Category : * By Kendall

Commentary and analysis by blog convener the Rev. Canon Dr. Kendall Harmon

Kendall Harmon’s Sunday Sermon for Pentecost 2023–What can we Learn from the Great Beginning of the Church (Acts 2:1-21)?

There is also downloadable option there. Those interested in suffering through the video may find the link there.

Posted in * Anglican - Episcopal, * By Kendall, * South Carolina, Ministry of the Ordained, Parish Ministry, Pentecost, Preaching / Homiletics, Sermons & Teachings, Theology: Holy Spirit (Pneumatology), Theology: Scripture

We are Back and as a Number of You guessed, we Both got Covid19

It took a lot out of us for 3-4 days and then we have battled fatigue and headaches for a couple of weeks. Just be reminded that the virus is still out there and thanks for your prayers and support–KSH.

Posted in Harmon Family, Health & Medicine

We are dealing with Family Illness so need to Take a break

Thank you–KSH.

Posted in * By Kendall, Harmon Family, Health & Medicine

Kendall Harmon for Easter–Cry Freedom

How shall we understand freedom? Perhaps because I am in a state, South Carolina, where candidates….[not long ago] were running around saying “you are free so vote for me!” this has been much in mind.

There is a lot of sloppy thinking about freedom these days. For too many it only means the ability to choose a candidate or a product. Or it is understood to be the removal of external constraints, as in I need the government out of my—then fill in the blank: my business, my body, and on and on.

Christian thinking about freedom is a totally different animal.

For one thing, in the Scriptures, freedom has an interesting relationship to time. Freedom is something which was present in creation, and which will be fully present again at the end of history when God brings it to its conclusion. But what about the present? The people Jesus spends time with—say, for example, the woman at the well (John 4), or Zaccheus (Luke 19) are not free but constrained, imprisoned, and encased. When Jesus rescues them, freedom begins, but even then it is lived out in the tension between the already of new life in Christ and the not yet of the fullness of the eschaton.

So apart from Christ people who think they are free need to hear the bad news that their perceived freedom is an illusion. One would like to hear more from preachers these days on this score, since they are addressing parishioners who are workaholics or poweraholics or sexaholics and/or addicts to heaven knows what else. Why is it that a group like AA seems to know more about real freedom than so many churches? Because they begin with the premise which says their members are enslaved—that is the first of the twelve steps.

And there is so much more to freedom then even this. In the Bible, real freedom moves in not one or two but three directions.

Freedom from is one piece of the puzzle—freedom from sin, from the demands of the law, from the tyranny of the urgent, from whatever constricts us from being the people God intended us to be.

Equally important, however, is freedom for, freedom for Christ, for service, for God’s justice, for ministry. Paul wonderfully describes himself as a bondservant of Christ Jesus, and the Prayer Book has it right when it says God’s service is “perfect freedom.”

Freedom with should not be missed, however. For Paul in Galatians Christian freedom is not the Christian by herself changed by the gospel. This has too much in common with the individual shopper in Walmart deciding exactly what kind of popcorn or yogurt she wants. No, real freedom is to be liberated to live for Christ with the new pilgrim people of God who reflect back a little of heaven’s light on earth. A real church is one where people enjoy koinonia, fellowship, the richness of God’s life shared into them which they then share out in Christ’s name by the power of the Holy Spirit to the world.

Paul says it wonderfully in Galatians: “For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” Do not settle for anything less than this real freedom, freedom from bondage, freedom with our fellow pilgrims, and freedom for the God who made the heavens and the earth.

–The Rev. Dr. Kendall Harmon is Theologian in residence at Church of the Holy Cross, Sullivan’s Island, SC, and the convenor of this blog

Posted in * By Kendall, Anthropology, Christology, Easter, Eschatology, Theology, Theology: Holy Spirit (Pneumatology), Theology: Scripture

Kendall Harmon’s Sunday Sermon–What does Real Easter Christianity Look Like (John 20:19-31)?

There is also downloadable option there.

Posted in * Anglican - Episcopal, * By Kendall, * South Carolina, Easter, Eschatology, Ministry of the Ordained, Preaching / Homiletics, Sermons & Teachings, Soteriology, Theology: Scripture

A Thought for Easter

One has to turn to poetry and music this day because the news of what occurred is so good it is impossible fully to take in–KSH.

