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From Your Pastor

From Your Pastor

By Jenelle Holmes

Tune in weekly to listen to the Sunday sermons at Ormewood Church.
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Your Seat at the Table: Jesus and his Community

From Your PastorSep 11, 2022

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11:48
Commonwealth of God: Week 5

Commonwealth of God: Week 5

The unnamed woman reminds us that life in the Commonwealth of God is also about ritual, celebration, and making space for grief.

Mar 24, 202414:10
Commonwealth of God: Week 4

Commonwealth of God: Week 4

Children (and all the unlikely others who teach us about God).

Mar 10, 202416:14
Commonwealth of God: Week 3

Commonwealth of God: Week 3

We explore the beloved story of the father and two sons (Prodigal Son alert!) to help us define the priorities of the Commonwealth of God.

Mar 03, 202418:05
Commonwealth of God: Week 1

Commonwealth of God: Week 1

Who's in charge around here?

Feb 18, 202413:22
Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday

The peril and promise of being made from dust.
Feb 14, 202407:45
Gospels: Following Jesus through Death and Resurrection

Gospels: Following Jesus through Death and Resurrection

There is one thing shared among all four gospels. You got it, death and resurrection!
Feb 13, 202411:41
Gospels: The Gospel According to Luke

Gospels: The Gospel According to Luke

Jesus sets an ever widening table in the kingdom of God.

Feb 04, 202422:10
Gospels: The Gospel According to Matthew

Gospels: The Gospel According to Matthew

The "Church's Gospel" helps Matthew's people (and us!) create a community centered on Jesus. Also, brutal scapegoating of the Pharisees.

Jan 21, 202419:16
Gospels: The Gospel According to Mark

Gospels: The Gospel According to Mark

The disciples don’t get him. The empire doesn’t get him (or want to). Only those willing to serve or suffer “get Jesus.” Mark’s gospel is a doozy folks!
Jan 16, 202417:12
Gospels: What are the gospels?

Gospels: What are the gospels?

Jenelle introduces the idea of the good news/gospel and why we have four versions of Jesus life and good news.
Jan 08, 202416:55
Christmas Eve: Look at your very feet for God.

Christmas Eve: Look at your very feet for God.

Christmas is a reminder that God's best work is done among us, not apart from us.

Dec 25, 202311:42
Advent Week 4: We are made (biologically!) for community and connection.

Advent Week 4: We are made (biologically!) for community and connection.

We challenge the negative narratives that drag us down, and we join Mary in celebrating how we're made for connection and care.

Dec 17, 202314:42
Advent Week 2: Wilderness Talk is Purpose Talk

Advent Week 2: Wilderness Talk is Purpose Talk

John went to the wilderness (not Rome or Jerusalem) to get straight on his purpose and ours.

Dec 03, 202318:14
Advent Week One: Signs of the Apocalypse Are Signs of Potential

Advent Week One: Signs of the Apocalypse Are Signs of Potential

Do we see the hope that can be found in chaos?

Nov 26, 202313:14
Spiritual Practice of Labor

Spiritual Practice of Labor

Work is love made visible! (Kahlil Gibran, obv.)

Nov 12, 202315:07
Spiritual Practice of Grief

Spiritual Practice of Grief

We talk about helpful ways to play host to grief, that generative yet hard houseguest.

Nov 05, 202319:18
Spiritual Practice of Small Touches

Spiritual Practice of Small Touches

Doing good things of a reasonable size.

Oct 30, 202312:46
Spiritual Practice in Crisis: Unlearning Helplessness

Spiritual Practice in Crisis: Unlearning Helplessness

We explore what our faith in action looks like in the face of learned helplessness, so common in our global context.

Oct 22, 202316:30
Your Body Is Your Spiritual Entry Point!

Your Body Is Your Spiritual Entry Point!

We do away with the binary of body and soul. The only place to experience spirituality is right where you are--in your flesh!

