Alix Pridgenhttps://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/Wed, 08 Apr 2026 16:54:40 +0000en-USSite-Server v@build.version@ (http://www.squarespace.com)The Rev. Alix D. PridgenSermons by Alix D PridgennoAll rights reservedepisodicsermons,sermon,preaching,homilyWeekly sermons delivered at Lutheran Church of the Resurrection in Prairie Village, Kansas, USA.The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenThe Rev. Alix D. PridgenEpisode 231: Going to GalileesermonsSpiritualityWed, 08 Apr 2026 17:24:27 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-231-going-to-galilee2026/4/853e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:69d6885012f7c02c249c538eIn this Easter sermon, the story begins where we often live—managing what feels finished, adjusting to disappointment, and learning how to carry what hasn’t changed. But resurrection doesn’t leave those assumptions intact. It disrupts them.

The ground moves.
The stone rolls away.
And suddenly, the future is no longer what we thought it would be.

This episode explores what it means to live in a world where death is no longer final—even when everything isn’t yet fixed. Where fear loses its grip. Where the life ahead of you is unfamiliar, unscripted, and already underway.

Jesus is not behind you.
He is ahead of you.

This isn’t just a story to believe.
It’s a call to step forward.

]]>In this Easter sermon, the story begins where we often live—managing what feels finished, adjusting to disappointment, and learning how to carry what hasn’t changed. But resurrection doesn’t leave those assumptions intact. It disrupts them.

The ground moves.
The stone rolls away.
And suddenly, the future is no longer what we thought it would be.

This episode explores what it means to live in a world where death is no longer final—even when everything isn’t yet fixed. Where fear loses its grip. Where the life ahead of you is unfamiliar, unscripted, and already underway.

Jesus is not behind you.
He is ahead of you.

This isn’t just a story to believe.
It’s a call to step forward.

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenEaster AThey went to the tomb with a plan. Spices in hand. Grief contained. An ending they had already learned to live with. Because that’s what we do. We learn how to carry what’s finished. We make peace with what didn’t change. We build a life around what we assume is final. And then—Easter happens. The ground shakes. The stone moves. And the reality we’ve been managing… gives way. This episode explores a resurrection that doesn’t simply comfort—but disrupts. A world where fear has shaped our decisions, where disappointment has quietly set our expectations, where we’ve adjusted to less than life—and then suddenly, everything we thought was settled… isn’t. Because if the grave doesn’t hold— what else doesn’t? From the edge of the tomb to the edge of entirely new terrain, this message invites you to consider: What if the future has already started… and you’re still living like it hasn’t? Jesus is not behind you. He is ahead of you. Which means this isn’t just good news. It’s a call. Go.false00:12:35231Going to GalileefullGoing to GalileeThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 230: Saved From the GraveSpiritualitysermonsSun, 22 Mar 2026 18:11:06 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-230-saved-from-the-grave2026/3/2253e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:69c02dfe0ede9164d079c3fcSaved From the Grave

What do you do when God feels late?

In John 11, Mary and Martha send for Jesus as their brother Lazarus lies dying. They believe he will come. They believe he will heal.

But he doesn’t.

By the time Jesus arrives, Lazarus has been in the grave four days—beyond hope, beyond help, beyond anything they imagined God might still do.

We know this place.

The place where prayers didn’t turn out the way we hoped.
The place where something we loved has come to an end.
The place where we have sealed the stone and tried to move on.

And yet, Jesus stands at the edge of the tomb and says, “Take away the stone.”

This episode explores what it means to trust God in the waiting, to face what we’ve buried, and to hear Jesus still calling us—by name—out of fear, despair, and everything that has held us bound.

Because the fourth day is not the end.
The grave does not get the last word.
Jesus does.

Come out… and live.

]]>Saved From the Grave

What do you do when God feels late?

In John 11, Mary and Martha send for Jesus as their brother Lazarus lies dying. They believe he will come. They believe he will heal.

But he doesn’t.

By the time Jesus arrives, Lazarus has been in the grave four days—beyond hope, beyond help, beyond anything they imagined God might still do.

We know this place.

The place where prayers didn’t turn out the way we hoped.
The place where something we loved has come to an end.
The place where we have sealed the stone and tried to move on.

And yet, Jesus stands at the edge of the tomb and says, “Take away the stone.”

This episode explores what it means to trust God in the waiting, to face what we’ve buried, and to hear Jesus still calling us—by name—out of fear, despair, and everything that has held us bound.

Because the fourth day is not the end.
The grave does not get the last word.
Jesus does.

Come out… and live.

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenLent 5AWhat do you do when God feels late? In this powerful reflection on John 11, we step into the story of Mary and Martha—waiting, hoping, and ultimately grieving when Jesus does not arrive in time. We know this place. The place where prayers seem unanswered, where something we love has died, where hope feels sealed behind a stone. But Jesus does not stay away forever. Standing at the edge of the tomb, he calls the impossible back to life: “Lazarus, come out.” And what was buried begins to move. This message invites us to name what we’ve given up on, to risk rolling the stone away, and to hear Jesus still calling us—by name—out of fear, despair, and everything that has held us bound. Because the fourth day is not the end. The grave does not get the last word. Jesus does.false00:13:01230Saved From the GravefullSaved From the GraveThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 229: Living Water in a Dry WorldSpiritualitysermonsTue, 10 Mar 2026 00:03:47 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-229-meeting-at-the-well2026/3/953e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:69af5de22a9682644554d1f2In this episode, Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen reflects on John 4:5–42, the story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well. In a world filled with tension, fear, and lines that divide people from one another, this ancient encounter speaks with surprising clarity to our own moment. Lent 3A 2026

Jesus deliberately crosses a boundary his culture had learned to avoid, entering Samaria and sitting beside a well where he begins a conversation with a woman who would normally have been ignored or rejected. What follows becomes the longest theological conversation Jesus has with anyone in the Gospels. Lent 3A 2026

As the conversation unfolds, Jesus speaks of “living water”—a life that rises like a spring, breaking through hardened ground and flowing beyond the walls people build between themselves. The encounter transforms the woman who came simply to draw water into the first evangelist in John’s Gospel, inviting her entire village to “come and see.” Lent 3A 2026

This sermon reflects on how the living water of Christ continues to soften hardened places in human hearts and communities, dissolving inherited hostilities and reminding us that the Savior revealed at the well is not the Savior of one people alone, but the Savior of the world. Lent 3A 2026

Scripture: John 4:5–42
Season: Lent
Theme: Living water that crosses the lines that divide us.

]]>In this episode, Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen reflects on John 4:5–42, the story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well. In a world filled with tension, fear, and lines that divide people from one another, this ancient encounter speaks with surprising clarity to our own moment. Lent 3A 2026

Jesus deliberately crosses a boundary his culture had learned to avoid, entering Samaria and sitting beside a well where he begins a conversation with a woman who would normally have been ignored or rejected. What follows becomes the longest theological conversation Jesus has with anyone in the Gospels. Lent 3A 2026

As the conversation unfolds, Jesus speaks of “living water”—a life that rises like a spring, breaking through hardened ground and flowing beyond the walls people build between themselves. The encounter transforms the woman who came simply to draw water into the first evangelist in John’s Gospel, inviting her entire village to “come and see.” Lent 3A 2026

This sermon reflects on how the living water of Christ continues to soften hardened places in human hearts and communities, dissolving inherited hostilities and reminding us that the Savior revealed at the well is not the Savior of one people alone, but the Savior of the world. Lent 3A 2026

Scripture: John 4:5–42
Season: Lent
Theme: Living water that crosses the lines that divide us.

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenLent 3AIn John 4, Jesus does something his own culture says he should not do—he walks straight into Samaria and begins a conversation with a woman at a well. What unfolds becomes the longest theological conversation Jesus has with anyone in the Gospels. Lent 3A 2026 This sermon explores how a simple request for water becomes an encounter that crosses centuries of hostility between Jews and Samaritans. At the well, Jesus speaks of “living water”—a life that refuses to stay confined within the boundaries people draw around themselves. Lent 3A 2026 Through the story of the Samaritan woman, we see how God’s grace flows beyond inherited divisions—religious, cultural, and political. The conversation moves from suspicion to revelation, from thirst to transformation, and from one woman’s curiosity to an entire village discovering hope. In a world still shaped by fear and lines that divide us, this Gospel reminds us that Christ meets people exactly where those lines run—and invites us into a deeper life where living water begins to flow for the sake of the whole world.false00:13:18229Living Water in a Dry WorldfullLiving Water in a Dry WorldThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 228: When Faith Blows InsermonsSpiritualityThu, 05 Mar 2026 20:33:12 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-228-when-faith-blows-in2026/3/553e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:69a9dfc5d8f8f01457de1dc4Sermon on John chapter 3. Jesus talks about faith with Nicodemus.

“The Spirit is like the wind. It blows where it will. You hear its sound, but you don’t know where it comes from or where it goes.” Faith, Jesus is saying, doesn’t always begin with certainty. Sometimes it begins the way wind begins — quietly, mysteriously, moving through places we didn’t expect.

I once knew someone who wandered into church almost by accident. She didn’t know the stories. She didn’t know the language of faith. She mostly stayed in the nursery and kept to herself. But slowly something began to happen. People listened to her. They welcomed her questions. They loved her without demanding that she prove anything first. And one day she said something remarkable. She said, “Somehow I’ve come to believe that God exists… and that God loves me.” Not because someone forced her. Not because she solved every theological question. But because she encountered grace. And that’s what Jesus is trying to tell Nicodemus.

God doesn’t wait for us to understand everything before loving us. God simply loves the world — the whole messy, complicated, questioning world. And when love like that finds us, something new begins.

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenLent 2Afalse228When Faith Blows InfullWhen Faith Blows InThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)“The Spirit is like the wind. It blows where it will. You hear its sound, but you don’t know where it comes from or where it goes.” Faith, Jesus is saying, doesn’t always begin with certainty. Sometimes it begins the way wind begins — quietly, mysteriously, moving through places we didn’t expect. I once knew someone who wandered into church almost by accident. She didn’t know the stories. She didn’t know the language of faith. She mostly stayed in the nursery and kept to herself. But slowly something began to happen. People listened to her. They welcomed her questions. They loved her without demanding that she prove anything first. And one day she said something remarkable. She said, “Somehow I’ve come to believe that God exists… and that God loves me.” Not because someone forced her. Not because she solved every theological question. But because she encountered grace. And that’s what Jesus is trying to tell Nicodemus. God doesn’t wait for us to understand everything before loving us. God simply loves the world — the whole messy, complicated, questioning world. And when love like that finds us, something new begins.sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 227: The Morning Star RisessermonsSpiritualityTue, 17 Feb 2026 19:18:49 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-227-the-morning-star-rises2026/2/1753e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:699484cbe2b6a47f5f7903b6“Be attentive… as to a light shining in a dark place” — a word for a loud and unsettled age.

