Holy Trinity Ankeny

Holy Trinity Lutheran Church

THE EIGHTH DAY: APRIL 20, 2025 04/20/2025

THE EIGHTH DAY: APRIL 20, 2025 Christians have come to worship not on the seventh day (Sabbath) but on the eighth day, a day that signifies new creation. When the women came to the tomb of Jesus, they were prepared to anoint a dead body. They expected nothing new, so they brought spices and cloth, grief and despair. They had no expectation that a new creation had dawned in the resurrection of Christ. The eighth day brought hope and is a day we celebrate every week as we gather, hear the bread, share the meal, and send the risen people of God back into the world to be the risen Christ. /episode/index/show/htlcankeny/id/36236130

CLOAKS AND STONES 04/14/2025

CLOAKS AND STONES They laid their cloaks on the road—not just as a gesture of welcome, but as a sign of surrender. A letting go. That moment asked something of them. And it asks something of us too. So here's the question: What are you still holding onto? What stays wrapped around your shoulders, even as Jesus passes by? Luke 19:28-40 /episode/index/show/htlcankeny/id/36130920

ADMIRERS, ASSOCIATES OR FOLLOWERS? APRIL 6, 2025 04/07/2025

ADMIRERS, ASSOCIATES OR FOLLOWERS? APRIL 6, 2025 Soren Kierkegaard, Danish theologian and philosopher, said that Christ did not come to make admirers. He came to make followers. You can admire Abraham Lincoln, but you can’t become him. You can admire Michael Jordon or Caitlin Clark, but you can’t become them. To admire Christ is to live a life untransformed by his grace. To follow him is to become like him. May this be our Lenten journey. /episode/index/show/htlcankeny/id/36036400

THE FATHER'S HOUSE: MARCH 30, 2025 03/30/2025

THE FATHER'S HOUSE: MARCH 30, 2025 A lost son in a distant country. A loyal son who never left. Both lost more than they realized. What if being found isn’t about where you are—but about who knows you? Joshua 5:9-12 | 2 Corinthians 5:16-21 | Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32 /episode/index/show/htlcankeny/id/35924460

REPENT! MARCH 23, 2025 03/24/2025

REPENT! MARCH 23, 2025 Repentance is not one of our favorite topics of discussion. In the Season of Lent, and in the Gospel of Luke, the subject is unavoidable. If we believe that we have faith and repent so that we can earn God’s favor and avoid God’s punishment, repentance is like a bad report card. Luke’s message today unflinchingly declares that we cannot avoid the tragedy of life. We cannot assume that our prosperity means God loves us more than others. The day of death and judgment will come to all. Jesus' parable of the fig tree declares that though unavoidable, today is an opportunity for grace to turn us around and help us bear fruit. /episode/index/show/htlcankeny/id/35837145

GOSPEL OF LUKE: MARCH 16, 2025 03/17/2025

GOSPEL OF LUKE: MARCH 16, 2025 Pastor David Cline served as our guest preacher this week. /episode/index/show/htlcankeny/id/35723185

WHAT IF.... MARCH 9, 2025 03/10/2025

WHAT IF.... MARCH 9, 2025 What if Jesus had said yes? What if the story had gone differently? And what if his temptations aren’t so different from our own? Deuteronomy 26:1-11 | Romans 10:8b-13 | Luke 4:1-13 /episode/index/show/htlcankeny/id/35607700

WHO IS JESUS? MARCH 2, 2025 03/03/2025

WHO IS JESUS? MARCH 2, 2025 The season of Epiphany begins at Jesus' baptism with a heavenly announcement, “You are my son, the beloved.” The season ends with an announcement from the cloud, “This is my son, the Chosen. Listen to him.” Epiphany is about the multi-faceted revelation of Jesus' identity. “Who is Jesus?” is the prime question we must sort out before we can follow him. /episode/index/show/htlcankeny/id/35510995

DIFFICULT WORDS: FEB. 23, 2025 02/24/2025

DIFFICULT WORDS: FEB. 23, 2025 Jesus says hard things a lot. Perhaps no words uttered by the Lord are more difficult than “Love your enemies.” His call to forgive those who harm us and bless those who curse us are not mainstream. No Liam Neeson movie would garner an audience if he went around forgiving. No, we like revenge and retribution. We like to hold on to grudges. The question is, how does the reign of God – a reign of mercy dawn in a world based on revenge? Maybe it doesn’t. /episode/index/show/htlcankeny/id/35407365

SEEN AND KNOWN: FEB. 16, 2025 02/17/2025

SEEN AND KNOWN: FEB. 16, 2025 Have you ever felt invisible—like you could walk through a crowd and no one would notice? We all long to be seen, to know that we matter. But what if the one who sees us best is the one we least expect? Jeremiah 17:5-10 | 1 Corinthians 15:12-20 | Luke 6:17-26 /episode/index/show/htlcankeny/id/35313285