Oct 08, 202315:50
Spiritual Practice of Keeping Time

Spiritual Practice of Keeping Time

We kick off our Fall sermon series "Spiritual Practices for Everyday People" with TIME. We've only got so much, how to use it (or not use it)?

Sep 10, 202324:13
Camp Curiosity: Chaos and Suffering

Camp Curiosity: Chaos and Suffering

We lay some groundwork for a new understanding of God's world that is big enough for Rilke's famous "beauty and terror."

Aug 27, 202320:53
Camp Curiosity: Forgiveness

Camp Curiosity: Forgiveness

You asked questions about forgiveness...and now I think we also need to talk about good apologies, reparations, and reconciliation. Maintaining relationships is rewarding, but hard work.

Aug 20, 202319:44
Camp Curiosity: Prayer

Camp Curiosity: Prayer

For our week exploring prayer, we had different folks from the congregation offer their own testimonies about prayer--what they like to do, how they experience the Divine, what they've tried. To keep the pressure off our responders, we didn't record this. However, Rev. Jenelle offered a guided meditation at the end of service which we've recorded here for you. Find a comfortable place where you won't be interrupted and prepare yourself to be present to Presence!

Aug 06, 202313:40
Camp Curiosity: Church Hurt Is Real.

Camp Curiosity: Church Hurt Is Real.

We take a look at church hurt through the lens of Family Systems Theory...and take some deep breaths.

Jul 30, 202319:52
Camp Curiosity: What is God's name?

Camp Curiosity: What is God's name?

This week we talk about how to talk about God. Is God close and cuddly? Distant and mysterious? A bit of both?

Jul 16, 202317:33
Camp Curiosity: Doubt (and a whole lot of Brian McClaren)

Camp Curiosity: Doubt (and a whole lot of Brian McClaren)

This is an advertisement for our July book read: Faith after Doubt by Brian McClaren. It's also a sermon about how when our beliefs are up for grabs that doesn't mean our faith has nothing left for us.

Jul 09, 202319:07
Camp Curiosity: H-E-Double Hockey Sticks

Camp Curiosity: H-E-Double Hockey Sticks

We tackle the hot place on this painfully hot Sunday in Hot-lanta: Hell!
Jul 02, 202316:44
Camp Curiosity: The Kingdom of Heaven Is Like...

Camp Curiosity: The Kingdom of Heaven Is Like...

Starting with an apology. The recording is not ideal. In fact, it's pretty lame quality. Apologies!


Friend and fellow Candler Alum Christina Toney-Schmitt joined us this week to tackle the Kingdom of Heaven. Despite my phone garbling the recording, I think her wise words on the topic are definitely worth a listen.

Jun 25, 202317:10
Camp Curiosity: Bible Part II with Chris Holmes

Camp Curiosity: Bible Part II with Chris Holmes

The Rev. Dr. Chris Holmes (he's very cute, even if you can't see him on this recording) joined us for our second sermon on the Bible. Listen in!

Jun 18, 202321:13
Camp Curiosity: Bible Part 1

Camp Curiosity: Bible Part 1

Basically a midrash on Peter Enns' book How the Bible Actually Works. What is in this Bible that makes it so unruly? Because it is.


Also, Jenelle's longest sermon to date. Ever.

Jun 11, 202324:48
Camp Curiosity: Being Queer + Christian with Laura Jean Truman

Camp Curiosity: Being Queer + Christian with Laura Jean Truman

The wonderful Laura Jean Truman joins us as we explore your questions about being Christian and being LGBTQIA+. You can also find Laura Jean at her blog at https://laurajeantruman.com and on Instagram @laurajeantruman.

Jun 04, 202321:26
Eastertide: The kin-dom of heaven on earth.

Eastertide: The kin-dom of heaven on earth.

Stop looking at heaven say the angels. Start looking at the world.

May 21, 202310:36
Eastertide: Failure Isn't Forever

Eastertide: Failure Isn't Forever

A sermon one part Nickel Creek and one part Paul the Apostle.