The world feels loud right now — constant news, constant reaction, constant pressure to respond. In this Transfiguration sermon on 2 Peter 1:16–21, we listen to Peter’s calm witness: Christian faith is not built on speculation or spin, but on encounter — “we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.”

Rather than offering quick answers or taking sides, this message explores how a culture of urgency reshapes our inner life, fragmenting attention and narrowing compassion. Peter points us to a different posture: attentiveness, like “a light shining in a dark place.”

The promise of the gospel is not escape from the world, but transformation within it. As the Spirit presses the light of Christ inward, the “morning star rises in our hearts,” bringing steadiness where there was agitation and presence where there was distraction.

]]>“Be attentive… as to a light shining in a dark place” — a word for a loud and unsettled age.

The world feels loud right now — constant news, constant reaction, constant pressure to respond. In this Transfiguration sermon on 2 Peter 1:16–21, we listen to Peter’s calm witness: Christian faith is not built on speculation or spin, but on encounter — “we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.”

Rather than offering quick answers or taking sides, this message explores how a culture of urgency reshapes our inner life, fragmenting attention and narrowing compassion. Peter points us to a different posture: attentiveness, like “a light shining in a dark place.”

The promise of the gospel is not escape from the world, but transformation within it. As the Spirit presses the light of Christ inward, the “morning star rises in our hearts,” bringing steadiness where there was agitation and presence where there was distraction.

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenTransfiguration 2026In a world filled with constant headlines, conflict, and urgency, it can feel as though we must carry the weight of history ourselves. In this Transfiguration sermon on 2 Peter 1:16–21, we hear Peter’s steady witness: Christian faith does not rest on speculation or reaction, but on encounter — “we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.” The sermon explores how the pressures of modern life fragment our attention and narrow our compassion, and how Scripture invites us into a different posture — attentiveness. Like a light shining in a dark place, the revelation of Christ gives orientation when everything feels unsettled. Rather than promising quick solutions or easy victories, the gospel offers something deeper: the Spirit gradually turns us toward the light. The “morning star rising in our hearts” is not escape from the world, but transformation within it — producing steadiness where there was agitation, compassion where there was defensiveness, and presence where there was distraction. This message speaks to anyone feeling overwhelmed by the noise of the age and offers a quiet hope: we live in the same world, yet we are lit from within.false00:09:08227The Morning Star RisesfullThe Morning Star RisesThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 226: Blessed are YouSpiritualitysermonsTue, 03 Feb 2026 20:21:37 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-226-blessed-are-you2026/2/353e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:698223e55bef4f640093a6d1Blessed Are You—Even Now
Epiphany 4A | Matthew 5:1–12 | Numbers 6:24–26

We often think of blessing as evidence that life is going well—health, stability, success, peace. But in the Beatitudes, Jesus speaks blessing in places we would least expect: poverty of spirit, grief, mercy-weariness, persecution, longing, and quiet endurance.

In this sermon for Epiphany, Rev. Dr. Alix Pridgen invites us to hear Jesus’ words not as imperatives to strive toward, but as pronouncements that reshape reality itself. These are not “be-attitudes” or conditions for future favor. They are declarations spoken in the present tense:
Blessed are you… for yours is the kingdom of God.

Through rich biblical reflection and a deeply human story of an overlooked grocery store worker who is seen, helped, and named as worthy, this sermon explores how blessing works—not as denial of suffering, but as God’s promise spoken within it.

Listeners are reminded that:

The kingdom of God meets us where our strength runs out

Mercy is costly, and Jesus knows that cost

Longing for justice is itself holy

Every word of blessing bends the world closer to God’s future

The sermon closes by calling us into the sacred work Jesus entrusts to us: to bless what is with the promise of what will be, trusting that every word of mercy allows heaven to lean closer.

Blessed are you. Not someday. Not when things improve. But now.

]]>Blessed Are You—Even Now
Epiphany 4A | Matthew 5:1–12 | Numbers 6:24–26

We often think of blessing as evidence that life is going well—health, stability, success, peace. But in the Beatitudes, Jesus speaks blessing in places we would least expect: poverty of spirit, grief, mercy-weariness, persecution, longing, and quiet endurance.

In this sermon for Epiphany, Rev. Dr. Alix Pridgen invites us to hear Jesus’ words not as imperatives to strive toward, but as pronouncements that reshape reality itself. These are not “be-attitudes” or conditions for future favor. They are declarations spoken in the present tense:
Blessed are you… for yours is the kingdom of God.

Through rich biblical reflection and a deeply human story of an overlooked grocery store worker who is seen, helped, and named as worthy, this sermon explores how blessing works—not as denial of suffering, but as God’s promise spoken within it.

Listeners are reminded that:

The kingdom of God meets us where our strength runs out

Mercy is costly, and Jesus knows that cost

Longing for justice is itself holy

Every word of blessing bends the world closer to God’s future

The sermon closes by calling us into the sacred work Jesus entrusts to us: to bless what is with the promise of what will be, trusting that every word of mercy allows heaven to lean closer.

Blessed are you. Not someday. Not when things improve. But now.

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenEpiphany 4AWhat does it mean to be blessed when life is heavy? In this Epiphany sermon, Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen reclaims Jesus’ Beatitudes as words of present-tense grace, not future reward or moral achievement. Speaking directly into exhaustion, grief, invisibility, and deep longing, this reflection reminds listeners that blessing is not reserved for when things improve—but is spoken right in the middle of what is. With poetic language and a tender, ordinary story of holy kindness, this sermon invites us to hear Jesus naming the weary as beloved and trusting us to speak that same blessing into a worn and waiting world.false00:11:52226Blessed are YoufullBlessed are YouThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 225: Living As OneSpiritualitysermonsTue, 27 Jan 2026 21:46:01 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-225-living-as-one2026/1/2753e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:69792f9cbbe80a10f509d412In a world that insists on dividing us—by politics, class, geography, and identity—this sermon asks a piercing question straight from Paul’s letter to the Corinthians: “Has Christ been divided?” Rev. Dr. Alix Pridgen invites us to step out of the noise of competing allegiances and into the deeper truth of the Gospel: unity is not something we manufacture, defend, or negotiate. Unity is God’s gift.

Drawing from Scripture, real‑life stories, and the rich imagery of quilt‑making, this message explores how the Holy Spirit stitches our mismatched lives into a single, grace‑made tapestry. Unity is not consensus. It’s not perfection. It’s a courageous way of being that chooses relationship over rivalry, presence over avoidance, and hope over fear.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

Why division feels so natural—and why it steals more than we realize

What Paul’s challenge to Corinth has to say to our fractured world

How God weaves the loud and the quiet, the broken and the brave, into one Body

Practical, everyday practices for living as a people shaped by reconciliation

Whether you’re wrestling with relational fractures, longing for healing, or simply trying to stay rooted in a polarized world, this sermon offers a compassionate reminder: Christ is not divided. And by grace, neither are we.

“We are many—but made one.”
“We are pieces—but God is the One who stitches.”
“We are held—before we know how to hold one another.”

]]>In a world that insists on dividing us—by politics, class, geography, and identity—this sermon asks a piercing question straight from Paul’s letter to the Corinthians: “Has Christ been divided?” Rev. Dr. Alix Pridgen invites us to step out of the noise of competing allegiances and into the deeper truth of the Gospel: unity is not something we manufacture, defend, or negotiate. Unity is God’s gift.

Drawing from Scripture, real‑life stories, and the rich imagery of quilt‑making, this message explores how the Holy Spirit stitches our mismatched lives into a single, grace‑made tapestry. Unity is not consensus. It’s not perfection. It’s a courageous way of being that chooses relationship over rivalry, presence over avoidance, and hope over fear.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

Why division feels so natural—and why it steals more than we realize

What Paul’s challenge to Corinth has to say to our fractured world

How God weaves the loud and the quiet, the broken and the brave, into one Body

Practical, everyday practices for living as a people shaped by reconciliation

Whether you’re wrestling with relational fractures, longing for healing, or simply trying to stay rooted in a polarized world, this sermon offers a compassionate reminder: Christ is not divided. And by grace, neither are we.

“We are many—but made one.”
“We are pieces—but God is the One who stitches.”
“We are held—before we know how to hold one another.”

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenEpiphany 3AIn a world obsessed with sorting us into camps and carving us into categories, this sermon from Rev. Dr. Alix Pridgen proclaims a bold and necessary truth: Christ is not divided — and neither are we. Drawing from Paul’s challenge to the fractured church in Corinth, Alix invites us to imagine unity not as agreement or conformity, but as the Spirit‑woven gift that gathers our mismatched lives into one grace‑made fabric. This is a call to courageous community, stubborn hope, and everyday acts of reconciliation.false00:10:43225Living As OnefullLiving As OneThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 224: When God Moves InSpiritualitysermonsTue, 06 Jan 2026 19:37:51 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-224-when-god-moves-in2026/1/653e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:695d629b2d39a029711a8e67We’re used to a God who visits.

A God who shows up for a season, a service, a holy day—and then politely stays out of the way. But the Gospel of John tells a different story. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. God didn’t stop by. God moved in.

In this episode, we sit with the unsettling and hopeful truth that God has taken up residence in the middle of ordinary life. Not just in sanctuaries and sacred moments, but in kitchens and waiting rooms, in unfinished conversations and unresolved grief.

A God who moves in notices things. Jesus walks past the rooms we’ve carefully curated and opens doors we hoped would stay shut. He touches pain we’ve learned to live with and sits with people we’ve learned to avoid.

And yet—this nearness is not a threat. It is grace.

Because a God who dwells among us is close enough to hear the sigh that never becomes a prayer, close enough to shine light without shame, close enough to hold what cannot be fixed.

Christmas, John reminds us, is not something we pack away with the decorations. When Monday comes—when the calendar turns and life resumes its weight—Jesus is still here.

]]>We’re used to a God who visits.

A God who shows up for a season, a service, a holy day—and then politely stays out of the way. But the Gospel of John tells a different story. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. God didn’t stop by. God moved in.

In this episode, we sit with the unsettling and hopeful truth that God has taken up residence in the middle of ordinary life. Not just in sanctuaries and sacred moments, but in kitchens and waiting rooms, in unfinished conversations and unresolved grief.

A God who moves in notices things. Jesus walks past the rooms we’ve carefully curated and opens doors we hoped would stay shut. He touches pain we’ve learned to live with and sits with people we’ve learned to avoid.

And yet—this nearness is not a threat. It is grace.

Because a God who dwells among us is close enough to hear the sigh that never becomes a prayer, close enough to shine light without shame, close enough to hold what cannot be fixed.

