Recordings
On this page you’ll find our recently recorded sermons, along with occasional special productions featuring the many talents of our St. Andrew’s congregation.
To see our full collection of video recordings, visit our YouTube channel.
Nobody’s First or Last in the Kingdom of Heaven
September 24, 2023
Parishioner Mary Lynn Rynkiewicz looks at today’s Gospel story of the landowner who pays the same daily wage to workers regardless of how many hours they worked. Those not hired until late in the day were probably feeling a little lost, worthless, and left behind, while those who worked the full day were expecting a greater reward. But God’s economy is not based on competition. Like the landowner, God equally welcomes, values and treasures every one of us. No person is last or least in the kingdom of heaven.
See Matthew 20:1-16.
Look at Jesus’s Call Through the “We” Lens
September 3, 2023
Rev. Dorota Wright-Pruski notes that it’s natural to look at events and challenges through the “me” lens: how does this affect me? What should I do? But when Jesus calls us to take up His cross and follow Him, we don’t have to respond as individuals. As a church community, local and worldwide, we can accept this challenge and celebrate the eternal rewards that it brings us.
See Matthew 16:21-28.
Who Do You Say Jesus Is?
August 27, 2023
It’s not just a passing question that Jesus asks his disciples in the remote lands of Caesarea Philippi: “Who do YOU say that I am?” Their answer, and ours, about Jesus’s identity serves to shape how we live our lives. When we trust that Jesus is the Messiah and son of the living God, and that he will keep his promise, we find our place in the body of the church.
See Matthew 16:13-20.
Whenever We Get It Wrong
August 20, 2023
How often do we get defensive, rather than humble, in the face of the harm we cause? In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus initially rebukes the Canaanite woman — even insults her. But she appeals to his metaphor of the table, where Jesus has shown an out-of-this-world inclusion, and Jesus quickly relents. God calls us to openness, not perfection. Whenever we get it wrong, we can repent and make it better, with God’s help.
Jesus, Guide Me Back to the Boat
August 13, 2023
Peter’s struggles to walk on water are familiar to all of us who sometimes doubt our faith, says Parishioner Mary Lynn Rynkiewicz. It takes courage and humility to acknowledge that our doubts are real, and that we don’t have all the answers. Yet, as with Peter, Jesus is with us during the stormy times of our lives, with his arms outstretched to catch us, if we ask him.
See Matthew 14:22-33.
I’m in the Presence of Something Holy
August 6, 2023
From the Gospel story of the Transfiguration, Rev. Beth Bingham invites us to look at the apostles who accompanied Jesus to the mountain top. They, too, were transfigured, by seeing dramatic evidence of God’s presence among them. In our lives, we see the presence of God in different ways: sometimes in the majesty of a stunning landscape, other times in the kindness of a stranger or a loving family member. The key, she says, is to remember those moments and let them change us, little by little, helping us grow as followers of Jesus.
See Luke 9:28-36.
God’s Love vs. Human Logic
July 30, 2023
Seminarian Redmond Self observes that the characters in Jesus’s parables make financial decisions that defy our logic. Like the pearl merchant who sells everything to get his hands on one beloved pearl. Or the man who sells everything to purchase a field where he can dig for treasure. Now what? But God’s priorities are not ours, and God’s ways are not our ways. We are the pearl. We are the treasure. And God will have the pearl, the field, whatever the cost, because that is the depth of God’s love for us.
Live With the Weeds; Hope for the Harvest
July 23, 2023
In Jesus’s parable of the weeds among the wheat, the workers offer to pull out the weeds immediately, but are told to let them grow until the harvest. Rev. Rachel Rickenbaker notes that we, like them, are troubled by evil and sorrow we find alongside the joys of our world, and we want to do something about it. Because each of us is both sinner and saint, Jesus cautions us against determining who is a weed and who is the wheat. So we live now with hope for Christ’s kingdom to come, where evil and suffering will no longer exist.
Join God in Sowing Seeds of Delight
July 16, 2023
In a new take on Jesus’s parable of the sower, Rev. Dorota Wright-Pruski invites us to focus on the joy of the sower, not on the growth of the seeds. Despite our sorrows or troubles, God the creator has scattered delights into our world — more than we can describe or even imagine. Rev. Dorota collects written examples of recent delights from St. Andrew’s worshipers, as an invitation for us notice these seeds, and to join God in sharing them widely.
Jesus’s Kind of Rest: Worth Working At
July 9, 2023
When Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who are weary, and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest,” Rev. Dorota Wright-Pruski notes that Jesus is inviting all of us into a rhythm of rest that is critical to the life of discipleship. Rest is built into the created order by God, and studies show that our ethical behaviors decrease as the pace of our lives increases. The kind of rest Jesus offers requires participation and effort on our part, but despite the work this rest requires, taking our share in Jesus’ yoke makes us feel lighter, more trusting, and more likely to help each other.
