Holy Trinity Ankeny

THE SENTENCE YOU DIDN'T WRITE: August 23, 2026 Aug 23, 2026 17:44 We have been finishing that sentence our whole lives. I am… and somebody else usually filled in the blank first. But there is an older word about who we are, spoken before anyone else got a vote. And it turns out, Jesus is still speaking it. Matthew 16:13-20 | Isaiah 51:1-6 | Romans 12:1-8

CRUMBS FROM THE TABLE: August 16, 2026 Aug 16, 2026 11:14 When a Canaanite woman asks Jesus to heal her daughter his response seems, to us, rude. Rude Jesus? Not really. The story shows us that the promise of God in Isaiah 56 has come true – all nations will be drawn to God. The story also shows us that crumbs from the table of grace are more than enough.

THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID: August 9, 2026 Aug 9, 2026 29:47 The women we encounter in scripture provide a powerful witness to God's love and mercy. From Miriam to Mary, Hannah to Ruth, the women are empowered by God to preach, teach, proclaim, and praise. Pastor Paul Witmer, Lead Pastor of Women at the Well, a congregation in the Mitchellville Women's Correction Center, is our guest preacher and mission partner.

ALL YOU CAN. ALL YOU HAVE. - August 2, 2026 Aug 2, 2026 13:29 When Jesus sees the thousands waiting for him, he has compassion on them. The disciples see a problem. The people need to go home to eat. Jesus tells the twelve, "You give them something to eat." All they have is five loaves and two fish. It ends up being more than enough. Twelve baskets of leftovers remain after all are full. Perhaps Jesus gives us the same command when we see the overwhelming pr

NOTHING SEPARATES: July 26, 2026 Jul 26, 2026 15:13 Something in you has been asking whether this, whatever this is for you right now, might finally be too much. Too far gone. Beyond reach. Paul already asked that question, on our behalf, and searched the whole universe for an answer. Romans 8:26-39 | Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52 | 1 Kings 3:5-12

WHEAT AND WEEDS: July 19, 2026 Jul 19, 2026 10:56 What shall we do about the presence of evil in the world? Jesus' parable of the "wheat and weeds" gives us an answer. We can't really tell the difference between the two, so good and evil must grow up alongside each other. God will sort out the two in God's good time. That is hard news for us when we want to judge others. It is good news when we are being judged.

ALREADY HOME: July 12, 2026 Jul 12, 2026 16:26 We keep asking the same question, just in fancier clothes: Am I enough? We measure. We compare. We keep score against the person in the next pew. But Paul isn't answering that question. He's ending it. Romans 8:1-11 | Isaiah 55:10-13 | Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23

A NATION OF PEACE AND HUMILITY: July 5, 2026 Jul 5, 2026 16:22 As the nation observes the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence we are called to give thanks and to tell the truth. We are called to live into a vision established not by our own patriotism, but the vision of the reign of God revealed in Christ.

THE YOKE: June 28, 2026 Jun 27, 2026 17:02 There is a kind of hope that makes everything worse. We have all offered it. Most of us have needed it. There is another kind. It doesn't promise the weight will lift. But it will not leave you alone in it. Jeremiah 28:5–9 | Matthew 10:40–42

DEAD TO SIN. ALIVE TO GOD. June 21, 2026 Jun 21, 2026 15:59 A core belief of our congregation is "God's love is not earned but is a free gift to broken people." The question is, does God's love revealed in Christ leave us broken? Paul says, "By no means!" To be baptized, to be a disciple of Jesus, is to leave the old life, the brokenness, behind and embrace a new life, even if it is hard to change.

WHAT CHRIST FINDS: June 14, 2026 Jun 14, 2026 16:50 We are remarkably committed to carrying things alone. Even when help is available. Even when the effort costs us more than accepting it. Somewhere in all that stubborn self-sufficiency, a belief settles in so quietly we don't notice it arriving: no one is coming. Matthew 9:35–10:8 | Exodus 19:2-8a | Romans 5:1-8

ANOTHER WORD: June 7, 2026 Jun 7, 2026 17:03 The world is very good at speaking final words over us. And we have been carrying some of them for a long time. But there is someone who keeps showing up, past the booth, past the crowd, past the bedside, and he is not done speaking. That word has your name on it. Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26

INTO THE CHAOS: May 31, 2026 May 31, 2026 14:18 We have been gripping for a very long time. Managing the unformed places. Performing a certainty we do not have. Because somewhere underneath everything, we believe that chaos means God has already looked away. But that is not how this story begins. Genesis 1:1-2:4a | 2 Corinthians 13:11-13 | Matthew 28:16-20