Christmas, John reminds us, is not something we pack away with the decorations. When Monday comes—when the calendar turns and life resumes its weight—Jesus is still here.

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenChristmas 2A What if Christmas wasn’t just a visit from God—but a permanent move-in? In this episode, God Moved In, we linger with John 1 and the startling claim at the heart of the Gospel: the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. Not passed through. Not stopped by. God pitched a tent and took up residence right in the middle of human life. Using the familiar—and often unsettling—experience of a houseguest who stays longer than expected, this reflection explores what happens when God’s nearness stops being sentimental and starts being personal. A God who moves in doesn’t leave everything untouched. Jesus notices things. He asks questions. He walks into rooms we hoped to keep closed. And yet, the nearness that disturbs us is the same nearness that saves us. This episode invites listeners to consider where they’ve kept God at a safe distance—and what grace looks like when it refuses to leave. Christmas, John reminds us, doesn’t fade when the season ends. When Monday comes, Jesus is still here.false00:18:22224When God Moves InfullWhen God Moves InThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 223: Jesus Is Here!sermonsSpiritualitySat, 27 Dec 2025 02:25:04 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-223-jesus-is-here2025/12/2653e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:694f40d7992a125619f8b2d7“A decree goes out. Not a conversation. Not a question. Not a community forum. A decree. A registry. A journey demanded. A law passed in an office far away from those it would affect.
No one asked if Mary was tired.
No one asked if Joseph was worried.
No one asked where they’d sleep… or what they’d eat… or who would be there when the baby came.
Empire never asks those questions.”

]]>“A decree goes out. Not a conversation. Not a question. Not a community forum. A decree. A registry. A journey demanded. A law passed in an office far away from those it would affect.
No one asked if Mary was tired.
No one asked if Joseph was worried.
No one asked where they’d sleep… or what they’d eat… or who would be there when the baby came.
Empire never asks those questions.”

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenChristmas Eve 2025“He’s Still Here” (Luke 2:1–20) opens with the hard machinery of empire: a decree, a registry, a forced journey—power issuing demands from “an office far away,” without regard for tired bodies, anxious hearts, or where a young couple will sleep. Against that backdrop, the Gospel arrives as a startling reversal: God comes not with force, but with flesh—crossing the distance between holy and human, power and powerlessness, in a borrowed “no-place-for-them” room. The message builds toward a defiant hope that outlives every empire: Rome is gone—yet Jesus remains present, strong enough to hold mercy against fear, and love against the weight of the world. false00:10:34223Jesus Comes Here!fullJesus Comes Here!The Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 222: Jesus, Are You the One?Mon, 15 Dec 2025 13:41:05 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-222-jesus-are-you-the-one2025/12/1553e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:69400cf0a9ec154f874baa47John the Baptist is usually pictured waist-deep in the Jordan—wind in his hair, fire in his voice—calling the world to repent and get ready. But in Matthew 11, John isn’t outdoors. He’s chained in an underground dungeon, and the waiting has begun to press on everything he thought he knew. Advent 3A 2025 Advent 3A 2025

From the dark, John sends his question to Jesus: “Are you… the one who is to come, or should we wait… for another?” It’s not the question of someone trying to walk away—it’s the question of someone trying to hold on. Advent 3A 2025

Jesus doesn’t give John a timetable. He gives him a testimony—an invitation to look for God’s kingdom breaking in through mercy you can touch, in ordinary places where God keeps choosing life. And then comes a word of blessing for all who are waiting, questioning, and still showing up. Advent 3A 2025 Advent 3A 2025 Advent 3A 2025

Scripture: Matthew 11 Advent 3A 2025
Sermon: “Are You the One?” — The Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen Advent 3A 2025

In this episode:
• When the future you imagined may not arrive
• A brave, honest faith that asks real questions
• Where to look for God’s “evidence” when nothing feels fixed
• “Blessed are you…”—a word for the weary and the waiting

]]>John the Baptist is usually pictured waist-deep in the Jordan—wind in his hair, fire in his voice—calling the world to repent and get ready. But in Matthew 11, John isn’t outdoors. He’s chained in an underground dungeon, and the waiting has begun to press on everything he thought he knew. Advent 3A 2025 Advent 3A 2025

From the dark, John sends his question to Jesus: “Are you… the one who is to come, or should we wait… for another?” It’s not the question of someone trying to walk away—it’s the question of someone trying to hold on. Advent 3A 2025

Jesus doesn’t give John a timetable. He gives him a testimony—an invitation to look for God’s kingdom breaking in through mercy you can touch, in ordinary places where God keeps choosing life. And then comes a word of blessing for all who are waiting, questioning, and still showing up. Advent 3A 2025 Advent 3A 2025 Advent 3A 2025

Scripture: Matthew 11 Advent 3A 2025
Sermon: “Are You the One?” — The Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen Advent 3A 2025

In this episode:
• When the future you imagined may not arrive
• A brave, honest faith that asks real questions
• Where to look for God’s “evidence” when nothing feels fixed
• “Blessed are you…”—a word for the weary and the waiting

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenAdvent 3AJohn the Baptist isn’t out by the Jordan anymore—he’s in a dungeon, and the waiting is doing what waiting always does: pressing on everything he thought he knew. In that darkness, John dares to ask the question faith whispers when hope feels delayed: “Are you… the one who is to come, or should we wait for another?” But Jesus doesn’t offer a timetable or a tidy explanation. He points instead to the evidence of God’s kingdom showing up in touchable mercy—sight restored, burdens lifted, the poor receiving good news—and invites us to look for God’s life-giving work in ordinary places. And then comes the blessing for anyone still waiting, still questioning, still showing up.false00:08:41222Jesus, Are You the One?fullJesus, Are You the One?The Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 221: Peace on EarthSun, 07 Dec 2025 22:52:56 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-221-peace-on-earth2025/12/753e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:6935ff2f0a2d4974694ab125This Advent 2A message explores Isaiah’s stunning vision of a world remade in peace—a world where wolves nap beside lambs, children play safely near vipers, and creation remembers the harmony it was made for.

Pastor Alix begins with a chilling story from Howard Thurman: a baby girl gently stroking a rattlesnake while the adults look on in breathless silence. From childhood encounters with Louisiana cottonmouths to the modern fear of “two-legged predators,” the sermon names the anxiety we carry in a world that feels perpetually on alert.

Yet woven throughout are shimmering, real-world moments when a different story breaks through—unlikely friendships between animals, a neighbor offering help on a stairwell, glimpses of tenderness where we least expect them.

Advent invites us to lean toward the world God is bringing to birth: a restored creation, a peace that isn’t fragile, and a God who is already shaping something new.

]]>This Advent 2A message explores Isaiah’s stunning vision of a world remade in peace—a world where wolves nap beside lambs, children play safely near vipers, and creation remembers the harmony it was made for.

Pastor Alix begins with a chilling story from Howard Thurman: a baby girl gently stroking a rattlesnake while the adults look on in breathless silence. From childhood encounters with Louisiana cottonmouths to the modern fear of “two-legged predators,” the sermon names the anxiety we carry in a world that feels perpetually on alert.

Yet woven throughout are shimmering, real-world moments when a different story breaks through—unlikely friendships between animals, a neighbor offering help on a stairwell, glimpses of tenderness where we least expect them.

Advent invites us to lean toward the world God is bringing to birth: a restored creation, a peace that isn’t fragile, and a God who is already shaping something new.

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenAdvent 2AThis week’s sermon leans into Isaiah’s breathtaking vision of a world remade in peace—a world where predator and prey live without fear, and a child can reach over a viper’s den without anyone gasping. Drawing from Howard Thurman’s unforgettable story of a baby playing with a rattlesnake, we explore the deep human ache for safety in a world where we are always scanning the shadows, tightening locks, and bracing for danger. And yet… the sermon testifies to the shimmering moments—fragile, improbable flashes—when a different story breaks through. From a neighbor offering help on a staircase to surprising friendships between goats and old horses, lionesses and antelopes, sharks and divers, the message gathers a whole bouquet of “impossible peace.” These moments don’t last. Not yet. But Isaiah insists that one day they will. In Advent we lean toward that promised world—toward the earth as God dreamed it—trusting that the One who shaped creation is restoring it still.false00:13:39221Peace on EarthfullPeace on EarthThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 220: Christ the King in a Secular WorldSpiritualitysermonsMon, 24 Nov 2025 19:19:31 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-220-christ-the-king-in-a-secular-world2025/11/2453e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:6924ad594dda3d3a766a1925“Christ the King Sunday isn’t about power—it's about presence. On a hill with three crosses, a dying man whispers, ‘Jesus, remember me,’ and the dying King replies, ‘Today you will be with me.’ Maybe that’s where the kingdom really begins: in remembering, in mercy, in hope stronger than despair.”

]]>“Christ the King Sunday isn’t about power—it's about presence. On a hill with three crosses, a dying man whispers, ‘Jesus, remember me,’ and the dying King replies, ‘Today you will be with me.’ Maybe that’s where the kingdom really begins: in remembering, in mercy, in hope stronger than despair.”

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenChrist the King 2025On Christ the King Sunday, the language of royalty can feel distant and unrelatable in a secular world. We don’t live under monarchs, and most of us prefer autonomy and independence. But when life becomes frightening or uncertain, something inside us aches for a strong leader — someone who can fix things, make things better, hold everything together. The lectionary takes us to a hill outside Jerusalem, where a dying man whispers, “Jesus, remember me…” and Jesus — broken, wounded, crowned with thorns — replies, “Today you will be with me.” In this episode, we explore why this is the kind of King God always intended us to have: a King who reigns not from a throne but from a cross, who meets us in our suffering, and whose kingdom begins with mercy… today.false00:10:34220Christ the King in a Secular WorldfullChrist the King in a Secular WorldThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 219: When the World Shakes the Word Still SpeaksSpiritualitysermonsSun, 16 Nov 2025 21:41:05 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-219-when-the-world-shakes-the-word-still-speaks2025/11/1653e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:691a424efea4027215016c2cIn this episode, we explore Jesus’ unsettling words from Luke 21:5–19 — words that refuse to calm our fears, yet offer us something far deeper than comfort. When the world feels chaotic and the headlines keep tightening the chest, Jesus doesn’t promise escape. He promises presence. He reframes crisis as calling: “This will give you an opportunity to testify.”

]]>In this episode, we explore Jesus’ unsettling words from Luke 21:5–19 — words that refuse to calm our fears, yet offer us something far deeper than comfort. When the world feels chaotic and the headlines keep tightening the chest, Jesus doesn’t promise escape. He promises presence. He reframes crisis as calling: “This will give you an opportunity to testify.”

