Charles Hoffacker
The Rev. Charles Hoffacker lives in Greenbelt, Maryland, with his wife, Helena Mirtova. He is the author of A Matter of Life and Death: Preaching at Funerals from Cowley Publications. Many of his sermons appear on sermonwriter.com.
Sermons and Bible Studies
Do What Young Jesus Did: Listen and Ask Questions, Christmas 2 – January 4, 2026
[RCL] Jeremiah 31:7-14; Psalm 84 or 84:1-8; Ephesians 1:3-6, 15-19a; Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23a or Luke 2:14-52 or Matthew 2:1-12 It happens sometimes, even to responsible parents: The mother assumes the child is with the father; the father assumes the child is with the mother. When they compare notes, there is calling in every direction, searching in […]
When You Give a Banquet, Proper 17 (C) – 2025
[RCL] Jeremiah 2:4-13; Psalm 81:1, 10-16; Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16; Luke 14:1, 7-14 As their big event reaches its conclusion, the host and hostess look weary. It is not the tired contentedness that follows putting on an enjoyable event, but something different, a feeling of sadness. The turnout was great from their personal A-list of relatives, […]
By Faith, Proper 15 (C) – 2025
[RCL] Isaiah 5:1-7; Psalm 80:1-2, 8-18; Hebrews 11:29-12:2; Luke 12:49-56 A great many people would agree that, nowadays, the world looks sad and in decline. Precious few news stories situate members of the human race in a positive light. Circumstances look bad in many places. People of diverse and even conflicting perspectives share at least […]
Jesus’ Mission Statement, Epiphany 3 (C) – 2025
[RCL] Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10; Psalm 19; 1 Corinthians 12:12-31a; Luke 4:14-21 Today’s gospel presents us with Jesus’ first act of public ministry, described for us in Luke’s gospel. Following his river baptism and his long wilderness fast and temptation, Jesus returns to his home country, Galilee. Reports about him have been spreading through the […]
The Winter Visitation, Advent 4 (C) – 2024
[RCL] Micah 5:2-5a; Canticle 15 (or 3) or Psalm 80:1-7; Hebrews 10:5-10; Luke 1:39-45, (46-55) This sermon is also available as part of a compilation of all the sermons for Advent and Christmas this year. Within that document, which you can find at sermonsthatwork.org, you’ll find some study questions that you can use by yourself, with […]
May Your Heart Live for Ever!, Easter 5 (B) – 2024
[RCL] Acts 8:26-40; Psalm 22:24-30; 1 John 4:7-21; John 15:1-8 The psalm selection for today, a portion of Psalm 22, can catch us by surprise. Psalm 22 is famously associated with Holy Week. Jesus, suspended from the cross, close to death, quotes its opening words: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” And […]
Talking to the Salt, Epiphany 5 (A) – 2023
[RCL] Isaiah 50:1-9a, (9b-12); Psalm 112:1-9, (10); 1 Corinthians 2:1-12, (13-16); Matthew 5:13-20 The celebrated Chilean poet Pablo Neruda wrote many odes. An ode, you will recall, is a poem that addresses its subject in an exalted fashion. Thus, we have poems by Keats such as “Ode to a Nightingale” and “Ode on a Grecian […]
Johnny Appleseed Christianity, Epiphany 1 (A) – 2023
[RCL] Isaiah 42:1-9; Psalm 29; Acts 10:34-43; Matthew 3:13-17 The Epiphany Season is a time in the church year when we focus on many epiphanies, shinings forth of the glory of Christ, among them his manifestation to Gentiles as an infant, the time at Cana when he supplied wine for a wedding, and his mountaintop […]
Jesus’ Mission Statement, Epiphany 3 (C) – 2022
[RCL] Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10; Psalm 19; 1 Corinthians 12:12-31a; Luke 4:14-21 Today’s gospel presents us with Jesus’ first act of public ministry, described for us in Luke’s gospel. Following his river baptism and his long wilderness fast and temptation, Jesus returns to his home country, Galilee. Reports about him have been spreading through the […]
How Joseph Became a Gift-Giving Man, Epiphany 7 (C) – 2019
Today let’s look at one of the major stories in the Old Testament, and consider how its principal character, whose name is Joseph, changes from a man full of himself to someone who gives the gift of life. In the name of God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. What we heard just now from Genesis—Joseph’s […]
Enough to Raise the Dead, Proper 14 (B) – 2018
Travel to the city of Rome and go to the basilica named for St. Peter. Near the main entrance, you will find one of the most celebrated sculptures in the world, the Pieta of Michelangelo. Mary the mother of Jesus is shown seated. On her lap, in her arms, she holds the lifeless body of […]
This Sacred Discontinuity, Day of Pentecost (B) – 2018
The Bible and the church year commemorate many moments of grace. One of these moments of grace is what we celebrate here on this day of Pentecost: how the Holy Spirit fell like fire upon the infant church, equipping that small assembly for their global mission, energizing that community with nothing less than the life […]
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