Sermons from St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Atlanta
Fifth Sunday After Pentecost
Jun 28, 2026 · 0 min · 8 segments
- Speakers
- Clergy Member, St. Luke'sHost
Sermons from St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Atlanta
Jun 28, 2026 · 0 min · 8 segments
I also can't help but think of in this very place back in October on Pride Sunday when the Pride Parade was coming by.
And many of you have experienced this many times, but it was my first time here with St. Luke's.
But as many of you know, as the parade comes by after the service has concluded, St. Luke's people stand there handing out water.
And seeing people of all ages, adults and young children, hand water to the participants as they passed by, it was very clear that the water was more than water.
It wasn't just that they needed the physical relief, but it was also a gesture of hospitality, of grace, of affirmation, of kindness.
Whoever gives even a cup of cold water will not lose their reward.
On that day, as I was standing out wearing my clergy shirt, a gentleman walked up to me and he said, I assume that you're connected to St. Luke's in some way? And I said, yes.
And he said, on behalf of the full staff of this parade, I want to say thank you to St. Luke's.
And he said, the reason is you've opened up your bathrooms to let the participants in the parade use the restroom.
And he said, that means more than you know on so many levels.
Many people walk from long distances to meet their float or their group to only start walking and to find in this part of town there is nowhere that they can stop and use the restroom.
And he said it means so much that St. Luke's does this act of hospitality, of support.
A restroom can be even a cup of cold water.
I think on occasion... a gift of cold water can be truly life-saving.
But often the offering of a cup of cold water is just an act of hospitality.
If you go to someone's home and they offer you a glass of water, a cup of coffee, some tea, you don't really need that to sustain you.
You're going to be okay.
but it's an act of hospitality.
It's a gesture of welcome.
It's a gesture of I'm glad that you're here.
And often we find ourselves saying, yes, I'll take a glass of water or a cup of tea, even though we don't really need it because that's part of that dance of hospitality, that someone is being gracious in hosting and we allow them to do so.
Whoever gives even a cup of cold water will not lose their reward.
I also can't help but think of in this very place back in October on Pride Sunday when the Pride Parade was coming by.
And many of you have experienced this many times, but it was my first time here with St. Luke's.
But as many of you know, as the parade comes by after the service has concluded, St. Luke's people stand there handing out water.
And seeing people of all ages, adults and young children, hand water to the participants as they passed by, it was very clear that the water was more than water.
It wasn't just that they needed the physical relief, but it was also a gesture of hospitality, of grace, of affirmation, of kindness.
Whoever gives even a cup of cold water will not lose their reward.
On that day, as I was standing out wearing my clergy shirt, a gentleman walked up to me and he said, I assume that you're connected to St. Luke's in some way? And I said, yes.
And he said, on behalf of the full staff of this parade, I want to say thank you to St. Luke's.
And he said, the reason is you've opened up your bathrooms to let the participants in the parade use the restroom.
And he said, that means more than you know on so many levels.
Many people walk from long distances to meet their float or their group to only start walking and to find in this part of town there is nowhere that they can stop and use the restroom.
And he said it means so much that St. Luke's does this act of hospitality, of support.
A restroom can be even a cup of cold water.
I think on occasion... a gift of cold water can be truly life-saving.
But often the offering of a cup of cold water is just an act of hospitality.
If you go to someone's home and they offer you a glass of water, a cup of coffee, some tea, you don't really need that to sustain you.
You're going to be okay.
but it's an act of hospitality.
It's a gesture of welcome.
It's a gesture of I'm glad that you're here.
And often we find ourselves saying, yes, I'll take a glass of water or a cup of tea, even though we don't really need it because that's part of that dance of hospitality, that someone is being gracious in hosting and we allow them to do so.
Whoever gives even a cup of cold water will not lose their reward.
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