This week we celebrated 250 years as a country, with all the good and the hard parts of that history. But our scriptures point us to a freedom that goes deeper than any nation can offer. The prophet Zechariah calls believers "prisoners of hope," and it's a phrase worth sitting with. Because of who God is, hope never runs out.

In this message by Deacon Cindy Millwer we look at Zechariah 9, Psalm 145, Romans 7, and Matthew 11. David praised God through a very difficult life. Paul was honest about how hard it is to keep sin out of ours. And Jesus offers rest to anyone who is weary and carrying a heavy load. You'll also hear a story from a recent hospital visit, where a woman in terrible pain found real relief the moment she turned to prayer.

To find out more about Holy Trinity Silicon Valley head to:

https://www.holytrinitysv.org

Somewhere around thirty-five, our bodies start to slow down. Life in the Spirit works the other way. The older we get, the more vibrant and consequential our life in Christ is meant to become.

In this sermon from Romans 8, Rev. John Gorin looks at three things the Holy Spirit does for us. He assures us of a future secured by the risen Christ. He helps us today, in the middle of the stubborn habits and old ways of thinking that are so hard to pull out by the roots. And he reminds us that we belong to God the Father, adopted as his children, able to call him "Abba."

If you've been fighting the same battle for a long time, or quietly wondering whether any of this holds up, this one is for you. Outwardly we are wasting away. Inwardly we are being renewed day by day.

To find out more about Holy Trinity Silicon Valley Anglican church head to:

https://www.holytrinitysv.org

What does it actually cost to follow Jesus, and what do we gain when we do?

In this message from Holy Trinity Silicon Valley, Rector John Gorin turns to Matthew 10:37-39, where Jesus tells his disciples three times that loving family, comfort, or life itself more than him makes us "not worthy" of him. Drawing on the Greek word Axios, the root of our word "axiom," the message explores how worthiness here isn't about personal value, but about alignment: living a life that reflects who Christ is and what he prioritizes.

The teaching confronts two pressures every disciple faces. There is family pressure, where our deepest relationships can pull against our calling, and cultural pressure, where good gifts like reputation, money, and meaningful work quietly become things we grip too tightly. Using a vivid image, the Tahoe casino billboards promising a thrill that always disappoints, Rector Gorin asks an honest question: is there something in your life you've told God, "Anything but that, Lord"?

But the heavy news gives way to good news. The same Lord who calls us to take up our cross is the one who helps us carry it. Through the story of John Mark, the missionary who quit, was written off, and yet went on to author a Gospel, we're reminded that the final word about our worthiness has not yet been written. We serve the God of another chance, who invites us to lose our life for his sake and, in doing so, finally find the life we were made for.

A message on discipleship, sacrifice, and the freedom of holding life's blessings with an open hand.