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenProper 28CWhen the world feels chaotic and the headlines keep tightening the chest, Jesus doesn’t promise escape. He promises presence. He reframes crisis as calling: “This will give you an opportunity to testify.” And Jesus doesn’t ask us to find the right words; he promises to give us the words. Join us as we name the very real tremors of our time, listen for Jesus’ steadying whisper, and step into the courage, compassion, truthfulness, and endurance that mark the witness of God’s people. In a world that trembles, this is the good news: God still steadies us, God still speaks through us, and God has never—ever—left us alone.falseWhen the World Shakes the Word Still SpeaksPWhen the World Shakes the Word Still SpeaksPThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 218: Resurrection in Real TimesermonsSpiritualitySun, 09 Nov 2025 20:08:10 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-218-resurrection-in-real-time2025/11/953e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:6910f2f4c9a34746a477d8b7In Luke 20:27–38, Jesus refuses the Sadducees’ small and defensive questions and opens a world shaped by resurrection rather than fear. This episode explores how we still cling to familiar categories—maps too small for the life God is giving us—and how changing the question can change everything. From lost hikers in the Rockies to a city transformed by imagination to students rediscovering real connection, we trace the fingerprints of resurrection in ordinary places.

If you’ve ever felt stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure of the way forward, this is a word about the God who speaks in the present tense—and meets us on every road that leads toward life.

]]>In Luke 20:27–38, Jesus refuses the Sadducees’ small and defensive questions and opens a world shaped by resurrection rather than fear. This episode explores how we still cling to familiar categories—maps too small for the life God is giving us—and how changing the question can change everything. From lost hikers in the Rockies to a city transformed by imagination to students rediscovering real connection, we trace the fingerprints of resurrection in ordinary places.

If you’ve ever felt stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure of the way forward, this is a word about the God who speaks in the present tense—and meets us on every road that leads toward life.

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenProper 27CThis sermon on Luke 20:27–38 looks at the Sadducees’ question about resurrection and why Jesus won’t play by their categories. Instead, He reveals a God who speaks in the present tense, who refuses to fit life into the patterns shaped by death. Through real stories—from lost hikers to city-wide renewal to teens rediscovering connection—we see how resurrection breaks into our world long before we notice it. The message is simple: you don’t have to know the way, because the One who is the Way is already walking with you.false00:15:12218Resurrection in Real TimefullResurrection in Real TimeThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 217: Two Prayers, One MercySpiritualitysermonsSun, 26 Oct 2025 18:53:13 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-217-two-prayers-one-mercy2025/10/2653e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:68fe672d7e2ff5452da7ed14Title: Two Prayers, One Mercy
Scripture: Luke 18:9–14 | Romans 3:21–28

Description:
Two men step into the temple — one sure of his goodness, the other barely able to lift his head.
Only one goes home right with God.
In this episode we explore what happens when our need to perform gives way to the grace that meets us in honesty.

From the Pharisee’s proud prayer to the tax collector’s seven-word cry, this story leads us straight to the heart of the gospel: mercy that covers us all.
It’s a word for anyone tired of pretending, anyone longing to know that grace still reaches the real, imperfect you.

Takeaway:
Mercy is not a prize for the good; it’s a gift for the honest.

Listen for:
• The difference between self-righteousness and truth-telling
• What “hilásthēti” really means — and why it matters
• How Reformation grace still frees us today

]]>Title: Two Prayers, One Mercy
Scripture: Luke 18:9–14 | Romans 3:21–28

Description:
Two men step into the temple — one sure of his goodness, the other barely able to lift his head.
Only one goes home right with God.
In this episode we explore what happens when our need to perform gives way to the grace that meets us in honesty.

From the Pharisee’s proud prayer to the tax collector’s seven-word cry, this story leads us straight to the heart of the gospel: mercy that covers us all.
It’s a word for anyone tired of pretending, anyone longing to know that grace still reaches the real, imperfect you.

Takeaway:
Mercy is not a prize for the good; it’s a gift for the honest.

Listen for:
• The difference between self-righteousness and truth-telling
• What “hilásthēti” really means — and why it matters
• How Reformation grace still frees us today

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenReformation C 2025Scripture: Luke 18:9–14; Romans 3:21–28 In this episode, we step into the temple with two men — one certain of his righteousness, the other too ashamed to look up. Jesus tells their story not to shame us, but to show us where real freedom begins. This isn’t a tale about who’s right and who’s wrong — it’s about what happens when all our performances fall away and mercy meets us where we really are. From ancient prayer to modern confession, from the mercy seat in the temple to the cross of Christ, we explore the grace that still justifies, heals, and frees us today.false00:10:35217Two Prayers, One MercyfullTwo Prayers, One MercyThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 216: A Tenacious FaithSpiritualityMon, 20 Oct 2025 19:52:56 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-216-a-tenacious-faith2025/10/2053e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:68f69051ea1d3c7a178d4224A story about a widow, a weary judge, and the God who never stops listening.

]]>A story about a widow, a weary judge, and the God who never stops listening.

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenProper 24CThere’s a kind of waiting that wears you down — the kind that happens when you’ve done everything right and the world still won’t budge. That’s where we meet a widow in Jesus’ parable — standing day after day before a judge who doesn’t fear God and doesn’t care about people. She has no power, no allies, no leverage — only persistence. Her plea becomes a prayer: “Grant me justice.” And though the judge gives in just to stop her noise, Jesus says God is nothing like that judge. Our God doesn’t grow weary of compassion or turn away from our cries. This story isn’t about pestering heaven into action — it’s about faith that keeps showing up. The kind of faith that writes letters to a loved one who never replies. The kind that lights candles night after night, believing love still matters. The kind that trusts God is at work even when the world’s doors are shut tight. So when we pray, wait, and keep hoping, we join that widow’s chorus of faith — steady, stubborn, and hopeful — trusting that the God who neither slumbers nor forgets still hears.false00:10:15215A Tenacious FaithfullA Tenacious FaithThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 215: Muddy WatersSun, 12 Oct 2025 22:23:18 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-2152025/10/1253e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:68ec21a4905b176a02d9a77cA sermon on 2Kings 5:1-15

Key Themes: Ordinary faith • Humility • Grace in everyday life • God’s presence in the mundane

Category: Religion & Spirituality — Christianity

]]>A sermon on 2Kings 5:1-15

Key Themes: Ordinary faith • Humility • Grace in everyday life • God’s presence in the mundane

Category: Religion & Spirituality — Christianity

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenSermon on the story of Naaman from 2KingsNaaman, the powerful Syrian general, comes seeking a grand miracle and instead gets an absurd command: “Go wash in the Jordan.” No fireworks. No fanfare. Just muddy water. This episode explores how faith so often looks less like spectacle and more like surrender — how grace finds us not in the dazzling or dramatic, but in the small, steady obediences that don’t feel like much at all. When life feels routine, when prayers seem to echo in silence, when we’re standing at our own riverbank waiting for a sign — this story reminds us that God’s presence often hides in plain sight. Because the miracle isn’t in the river. It’s in discovering that any water will do when God is in it.false00:13:39215Muddy WatersfullMuddy WatersThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 214: Writing the VisionSun, 05 Oct 2025 22:00:03 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-214-writing-the-vision2025/10/553e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:68e2e2dd92defb24ad0ff245“Faith doesn’t always look like certainty.
Sometimes it looks like standing your post—
weary but still watching, hurt but still listening.
Habakkuk stood in the watchtower and said,
‘I will wait to see what God will say.’

Maybe that’s what we’re called to be:
a watchtower people in a restless world.
People who keep hope visible—
who act as if mercy still matters,
who speak as if peace is still possible,
who believe that grace is still stronger than hate.

Because it is.

]]>“Faith doesn’t always look like certainty.
Sometimes it looks like standing your post—
weary but still watching, hurt but still listening.
Habakkuk stood in the watchtower and said,
‘I will wait to see what God will say.’

Maybe that’s what we’re called to be:
a watchtower people in a restless world.
People who keep hope visible—
who act as if mercy still matters,
who speak as if peace is still possible,
who believe that grace is still stronger than hate.

Because it is.

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenProper 22C 2025Text: Habakkuk 1:1–4; 2:1–4 In this episode, we step into the prophet Habakkuk’s world—a world that sounds a lot like our own: divided, violent, and weary of waiting for justice. Habakkuk dares to ask God the hardest question of faith: “How long, O Lord?” From lament to waiting, promise to faith, this sermon traces the journey of a prophet who won’t give up on God, even when the answers are slow in coming. Through stories of courage and compassion—from Dr. King’s dream to handwritten notes of love left around a fearful city—we explore what it means to be a “watchtower people”: those who keep hope visible, who live as though God’s kingdom were near enough to touch. Faith, in the end, is not passive—it’s persistent. It’s showing up for love, building community, and trusting that God’s future is already breaking in.false00:13:49214Writing the Vision: A Faith that WaitsfullWriting the Vision: A Faith that WaitsThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 213: Teach Us to Pray: A Path to SurrenderSun, 27 Jul 2025 20:59:08 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-213-teach-us-to-pray-a-path-to-surrender2025/7/2753e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:68868d6399683415143349ab“When the disciples asked Jesus how to pray, he didn’t give them a formula for getting what they wanted. He gave them a prayer that begins by saying, ‘God, you are God — and I am not.’ It’s a prayer of surrender.

The Lord’s Prayer calls us to let go — to open our empty hands for daily bread, to release our grudges, to trust God with the trials ahead. Because prayer isn’t just about changing our circumstances. It’s about being changed — about letting God’s grace rise up in us like a song.”

]]>“When the disciples asked Jesus how to pray, he didn’t give them a formula for getting what they wanted. He gave them a prayer that begins by saying, ‘God, you are God — and I am not.’ It’s a prayer of surrender.

The Lord’s Prayer calls us to let go — to open our empty hands for daily bread, to release our grudges, to trust God with the trials ahead. Because prayer isn’t just about changing our circumstances. It’s about being changed — about letting God’s grace rise up in us like a song.”

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenProper 12CIn this episode, Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen explores Jesus’ response to the disciples’ request, “Lord, teach us to pray,” from Luke 11:1–13. Rather than offering techniques or lofty words, Jesus gives a prayer of surrender — a prayer that begins by centering on God, not ourselves, and leads us to trust, forgive, and let go of fear. Through stories of Florence Nightingale, Garth Brooks, Brandt Jean, and Desmond Doss, this sermon unpacks the heart of the Lord’s Prayer as a daily rhythm of grace: a way to live one day at a time, seeking God’s kingdom over our own agendas. Listeners are invited to discover how prayer transforms us more than our circumstances and to embrace a life shaped by surrender and trust. false00:13:33213Teach Us to Pray: A Path to SurrenderfullTeach Us to Pray: A Path to SurrenderThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 212: Lessons from Two SistersSun, 20 Jul 2025 23:23:17 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-212-lessons-from-two-sisters2025/7/2053e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:687d7677d7b8807510d5c448Sisters of the Same Heart

In this episode, Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen explores the timeless story of Mary and Martha — and invites us to challenge the old divide between rest and work. With honesty, warmth, and real-life stories, this message speaks to anyone feeling stretched thin or longing for deeper connection.

