Holy Trinity Silicon Valley - Homilies & Sermons

"Passion Sunday" - David McGaw

What do you do when God seems late and the situation has already gone past the point of no return? This sermon sits with the hardest question faith asks us to hold: not whether God can bring life from death, but what we do while we wait.
In this final Sunday of Lent before Holy Week, David McGaw explores the painful pause between death and resurrection through the lens of Ezekiel's valley of dry bones and the raising of Lazarus in John 11. Both stories share the same arc: loss, an agonizing wait, and then new life that exceeds anything anyone imagined. But for the people living through it, the wait felt like the end. Whether you're navigating career uncertainty in Silicon Valley, grieving a relationship, or sitting with a dream that seems permanently gone, this message explores what it looks like to speak hope into the driest places of your life and keep showing up when you can't yet see what God is doing.
IN THIS EPISODE
Why the biblical pattern of "death, waiting, then resurrection" matters for people living through seasons of uncertainty and loss right now
What the repeated word "breath" (ruach) in Ezekiel 37 reveals about God's Spirit already being at work before we see results
The overlooked detail in John 11 that suggests Jesus was actively engaged even when it looked like he was doing nothing
How Thomas's quiet, resigned faithfulness ("let us go, that we may die with him") models what courage actually looks like when the outcome is unclear
Why the things God restores in your life are not just for you but become a story that walks others through their own valleys
SCRIPTURE AND LITURGICAL SEASON
Ezekiel 37:1-14 (Valley of Dry Bones) John 11:1-45 (The Raising of Lazarus) Psalm 130 ("Out of the Depths") Romans 8:11 Fifth Sunday in Lent
CONNECT WITH US
https://www.holytrinitysv.org
Join us for worship this Sunday at Holy Trinity Silicon Valley in Palo Alto. Visit holytrinitysv.org for service times and details. Follow @HolyTrinitySV on Instagram and Facebook. As we enter Holy Week, all are welcome to walk with us through the story that changed everything.

"Drink & Live" - Mayo Adigun

Why does Jesus ask a Samaritan woman for a drink - and what does her story have to do with your deepest longings?
In this Lenten sermon, Mayo Adigun traces the thread of thirst from Israel's wilderness in Exodus to a quiet well in Samaria, where Jesus crosses every barrier (ethnic, social, and moral) to reach one woman carrying the weight of five broken covenants. Drawing on John 4, Genesis's well scenes, Isaiah's promise, and insights from Augustine, Tolkien, and Calvin, Mayo reveals that this is no ordinary encounter: the Bridegroom has come to the well.
This message explores what it means to be fully known and fully loved, why Lent invites us to sit in our thirst long enough to remember the true source, and how one transformed life overflowed into an entire community.
Holy Trinity Silicon Valley is an Anglican church in the heart of the Bay Area. Learn more at holytrinitysv.org.

"God Our Hope" - Rev. John Gorin

In this sermon, Rev. John Gorin draws on the harrowing story of the Donner Party and the quiet, prayerful faith of Patrick Breen, a father who kept a diary of devotion through months of starvation and freezing cold to explore what it means to hope in God when circumstances feel impossible.
From the headlines of military escalation in the Middle East to sweeping AI-driven layoffs, and from the personal struggles we each carry into every season, Rev. Gorin asks: how's your hope meter? Walking through Psalm 33 and the story of Israel's deliverance from Egypt, he reminds us that God specializes in impossible situations: Not to leave us alone in them, but to carry us through by his grace. This Lenten season, we're invited to become people of prayerful hope, trusting that the God who gives eternal life through his Son is also the God who provides, protects, and never forsakes.
Scripture: Psalm 33:16–22, John 3:16, 2 Corinthians 1:8–9
To find out more about Holy Trinity Silicon Valley:
https://www.holytrinitysv.org

”A Gym For The Soul” - David McGaw

What if temptation isn't something to be embarrassed about, or dismissed with a wink and a smile? In this first Sunday sermon of Lent 2026, David McGaw takes on one of Christianity's most misunderstood topics and reframes it entirely: temptation isn't cute, but it doesn't have to be crushing either. It's an invitation to grow.
Opening with a crowd-singalong of The Temptations' "My Girl," David draws a sharp contrast between our culture's tendency to make sin seem charming ("sinfully delicious," anyone?) and what Scripture actually says about the life cycle of temptation from the Garden of Eden to the wilderness of Jesus's forty-day fast.
In this message, you'll explore:
- Why Eve's story is more relatable than we'd like to admit and what it reveals about how rational people fall for irrational choices
- How Jesus's time in the wilderness wasn't forty days of spiritual combat, but a season of focused preparation a "gym for the soul"
- Why Jesus's responses to the devil weren't magic incantations, but a deep recall of God's faithfulness throughout history
- The practical difference between giving something *up* for Lent and taking something *on* and how even small disruptions (like swapping Diet Coke) can rewire your spiritual habits
- What N.T. Wright's "From Wilderness to Glory" reveals about learning to recognize the voices that "whisper attractive lies"
Whether you're a lifelong Lent observer or new to the Anglican tradition, this message is an honest, warm, and surprisingly funny guide to why the wilderness isn't a punishment, it's a gift. And why the pruning season is exactly when new growth begins.
Recorded at Holy Trinity Silicon Valley, February 22, 2026 — the First Sunday of Lent.