A FISH STORY: FEB 9, 2025 02/11/2025

A FISH STORY: FEB 9, 2025 Holy Trinity welcomes Bishop Amy Current of the Southeastern Iowa Synod of the ELCA as our preacher. She shares a story of grace where the big story is not about the fish. /episode/index/show/htlcankeny/id/35240635

THE GOD I NEED: FEB. 2, 2025 02/03/2025

THE GOD I NEED: FEB. 2, 2025 The doctor tells me I have cancer. That can make one stop and think. To walk the path ahead, I find myself thinking about what kind of God I need. A god who planned my cancer? Maybe one who will supply a miracle when all hope is lost? No, I am convinced that the God I need is the one who created a world where radiation and radiologists, scalpels and surgeons bring to bear the grace of creation. More important, I need a God who is not aloof and far off, inscrutable and impassive, but one who knows my sufferings and shares them. That is the God revealed in Christ and his cross. /episode/index/show/htlcankeny/id/35132420

THE JESUS AGENDA: JANUARY 26, 2025 01/27/2025

THE JESUS AGENDA: JANUARY 26, 2025 Washington and Wall Street, magnates and millionaires all have agendas for the shaping of the world in their own image. The changes and fads come and go and most often create chaos. Jesus announced his agenda in his home synagogue. He came to give good news to the poor, release the captives, give sight to the blind, lift up the oppressed and set the world right. With each healing, teaching, and his rising from the dead he pursued that agenda. What does that have to do with us? /episode/index/show/htlcankeny/id/35029980

THEY HAVE NO WINE: JAN. 19, 2025 01/21/2025

THEY HAVE NO WINE: JAN. 19, 2025 When the world cries out for answers, what does it mean to tug on the sleeve of Jesus? From empty wine jars to the cries of grief, moments of scarcity meet unexpected abundance. What happens when we plead, 'Do something about it? Isaiah 62:1-5 | 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 | John 2:1-11 /episode/index/show/htlcankeny/id/34940460

THE BAPTISM OF OUR LORD: JAN. 12, 2025 01/13/2025

THE BAPTISM OF OUR LORD: JAN. 12, 2025 So, why does Jesus need to be baptized? If he is sinless, what forgiveness is needed? Why does the Son of God submit to John’s baptism when even John claims he is unworthy to “untie the thong” of Jesus’ sandals? These are questions that have vexed the Church for centuries. Luke’s unique way of dealing with these questions places John in prison and flows the baptism with a family tree. The result is the gift of baptism given to us as children of God. /episode/index/show/htlcankeny/id/34835120

TWO KINGS, THREE GIFTS: JAN. 5, 2025 01/06/2025

TWO KINGS, THREE GIFTS: JAN. 5, 2025 When we celebrate the Feast of Epiphany, we tell the story of astronomers from the east who bring three gifts. Christmas pageants and hymns portray these visitors as three kings. There are however, only two kings in the story. The fake one named Herod sitting on a throne in Jerusalem and the real one, Jesus, lying in a manger in Bethlehem. Isaiah saw the day when the nations would worship Israel’s kings, bringing gold and frankincense. The myrrh in Matthew’s story adds a substance used for burial and the cross looms. Jesus is not just a personal savior but a ruler who brings a new kingdom in his life, death, and resurrection. /episode/index/show/htlcankeny/id/34737945

LET CHRIST: DEC. 29, 2024 12/30/2024

LET CHRIST: DEC. 29, 2024 As we step into the new year, Paul’s words to the Colossians remind us that the Christian life isn’t about striving to accomplish an impossible checklist. It’s about letting Christ—letting Christ’s peace, love, and word dwell in us and work through us. In a world focused on resolutions and self-improvement, Paul invites us to surrender, trust, and clothe ourselves in Christ. /episode/index/show/htlcankeny/id/34655545

INCARNATION: DEC. 25 CHRISTMAS DAY 12/30/2024

INCARNATION: DEC. 25 CHRISTMAS DAY Incarnation – the divine becoming flesh - is a wildly radical notion. Most religious thought in human history has firmly fixed a chasm between heaven and earth, between divinity and humanity. Yet we proclaim that “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” What does this mean? /episode/index/show/htlcankeny/id/34655530

SILENT NIGHT: DEC. 24 CHRISTMAS EVE 12/30/2024

SILENT NIGHT: DEC. 24 CHRISTMAS EVE Calling the night of our Savior’s birth :silent” seems an historical stretch. After all there were noisy animals, singing angels, shepherds speaking, and a crying baby. There were also many voices in the world made it seem impossible that anything or anyone important could happen in Bethlehem. Our love of this carol seems to be rooted in not the facts of the event but the longing we have to find an end to the violence, cries of suffering, and voices of injustice and despair that are all around us. Perhaps that is what this savior brings. /episode/index/show/htlcankeny/id/34655495