You’ll hear how stillness is not weakness, but the sacred space where God meets us, renews us, and empowers us for the road ahead. Whether you’re a Martha in overdrive or a Mary aching for meaning, this episode offers grace, hope, and a fresh invitation: to be held, to be healed, and to be moved by love into action.

]]>Sisters of the Same Heart

In this episode, Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen explores the timeless story of Mary and Martha — and invites us to challenge the old divide between rest and work. With honesty, warmth, and real-life stories, this message speaks to anyone feeling stretched thin or longing for deeper connection.

You’ll hear how stillness is not weakness, but the sacred space where God meets us, renews us, and empowers us for the road ahead. Whether you’re a Martha in overdrive or a Mary aching for meaning, this episode offers grace, hope, and a fresh invitation: to be held, to be healed, and to be moved by love into action.

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenProper 11CIn this episode, Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen unpacks the familiar story of Mary and Martha from Luke 10:38–42 — but challenges us to break out of the old “either/or” mindset. Instead of pitting Mary’s stillness against Martha’s service, we are invited to recognize how both live within us: the part longing for rest, meaning, and presence, and the part pulled by responsibility, deadlines, and care for others. Drawing from everyday stories — like a man stretched thin by work and family, or Bryan Stevenson’s life-changing lesson on presence from death row — this message offers a tender, powerful reminder: stillness is not weakness. It is where God meets us, lifts our burdens, and renews our joy. Rev. Pridgen calls us to imagine what might change — in us, in our communities, and in the world — if we paused long enough to listen, to see one another, and to let love reshape our action. With passionate, hope-filled words, she proclaims Christ’s ongoing work: mending the broken, calming the restless, and empowering us for the road ahead.false00:12:29212Lessons from Two SistersfullLessons from Two SistersThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 211: Who Is My Neighbor?Wed, 16 Jul 2025 15:42:41 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-211-who-is-my-neighbor2025/7/1653e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:6877c59500c5e140ecbcbb66What keeps us from being a neighbor?
Is it fear? Hurry? Bias?

In this powerful episode, Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen uncovers the hidden pulls that keep us from compassion — and reveals the radical grace that meets us when we’re the ones in the ditch.

Hear unforgettable stories of unexpected heroes, surprising mercy, and a gospel that promises: you are seen, you are loved, and you are lifted to new life.

]]>What keeps us from being a neighbor?
Is it fear? Hurry? Bias?

In this powerful episode, Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen uncovers the hidden pulls that keep us from compassion — and reveals the radical grace that meets us when we’re the ones in the ditch.

Hear unforgettable stories of unexpected heroes, surprising mercy, and a gospel that promises: you are seen, you are loved, and you are lifted to new life.

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenProper 10CIn this episode, Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen takes us deep into one of the most familiar — and most unsettling — stories in scripture: the parable of the Good Samaritan. We explore why we hesitate to help, how fear and hurry pull us away from compassion, and what it really means to “become the neighbor.” With striking real-world examples — from subway hero Wesley Autrey, to Sikh and Muslim Americans after 9/11, to Black musician Daryl Davis befriending KKK members — Dr. Pridgen invites listeners to see grace breaking in through the most unexpected people and places. But this isn’t just a sermon about doing good. It’s about the good news: that we are not just called to offer mercy — we are people who have received it. We are the ones lifted from the ditch by a Savior who crosses every distance, heals our wounds, and reshapes our lives with love. Tune in for a message of challenge, hope, and transformation.falseWho Is My Neighbor?Who Is My Neighbor?The Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 210: Take Nothing But PeaceSun, 06 Jul 2025 17:25:37 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-210-take-nothing-but-peace2025/7/653e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:686aaee920d9136beb2908f5“Sometimes, peace isn’t a feeling — it’s a decision.
It’s what we choose to hold onto when respect gives way to resentment,
when the people we once stood beside become distant.
Even if you can’t fix the world — you can still be faithful in it.
And that may be the truest peace of all.”

]]>“Sometimes, peace isn’t a feeling — it’s a decision.
It’s what we choose to hold onto when respect gives way to resentment,
when the people we once stood beside become distant.
Even if you can’t fix the world — you can still be faithful in it.
And that may be the truest peace of all.”

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenProper 9CTake Nothing but Peace In a world full of tension and disagreement — from family tables to public debates — how do we follow Jesus' command to lead with peace? In this sermon on Luke 10:1–11, 16–20, Pastor Alix invites us to imagine peace not as passive avoidance or forced politeness, but as a deep strength rooted in God. Through stories of family conflict, playground diplomacy, and the long reconciliation between John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, this message calls us to let go of control, resist the need to win, and embody the kind of peace that carries us even when others don’t receive it. false00:12:35210Take Nothing But PeacefullTake Nothing But PeaceThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 209: No Turning BackTue, 01 Jul 2025 00:39:30 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-209-no-turning-back2025/6/3053e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:68632a656b52bd18f7e38618Jesus sets his face toward Jerusalem—and everything changes. The road ahead is urgent. Costly. No time for goodbyes. No room for looking back. It sounds harsh—until we realize: he’s not raising the bar. He’s telling the truth about how hard it already is. Because when love is urgent, we don’t wait. Jesus walked into suffering—not to prove a point, but to pour out grace. And now he calls us forward. Not in our strength, but in his.

]]>Jesus sets his face toward Jerusalem—and everything changes. The road ahead is urgent. Costly. No time for goodbyes. No room for looking back. It sounds harsh—until we realize: he’s not raising the bar. He’s telling the truth about how hard it already is. Because when love is urgent, we don’t wait. Jesus walked into suffering—not to prove a point, but to pour out grace. And now he calls us forward. Not in our strength, but in his.

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenProper 8CWhen Jesus sets his face toward Jerusalem, the road of discipleship gets real. In this episode, we explore the hard sayings of Luke 9:51–62—not as demands meant to burden us, but as truth spoken in love. Jesus isn’t raising the bar; he’s naming the cost and urgency of a love that can’t wait. Following him means letting go of what holds us back and stepping forward in grace. No turning back. No staying stuck. Eyes forward. Hands open. Hearts on fire.falseNo Turning BackNo Turning BackThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 208: Reaching Out -- PentecostTue, 01 Jul 2025 00:20:26 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-208-reaching-out-pentecost2025/6/3053e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:686327d06e75045e48037005In this Pentecost sermon, Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen contrasts the grasping pride of Babel with the outpouring grace of Pentecost. Where Babel was about reaching upward to make a name, Pentecost is about opening outward to make space for the Spirit. Through vivid storytelling—from a dusty plain in Shinar to a peeling church porch in Kansas—Pridgen shows that the Holy Spirit doesn’t rush into towers of power, but into places of humility, hospitality, and hope. She weaves together scripture, small-town witness, and the historic election of Bishop Donna Simon to proclaim that Pentecost isn’t a one-time spectacle. It’s God’s ongoing pattern of grace—blowing through mismatched chairs and open hearts, making not just movements, but community.

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenPentecostIn this Pentecost sermon, Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen contrasts the grasping pride of Babel with the outpouring grace of Pentecost. Where Babel was about reaching upward to make a name, Pentecost is about opening outward to make space for the Spirit. Through vivid storytelling—from a dusty plain in Shinar to a peeling church porch in Kansas—Pridgen shows that the Holy Spirit doesn’t rush into towers of power, but into places of humility, hospitality, and hope. She weaves together scripture, small-town witness, and the historic election of Bishop Donna Simon to proclaim that Pentecost isn’t a one-time spectacle. It’s God’s ongoing pattern of grace—blowing through mismatched chairs and open hearts, making not just movements, but community.false00:12:57208Reaching OutfullReaching OutThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 207: God's New MathTue, 03 Jun 2025 17:57:10 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-207-gods-new-math2025/6/353e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:683f3084cc359f2e7d8f5b5bJoin Dr. Alix Pridgen as she unravels "God's Strange Math: 1 + 1 + 1 = One." Through captivating stories and biblical insights, this sermon challenges us to embrace unity that transforms and reconciles.

Texts: Acts 16 and John 17:20-26

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D PridgenEaster 7CJoin Dr. Alix Pridgen as she unravels "God's Strange Math: 1 + 1 + 1 = One." Through captivating stories and biblical insights, this sermon challenges us to embrace unity that transforms and reconciles. false00:13:19207God's Strange MathfullGod's Strange MathThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 206: God Is Breaking BarriersTue, 20 May 2025 18:02:26 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-206-god-is-breaking-barriers2025/5/2053e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:682cc13e191f436225aaa322Sermon based on Acts 10

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenEaster 5CThrough visions God instructs Peter to visit the home of a Roman centurion, a Gentile, and while Peter is there the Holy Spirit comes over Cornelius' household -- crossing barriers of scripture and tradition.false00:12:57206God is Breaking BarriersfullGod is Breaking BarriersThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 205: What are You Carrying?Mon, 21 Apr 2025 20:42:48 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-205-forgiven-and-free2025/4/2153e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:6806a52751f39424a5d9ef89In this powerful Easter message, The Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen invites us to consider what burdens we carry—grief, regret, fear, doubt—and reminds us that the resurrection of Jesus brings more than celebration; it brings release. Through Scripture, story, and honest reflection, we’re led to see how the risen Christ meets us in our heaviest moments, offering forgiveness, freedom, and new life. The tomb is empty, and love has the last word. Step into the light of Easter with resurrection confidence.

]]>In this powerful Easter message, The Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen invites us to consider what burdens we carry—grief, regret, fear, doubt—and reminds us that the resurrection of Jesus brings more than celebration; it brings release. Through Scripture, story, and honest reflection, we’re led to see how the risen Christ meets us in our heaviest moments, offering forgiveness, freedom, and new life. The tomb is empty, and love has the last word. Step into the light of Easter with resurrection confidence.

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenEaster CSermon on Luke 24:1-12 false00:13:36205What are You Carrying?fullWhat are You Carrying?The Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 204: An Outpouring of LoveTue, 08 Apr 2025 18:49:21 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-204-an-outpouring-of-love2025/4/853e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:67f54f20d02da2368b36b16bTEXT: John 12:1-8

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenLent 5 CJesus visits the home of Martha, Mary & Lazarus on his way to Jerusalem. Mary pours costly perfume over Jesus' feet as an outpouring of love. In the same way Jesus will pour out his life in love for us.false00:16:19204An Outpouring of LovefullAn Outpouring of LoveThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 203: A Story of ReconciliationTue, 08 Apr 2025 16:30:05 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-203-a-story-of-reconciliation2025/4/853e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:67f54a8b5ab8bd489d01d36aTEXT: Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32

Jesus tells the story often called “The Prodigal Son.”