Last Sunday of Epiphany - Deacon Cindy Miller

As we observe the final Sunday in the season of Epiphany, we move from the revelation of the wise men to the ultimate revelation of Jesus’ divine nature. In this episode, we explore the Transfiguration, a pivotal event recorded in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke that confirms Jesus as both incarnate and divine.
To find out more about Holy Trinity Silicon Valley head to:
https://www.holytrinitysv.org

Ash Wednesday 2026 - Rev. John Gorin

What would it take to completely reset your life? In this Ash Wednesday message, Rev. John Gorin of Holy Trinity Silicon Valley opens the Lenten season with a powerful reflection on letting go of ego, self-reliance, and the worldly scorekeeping that pulls us away from God.
Drawing on the remarkable story of U.S. Olympic skier Colby Stephenson, who survived a devastating car accident and returned to competition with a transformed perspective, Rev. Gorin explores how Lent invites us into a similar kind of reset. Before his accident, Stephenson described himself as ego-driven and obsessed with winning. After it, he called his renewed athletic career "the bonus years". This was a gift he didn't deserve. Sound familiar?
In this sermon, you'll explore:
Why Lent is less about guilt and more about liberation from the habits that crowd out Christ
The three ancient Lenten disciplines of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving and why Jesus practiced all three
How God meets us in our reset not as a judge with a scorecard, but as the compassionate Father of Psalm 103
What it means to live the "bonus years" of a grace-filled life
Whether you're new to Lent, returning after years away, or simply feeling a nagging distance from God, this message is for you. Lent is not a season of shame, it's an invitation to turn your head from the things of this world and into the loving, truthful presence of Christ.
Recorded at Holy Trinity Silicon Valley's Ash Wednesday service, February 2026.

”Lord of The Harvest” - Rev. John Gorin

In this sermon delivered on Mission Sunday during the liturgical season of Epiphany, we explore the calling of every believer to be an agent of rescue in a world that is "harassed and helpless". Drawing from the dramatic true story of a young boy's grueling swim to save his family stranded at sea, the message frames our mission through three distinct lenses: rescue is our experience because we share the grace we have first received; compassion is our guide** as we allow the visceral needs of those around us to direct our focus; and prayer is our action . Rather than simply "working harder," we are invited to petition the Lord of the harvest to send more workers, trusting that the same Kingdom power that overcomes despair, disease, and division will continue to multiply through our faithful presence in our local communities.
To find out more about Holy Trinity Silicon Valley:
https://www.holytrinitysv.org
Socials: @HolyTrinitySV
For any questions or resources:
info@holytrinitysv.org

”Church Matters: The Foolishness of God” - Rev. John Gorin

Podcast Episode: The Foolishness of God
In the series finale of "Church Matters," we explore Paul’s letter to a Corinthian church struggling to find its identity amidst a culture obsessed with **money, sex, and power**. While the world demands visible signs of strength and sophisticated intellectualism, the Gospel offers something seemingly contradictory: a crucified Messiah.
This episode dives into the tension between worldly "wisdom" and the "foolishness" of the Cross. We examine the ancient influences of the **Stoics, Epicureans, and Sophists**—the influencers of their day—and how their pursuit of self-mastery and pleasure mirrors our modern scramble for status and technological dominance.
Join us as we learn to rest in the peace and trust of a God who has already won the battle. The church matters because we are the messengers and the living embodiment of a Gospel that truly saves.

”Church Matters” - Rev John Gorin

In this episode, we dive into the second part of our "Church Matters" series, exploring Saint Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians. While the Corinthians were "sanctified" and set apart for a special mission, they found themselves deeply fractured by earthly allegiances and personality cults.
From favoring the intellectual rhetoric of Apollos to the traditional roots of Cephas (Peter), the early church was struggling with the same divisions we face today.
We examine the "unhealed self"—that part of us that seeks worth in status, talent, or tribalism instead of finding our complete identity in Jesus Christ. Using the powerful example of the Apostles Matthew (a former tax collector) and Simon the Zealot (a political revolutionary), we see how Christ brings together "arch-enemies" to become brothers in a spiritual kingdom.
In this episode, you’ll discover:
The Cost of Division: Why internal friction erodes the "fruitfulness" of our ministry and work.
Conflict vs. Division: How the early church used prayer and practical solutions (like the appointment of deacons) to address grievances without breaking fellowship.
The "Smokey the Bear" Principle: Why "only you" can prevent division by practicing proactive humility and forgiveness.
Healing the Unhealed Self: Moving from seeking worldly affirmation to resting in an "unshakable love" that can never be taken away.
Join us as we learn how to move from a place of fraction to a place of flourishing by making Jesus the "be-all and end-all" of our lives.

”God Loves The Church” - Rev. John Gorin

Does the church still matter in today’s world? In this sermon, Rev. John Gorin opens our three-part series, **"Church Matters,"** by exploring the opening of Paul’s letter to the church in Corinth. Despite being located in a bustling, secular commercial hub, the Corinthian church was called to be a "sanctified" and "equipped" presence—a calling that remains just as vital for us today in Silicon Valley.
Drawing from 1 Corinthians 1:1-9, Rev. Gorin highlights three primary functions of the "called-out assembly" (ecclesia):
Worship God: Our first order of business is to exalt the Lord together, acknowledging His presence and sovereign plan.
Encourage One Another:Using our unique spiritual gifts to build up the body, finding the strength to live for Christ in a challenging culture.
Witness to the World: Acting as ambassadors of grace and hope to those who have yet to hear the Good News.
Whether you are seeking a community, feeling discouraged by past experiences, or looking to deepen your mission, discover why the local church is the vessel God uses to bring His love and power to the world.
**Connect with Holy Trinity Silicon Valley:**
Visit Us: Join our weekly "called-out assembly" for worship and fellowship.
Next Week:
Tune in as we dive deeper into the challenges faced by the church in Corinth and how they apply to our lives today.