Posted in * By Kendall, Easter, Liturgy, Music, Worship, Poetry & Literature, Theology

Kendall Harmon’s 2023 Palm Sunday Sermon–Expectation and Redemption in Holy Week (Matthew 21:1-11)

There is also a downloadable option there.

Listen carefully for a most important Jonathan Edwards reference–KSH.

Posted in * Anglican - Episcopal, * By Kendall, * South Carolina, Christology, Church Year / Liturgical Seasons, Holy Week, Sermons & Teachings, Theology: Salvation (Soteriology), Theology: Scripture

Kendall Harmon’s Sunday Sermon–Do we see as God sees? Or are we blind to the actions, love and plan of God? (John 9)

There is also a downloadable option there.

Posted in * Anglican - Episcopal, * By Kendall, * South Carolina, Christology, Ministry of the Ordained, Parish Ministry, Preaching / Homiletics, Sermons & Teachings, Theology, Theology: Scripture

Kendall Harmon’s Sunday Sermon–What does the real Jesus want us to understand about ourselves and Himself this Lent (Romans 5:12-21)?

There is also a downloadable option there.

Posted in * By Kendall, * South Carolina, Christology, Ministry of the Ordained, Preaching / Homiletics, Sermons & Teachings, Soteriology, Theology: Scripture

Kendall Harmon’s Sunday Sermon–What can we Learn from the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-9)?

Listen to it all (download option is there as well).

Posted in * Anglican - Episcopal, * By Kendall, * South Carolina, Ministry of the Ordained, Parish Ministry, Preaching / Homiletics, Sermons & Teachings, Theology: Scripture

Kendall Harmon’s Sunday Sermon–What is the message we proclaim and and what is the community of which we are a part (1 Corinthians 2; Matthew 5:13-16)?

Listen to it all (download option is there as well).

Posted in * Anglican - Episcopal, * By Kendall, * South Carolina, Ministry of the Ordained, Parish Ministry, Preaching / Homiletics, Sermons & Teachings

Kendall Harmon’s Sunday Sermon–Why is God bringing an Indictment against his people and what can we learn from it (Micah 6:1-5)?

Posted in * Anglican - Episcopal, * By Kendall, * South Carolina, Ministry of the Ordained, Parish Ministry, Preaching / Homiletics, Sermons & Teachings, Theology: Scripture

Kendall Harmon’s Sunday Sermon–What can we Learn from the portrait of John the Baptist in John’s Gospel (John 1:29)?

There is also more there.

Posted in * Anglican - Episcopal, * By Kendall, * South Carolina, Christology, Epiphany, Ministry of the Ordained, Parish Ministry, Preaching / Homiletics, Sermons & Teachings, Soteriology, Theology, Theology: Scripture

Kendall Harmon’s 2022 Christmas Eve Sermon–Daring to go to the real Heart of Christmas (Luke 2:1-20)

Posted in * Anglican - Episcopal, * By Kendall, * South Carolina, Christmas, Christology, Ministry of the Ordained, Parish Ministry, Preaching / Homiletics, Sermons & Teachings, Theology: Scripture

Making a Blog Transition for Christmas 2022

We are going to take a break from the Anglican, Religious, Financial, Cultural, and other news until later in the Christmas season to focus from this evening forward on the great miracle of the Incarnation–KSH.

Posted in * Admin, * By Kendall, Blog Tips & Features, Blogging & the Internet, Christmas

Kendall Harmon’s Sunday Sermon–How is the Second Coming of Jesus Good News (Isaiah 35)?

Listen to it all (option to download is also available).

Posted in * Anglican - Episcopal, * By Kendall, * South Carolina, Christology, Eschatology, Ministry of the Ordained, Parish Ministry, Preaching / Homiletics, Sermons & Teachings, Theology: Scripture

Kendall Harmon’s Sunday Sermon–Of what does the Hope of Heaven Consist (Isaiah 2:1-5)?

Posted in * By Kendall, * South Carolina, Eschatology, Ministry of the Ordained, Parish Ministry, Preaching / Homiletics, Sermons & Teachings, Theology: Scripture

Kendall Harmon’s Sunday Sermon-What is the Meaning of the Feast of Christ the King and How does it impact us?

