Called Into Now
Cycle A Sermons Based on the Second Lesson for Advent, Christmas and Epiphany
Heather Sugden

After living through a pandemic, many churches have been forced to quickly adapt new technology, many struggling to regain a sense of “normalcy” in their worship services. However, as the church enters into the season of Advent once more, Heather Sugden reminds us to live in the example of the true cornerstone of our faith — Jesus Christ.

This season of waiting and change has been ever-present in the church’s history, and our faith has been impacted by the outside world since the beginning. Sugden uses this book to encourage us to harken back to Paul’s letters to struggling churches in Corinth, to help us to more closely follow in Christ’s footsteps; to be servants and stewards of God.

Instead of judging, servants look to lift others up. “Servants approach with humility, knowing that we all fall short of the glory of God. Servants follow a way of care for others paved by Jesus, and live as if God is the only and ultimate judge.” Live as Jesus lived, and the frightening experience of living through a pandemic may result in bringing us closer together through faith, rather than driving us apart.

Sermon titles include:

• Do We REALLY Know What Time It Is?
• “I Prayed For You Today”
• The Umpire Strikes Again

Heather Sugden lives and serves in southern New Jersey, currently as the pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Vineland.  She previously served in hospice and hospital chaplaincy, and as part of the ELCA’s Division for Global Mission, teaching High School English in Oshigambo, Namibia. Sugden has an incurable fascination with how people’s stories intersect with God’s story.  She has never met a person who was not interesting and inspiring in some way, and her family believes that she has a knack for starting conversations with complete strangers, especially while on vacation. Along with her husband and two children, Heather is involved in baseball, swimming, Girl Scouts and basketball.