THE RIVER ALREADY KNOWS: May 24, 2026 May 24, 2026 17:06 We have spent a long time on the bank. Watching. Admiring. Keeping ourselves dry and in control. But there is a current underneath all of it that has been moving the whole time, and it didn't ask our permission before it started. The question Pentecost keeps asking is the one we keep not answering. John 7:37-39 | Acts 2:1-21 | 1 Corinthians 12:3b-13

THE HALLWAY: May 17, 2026 May 17, 2026 16:35 We are waiting. We have been waiting. For the door to open, for things to resolve, for real life to finally start again. What if we've been wrong about which room we're in? John 17:1-11 | Acts 1:6-14 | 1 Peter 4:12-14; 5:6-11

TO THE UNKNOWN GOD: May 10, 2026 May 10, 2026 15:53 We are exhausted. Not tired. Exhausted. And we cannot stop. We have been building altars about it for a very long time. And none of them are working. But there is another way. Acts 17:22-31 | John 14:15-21 | 1 Peter 3:13-22

THE STONE WE DON'T RECOGNIZE: May 3, 2026 May 3, 2026 16:26 An arrest. A sermon. A challenge. A response. The stones didn't come from the faithless ones. Just ask Caiaphas. Acts 7:55–60 |1 Peter 2:2–10 | John 14:1–14

NOT EVERY VOICE: April 26, 2026 Apr 25, 2026 17:53 There are a lot of voices. And most of them sound convincing. But not every voice gives life. John 10:1-10

ROAD TO NOWHERE: April 19, 2026 Apr 19, 2026 17:24 When two of the disciples who followed Jesus left town after the crucifixion, they took the road to Emmaus. It was a road to nowhere. Their hopes for the Messiah were broken; Jesus' death brought grief and despair. The "powers that be" had one more crushed hope on the wheels of history. They could not even recognize Jesus when he began to walk with them on this dark road. Then, however, Jesus took

STUCK: April 12, 2026 Apr 12, 2026 21:54 The response to Jesus' death in John's gospel is grief, fear, and unbelief. His followers are stuck and unable to set themselves free. The appearance of the resurrected Jesus sets them free and puts them on a new path. We are people who know about being stuck in grief, fear, and unbelief. These are hallmarks of our world. How does the resurrection set us free?

LIVING HOPE: April 5, 2026 Apr 6, 2026 22:25 Resurrection announces that we live not driven by wishful thinking of a world that somehow gets better on its own, but by a living hope rooted in God's constant action that brings hope from despair, joy from mourning, and life from death.

THERE THEY CRUCIFIED HIM: GOOD FRIDAY, APRIL 3, 2026 Apr 4, 2026 11:50 Four words. There they crucified him. John doesn't linger. Doesn't explain. Just moves on. We do. Because the man on that cross didn't stay there because of what he was against. He stayed because of what he was for. John 18:1—19:42

WATER AND A TOWEL: MAUNDY THURSDAY, APRIL 2, 2026 Apr 3, 2026 15:56 Jesus commands us to love as he loved us. But words sometimes get bent and even a word like "love" can become vague or disputed. So, instead of just words, Jesus washes feet. That action shows us love instead of telling us about it.

GLITTERING SADNESS: MARCH 29, 2026 Mar 29, 2026 17:58 Palm Sunday is supposed to feel like triumph. Palms waving. Hosannas shouting. But Matthew says the whole city was troubled. Shaking. And nobody could quite answer the question. Who is this? That tension, the beauty and the ache mingled together, that is glittering sadness. And there is a king who rides straight into the middle of it. Matthew 21:1-11 | Philippians 2:5-11

CAN THESE BONES LIVE? - MARCH 22, 2026 Mar 22, 2026 17:54 Emilie Bouvier from ELCA World Hunger shares stories and reflections on ELCA ministries and today's readings of breath, bones, and resurrection.

