love our families less, but inviting us into a love so expansive that it transforms every relationship we have.

The Third Sunday after Pentecost (Youth Sunday)What shapes a person's faith? On Youth Sunday, graduating senior Chloe Perkins reflects on growing up at St. Mark's, navigating the pressures of achievement, discovering faith as her own, and learning that God is often found in the quiet moments we usually overlook.

The Second Sunday after PentecostWhy do Christians sometimes look so little like Christ? Fr. John explores Christianity's "alignment problem": the gap between the teachings of Christ and the behavior of his followers. What if the greatest obstacle to faith isn't disbelief, but religious people who have forgotten mercy?

The First Sunday after Pentecost: Trinity SundayThe Trinity has confused Christians for centuries. But what if we're asking the wrong question? This Sunday, Rev. Elizabeth explores how the Trinity began not as a doctrine, but as an experience of divine love that transformed the disciples and continues to transform us today. Discover why the Trinity may be less about understanding God and more about entering into a life of relationship, connection, and love.

The Feast of Pentecost“Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink.” On Pentecost, Fr. Peter explores spiritual thirst, the flow of the Holy Spirit, and the living water Christ offers in a restless world. From ancient Temple rituals to powerful stories of transformation inside Sing Sing prison, this message asks: What is flowing through your life?

The Seventh Sunday of EasterWhat if eternal life is not just something waiting for us after death… but something we can awaken to right now? This week’s sermon explores Jesus’ radical definition of eternal life in John 17 and challenges distorted images of God built on fear, division, and exclusion. Instead, we encounter the God revealed in Jesus: a God of mercy, compassion, justice, and love. Eternity, it turns out, may already be underway.

What if the Christian life could be distilled down to five simple truths? In this joyful and deeply grounding sermon for Confirmation, Bishop Laura Ahrens offers “five things you need to know to get your day going” — reminders about love, forgiveness, courage, new life, and community that speak not only to those being confirmed, but to anyone trying to navigate a complicated world with faith and hope. Whether you’re feeling uncertain, overwhelmed, inspired, or ready for a fresh start, this message is a gentle but powerful reminder: you are never alone.

The Sixth Sunday of EasterWhat if love isn’t just something we feel, but something that shapes an entire community? On Mother’s Day, Fr. John explores Jesus’ command to “love one another,” the culture of grace created through relationships, and the quiet magnetism of communities rooted in compassion.

The Fifth Sunday of EasterWhat do you say when it’s the last conversation you’ll ever have with someone you love? In this deeply personal and tender reflection, Fr. Peter invites us into a sacred space—the kind where words carry weight, silence speaks, and love is laid bare. Drawing from Jesus’ final moments with his disciples, this sermon explores what it means to really believe—not just in our heads, but with our whole souls.

The Fourth Sunday of EasterWhat if abundant life is found not in getting ahead, but in helping someone else rise? On St. Mark’s feast day, we hear Jesus call himself the Good Shepherd, not the kind who uses others, but the kind who protects, heals, and stands in the gap for the vulnerable. From ancient sheepfolds to the Boston Marathon, this sermon explores how love becomes visible when ordinary people choose compassion over personal gain.

The Third Sunday of EasterWhat if resurrection is not only something to believe, but a new way to see? Explore how Christ meets us in ordinary things and awakens us to the sacred web of creation. Fr. John gives offers a surprising, thought-provoking reflection on wonder, communion, and what it means to become who we were made to be. 

The Second Sunday of EasterWhat does it really mean to be alive? On a baptism Sunday, Fr. Peter explores the staggering gift of existence itself, the difference between merely existing and truly living, and the divine life Christ offers to the world. From peace that outlasts chaos to forgiveness that breaks cycles of harm, you’re invited beyond survival and into something deeper, brighter, and eternal.

Easter DayWhat if Easter isn’t just about finding Jesus…but about being found? In this imaginative and deeply moving sermon, Fr. Peter reframes the resurrection story as a kind of “Where’s Waldo” search—except the real surprise is who finds whom. Through Mary Magdalene’s grief, Peter’s reasoning, and the beloved disciple’s love, we’re invited into a different way of knowing: not through proof, but through love.

