Contributors
  • Garth Wehrfritz- Hanson

    Contributing sermons since Jan 1, 2000
Garth's church

The Bethany Group-Bethany Meadows
Camrose, *Province/Other T4V 4Y6
780-679-1013

About Garth
  • Education: B.A., University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon M.Div., Lutheran Theological Seminary, Saskatoon Four quarters (units) of Clinical Pastoral Education: one quarter (unit) at the University of Alberta Hospital in Edmonton, and three quarters (units) at the Peter Loughheed Hospital and Foothills Hospital in Calgary.
  • Experience: Presently in my 32nd year of ordained ministry within the Evangelical Lutheran Church In Canada.
  • Comment to those looking at my sermons: My hope and prayer is that these sermons would, by God’s grace, inspire and strengthen faith and draw folks closer to Christ.
  • Sermon or series that made a difference: Too numerous to mention.
  • One of my favorite illustrations: On loving your enemy: On October 20, 1958 the Great Chamber of the Supreme Court in Warsaw opened proceedings against Nazi District Commander Erich Koch. The accused was brought forth from the Warsaw prison. Koch declared on the first day of trial, "If I am still living, it is thanks solely to a great woman, the prison physician, Dr. Kaminska" [Dr. Kaminska is Jewish]. From: Pinchas Lapide, The Sermon On The Mount: Utopia or Program For Action (Maryknoll, New York: Orbis Books, 1986), p. 91.
  • What my spouse (really) thinks of my sermons: Appreciates them.
  • Best advice given to me about preaching: Much wise advice from several of my seminary professors, however one of my favourite quotes attributed to John Stott is: "A sermon should afflict the comfortable and comfort the afflicted."
  • Books that have had an impact: Too numerous to mention.
  • If I could Preach one more time, I would say...: Jesus loves you/me/us/the world this I know, for the Bible tells me so.
  • Something funny that happened while preaching: In the midst of a sermon, a visitor exited a fire escape door and set off the alarm.
  • What I want on my tombstone: A forgiven sinner saved by grace.
Browse All

Newest Sermons

  • The Amazing Holy Spirit

    Contributed on Jun 4, 2017
     | 6,134 views

    A sermon based on all three Year A lectionary pericopes for the Day of Pentecost: Numbers 11:24-30; Acts 2:1-21; John 7:37-39.

    Day of Pentecost Yr A, 4/06/2017 Num 11:24-30; Acts 2:1-21; Jn 7:37-39 Rev. Garth Wehrfritz-Hanson “The amazing Holy Spirit” Today we celebrate the third major festival of the church year, the Day of Pentecost. Pentecost means fifty, and so it is an appropriate name, since Pentecost Sunday ...read more

  • “marana-Tha—our Lord, Come!”

    Contributed on May 7, 2016
     | 7,018 views

    Sermon focusing on how Jesus comes in our lives.

    7 Easter Yr C, 8/05/2016 Rev 22:12-14, 16-17, 20-21 Rev. Garth Wehrfritz-Hanson "Marana-tha--Our Lord, come!" I don’t know if you noticed it while I was reading our passage from Revelation—the words “coming” and “come” are mentioned 6 times. That got me ...read more

  • Easter, The Best Good News Or Best-Kept Secret?

    Contributed on Apr 7, 2016
     | 8,831 views

    Easter is the best Good News we could possibly hear, therefore it is worth sharing with others.

    Easter, is it the best good news ever told, or is it the best-kept secret? I think that is an important question for you and me and for everyone. If we take our passages seriously from Psalm 118 and Luke 24; then I suggest to you today that God’s way is that of resurrection; he is able to ...read more

  • Jesus The Messiah-King

    Contributed on Mar 21, 2016
     | 6,192 views

    Jesus enters Jerusalem on that first Palm Sunday, riding on a donkey, symbol of humility and peace. Jesus as the true Messiah-King is different than all would-be Messiahs and Kings.

    Palm/Passion Sunday Yr C, 20/03/2016 Lk 19:28-40 Rev. Garth Wehrfritz-Hanson “Jesus the Messiah-King” The first hymn that we sang today, “All glory, laud, and honour, to you, Redeemer King,” is a favourite one for Palm Sunday. Christians sing the hymn around the ...read more

  • Prodigality, Love And Grace

    Contributed on Mar 5, 2016
     | 5,152 views

    A few details of this beautiful parable that we may miss or take for granted because we think the story is so familiar.

    The so-called parable of the prodigal son is one of the—if not the—most beautiful stories in the whole Bible. God, it is pointed out, is like the father in the story. The beauty and power of this story is made very clear in the description and actions of the father. One of the dangers ...read more

Browse All

Newest Sermon Series

Browse All

Newest Sermon Illustrations

  • Jeremiah Says: "The Lord Is Our Righteousness." ...

    Contributed on Nov 23, 2007
     | 3,697 views

    Jeremiah says: “The LORD IS OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.” God sees us as righteous by looking at Jesus. Unlike all other kings, King Jesus is without sin. What he has and is—namely, his righteousness—becomes what we shall receive as a gift of grace. He is OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS because he is the only one who ...read more

  • Martin Luther, Commenting On Isaiah 65, Had This ...

    Contributed on Apr 6, 2007
     | 2,204 views

    Martin Luther, commenting on Isaiah 65, had this to say: Through his Gospel God can make the supreme tyrants of the world subject to a simple man and preacher, even though these tyrants were lions and wolves. God can turn enemies into friends. They shall feed together ... The kingdom of peace ...read more

  • Some People Don't Need Much Of An Excuse To Stay ...

    Contributed on Nov 13, 2006
     | 2,062 views

    Some people don’t need much of an excuse to stay home from church. If it even looks like it might rain, they don’t want to risk getting a little wet. The hymn writer Frances Havergal gave several reasons for attending church—especially on rainy days. 1. God has blessed the Lord’s Day, making no ...read more

  • The Lovely Words Of Praise And Faith Found In The ...

    Contributed on Sep 29, 2006
    based on 2 ratings
     | 2,261 views

    The lovely words of praise and faith found in the hymn Now Thank We All Our God would lead us to believe that this hymn was written during a time of victory. Quite the opposite was the case. Martin Rinkart, a Lutheran pastor in Eilenburg, Germany, wrote the hymn during the Thirty Year War which ...read more

  • Paul And The Philippians Remembered And ...

    Contributed on Dec 1, 2003
    based on 6 ratings
     | 5,972 views

    Paul and the Philippians remembered and supported one another in prayer. A joyful, loving, and caring church is one which keeps each other in prayer. Oftentimes, we fail to be a joyful, loving, caring Christian community because we fail to remember and support each other in prayer. There are many ...read more