BLIND: MARCH 15, 2026 Mar 16, 2026 15:43 Jesus encounters a man born blind. He gives him his sight. That should be enough of a story to tell, enough to convince us Jesus is who he says he is – the light of the world. It is not. As the story unfolds, we find ourselves realizing that the blind can see and the sighted are blind. We see how our lack of compassion, fear, and insistence that we are right keep us from seeing the grace of God be

STILL THIRSTY: MARCH 8, 2026 Mar 9, 2026 17:43 She came to the well with a jar. She left without it. Not because it was filled, it never was. Because somewhere in that conversation she understood something that changed everything. Water in a jar is not living water. Readings: John 4:5-42 | Romans 5:1-11 | Exodus 17:1-7

GRACE FOR SALE: MARCH 1, 2026 Mar 2, 2026 24:25 In a world dominated by markets, winners and losers, earning our keep, it seems like earning God's love would be our chief spiritual pursuit. This is true for many, if not the majority. That makes God's grace a product to be bought, bargained for, or earned. It means grace is for sale. But it's not. To think this way is to live by the law, which, as Paul says, can only bring wrath. So, how do we s

We Know Who You Are: February 22, 2026 Feb 23, 2026 18:32 The Grand Inquisitor looks at Jesus and says: I know exactly who you are. And we are going to have to kill you anyway. Not because he is confused. Not because he lacks evidence. Because he understands Jesus perfectly — and finds him unmanageable. This Lent, we are confronted with a question. Do we actually want the kind of Savior Jesus is? Matthew 4:1-11

LOVE'S PURE LIGHT: FEBRUARY 15, 2025 Feb 16, 2026 13:53 The story of the Transfiguration of Jesus is a challenge. On the mountain, three disciples witness Jesus shing with the light of heaven. It is a deeply spiritual moment, full of mystery. Maybe that is why it is a challenge. We tend to be materialistic people. If something can't be touched, measured or possessed it is not real. Spiritual things are just wishful thinking. This story, however, declar

LIGHT, SHINE: FEBRUARY 8, 2026 Feb 9, 2026 17:39 We're exhausted. We pray, we give, we show up, and the world is still on fire. What if God isn't asking us to try harder? What if the light we're struggling to shine is already in us? Matthew 5:13-20 | 1 Corinthians 2:1-12 | Isaiah 58:1-9a

FOR WHOM IS THE GOOD NEWS GOOD? FEBRUARY 1, 2026 Feb 2, 2026 27:36 The Beatitudes are among the most familiar teachings of Jesus. These verses proclaim blessedness - good news - to people we may not think are very blessed. That is good news for us.

THE KINGDOM DRAWS NEAR: JANUARY 25, 2026 Jan 26, 2026 16:47 The kingdom shows up in Galilee, not Jerusalem. Among fishermen, not scholars. On a cross, not a throne. We keep looking for God's power in the wrong places and missing the God who draws near in weakness, bleeds on a cross, and rises. Readings: Matthew 4:12-23 | Isaiah 9:1-4 | 1 Corinthians 1:10-18

COME & SEE: JANUARY 18, 2026 Jan 20, 2026 20:09 The world will tell you that "seeing is believing." People seek "proof" before they commit to anything, especially matters of faith. Oddly enough, Jesus takes the opposite path. In John's gospel, Jesus invites people to "Come and see." The "seeing" (knowing, trusting, understanding) will come after we have followed. The relationship with Jesus will reveal the truth of Jesus that already is all aro

HIS BAPTISM AND OURS: JANUARY 11, 2026 Jan 12, 2026 20:27 Baptism has come to mean lots of different things to different people. Maybe that is why it seems like baptism has no real impact on the world. If we really look at the Baptism of Jesus, however, we find an event that signifies a new age dawning. It is an age of peace instead of war, kindness instead of violence, order instead of chaos. We also learn that Baptism of Jesus is, in fact, our baptism

ANOTHER WAY HOME: JANUARY 4, 2026 Jan 5, 2026 15:40 What do you do when you're troubled? Herod plots. Jesus raises the dead. The magi lay down their treasures and worship. Matthew's Epiphany story reveals two kingdoms: one that protects itself through fear, and one that gives itself away in love. Matthew 2:1-12 | Isaiah 60:1-6 | Ephesians 3:1-12

DELIVER US FROM EVIL: DECEMBER 28, 2025 Dec 30, 2025 14:47 The Holy Innocents of Bethlehem are the first martyrs. To destroy Jesus, Herod orders all the baby boys under two to be killed. What do we make of this evil? What hope can we gain from this story? Even as we pray "deliver us from evil" the evil persists.

THE WORD AMONG WORDS: DECEMBER 25, 2025 Dec 30, 2025 16:00 There are a lot of words in the world. Many, maybe most, bear little meaning. At worst, they divide us and promote the worst in us. Jesus is proclaimed as the Word made flesh, and we might wonder if we can bear another word. This Word, however, brings life to a dying world, and light to the darkness of our existence.

FOR YOU: DECEMBER 24, 2025 Dec 30, 2025 24:46 It is easy to lose track of Jesus as we celebrate Christmas. Buried underneath layers of tradition, Christ's birth gets lost. We relegate the event to the distant past and remember it in ways that take faith to grasp who he is, where we find him, and why it matters to us. The truth of the story is that the savior and Lord, Jesus is found in obscure places among people who are considered nobodies.

