Epiclesis http://www.epiclesis.org Ancient Future Faith Community en-US Sun, 27 Sep 2026 20:24:47 +0000 hourly 1 © Epiclesis Sermons & Teaching from Epiclesis Epiclesis Weekly teaching ministry of Epiclesis, an Ancient-Future Faith Community. Epiclesis pastorchris@epiclesis.org false Formation and the Great Tradition https://www.epiclesis.org/podcasts/formation-and-the-great-tradition/ Sun, 27 Sep 2026 20:24:47 +0000 https://www.epiclesis.org/?post_type=wpfc_sermon&p=22989 check out this link on the Epiclesis website.]]> check out this link on the Epiclesis website.]]> check out this link on the Epiclesis website.]]> Pastor Chris Alford Epiclesis has a fall retreat coming up. Our aim is to look closely at the “Great Tradition” and see how it serves as a foundational guide for shaping a believer’s mind, character, and faith. So, just what is the Great Tradition? Join Pastor Chris as he an... 00:29:17 Church Fathers, Dr. Jim Hart, Great Tradition, Orthodoxy, spiritual formation Tender Mercies https://www.epiclesis.org/podcasts/tender-mercies/ Sun, 20 Sep 2026 19:16:22 +0000 https://www.epiclesis.org/?post_type=wpfc_sermon&p=22978 Pastor Chris Alford We’ve been talking the last few Sundays about psalms and looking at them through a lens developed by Walter Brueggemann. He says that all of human life with God moves through three seasons: Orientation, Disorientation, and New Orientation. Pastor Chris sh... 00:31:02 Canaanite woman, David, disorientation, Feeding of the 5000, new orientation, orientation, Psalms, sparrows, tender mercies Humble Confidence https://www.epiclesis.org/podcasts/humble-confidence/ Sun, 13 Sep 2026 11:43:38 +0000 https://www.epiclesis.org/?post_type=wpfc_sermon&p=22954 Duc in Altum Chapel at Magdala: "The Encounter" by Daniel Cariola. Closer detail.]]> Duc in Altum Chapel at Magdala: "The Encounter" by Daniel Cariola. Closer detail.]]> Duc in Altum Chapel at Magdala: "The Encounter" by Daniel Cariola. Closer detail.]]> Pastor Chris Alford We just spent several weeks in the Gospel of Matthew. Now, we've pivoted into the lectionary psalm passages. Pastor Chris embarked on a four-week look at those psalms, but we're also looking at how and if those psalms might point to some of the wonderful ... 00:29:48 Hike to Hell https://www.epiclesis.org/podcasts/hike-to-hell/ Sun, 23 Aug 2026 19:21:41 +0000 https://www.epiclesis.org/?post_type=wpfc_sermon&p=22872
  • Satellite map: Israel
  • Satellite map: Sea of Galilee
  • Map of the journey
  • River coming up to Caesarea Philippi
  • River near the cliff face
  • Cliff face
  • Cave/grotto wide shot
  • Cave/grotto close-up
  • Artist impression of Caesarea Philippi
    •  ]]>
  • Satellite map: Israel
  • Satellite map: Sea of Galilee
  • Map of the journey
  • River coming up to Caesarea Philippi
  • River near the cliff face
  • Cliff face
  • Cave/grotto wide shot
  • Cave/grotto close-up
  • Artist impression of Caesarea Philippi
    •  ]]>
  • Satellite map: Israel
  • Satellite map: Sea of Galilee
  • Map of the journey
  • River coming up to Caesarea Philippi
  • River near the cliff face
  • Cliff face
  • Cave/grotto wide shot
  • Cave/grotto close-up
  • Artist impression of Caesarea Philippi
    •  ]]>     Pastor Chris Alford In our Gospel reading, Jesus is going to take His disciples on a hike. And it’s a hike to hell. The Destination? Caesarea Philippi, a heavily pagan city dedicated to the Greek god Pan. Why would Jesus intentionally go there? Join us for a look into what i... 00:35:08 Caesarea Philippi, disciples, Hades, Jesus, Pan, Peter     There Must Be a Pony In Here Somewhere https://www.epiclesis.org/podcasts/there-must-be-a-pony-in-here-somewhere/ Sun, 16 Aug 2026 18:04:46 +0000 https://www.epiclesis.org/?post_type=wpfc_sermon&p=22849 Dr. Jay Dudley Through his two terms as president, when difficult situations arose, Ronald Reagan would tell one particular story. The point of the story was this: Real treasure is buried in this mess if we are willing to dig to find it. This sermon uses Reagan's story ... 00:23:53 Aslan, demon possession, faith, Ronald Reagan Multiplication https://www.epiclesis.org/podcasts/multiplication/ Sun, 02 Aug 2026 14:51:46 +0000 https://www.epiclesis.org/?post_type=wpfc_sermon&p=22801 imagine the crowd's astonishment, how they must have been utterly dumbfounded, by the multiplication miracle by Jesus of those famous five loaves and two fishes? No matter whether that crowd could perceive it fully, the Kingdom was in fact near. The Messiah, Jesus, had come, and He had compassion on His people. The covenant was being renewed. The 12 tribes of Israel were being reconstituted with 12 of the King’s followers. Fragments— leftovers and remnants— the broken pieces of God’s people were being gathered up. Join Pastor Chris as he looks at the multiplication-- and its implications-- that happened on the shore of the Sea of Galilee so very long ago. Note: The artwork associated with this podcast/sermon is of the mosaic beneath the altar at the Church of the Multiplication in Tabgha. The images referred to in the sermon:
    1. Sea of Galilee with towns.
    2. Outside the Church of the Multiplication.
    3. Inside Church of the Multiplication.
    4. Altar of the church.
    5. Mosaic beneath the altar.
     ]]>     imagine the crowd's astonishment, how they must have been utterly dumbfounded, by the multiplication miracle by Jesus of those famous five loaves and two fishes? No matter whether that crowd could perceive it fully, the Kingdom was in fact near. The Messiah, Jesus, had come, and He had compassion on His people. The covenant was being renewed. The 12 tribes of Israel were being reconstituted with 12 of the King’s followers. Fragments— leftovers and remnants— the broken pieces of God’s people were being gathered up. Join Pastor Chris as he looks at the multiplication-- and its implications-- that happened on the shore of the Sea of Galilee so very long ago. Note: The artwork associated with this podcast/sermon is of the mosaic beneath the altar at the Church of the Multiplication in Tabgha. The images referred to in the sermon:
    1. Sea of Galilee with towns.
    2. Outside the Church of the Multiplication.
    3. Inside Church of the Multiplication.
    4. Altar of the church.
    5. Mosaic beneath the altar.
     ]]>     imagine the crowd's astonishment, how they must have been utterly dumbfounded, by the multiplication miracle by Jesus of those famous five loaves and two fishes? No matter whether that crowd could perceive it fully, the Kingdom was in fact near. The Messiah, Jesus, had come, and He had compassion on His people. The covenant was being renewed. The 12 tribes of Israel were being reconstituted with 12 of the King’s followers. Fragments— leftovers and remnants— the broken pieces of God’s people were being gathered up. Join Pastor Chris as he looks at the multiplication-- and its implications-- that happened on the shore of the Sea of Galilee so very long ago. Note: The artwork associated with this podcast/sermon is of the mosaic beneath the altar at the Church of the Multiplication in Tabgha. The images referred to in the sermon:
    1. Sea of Galilee with towns.
    2. Outside the Church of the Multiplication.
    3. Inside Church of the Multiplication.
    4. Altar of the church.
    5. Mosaic beneath the altar.
     ]]>     Pastor Chris Alford Can you imagine the crowd's astonishment, how they must have been utterly dumbfounded, by the multiplication miracle by Jesus of those famous five loaves and two fishes? No matter whether that crowd could perceive it fully, the Kingdom was in fact near. T... 00:33:33 John the Baptist, Manna, miracle, Moses, multiplication, Sea of Galilee, Tabgha     Patience https://www.epiclesis.org/podcasts/patience/ Sun, 26 Jul 2026 20:05:40 +0000 https://www.epiclesis.org/?post_type=wpfc_sermon&p=22774 patience was not a prized virtue. But it was very important to the early Christians. Early Christians often talked about patience. It was the first virtue they wrote a treatise about —at least three, evidently— and they called patience the "highest virtue," "the greatest of all virtues," the virtue that was "peculiarly Christian." Patience was so important to the early church that at least one author says that it is one of the chief reasons it grew. Join Pastor Chris for a look at three little parables of Jesus that have the strong, but perhaps not so obvious, theme of patience running through them. Note: The work of art associated with this podcast/sermon is titled "The Evolution of a Pearl" by Heidi Heiser.]]> patience was not a prized virtue. But it was very important to the early Christians. Early Christians often talked about patience. It was the first virtue they wrote a treatise about —at least three, evidently— and they called patience the "highest virtue," "the greatest of all virtues," the virtue that was "peculiarly Christian." Patience was so important to the early church that at least one author says that it is one of the chief reasons it grew. Join Pastor Chris for a look at three little parables of Jesus that have the strong, but perhaps not so obvious, theme of patience running through them. Note: The work of art associated with this podcast/sermon is titled "The Evolution of a Pearl" by Heidi Heiser.]]> patience was not a prized virtue. But it was very important to the early Christians. Early Christians often talked about patience. It was the first virtue they wrote a treatise about —at least three, evidently— and they called patience the "highest virtue," "the greatest of all virtues," the virtue that was "peculiarly Christian." Patience was so important to the early church that at least one author says that it is one of the chief reasons it grew. Join Pastor Chris for a look at three little parables of Jesus that have the strong, but perhaps not so obvious, theme of patience running through them. Note: The work of art associated with this podcast/sermon is titled "The Evolution of a Pearl" by Heidi Heiser.]]> Pastor Chris Alford In the Roman Empire, patience was not a prized virtue. But it was very important to the early Christians. Early Christians often talked about patience. It was the first virtue they wrote a treatise about —at least three, evidently— and they called patienc... 00:26:06 early church, fine pearls, mollusks, mustard seed, Parable, patience, the net, virtue, yeast Sow, Don’t Pluck https://www.epiclesis.org/podcasts/sow-dont-pluck/ Sun, 19 Jul 2026 18:46:53 +0000 https://www.epiclesis.org/?post_type=wpfc_sermon&p=22730 Cristian Cazacu Why is there evil if the Kingdom is present? And what are we to do about it? In His parable of the weeds among the wheat, the Lord Jesus teaches us that the answer to the weeds around us in the world is... to plant more good seeds: patiently, lovingly, pe... 00:31:07 darnel, doing good, ignorance, Justin Martyr, kingdom and the presence of evil, Parable, patience, right time, Romania, upside kingdom, weeds, wheat Heart Detector https://www.epiclesis.org/podcasts/heart-detector/ Sun, 12 Jul 2026 10:52:40 +0000 https://www.epiclesis.org/?post_type=wpfc_sermon&p=22657 transformation. But whether it ends up being an "ah-hah" moment for the listener depends upon their heart. Maybe parables are the ultimate heart detectors.   Art credit: "Heart and Soul" by Jan Camerone. Other photos Pastor Chris referred to in this sermon:
    1. Model of a working first century Judean fishing boat.
    2. Model of the “Jesus Boat” they found at the Sea of Galilee in 1986.
    3. The actual “Jesus Boat” on display.
    4. The Sea of Galilee from Capernaum.
    5. Farther up the hill looking down toward Capernaum.
    6. “The Sower” by Millet (1850).
    7. “The Sower” by Van Gogh (1888).
    8. “The Sower” by Melani Pyke (contemporary).
    ]]>     transformation. But whether it ends up being an "ah-hah" moment for the listener depends upon their heart. Maybe parables are the ultimate heart detectors.   Art credit: "Heart and Soul" by Jan Camerone. Other photos Pastor Chris referred to in this sermon:
    1. Model of a working first century Judean fishing boat.
    2. Model of the “Jesus Boat” they found at the Sea of Galilee in 1986.
    3. The actual “Jesus Boat” on display.
    4. The Sea of Galilee from Capernaum.
    5. Farther up the hill looking down toward Capernaum.
    6. “The Sower” by Millet (1850).
    7. “The Sower” by Van Gogh (1888).
    8. “The Sower” by Melani Pyke (contemporary).
    ]]>     transformation. But whether it ends up being an "ah-hah" moment for the listener depends upon their heart. Maybe parables are the ultimate heart detectors.   Art credit: "Heart and Soul" by Jan Camerone. Other photos Pastor Chris referred to in this sermon:
    1. Model of a working first century Judean fishing boat.
    2. Model of the “Jesus Boat” they found at the Sea of Galilee in 1986.
    3. The actual “Jesus Boat” on display.
    4. The Sea of Galilee from Capernaum.
    5. Farther up the hill looking down toward Capernaum.
    6. “The Sower” by Millet (1850).
    7. “The Sower” by Van Gogh (1888).
    8. “The Sower” by Melani Pyke (contemporary).
    ]]>     Pastor Chris Alford One commentator has said that a parable is “storytelling with a message,” that also declares a truth, and that also asks for a response. So, when Jesus is telling a parable, it’s not just a literary exercise or a brain teaser. He’s using a story to call H... 00:31:59 Galilee, harvest, Jesus boat, John Chrysostom, Parable, seed, soil, Sower     Jesus, the Galilee, and John the Baptist https://www.epiclesis.org/podcasts/jesus-the-galilee-and-john-the-baptist/ Sun, 05 Jul 2026 11:21:16 +0000 https://www.epiclesis.org/?post_type=wpfc_sermon&p=22661 Globe 2: Israel map 3: Galilee/Tahoe 4: Sea of Galilee 5: Tiberias 6: Magdala 7: Capernaum 8: Galilee and Dead Sea 9: Israel map with dots: Jerusalem, Sea of Galilee, baptism site, Machaerus]]> Globe 2: Israel map 3: Galilee/Tahoe 4: Sea of Galilee 5: Tiberias 6: Magdala 7: Capernaum 8: Galilee and Dead Sea 9: Israel map with dots: Jerusalem, Sea of Galilee, baptism site, Machaerus]]> Globe 2: Israel map 3: Galilee/Tahoe 4: Sea of Galilee 5: Tiberias 6: Magdala 7: Capernaum 8: Galilee and Dead Sea 9: Israel map with dots: Jerusalem, Sea of Galilee, baptism site, Machaerus]]> Pastor Chris Alford In this continuing series, we see Jesus ministering in and around the Sea of Galilee. That’s where He set up his home base (Capernaum), and it’s the region where He sent out the disciples as apostles to drive out demons, heal diseases, and spread the word... 00:40:34 "Children in the Marketplace", Capernaum, Herod, John the Baptist, Machaerus, Magdala, Sea of Galilee, Tiberias