The Great Vigil of EasterWhat if Holy Saturday is not empty at all, but charged with holy mystery? Rev. Elizabeth explores the great silence between crucifixion and resurrection, the strange, sacred in-between where God is already at work. This is a message about liminal space, baptism, awakening, and the fierce hope that Christ still calls us out of every tomb.

Good FridayWhat if the cross isn’t just something that happened… but something still happening? Fr. John invites us into a deeper, more unsettling truth: the suffering of Christ is not confined to the past, but woven through the pain of the world today. From ancient prophecy to modern heartbreak, from personal wounds to global crises, we are asked not to look away—but to face it. And in doing so, something unexpected happens.

Maundy ThursdayOn Maundy Thursday, Jesus does not leave his disciples with abstract ideas. He leaves them with actions: wash, share, stay awake, love. What does it mean to become the body of Christ in a hurting world? What does love look like when it must take on flesh? Rev. Elizabeth invites us beyond admiration of Jesus and into imitation.

The Sunday of the Passion: Palm SundayOn Palm Sunday, Jesus doesn’t just ride into Jerusalem...he confronts everything we think power, kingship, and strength should look like. This is a kingdom turned inside out. A King who empties himself. A God who steps directly into the world’s deepest wounds. Fr. Peter invites us into the heart of Holy Week—not as spectators, but as participants. Not casually, but fully. Because this week… is different.

The Fifth Sunday in LentWhat if eternal life isn’t something waiting for you someday… but something breaking in right now? Rev. Elizabeth challenges us to rethink resurrection entirely. Not as a future miracle, but as a daily awakening. A letting go. A coming alive. What if the real question isn’t how long we live… but how fully?

The Fourth Sunday in LentWhat does it mean to truly see? In the powerful story of the man born blind in John’s Gospel, what begins as a miraculous healing becomes something much deeper: a journey from spiritual blindness to spiritual sight. Learn how this story mirrors the Christian path of transformation that moves from awakening to illumination and ultimately into union with God.

The Third Sunday in Lent.Water runs like a hidden current through this week’s scriptures as Fr. John explores the surprising spiritual model we find in the Samaritan woman. While overlooked in much of Western Christianity, she becomes one of the first evangelists in the Gospel of John. Her story reminds us of a paradox of faith: the things that give us status in the world can sometimes make it harder to receive the grace of God.

The Second Sunday in Lent.The world feels uncertain. War, upheaval, and shifting ground can leave us feeling unmoored. But what if the deeper problem isn’t a lack of information, but a lack of wisdom? Explore the nighttime encounter between Jesus and Nicodemus. Through this encounter, we discover that faith is not about mastering certainty, but about entering the holy mystery where transformation begins.

The First Sunday in LentBefore Jesus preached a sermon, healed a body, or called a disciple… he was famished. In the wilderness between baptism and ministry, Jesus faced testing that revealed not only who he was — but who we are called to be. What happens when Scripture is bent? What does it mean to be “led into the wilderness”? And how do we live as little Jesus people in a world obsessed with power grabs? This week, Fr. Peter invites us into the desert — and into the prayer that carries us through trial.

Ash Wednesday.What if Ash Wednesday is less about guilt… and more about getting real? Are we living for God — or for applause? Ash Wednesday invites us into a reality check. The ashes remind us that we are dust. The cross reminds us who our true center is. This Lent, it may be time to give up more than chocolate. It may be time to give up the act.

The Last Sunday after the Epiphany.What does a death-defying skyscraper climb have to do with the Transfiguration of Jesus? Explore what it means to be fully alive, what it means to shine with Christ’s light, and how Lent calls us to become who we were created to be.

The Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany. It’s Super Bowl Sunday and the Winter Olympics have begun. What if faith requires the same grit and discipline as elite athletics? Learn how Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount becomes our playbook for life. This isn’t about winning. It’s about practicing love. And we do it together.

The Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany. What does a healthy church really look like in 2026? In Fr. Peter’s State of the Parish Address, we hear why this moment matters, how momentum has been built over decades, and what it means to be strong, steady, and ready for what God is calling next. 