Crackpots Are Valued in God’s Economy
June 18, 2023
Rev. Randall Prior notes that in today’s Gospel, Jesus sends the 12 apostles out to proclaim the good news in a hostile world where divisions were abundant. They would rely not on power or wealth, but on their faith and resilience to carry them forward. Like the cracked water pot in an Indian fable, each of the 12 had his flaws, but God uses even our brokenness to further the mission of loving and supporting each other.
God Has Declared That We ALL Are Good
June 4, 2023
Seminarian Redmond Self tells of his time as a hospital chaplain, when he told patients, “You are a child of God. You were formed in God’s image.” Unlike other creation stories in ancient times, the Bible’s book of Genesis shows our creation as an act of love. God created us, and declared that we are good. Still, throughout history we have found ways to dismiss, exploit or conquer other people. Only when we learn to recognize God in ourselves and in others are we freed to truly discover the beauty of creation.
See Genesis 1:1-2:4a.
Where Is God Right Now?
May 21, 2023
After Christ’s ascension to heaven but before Pentecost, the Apostles found themselves wondering: where is God right now? Rev. Dorota Wright-Pruski leads a guided meditation, based on a prayer of St. Patrick, to help us experience the presence of God, right now.
See Acts 1:6-14.
To An Unknown God
May 14, 2023
Seminarian Redmond Self shares that when Paul visited Athens, he found a pagan society, economically prosperous but spiritually hungry. An altar bore the inscription, “To an unknown god.” Today despite our comfort and security, we may feel powerless against evil and injustice, surrounded by idols to wealth, power and fame. Yet we still find an altar to an unknown god — be it a kind word, a smile from a stranger, an inspirational song lyric — reminding us of the good news that we are all children of God, and we share in God’s salvation.
See Acts 17:22-31.
Saying Goodbye and Turning Outward
May 7, 2023
In his farewell sermon as our Seminarian, Brandon Nonnemaker notes that transitions are tough, and it’s human nature to avoid goodbyes. In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus prepares his apostles for his departure. A meaningful way to close a gathering, says author Priya Parker, is by first turning inward, then turning outward. For Christians, turning inward reminds us of who we are, of God’s love for us. Turning outward focuses us on who we are in relation to others, and discerning how we should function in the world.
See John 14:1-14.
Four Habits to Have Life Abundantly
April 30, 2023
The earliest Christians followed a simple formula, says Bishop Dabney Smith. Four habits — serving each other, teaching, gathering, and praying — have nurtured individuals and the church itself for over 2,000 years. By practicing these habits, and by following the example of Jesus as the good shepherd, we can both lead and protect the church, so that we may have life, and have it abundantly.
See John 10:1-10 and Acts 2:42-47
Do We Recognize Christ On Our Journey?
April 23, 2023
On the road to Emmaus, the disciples were so full of fear, uncertainty and grief after the loss of their friend and leader, they didn’t recognize their companion as the risen Jesus. For us and for the church as a whole, transition is a scary thing. Are we, like them, not noticing Christ walking beside us during times of uncertainty? Visiting Rev. Celal Kamran reminds us that it’s on us to recognize Christ in others, in the world, and in ourselves.
See Luke 24:13-35
Why Do We Love Easter So Much?
April 9, 2023
Visiting Rev. Rosemari Sullivan notes that no matter what is going on in our world and in our lives, Easter is a day that we let hope break through. Weeping outside the empty tomb, Mary Magdalene didn’t recognize Jesus at first. How often do we not recognize the presence of God in our lives? The essence of Easter joy is to experience hope and light and grace amidst our darkness and confusion, and we are called to be that same hope and light and grace for others.
See John 20:1-18
A Year in the Life of St. Andrew’s: 2020
Jan. 31, 2021
Presented at the St. Andrew’s Parish Annual Meeting, this video looks back on the challenges and celebrations of our parish during a difficult year. Permission to reprint, podcast, and / or stream the music in this service obtained from ONE LICENSE with license # M-400520. All rights reserved.
Christmas Greetings from St. Andrew’s
Dec. 25, 2020
Families from St. Andrew’s share their holiday greetings virtually in a heartwarming montage of photos and videos.
Permission to reprint, podcast, and / or stream the music in this service obtained from ONE LICENSE with license #M-400520. All rights reserved.
Silent Night
Dec. 24, 2020
Families from St. Andrew’s lend their voices to a virtual ensemble performance of “Silent Night.”
Speaking in Tongues: The Pentecost
May 31, 2020
In this reading of Acts 2: 1-21, members of St. Andrew’s contribute their talents in terms of foreign languages and artwork.
“Draw Us in the Spirit’s Tether”
May 31, 2020
A combined choral presentation featuring the choirs of Holy Cross in Dunn Loring, VA; St. Andrew’s in Arlington, VA; and St. Andrew’s in Burke, VA.
Permission to reprint, podcast, and / or stream the music in this service obtained from ONE LICENSE with license #M-400520. All rights reserved.