The essence of holiness is loving God with one’s whole heart, soul, mind and strength, and loving one's neighbor as oneself. When we don’t love God with all that we are, and when we don’t treat one another with love, there will be pain and sadness, but our loving God is at work to reconcile us.

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenThe Prodigal SonThe essence of holiness is loving God with one’s whole heart, soul, mind and strength, and loving one's neighbor as oneself. When we don’t love God with all that we are, and when we don’t treat one another with love, there will be pain and sadness, but our loving God is at work to reconcile us.false00:19:47203A Story of ReconciliationfullA Story of ReconciliationThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 202: Interpreting the SignsTue, 08 Apr 2025 16:10:35 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-2022025/4/853e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:67f546cedf297730169af0b0The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenLent 3 CCurrent events, disasters, and signs of hope. false00:09:16202Interpreting the SignsfullInterpreting the SignsThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 201: The Teachings of JesusTue, 08 Apr 2025 15:54:28 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-2012025/3/3053e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:67e9d577a7a6eb033fe01e3aSecond Sunday in Lent, year C

Text: Luke 13 Jesus’ lament over Jerusalem.

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenLent 2 CJesus is trying to protect us, and we won't listen to him. false00:17:13201Like a Mother HenfullLike a Mother HenThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 200: Bedeviled but Not DefeatedTue, 08 Apr 2025 15:47:14 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-200-bedeviled-but-not-defeated2025/3/3053e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:67e9d379afe56504510bc28aFirst Sunday in Lent, year C

Text: Luke 4:1-13

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenLent 1 Cfalse00:07:35200Bedeviled But Not DefeatedfullBedeviled But Not DefeatedThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)When we know that we belong to a loving, patient and powerful God, we can make it through the tough times, too. Scarred perhaps, but intact. Knowing that God is with us – and that God is reconciling our world, we can make it through Lent, and war, and financial crisis. We can make it through relocations, parenthood, divorces, cancer, the death of our children, difficult work, and all the other things that bedevil us and test our limits of faith and endurance. Because we belong to Jesus – into whose life and death we are baptized… we, too, can walk with courage and stamina and faithfulness and hope until that day when he takes us by the hand and leads us into the Promised Life to Come.sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 199: TransfiguredWed, 05 Mar 2025 20:04:07 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-199-transfigured2025/3/553e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:67c8ab9973bd0a3538210bd3Sermon delivered March 1, 2025, Transfiguration Sunday

Text: Luke 9:28-36

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenThe story of the Transfiguration reveals the changes in us.falseTransfiguredTransfiguredThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)The story of the Transfiguration reveals the changes in us.sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 198: An Unexpected Form of ResistanceWed, 05 Mar 2025 19:52:43 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-1982025/3/553e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:67c8a88d08c23964811b178fSermon delivered Feb. 23, 2025

Epiphany 7C

Text: Luke

How can we maintain our dignity and sense of self…  in the face of bullying and mistreatment…  when you cannot run away and fighting back is not an option? Jesus says we can take charge of our story and give the unexpected response.

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenEpiphany 3CHow can we maintain our dignity and sense of self…  in the face of bullying and mistreatment…  when you cannot run away and fighting back is not an option? Jesus says we can take charge of our story and give the unexpected response. false00:14:35198An Unexpected Form of ResistancefullAn Unexpected Form of ResistanceThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 197 Jesus' PeopleThu, 20 Feb 2025 21:42:27 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-197-jesus-people2025/2/2053e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:67b7942472f6445361e6bbd3Sermon delivered on Feb. 16, 2025

Luke 4:14-21

If we want to see God’s work in the world…  if we want to see God’s miracles in life… We have only to look in the places where nobody else is looking… and at the people nobody else respects. There we will see him -- God’s messiah – coming with power – for us– Just as God did in Nazareth.

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenEpiphany 3CIf we want to see God’s work in the world…  if we want to see God’s miracles in life… We have only to look in the places where nobody else is looking… and at the people nobody else respects. There we will see him -- God’s messiah – coming with power – for us– Just as God did in Nazareth.false00:11:22197Jesus' PeoplefullJesus' PeopleThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 196: The First Sign -- Water Into WineMon, 20 Jan 2025 22:35:37 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-196-the-first-sign-water-into-wine2025/1/2053e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:678ece03440b7c0bbf094b0aSermon on John 2:1-12 where Jesus turns water into wine.

]]>Sermon on John 2:1-12 where Jesus turns water into wine.

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenEpiphany 2CGod fills our emptiness.false00:16:05196The First Sign -- Water Into WinefullThe First Sign -- Water Into WineThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 195: Loving God and NeighborsSun, 03 Nov 2024 16:30:00 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-195-loving-god-and-neighbors2024/11/753e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:672cee514315646865709885Mark 12:28-34

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenAll Saints Day 2024Jesus tells us the greatest commandment is to love God with our whole being and to love our neighbors as ourselves. He didn't say it was easy.false00:15:27195Loving God and NeighborsfullLoving God and NeighborsThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 194: Refusing to Be SilencedSun, 27 Oct 2024 15:30:00 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-194-refusing-to-be-silenced2024/11/753e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:672ce8b681e4e15b716f9442REFORMATION DAY Proper 25B

The healing of Bartimaeus and the story of Malala Yousufzai.

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenProper 25BBartimaeus and Malala refuse to be silenced -- and are blessed. false00:19:48194Refusing to Be SilencedfullRefusing to Be SilencedThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 193: Words that Bring ChangeTue, 10 Sep 2024 19:11:06 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-193-words-that-bring-change2024/9/1053e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:66e0973c8d78171ede4e3017Sermon on Mark 7:24-37

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenProper 18BJesus tries to take a vacation and meets a woman whose words challenge his prejudice and change his vision of ministry. Sermon on Mark 7:24037false00:12:02193Words that Bring ChangefullWords that Bring ChangeThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 192: Faith Without Works is DeadTue, 10 Sep 2024 18:59:59 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-192-faith-without-works-is-dead2024/9/1053e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:66e09600da92844174ca487bSermon on James 1:17-27

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenProper 17BSermon on James chapter 1false00:12:44192Faith Without Works is DeadfullFaith Without Works is DeadThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 191: Choose Your GodThu, 29 Aug 2024 15:53:57 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-191-choose-your-god2024/8/2953e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:66d09667b2b120775426da3cSermon on Joshua 24:1-25. Joshua challenges us to choose the god we will serve.

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenProper 15 year BJoshua challenges us to choose which god we will serve. Sermon on Joshua 24:1-25false00:16:24191Choose Your GodfullChoose Your GodThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 190: A Beautiful LifeThu, 29 Aug 2024 15:37:19 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-190-a-beautiful-life2024/8/2953e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:66d090d7ffaaa64455a3b8e2Sermon on Ephesians 4:25-5:2

Putting away falsehood, let all of us speak the truth to our neighbors, for we are members of one another. Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not make room for the devil. Thieves must give up stealing; rather let them labor and work honestly with their own hands, so as to have something to share with the needy. Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with which you were marked with a seal for the day of redemption. Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice, and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you. Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenProper 14BSermon on Ephesians 4:25-5:2 Life in the Body of Christfalse00:14:26190A Beautiful LifefullA Beautiful LifeThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 189: Critics and ProphetsWed, 17 Jul 2024 20:48:51 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-189-critics-and-prophets2024/7/1753e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:669829e4e1db9b5ac909560eAmos 7:7-15 Amos receives a prophecy from God and reports to the temple leader and king, but his words are rejected.

Mark 16:18-49 John, the baptizer, criticizes Herod Antipas’ marriage to his Herod’s brother’s wife, Herodius and winds up beheaded.

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenProper 10BSermon on Amos 7:7-15 and Mark 16:18-49 The need for critics and honest criticism and a call to more responsible politics.false00:15:06189Critics and ProphetsfullCritics and ProphetsThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 188: TruthTue, 04 Jun 2024 13:05:10 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-188-truth2024/6/453e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:665f0ff3324b67481fb83d26Sermon on the call of Samuel (I Samuel chapter 3) — Speaking Truth to power.

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenSpeaking Truth to PowerA sermon on the call of Samuel (I Sam. chapter 3) and our call to honesty and to tell our leaders the truth--especially when it's not what they want to hear.false00:22:23188TruthfullTruthThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 187: A Love StoryTue, 02 Apr 2024 15:46:37 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-187-a-love-story2024/4/253e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:660c223c91a4fe3a071aa2a8The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenEaster B 2024God's love, mercy and forgiveness transforms and heals us. Share the good news!false00:14:21187A Love StoryfullA Love StoryThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 186: Learning When to Say "No"Mon, 05 Feb 2024 15:56:04 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-1862024/2/553e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:65c102d27247765f8e92dd47Mark 1:29-39

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenEpiphany 5B 2024Jesus looks to God for his mission and shows us how to say "no" to the trap of pleasing everyone else.false00:12:45186Learning When to Say "No"fullLearning When to Say "No"The Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 185: Demons be Gone!Mon, 05 Feb 2024 15:45:30 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-185-demons-be-gone2024/2/553e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:65c0ff65bab1145cf8daefe9Mark 1:21-28 Jesus casts out a demon from a man in a synagogue. We have our own “demons” and Jesus will cast those out, too.

