Worship. Serve. Grow.

Sermons by The Rev. George Adamik (Page 25)

The Blue Sweater

I would like to thank my daughter Rebecca for introducing me to a book and also literally introducing me to the author of the book. My daughter is a freshman at UNC Charlotte, and there was a book that was required reading for her course in “Global Connections.” The book is called The Blue Sweater. It was on the New York Times Best Seller List. It was written by Jacqueline Novogratz. It’s a story that she tells about her life. I’d like to tell you the story of the blue sweater…

Engage With the World

It seems to me, when we look back at early Christianity, those early decades of Christianity, as we look at the scriptures that tell us something about that early time, it is important for us to remember that there was no New Testament. There were the Hebrew scriptures, but these early Christians began to live their lives trying to follow what they believed Jesus was about…

Belonging and Transformation

Today is a day of beginnings here at St. Paul’s as our programs begin today. Our Church School kicked off today, our Youth Program, our Choirs are in full swing, and so many other parts of our church life gear up at this time of the year. In many ways, it’s a time of beginning. In that context I’d like to talk about some things to think about as we begin…

What is Faith?

What is faith to you? If you were to describe what faith is, how would you describe that? There are probably as many ways of describing it as there are people here in the room today. For many of us we may see faith almost as something that you own. You know, people say, I have faith…”

Real Presence

Real presence. Ever heard that phrase, “real presence?” Presence meaning not gifts – presents but presence, to be present to another. Real presence. We oftentimes use that phrase when we talk about the Eucharist. We talk about Jesus being really present to us. We say that when we celebrate the Eucharist that the bread and wine is tranformed from the body and blood of Jesus, and Jesus is really present…

Myth Busters

Have you ever seen the show Myth Busters? In the show, these two guys take on something that people accept as true and try to prove that it’s not true. Sometimes they succeed, sometimes they don’t. They’re using the word myth as it is usually used in our culture and society to mean something that’s not true. But in theology and spirituality we often use the word in a different way…

To Be in the Now

Oftentimes when you hear me preaching or teaching, I use the image or the phrase “the journey.” Many of our other clergy use it as well. The journey, or spiritual journey. And when we think of a journey, oftentimes we think of going from here to there, to where I’m not yet. Kind of a linear understanding of the journey…

Easter Homily

It was a disaster. There’s no other way of describing it. A disaster and a nightmare. That’s how I think this week we call Holy Week could be described. As we try to enter into the life of these early disciples of Jesus, who experienced this incredible week with Jesus. What’s the context of their experience?

The Meaning of Palm Sunday

The Feast of Palm Sunday is not a day that is a celebration in itself, but rather is part of something larger. It’s quite different from many other celebrations. For instance there’s the Feast of Pentecost, there’s the feast of Christ the King, there are Sundays where we come together because that Sunday is celebrating a particular event. Palm Sunday is quite different…

To Be in Relationship With Each Other

So often when we read the Gospels and we see Jesus being talked about, oftentimes he seems to be in the midst of a relationship with people. Out of relationships comes this discovery of who He is and who God is and what Jesus is about – the kingdom – the teachings of what he’s about. Today I want to share with you a story of an experience I had a couple of weeks ago…