IN THE UNRAVELING: DECEMBER 21, 2025 Dec 22, 2025 16:13 Joseph was righteous. He was faithful. And he was completely stuck. Every option felt like loss. Every path forward felt impossible. He couldn't sleep. He just waited, faithful, afraid, and alone. Matthew 1:18-25 | Isaiah 7:10-16

ARE YOU THE MESSIAH? DEC. 14, 2025 Dec 15, 2025 13:26 John the Baptist has announced the coming of the Messiah and called the people to repent and prepare. Sitting in jail, awaiting his fate, he sees none of the things he expected from the Messiah's coming. No conquering armies, no defeat of enemies, no judgment. He asks, "Are you the one, Jesus?" Maybe he got it all wrong. Jesus points to the signs of his reign – the blind see, the deaf hear, the po

ADVENT OF PEACE: NOVEMBER 30, 2025 Dec 1, 2025 18:10 Our theme for this season is either bold or foolish. In a world beset by violence, war, strife, and division, we declare that peace has dawned. Images of swords fashioned into plows and Paul's declaration that salvation is ever nearer call us to faith in Christ, not faith in a world gone mad. They call us to live anticipating what is promised instead of assuming life is just more of the same.

THE REIGN OF SCARS: NOVEMBER 23, 2025 Nov 24, 2025 16:36 Jesus sat down at the right hand of God, with the scars still in his hands. What kind of king keeps his wounds? There's something about those scars that reveals who this king really is. Luke 23:33-43 | Jeremiah 23:1-6 | Colossians 1:11-20

SIGNS OF THE TIMES: NOVEMBER 16, 2025 Nov 17, 2025 15:16 SIGNS OF THE TIMES The "signs of the times" can be frightening. Violence, division, warfare, government shutdowns, corporate layoffs leave us reeling. The "signs of the times" can leave us feeling helpless, sure that there is nothing that can be done. The "signs of the times" can make us passive, hoping someone else will deal with the problems. The "signs of the times" are passing away. People of

WRONG QUESTIONS, RIGHT ANSWER: NOVEMBER 9, 2025 Nov 10, 2025 20:47 A woman marries seven brothers. They all die. The Sadducees think they've created the perfect trap: whose wife will she be in the resurrection? Checkmate, Jesus. Except Jesus isn't playing games. His answer flips everything and invites us to live as children of the resurrection, free from fear's grip. Wrong questions. Right answer. Readings: Job 19:23-27a | Luke 20:27-38

THE HOLY ONES: NOVEMBER 2, 2025 Nov 3, 2025 21:48 Christians today don't like to think of themselves as "holy." That is reserved for superhero Christians. Perhaps a little false humility or a desire to keep expectations low makes us shrink from claiming our divinity as ones created in the image of God and redeemed by Christ's love. Christians today also don't want to get anywhere near thoughts of death or sadness, even though, in Christ, death ha

STILL REFORMING: OCTOBER 26, 2025 Oct 27, 2025 15:43 Reformation Sunday isn't a history lesson. It's a mirror. God promised to write on our hearts - and that reformation is still happening. Jeremiah 31:31-34 | Romans 3:19-28 | John 8:31-36

HEALING: OCTOBER 19, 2026 Oct 22, 2025 16:40 As we observe the Feast of St. Luke it is common to focus on stories of healing. Tradition holds that Luke, the writer of a Gospel that bears his name and the Book of Acts, was a physician. Luke's story of Jesus and the Church, however, is far more than a collection of healing stories. More than the healing of individuals, Luke tells us of how Jesus heals the whole world and sends his followers –

THE WORD WILL NOT BE CHAINED: OCTOBER 12, 2025 Oct 13, 2025 21:03 There is a lot of discussion and questions about "Christian Nationalism" these days. It is a not a new phenomenon. It happens whenever people mix faith and patriotism into a stew that becomes neither patriotic nor faithful. It probably first appeared when Emperor Constantine won the battle at the Milvian Bridge under a banner with a cross. From that point, using Christ as a tool for political powe

SMALL FAITH, BIG GOD: OCT. 5, 2025 Oct 6, 2025 16:58 Habakkuk stands on the city ramparts, watching violence rage below, crying "How long, O Lord?" Centuries later, Jesus' disciples hear impossible commands and plead, "Increase our faith!" Jesus' answer might surprise you: the faith you already have is enough. It's not about your strength — it's about God's.

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