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenEpiphany 4B 2024Jesus casts a demon out of a man in a synagogue. We have our own "demons" but Jesus can cast them out, too.false00:16:06185Demons be Gone!fullDemons be Gone!The Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 184: Mary the MagdaleneMon, 05 Feb 2024 15:31:32 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-184-mary-the-magdalene2024/2/553e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:65c0fdbafa74cc35453811a7Luke 8:1-3 Soon afterwards he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. The twelve were with him, 2 as well as some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, 3 and Joanna, the wife of Herod's steward Chuza, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their resources. (NRS)

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenLuke 1:1-3There were also many women who followed Jesus and were his disciples in the same way as the "12 apostles"--but their stories and contributions were minimized during the process of the canonization of the Holy Bible and by early Gospel writers. Today, I lift up the voice and experience of Mary from Magdal/Migdal. false00:14:38184Mary the MagdalenefullMary the MagdaleneThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 183: You are CalledFri, 19 Jan 2024 21:26:40 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-183-you-are-called2024/1/1953e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:65aae6d773a8f90814533e24Mark 1:14-20

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenThird Sunday after the EpiphanyJesus calls... You!false00:16:10183You are CalledfullYou are CalledThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 182: Ready or Not, Here I Come!Mon, 11 Dec 2023 21:26:05 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-182-ready-or-not-here-i-come2023/12/1153e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:65777bf2ee21740e54f68ba4Sermon on Isaiah 40:1-11]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenAdvent 2A 2023God is determined to be with us and nothing will stand in God's way. The Lord is coming!false00:07:28182Ready or Not, Here I Come!fullReady or Not, Here I Come!The Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 181: We have Hope!Sun, 03 Dec 2023 19:00:00 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-180-we-have-hope2023/12/853e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:657332ed9a087257ef5e19f3First Sunday of Advent

Text: Mark 13:24-37

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenAdvent 1A 2023Our hope is founded on the reliability of God's Word. Signs of hope abound! false00:11:30181We have Hope!fullWe have Hope!The Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 180: Christ the King CrucifiedSun, 26 Nov 2023 19:00:00 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-180-christ-the-king-crucified2023/12/853e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:657335e26589dd04aa50c768Christ the King Sunday 2023

Text: Matthew 25:31-46

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgenfalse00:13:28180Christ the King!fullChrist the King!The Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)Christ the King Sunday 2023Text: Matthew 25:31-46Christ the King Sunday 2023Text: Matthew 25:31-46sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 179: Avoiding the TrapMon, 23 Oct 2023 13:27:17 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-179-avoiding-the-trap2023/10/2353e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:6536726c7d16a71e9a187482Text: Matthew 22:15-22]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenProper 24A 2023Jesus' enemies try to force him to choose between two narrow positions on an issue--but he chooses to answer in a way that acknowledges the complexity of life. We must maintain our allegiance to God while at the same time navigating the realities of this world.false00:19:43179Avoiding the TrapfullAvoiding the TrapThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 178: God's Banquet is for Everyone!Mon, 16 Oct 2023 14:17:44 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-178-gods-banquet-is-for-everyone2023/10/1653e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:652d42ba3005015f41d39e88A sermon on Matthew 22:1-14]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenProper 23AA sermon addressing the war between Israel and Gaza. The text is Matthew 22:1-14true00:19:56178God's Banquet is for Everyone!fullGod's Banquet is for Everyone!The Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 177: Captured by ChristMon, 16 Oct 2023 14:02:58 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-177-captured-by-christ2023/10/1653e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:652d3eb607f8307865741634Philippians 3:4-14]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenProper 22AGiving up everything and gaining even more. A sermon on Philippians 3:4-14false00:15:02177Captured by ChristfullCaptured by ChristThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 176: Water From a RockMon, 16 Oct 2023 13:41:13 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-176-finding-water-in-a-rock2023/10/1653e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:652d3974748f3d00f37a9b6dText: Exodus 17:1-7

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenProper 21AGod provides a fountain of life from the very rock we thought was blocking our path. A sermon on Exodus 17:1-7.false00:18:27176Finding Water in a RockfullFinding Water in a RockThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 175: Bickering DisciplesMon, 16 Oct 2023 13:23:15 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-1752023/10/1653e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:652d35d73b4ae3136cea35b0Text: Matthew 18:15-20 ]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenProper 18ASermon on Matthew 18:15-20false00:20.00175Bickering DisciplesfullBickering DisciplesThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 174: A God Who SavesWed, 23 Aug 2023 14:11:49 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-174-a-god-who-saves2023/8/2353e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:64e611d726172a14725a78f3Texts: Matthew 15:10-28 and Romans 11:1-32

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenProper 15ASermon on Romans 11:1-32 God intends to save all people.false00:15:11174A God Who SavesfullA God Who SavesThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 173: The Good ShepherdWed, 03 May 2023 20:43:44 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-173-the-good-shepherd2023/5/353e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:6452c68658e76b02635fcb34Good Shepherd Sunday

Sermon on John 10:1-10

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenJesus, the Good Shepherd and the less than lovely sheep.false00:13:08173The Good ShepherdfullThe Good ShepherdThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)Jesus, the Good Shepherd and the less than lovely sheep.sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 172: From Despair to CelebrationWed, 03 May 2023 20:33:37 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-172-from-despair-to-celebration2023/5/353e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:6452c33668d86d1120e0da37Luke 24:13-35 Jesus meets two disciples on the Emmaus Road.

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenEaster 3ASermon on Luke 24:13-35 Two disciples meet Jesus on the Emmaus Road.false00:18:23172From Despair to CelebrationfullFrom Despair to CelebrationThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 171: God Uses Faithful DoubtersWed, 03 May 2023 20:22:58 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-171-god-uses-faithful-doubters2023/5/353e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:6452adb66f02d42333feb165Sermon on John 20:19-31

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenEaster 2AGod has a long history of using faithful doubters.false00:19:14171God Uses the DoubtersfullGod Uses the DoubtersThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 170: Amazing GraceWed, 22 Mar 2023 14:41:00 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-1702023/3/2253e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:641b10b52d4b4815f1023256John 9:1-41 Jesus heals our blindness with God’s amazing grace.

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenLent 4AJesus helps us to see.false00:22:53170Amazing GracefullAmazing GraceThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 169: The Woman of SamariaWed, 22 Mar 2023 14:28:13 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-169-a-spring-of-living-water2023/3/2253e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:641b0c766c50a13693c498a6Jesus and a Samaritan woman have a life-changing encounter at a well.

John 4:5-42

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenJesus meets a Samaritan woman by a wellJesus and a Samaritan woman have a life-changing encounter.false00:19:35169A Spring of Living WaterfullA Spring of Living WaterThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 168: A Questioning FaithWed, 08 Mar 2023 15:23:53 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-168-a-questioning-faith2023/3/853e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:6408a5a776e48968eeb2b85bSermon on John 3:1-17 Nicodemus comes to Jesus with questions and is offered a Spirit-filled life.

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenLent 2ANicodemus is invited to a Spirit-filled life but finds himself filled with questions.false00:16:19168A Questioning FaithfullA Questioning FaithThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 167: A Powerful StoryTue, 28 Feb 2023 15:10:13 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-167-a-powerful-story2023/2/2853e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:63fe1571cdc2a710b112d468Jesus shows us that we are able to resist temptation with the power of God’s story.

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenLent 1AA sermon on the story of Jesus' testing from Matthew 4:1-11. How to face temptation.false00:19:57167A Powerful StoryfullA Powerful StoryThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 165: Justice, Kindness and a Humble WalkTue, 31 Jan 2023 15:44:39 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-165-justice-kindness-and-a-humble-walk2023/1/3153e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:63d93509f9926f62f32cc64cSermon on Micah 6:1-8

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenEpiphany 4AMicah calls us to do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with our G_d.false00:14:52165Justice, Kindness and a Humble WalkfullJustice, Kindness and a Humble WalkThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 164: An Invitation to LifeWed, 25 Jan 2023 15:14:56 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-164-an-invitation-to-life2023/1/2553e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:63d141ad23eae14c0299860bEpiphany 3A

Text: Matthew

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenEpiphany 3Afalse00:09:57165An Invitation to LifefullAn Invitation to LifeThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)Epiphany 3AText: Matthewsermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 163: He's the OneWed, 18 Jan 2023 21:50:20 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-163-word-of-mouth2023/1/1853e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:63c8656bffdaba0705faec90Sermon on John 1:29-42 Meeting Jesus

]]>Sermon on John 1:29-42 Meeting Jesus

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenEpiphany 2Afalse00:14:41163He's the OnefullHe's the OneThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)Sermon on John 1:29-42 Meeting Jesussermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 162: BelovedWed, 18 Jan 2023 21:32:15 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-162-beloved2023/1/1853e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:63c863792a82466a5a221b54Sermon on Matthew 3:13-17

]]>Sermon on Matthew 3:13-17

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenBaptism of Our LordGod calls you "Beloved"false00:13:44162BelovedfullBelovedThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 161: A Miracle in MariupolWed, 18 Jan 2023 21:23:37 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-1612023/1/1853e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:63c8607f8d34c76a3acc6764Matthew 2:13-23

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenChristmas 1ASermon on Matthew 2:13-23 God brings good in the midst of evil.false00:09:50161A Miracle in MariupolfullA Miracle in MariupolThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 160: To You is Born a SaviorWed, 18 Jan 2023 21:10:37 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-160-to-you-is-born-a-savior2023/1/1853e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:63c85b3a7997633f3f844a4bChristmas Eve sermon on Luke 2

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenChristmas EveSermon on Luke 2false00:08:06160To You is Born a Savior!fullTo You is Born a Savior!The Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 159: Peace on EarthMon, 05 Dec 2022 00:02:12 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-159-peace-on-earth2022/12/453e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:638d3260af39c44ff3c2a0d6Isaiah 11:1-10

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenAdvent 2ASermon on Isaiah 11:1-10false00:09:29159Peace on EarthfullPeace on EarthThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 158: Get Ready!Sun, 04 Dec 2022 23:49:33 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-158-get-ready2022/12/453e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:638d3063e0987f1fbf4cbcdeMatthew 24:36-44

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenAdvent 1ASermon on Matthew 24:36-44. Preparing for the coming reign of God.false00:19:00158Get Ready!fullGet Ready!The Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 157: Making Sense of DreamsSun, 06 Nov 2022 23:32:00 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-157-making-sense-of-dreams2022/11/1453e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:6372ce363ba8741f326ecd58All Saints Sunday

Daniel 7

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenDaniel 7All Saints Sunday 2022 -- a sermon on Daniel 7false00:13:58157Making Sense of DreamsfullMaking Sense of DreamsThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 156: The Truth Shall Make You FreeSun, 30 Oct 2022 22:14:00 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/the-truth-shall-make-you-free2022/11/1453e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:6372c8e51346576a3065f9beReformation Sunday

John 8:31-36

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenReformation SundaySermon on John 8:31-36false00:32:38156The Truth Shall Make You FreefullThe Truth Shall Make You FreeThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 155: A Journey to WellnessSun, 16 Oct 2022 20:53:00 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-155-a-journey-to-wellness2022/10/1053e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:63447e97952a0e25034f0703Luke 15:11-19

11On the way to Jerusalem Jesus was going through the region between Samaria and Galilee. 12As he entered a village, ten lepers approached him. Keeping their distance, they called out, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” When he saw them, he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were made clean. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. He prostrated himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him. And he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus asked, “Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they? Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well.”

