The Episcopal Church has a program called EFM, which stands for Education for Ministry, and All Saints’ has an EFM group, mentored by Charlie Tyrone. It’s a 4-year program, and members in each year focus on different readings: year 1 is Old Testament, year 2 New Testament, year 3 the history of Christianity, and the final year a broad study of theology. At present, I am now in the 3 rd year, but I still have the books we read on the Old and New Testaments. The members of our current group know that my “favorite” (if that’s an appropriate term) book in the New Testament is Hebrews, from which we read last Sunday (I was the reader) and again today. When I looked back at Mark Allen Powell’s chapter on Hebrews, I was amused and delighted at his introductory comments. Powell said Hebrews is “a critic’s favorite,” a “masterpiece,” and that it “doesn’t top many popularity lists,” being considered “long and stodgy, intellectual and difficult to understand, or even boring” (443). Naturally, being the nerd that I am, I love Hebrews.

Sermon today from the Rev. Mercedes Clements, rector of All Saints’ Episcopal Church in Russellville.

Those that are first will be last, and those that are last will be first. Hear about the “joke” Jesus told his disciples about the camel from the Gospel of Mark, given today by Mother Mercedes.

You have permission to get out your phone today and pull up GPS. Listen to Mother Mercedes sermon about the roadmap we use with our Bible.

Youth Sunday lesson with the Rev. Mercedes Clements.

Our homily today is from Dr. Mary Gunter, focusing on the Gospel lesson from Mark on greatness and servant hood.

Our homily today by Dr. Deborah Wilson.

Our homily today is from Charles Tyrone on the Gospel of Mark.

"Grandma, why do you cut the end off of the roast?"

A sermon about not just a practice of food preparation as we shift into the Gospel of Mark, but a commentary on whether our rituals and habits are honoring God.