Listen to it all and there is more there.

Posted in * By Kendall, * South Carolina, Christology, Ministry of the Ordained, Parish Ministry, Preaching / Homiletics, Sermons & Teachings, Theology: Scripture

Our Faithful and Energetic Puggle Has Died

Posted in Animals, Harmon Family, Photos/Photography

Back in the Saddle after a jaunt away for a family-related Wedding

Elizabeth’s brother Tim’s daughter Elena got married in Mobile, Alabama, over the weekend–KSH.

Posted in * By Kendall, Harmon Family, Marriage & Family, Travel, Uncategorized

Kendall Harmon’s Sunday Sermon–What does the Bible really say about how we are to understand and use the gift of money God has given us (Proverbs 3:5ff)

You may listen directly or download it if you prefer.

Posted in * Anglican - Episcopal, * By Kendall, * South Carolina, Ministry of the Ordained, Parish Ministry, Personal Finance & Investing, Sermons & Teachings, Stewardship, Theology, Theology: Scripture

Kendall Harmon’s Sunday Sermon: What does in Mean that Christians are Forgiven and Free (Romans 8:1-2)?

Listen to it all and there re other options here.

Posted in * Anglican - Episcopal, * By Kendall, * South Carolina, Christology, Ministry of the Ordained, Parish Ministry, Preaching / Homiletics, Sermons & Teachings, Soteriology, Theology: Scripture

We Are Back and Slowly Getting into the Swing of things as Fall Approaches

Bear with us as there is much to catch up on, as ever–KSH.

Posted in * Admin, * By Kendall

2022 Vacation Photos (I)–Lake George

Posted in * By Kendall, Harmon Family, Photos/Photography

Blog Post Frequency will go down while Taking a Break for Summer Vacation

I have been at this blog since the first part of 2003, and it is time to step back. As I am constantly insisting to my friends, none of us is indispensable, and this is a way of living that out by yours truly. Remember I told you I am the type of person who goes to bed every night just a little sad–only a little–about how much I don’t know (and still wish to find out). So moving away from the information addiction for me will not necessarily be easy–but it is important.

Posts will be catch as catch can until I let you know–KSH.

Posted in * By Kendall

Kendall Harmon’s Sunday Sermon–How can We let the Holy Spirit lead and guide us in our lives (Acts 16:6-10)?


The sermon starts about 23:50 in.

You can find much more Read it all.

Posted in * By Kendall, Ministry of the Ordained, Parish Ministry, Preaching / Homiletics, Sermons & Teachings, Theology: Scripture

This 2022 partial Lambeth gathering needs to be seen for what it is

Can we please just be clear that what impacts all has to be decided by all, all the pretending notwithstanding. The Anglican Communion is in broken communion as illustrated by those who are not present at the partial Lambeth gathering, and impaired communion with those present as illustrated by those who are not receiving in 2022.

This gathering isn’t deciding anything for Anglicans, nor is the present situation in the globe for Anglicans being shown by its discussions, etc, KSH.

Posted in * By Kendall, - Anglican: Analysis, Ecclesiology

Kendall Harmon’s Sunday Sermon–Do we Share God’s Vision for the Church (Acts 11:19-30)?

You may also find more there.

Posted in * Anglican - Episcopal, * By Kendall, * South Carolina, Ecclesiology, Ministry of the Ordained, Parish Ministry, Preaching / Homiletics, Theology: Scripture

Kendall Harmon’s Sunday Sermon–The Controversy over neglected Widows and the story of the Death of Stephen (Acts 6-7)

You may also find more there.

Posted in * Anglican - Episcopal, * By Kendall, * South Carolina, Christology, Ministry of the Ordained, Parish Ministry, Preaching / Homiletics, Sermons & Teachings, Soteriology, Theology: Holy Spirit (Pneumatology), Theology: Scripture

Kendall Harmon’s Sunday sermon–why does the Ascension Matter and why is it important (Acts 1:1-11)?

There is also still more there.

Posted in * Anglican - Episcopal, * By Kendall, * South Carolina, Christology, Ministry of the Ordained, Parish Ministry, Preaching / Homiletics, Sermons & Teachings, Soteriology, Theology