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenSermon on Luke 15: 11-19. A journey to wellness.false00:17:50155A Journey to WellnessfullA Journey to WellnessThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)Sermon on Luke 15: 11-19. A journey to wellness.sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 154: How Long, O God? Sun, 02 Oct 2022 20:52:00 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-154-how-long-o-god2022/10/1053e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:63448414e65b081d20e563ceSermon On Habbakkuk 1:1-4 and 2:1-4

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenThis is how we live in the midst of trials. We rejoice in God’s blessings, even when the barns, branches, and pastures are empty. Trusting in a God who has proven to be faithful and Good. false00:13:15154How Long, O God?fullHow Long, O God?The Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)This is how we live in the midst of trials. We rejoice in God’s blessings, even when the barns, branches, and pastures are empty. Trusting in a God who has proven to be faithful and Good.sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 152: Justice Before PrayerWed, 24 Aug 2022 14:21:46 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-152-justice-before-prayer2022/8/2453e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:63063257e752e017a6553377Sermon on Isaiah 58: 9b-14

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgenfalse00:17:42152fullThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)God calls us to acts of justice and mercy before we come to God with our worship and prayers.God calls us to acts of justice and mercy before we come to God with our worship and prayers.sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 150: GreedMon, 01 Aug 2022 20:15:26 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-150-greed2022/8/153e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:62e831a00391a431f7b4bb79Luke 12 Jesus teaches us to be on guard against greed and to instead invest in our relationships with God and one another.

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenProper 13CJesus teaches us to be on guard against greed and invest in our relationship with one another and with God.false00:15:50150GreedfullGreedThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 149: The God We Pray ToMon, 01 Aug 2022 20:00:00 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-149-the-god-we-pray-to2022/8/153e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:62e834d07ea0c451413728e0Jesus teaches his disciples to pray, but more importantly he teaches us a lesson about the God we pray to.

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenProper 12CJesus teaches us about prayer, but more importantly about the character of God, to whom we pray.false00:15:49149The God We Pray TofullThe God We Pray ToThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 147: FreedomMon, 04 Jul 2022 15:09:27 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-147-freedom2022/7/453e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:62c3013a2773c847a99f61e3Sermon delivered on the 4th of July weekend.

Text: Galatians 6:1-16

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenProper 9Cfalse00:09:41147FreedomfullFreedomThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)Sermon delivered on the 4th of July weekend.Text: Galatians 6:1-16sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 145: O Them DemonsSun, 19 Jun 2022 17:00:00 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-145-o-them-demons2022/6/2153e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:62b1d15dc0f5834d2dd005c2Luke 8:26-39

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenProper 7CJesus encounters a man with a legion of demons and sets him free. We also have hour demons... and Christ frees us, too.false00:16:17145O Them DemonsfullO Them DemonsThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 144: God's Plan for DiversitySun, 05 Jun 2022 23:55:46 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/pentecost-embracing-diversity2022/6/553e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:629d40153a18cf3ed794563bTexts: John 14 , Genesis 11:1-9, and Acts 2:1-21

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenPentecostGod's plan has always been diversity.false00:15:30143Embracing DiversityfullEmbracing DiversityThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 143: A Greater VisionMon, 16 May 2022 00:24:00 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-142-a-greater-vision2022/6/553e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:629d436c8bc5af3e44b0ef57Sermon on Acts 11:1-18 delivered the 5th Sunday after Easter by Pastor Alix D. Pridgen.

]]>Sermon on Acts 11:1-18 delivered the 5th Sunday after Easter by Pastor Alix D. Pridgen.

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenEaster 5Cfalse00:16:13143A Greater VisionfullA Greater VisionThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)Sermon on Acts 11:1-18 delivered the 5th Sunday after Easter by Pastor Alix D. Pridgen.sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 142: Gone FishingMon, 09 May 2022 01:54:00 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-142-gone-fishing2022/6/553e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:629d4a6b65594a57481dd331John 21:1-19

LIFE WITH JESUS… (in the words of Joy Moore)… IS “AS UNPREDICTABLE AS FISHING ALL NIGHT AND CATCHING NOTHING…AND AS INTIMATE AS A BREAKFAST ON A BEACH WITH A FRIEND WHO KNOWS HOW MUCH YOU LOVE THEM.”

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenEaster 3CSermon on John 21:1-19false00:16:56142Gone FishingfullGone FishingThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 141: EasterTue, 03 May 2022 18:56:21 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-141-easter2022/5/353e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:6271764167b8f36d0c4edf7fThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenEasterSermon delivered Easter Sunday at Lutheran Church of the Resurrection by The Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgenfalse00:16:45141No to the PowersfullNo to the PowersThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 146: A Way When There is No WayMon, 11 Apr 2022 20:45:00 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-146-a-way-when-there-is-no-way2022/4/1153e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:62548edf6056a835e7e6770fIsaiah 43:16-21

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen and John LivingstonLent 5CJohn Livingston tells the story of how God has been at work in his life making a way out of no way. false00:17:19146A Way When There is No WayfullA Way When There is No WayThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 145: Something Worth CelebratingMon, 11 Apr 2022 20:24:55 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-145-something-worth-celebrating2022/4/1153e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:62548a8c326daa7212cadea1The Prodigal Father and His Two Sons

Sermon on Luke 15;1-3, 11B-32

]]>The Prodigal Father and His Two Sons

Sermon on Luke 15;1-3, 11B-32

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenLent 4C 2022 God’s love meets us where we are and brings us into a live of celebration. false00:23:15145Something Worth CelebratingfullSomething Worth CelebratingThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 144: Every Day PreciousMon, 11 Apr 2022 20:07:15 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-144-every-day-precious2022/4/1153e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:62548870dc36ee3553af2985Text: Luke 13:1-9

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenLent 3CSermon on Luke 13:1-9 false00:11:54144Every Day PreciousfullEvery Day PreciousThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 143: Will We Listen?Thu, 17 Mar 2022 14:31:47 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/143-will-we-listen2022/3/1753e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:623345405f84fd683f537827Sermon on Luke 13:31-35

]]>Sermon on Luke 13:31-35

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenLent 2CJesus reflects God's desire to shelter us from harm... even when we refuse to listen. false143Will We LIsten?fullWill We LIsten?The Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 142: Living With IntegrityThu, 10 Mar 2022 15:05:04 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-142-living-with-integrity2022/3/1053e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:622a122ec42e8a3504a93affLuke 4:1-13]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenLent 1CJesus faces temptation with integrity by relying on his identity as a child of God.false00:19:18142Living With IntegrityfullLiving With IntegrityThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 141: Witnessing the Glory of GodWed, 02 Mar 2022 15:51:15 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-141-witnessing-the-glory-of-god2022/3/253e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:621f9064dcb2783b6a0a6df8Luke 9:28-36]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenTransfiguration CWe are transformed... transfigured... by our encounters with God's glory... in ways only others can see. false00:18:45141Witnessing the Glory of GodfullWitnessing the Glory of GodThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 140: A Lesson from Jesus on LoveWed, 02 Mar 2022 15:40:25 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-140-a-lesson-from-jesus-on-love2022/3/253e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:621f8d54c6eda70be9ecc6f2

]]>

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenEpiphany 7CJesus teaches us to love our enemies and to be kind to those who cannot repay our favors... to treat others as we would want them to treat us.false00:18:11140A Lesson from Jesus on LovefullA Lesson from Jesus on LoveThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 139: Finding Life in ExileWed, 02 Mar 2022 15:23:02 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-139-finding-life-in-exile2022/3/253e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:621f875d2627c02ff2af7e52

]]>

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenEpiphany 6C Sermon on JeremiahChoosing how we will live in exile... as a scrub brush or a tree with deep roots planted by streams of water? Jeremiah invites us to be the latter... and to trust in and rely upon God, for God is faithful.false00:18:14139Finding LIfe In ExilefullFinding LIfe In ExileThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 138: Jesus of Nazareth... a Man on a MissionWed, 26 Jan 2022 18:40:34 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-138-jesus-of-nazareth2022/1/2653e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:61f18fa7b5f2446c26ca6feeLuke 4:4-21

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenEpiphany 3CJesus returns to his hometown at the beginning of his ministry.false00:11:41138Jesus of NazarethfullJesus of NazarethThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 137: Wedding at Cana--From Emptiness to AbundanceWed, 26 Jan 2022 18:14:32 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-137-wedding-at-cana-from-emptiness-to-abundance2022/1/2653e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:61f1831781fb31470cda0199John 2:1-11

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenEpiphany 2CJesus has the servants fill the empty water jars and then transforms the water into wine as a sign of God's coming Kingdom.false00:17:39137The Wedding at Cana-- From Emptiness to AbundancefullThe Wedding at Cana-- From Emptiness to AbundanceThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 136: A New LifeWed, 26 Jan 2022 17:20:39 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-1362022/1/2653e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:61f18074b2dcb06417b9df58Isaiah 43:1-7

Luke 3:15-22

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenWhen we are baptized we become the adopted children of God--and we are precious in God's sight.false00:10:28136Baptism Into a New LifefullBaptism Into a New LifeThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)When we are baptized we become the adopted children of God--and we are precious in God's sight.sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 134: Divine InterventionsSun, 19 Dec 2021 20:16:06 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-134-divine-interventions2021/12/1953e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:61bf8c8f8f1358382a47317aSharing those experiences that one can only call miraculous--and finding faith in the confirmation others can give.

]]>Sharing those experiences that one can only call miraculous--and finding faith in the confirmation others can give.

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenAdvent 4CSermon on Luke 1:38-56 -- Mary, having been told by and angel that she would bear a child that would be called "Son of God", goes to visit her cousin, Elizabeth, who has also experienced a divine intervention that is part of God's plan to save the world.false00:17:57134Divine InterventionsfullDivine InterventionsThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 133: Gives Me HopeSat, 11 Dec 2021 01:01:45 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-133-gives-me-hope2021/12/1053e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:61b3f68b7cc7561c5a01c3c2Sermon on Luke 1:68-79 Finding hope in ordinary people.

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenAdvent 2C 2021People who give us hope...false00:33:57133Gives Me HopefullGives Me HopeThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homilyEpisode 132: Creation Sunday -- Lessons from RavensTue, 30 Nov 2021 00:43:41 +0000https://www.lcrpv.org/sermons-1/episode-132-creation-sunday-lessons-from-ravens2021/11/2953e3e55ae4b07e1f5c6c04e9:59dacc43ccc5c54f48d4a8bc:61a570301898562e2227d510Sermon delivered on Creation Sunday / Christ the King Sunday on Matthew

Luke 12:22-31

[Jesus] said to his disciples, ‘Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life?* If then you are not able to do so small a thing as that, why do you worry about the rest? Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin;* yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith! And do not keep striving for what you are to eat and what you are to drink, and do not keep worrying. For it is the nations of the world that strive after all these things, and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, strive for his* kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.

]]>The Rev. Dr. Alix D. PridgenChrist the King Sunday (Creation Service)Jesus tells his disciples to learn from the ravens and the wildflowers... and stop worrying about life.false00:12:40132Lessons from Ravens -- Creation SundayfullLessons from Ravens -- Creation SundayThe Rev. Dr. Alix D. Pridgen (The Rev. Alix D. Pridgen)sermons,sermon,preaching,homily