The Third Sunday after the Epiphany. Jesus didn’t come with credentials, connections, or clout. He came with a look that changed lives. What happens when a “nobody from nowhere” sees you and calls you anyway? In this sermon, Fr. John invites us to drop our nets and discover the freedom found in being truly seen.

The Second Sunday after the Epiphany. What does it mean to be on the Jesus side of history? On MLK weekend, the question before the church is not whether injustice exists, but whether Christians will align their lives, policies, and daily habits with the eternal law of love taught by Jesus of Nazareth.

The First Sunday after the Epiphany: The Baptism of Our Lord. What if God hides cosmic truth in the smallest, most ordinary things?  Explore how water, oil, bread, and wine shape us into people of love, courage, and justice. In a world driven by fear and force, this sermon invites us to rediscover a quieter, embodied way forward, one practiced daily at the table and in the world.

The Second Sunday after Christmas. What if faith isn’t about believing a fairy tale, but about recognizing a signal that keeps calling us home? In this Epiphany sermon, Fr. John explores the power of sacred storytelling, doubt and devotion, and the moments of clarity that quietly guide us through darkness toward light. Like the Magi following a star, we reflect on how faith often unfolds not as certainty, but as a journey shaped by memory, longing, and grace.

The First Sunday after Christmas. At Christmas, the Gospel of John proclaims a profound paradox: the Word who created the world enters it unable to speak. This sermon reflects on the Word made flesh, present among us in vulnerability and silence, from the manger to the cross. In a world that often feels anything but peaceful, Christmas insists that peace has already been given, not by escaping suffering, but by moving toward it.

Christmas Day. What if the most powerful disruption in history came not with force, but as a newborn baby? In this Christmas Day sermon, Fr. Peter reflects on the birth of Jesus as a divine interruption that still reshapes lives 2,000 years later. Through stories of parenthood, wonder, and love, we’re invited to see how the Christ child gently reorients our hearts, our priorities, and our lives.

The Fourth Sunday of Advent. What if God doesn’t come through perfection, but through protection? On this Fourth Sunday of Advent, we encounter the often-overlooked courage of Joseph, a man who chose mercy over fear and sanctuary over shame. As Mary and Joseph face public judgment and social risk, we discover a God who enters the world not through moral policing, but through brave compassion. In a culture still addicted to shaming, Advent reminds us that Emmanuel means God is with us, offering shelter, not condemnation.

The Third Sunday of Advent. We’re good at hustling. We’re bad at waiting. But what if waiting is exactly where God is at work? Fr. John invites us to slow down, resist instant gratification, and trust the unfinished work of God.

The Second Sunday of Advent. Advent begins with a call not just to repent, but to metanoia — a lifelong turning of heart, mind, and spirit toward new life. Fr. Peter invites us to pray maranatha (“Come, Lord Jesus”) as a daily Advent mantra that quiets the soul and makes room for transformation.

The First Sunday of Advent. What happens when the life we’re living starts to feel like “all there is”? On the first Sunday of Advent, Fr. John invites us to hear Jesus’ urgent call—“Keep awake”—and to wake up to the deeper life God is offering now.

The Last Sunday after Pentecost: Christ the King. Christ the King Sunday asks us to take a final look back before Advent begins. But the King we celebrate is nothing like the rulers of this world. In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus is crowned not with gold but with suffering love — serving, healing, reconciling, and welcoming all as friends and children of God. His Kingdom isn’t a place we wait for; it’s a way of living the love already within us.

As Advent approaches, The Rev. Dr. Maggi Dawn invites us to step out of panic and polarization and into faithful presence. Jesus warns of falling stones—but promises we will not be overcome. What does it mean to live with courage, mercy, and justice in uncertain times?The Twenty-Third Sunday after PentecostQuestions for Discussion & Reflection:1. Jesus shifts attention away from disaster and toward justice, mercy, and humility.Which of these three practices feels most challenging in today’s polarized climate? Why?2. What modern “false prophecies” or fear narratives tend to shape your thinking?How might we discern truth with humility and prayer?3. Julian of Norwich said, “You will not be overcome.”What does that promise mean in concrete terms for your life?4. Jesus warns that listening to panic-driven predictions distorts our faith.How does doomscrolling impact your capacity to live in hope and compassion?