May 14, 202312:34
Eastertide: We are deathly afraid of change.

Eastertide: We are deathly afraid of change.

Join us as we echo Rabbi Steve Leder: If you go through hell, don't come out empty handed. Also, I'm angry about gun violence.

May 07, 202314:23
Eastertide: Reclaiming the ancient creed "Jesus is our Lord and Savior."

Eastertide: Reclaiming the ancient creed "Jesus is our Lord and Savior."

The confession "Jesus is my Lord and Savior" has had some rough patches in recent decades. Can we reclaim it?

Apr 23, 202313:53
Eastertide: Getting to know Jesus.

Eastertide: Getting to know Jesus.

From Peter's first sermon to the words of our children 2,000 years later: who is Jesus?

Apr 16, 202314:18
Steady the Boat: Easter is about love, not fear.

Steady the Boat: Easter is about love, not fear.

We explore the differences between approaching Holy Week in a frame of fear or a bedrock of love.

Apr 09, 202317:37
Steady the Boat: Rebuilding Faith Is a Group Project

Steady the Boat: Rebuilding Faith Is a Group Project

We do not walk our faith journey alone. Jesus didn't. Moses didn't. No one does.

Mar 26, 202310:47
Steady the Boat: Mixed Reviews on Inherited Spirituality

Steady the Boat: Mixed Reviews on Inherited Spirituality

We talk today about the complicated-ness of beliefs and behaviors that our ancestors and family have offered us.

Mar 19, 202312:28
Steady the Boat: Beliefs and Faith. The difference.

Steady the Boat: Beliefs and Faith. The difference.

We explore the difference between traditions or beliefs and faith. If you set aside one, do you lose the other? Let's hope not. 

Mar 12, 202311:07
Steady the Boat: Take a breath.

Steady the Boat: Take a breath.

We explore how fear sidelines our faith journey and ways to breath our way through it. 

*Also includes a bonus guided breathing meditation at the end.* 

Mar 05, 202325:59
Steady the Boat: Deconstruction is a good thing.

Steady the Boat: Deconstruction is a good thing.

We explore how the call to repent is a call to deconstruct. And God's got our back while we do it. 

Feb 26, 202316:30
Presbyterian Flavor of Christianity: Jesus is a "revelation" of God.

Presbyterian Flavor of Christianity: Jesus is a "revelation" of God.

We explore a great framework for talking about who Jesus is and what Jesus reveals about God. 

Feb 19, 202311:50
Presbyterian Flavor of Christianity: Priesthood of All Believers

Presbyterian Flavor of Christianity: Priesthood of All Believers

Your new identity, affection, and responsibility in Christ.

Feb 05, 202314:42
Presbyterian Flavor of Christianity: Our sexiest word--Predestination.

Presbyterian Flavor of Christianity: Our sexiest word--Predestination.

We've gotten bogged down in our tradition with predestination. Perhaps we got it a bit wrong.

Jan 29, 202315:18
Presbyterian Flavor of Christianity: Leadership.

Presbyterian Flavor of Christianity: Leadership.

What is at the heart of leadership (despite the denomination).

Jan 22, 202315:41
Presbyterian Flavor of Christianity: How do we talk about God?

Presbyterian Flavor of Christianity: How do we talk about God?

Get caught up with us in the paradoxical nature of God!

Jan 15, 202316:56
Presbyterian Flavor of Christianity: We are going to change.

Presbyterian Flavor of Christianity: We are going to change.

We explore the Reformer's commitment to that Latin phrase: the church reformed and always reforming. 

Jan 08, 202312:37
Christmas Eve 2023

Christmas Eve 2023

Glory. Glory. Glory in our midst. 

Dec 24, 202212:33
Advent Week 3: How to recognize God?

Advent Week 3: How to recognize God?

You will know it is God (or Jesus) by the good fruit. 

Dec 11, 202212:47