THE WORLD IS ABOUT TO TURN: DEC. 22, 2024 12/23/2024

THE WORLD IS ABOUT TO TURN: DEC. 22, 2024 Mary’s Magnificat isn’t a lullaby—it’s a revolution. The world is about to turn, and everything is changing. A humble girl sings of God’s justice, lifting the lowly and scattering the proud. This isn’t just ancient history—it’s the hope we hold onto today. /episode/index/show/htlcankeny/id/34575150

BROOD OF VIPERS: DEC. 15, 2024 12/16/2024

BROOD OF VIPERS: DEC. 15, 2024 When John the Baptist addresses his congregation as a “Brood of vipers,” it hardly seems like good news. Rather than an insult, however, John is calling out the misguided notion that we can avoid judgment because we’re the right kind of people. We shall all be shaped for life in the reign of God through judgment or repentance. Repentance invites us to live in the presence of Christ now as people dedicated to justice, love, and compassion. It is very good news, indeed. /episode/index/show/htlcankeny/id/34467705

LESSONS & CAROLS: DEC. 8, 2024 12/09/2024

LESSONS & CAROLS: DEC. 8, 2024 Worship features readings of the season and music by the Adult Choir and a small chamber ensemble. /episode/index/show/htlcankeny/id/34346425

STEWARDING HOPE: DEC. 1, 2024 12/02/2024

STEWARDING HOPE: DEC. 1, 2024 Advent is more than waiting—it’s stewarding hope. In a world weighed down by uncertainty and injustice, how do we rise up and see signs of God's kingdom breaking in today? /episode/index/show/htlcankeny/id/34233820

CHRIST, THE KING: NOV. 24, 2024 11/25/2024

CHRIST, THE KING: NOV. 24, 2024 To whom will we give our lives to? That is the question on the Festival of Christ the King. Will it be the kings, presidents, rulers, and powers of this world? Wall Street or Madison Avenue? Or will we serve the only one “who was, who is, and the one coming?” as the Book of Revelation names him? Will we trust the powers and people who will pass away or the one who is eternal? /episode/index/show/htlcankeny/id/34137541

BIRTH PANGS: NOV. 17, 2024 11/18/2024

BIRTH PANGS: NOV. 17, 2024 Whenever the Bible speaks of suffering, war, or cataclysm of any kind we tend to assume it is speaking of God’s punishment. Jesus does not do that. Referring to the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem, “war and rumors of war,” he calls them “birth pangs.” This does not minimize the suffering and pain. It reminds us, however, that the birth pangs are not the baby. In these days of uncertainty and chaos, it is easy to fear the world is ending. It is in way. But these are the birth pangs, not the reign of God that will make all things new. /episode/index/show/htlcankeny/id/33973732

MORE THAN JUST TWO COINS: NOV. 10, 2024 11/11/2024

MORE THAN JUST TWO COINS: NOV. 10, 2024 What does it mean to give everything when you don’t have enough to begin with? A widow’s offering of two small coins challenges everything we know about generosity, trust, and faith. In a world that devours us, how can we respond with faith that holds nothing back? What does it truly mean to offer our all? /episode/index/show/htlcankeny/id/33879297

“ALREADY” PEOPLE IN A “NOT YET” WORLD: NOV 3, 2024 11/04/2024

“ALREADY” PEOPLE IN A “NOT YET” WORLD: NOV 3, 2024 If you don’t know where you are headed, you’re probably lost. This world seems lost, unsure of where we are going or who will lead us. As followers of Jesus Christ, we know where the world is headed and what the end looks like. It is what he revealed in his life, death, and resurrection. The reign of God is not yet here, but it is already dawning, all around us. On All Saints Day we remember all the saints who have lived into God’s future by being “already” people in a “not yet” world. /episode/index/show/htlcankeny/id/33773707

EXPERIENCE GRACE: OCT. 27, 2024 10/28/2024

EXPERIENCE GRACE: OCT. 27, 2024 You are a beloved child of God. Know that you are accepted; you are loved by the one who made the universe. /episode/index/show/htlcankeny/id/33640287

WHY DOESN’T GOD DO SOMETHING? 10/22/2024

WHY DOESN’T GOD DO SOMETHING? It is common to look at the trouble of the world and ask why God does not do something about it all. But what if God has done something, and that something is you? Luke, the masterful storyteller, and evangelist offers some of the most beloved and memorable teachings of Jesus we know. In many of them, Jesus is not the miracle worker. Instead, after an encounter with the overwhelming love of God in Christ, miraculous things are done by people like you and me. /episode/index/show/htlcankeny/id/33567387

SELL EVERYTHING: OCT. 13, 2024 10/14/2024

SELL EVERYTHING: OCT. 13, 2024 For people who live in a culture so grounded in material possessions and having “stuff,” Jesus’ instruction to “sell everything and give to the poor. And then follow me…” (Mark 10), is challenging to say the least. Is Jesus serious? When what we possess gets in the way of our relationship with what truly matters, when we see faith as yet another possession, maybe this command is what saves us. /episode/index/show/htlcankeny/id/33448287

Holy Trinity Ankeny

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