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Hillary considers preaching and teaching to be one of the greatest aspects of her vocation and even gave her first sermon at age nine. She is blessed to be able to preach weekly in her parish where she also holds classes in Christian living all year round. She has taught homiletics, liturgy, and spiritual leadership on both the Masters and Doctoral level previously as the Affiliate Professor of Spirituality, Leadership & Practical Theology and the Director of the Center for Christian Spirituality at The General Theological Seminary.

Hillary has traveled extensively all over the country preaching and leading educational and spiritual events in a variety of topics and settings. Such topics include: Indigenous wisdom and blood memory, reconciliation, liturgical studies, spiritual leadership, preaching, scripture, evangelism, building Christian community, meditation, pilgrimage, retreats, bee-keeping as eco-stewardship, parenting and the Daring Way, creativity in worship and much more!

As a long-time yoga practitioner and 500 hour registered yoga instructor, Hillary also teaches yoga and meditation regularly in a class that is free and open to the whole community. She practices and teaches primarily in the Ashtanga system of yoga which blends energetic postures with deep intentional aspects to help aid in prayer and holy living.

Along with the media selections below, you can find Hillary’s weekly sermons at St. Christopher’s Website. Additional teachings of Hillary’s are always being added to The Hive (including bible studies, spirituality, children’s classes, and more!)

 
 
 
 

Revisiting the 2018 Easter service with a new sermon to reflect the 2020 COVID-19 realities.

Sermon following the school shooting in Uvalde

 
 

Meditations & Prayer

More of Hillary’s meditations can be found at The Hive

How to set up and bless a home altar with Hillary Raining! Instructions here: bit.ly/altar-at-home

Audio Sermons

Please note: Audio files may delay for a few seconds before playback begins.

Guest Podcast Interviews

selected Presentations

  • “Life Transformed: The Way of Love in Lent”- Co-authored a series of adult forums, quiet day retreats, video series, sermon series, and podcast series for The Episcopal Church which served as the 2019 Lenten Offering worldwide. This set of teachings ties the Easter Vigil readings to the seven practices of the Way of Love. Presented this work at St. Christopher’s Church, the Diocese of Bethlehem, and the Clergy Retreat for the Diocese of Upper South Carolina. (2019)

  • “Returning and Becoming: A Retreat with Pádraig Ó Tuama”- Kanuga Retreat Center- Raining was a featured presenter at this powerful retreat experience leading a workshop on creating and sustaining a spiritual practice. She also led daily meditations, yoga classes, and forest bathing opportunities. (2023)

  • “Vulnerability, Creativity, & Innovation: A Pilgrimage Through the Heart of the Universe: The Leaders Way” - Yale Divinity School- Workshop offered as part of the faculty for Berkeley Divinity School at Yale’s inaugural year-long cohort-based learning immersion for Episcopal and Anglican clergy leaders. Hillary’s workshop will focused on the vital connection between vulnerability and creativity to begin a journey into the heart of the God of love. (2023)

  • “The Confessing Church Sings her Song”- Lecture given at The Diocese of Pennsylvania’s History Committee’s Seventh Annual Fall Forum on “Music and the Liturgy.” The Forum explored, through an historical lens, the broad topics of how music and liturgy combine. (2023)

  • “Being Grateful In All Things”- Keynote theological talk opening the Diocsian Convention for the Diocese of WNY & NWPA. (2023)

  • “A Sacred Cycle”-  Trinity Spiritual Center- Women’s Health Summit- Workshop exploring practices that enable women to align and optimize their physical and spiritual health according to life cycles and the seasons. (2023)

  • “A View from the Bee Hive: Exploring the Evolution of Christianity”- Wild Goose Festival- Presentation introducing participants to the guiding principles of Hive Christianity that pulled from the natural world, mystic wisdom, Indigenous spirituality, and trauma-informed research to help plant the seeds of the spiritual revolution in our own time. (2023)

  • “Spiritual Practices for Modern Day Mystics”- Featured on the Shift Network’s 2022 Mystic Summit, this talk helped listeners engage the great mystic lineage that is ours to pull from today. (Summer 2022)

  • “Hive Christianity Class”- The Shift Network has a reach of over 3 million members worldwide! In this 7 part class, Hillary helped participants transform fear and spiritual trauma with wisdom from the great mystics, Indigenous spirituality, and trauma-informed research. (Lent 2023)

  • “Blood Memory and Spiritual Inheritance”- In this two-part series, The Rev. Dr. Hillary Raining, Saint Mark’s 2022 Theologian-in-Residence, explores the role of our ancestors in shaping our lives as well as how we might help heal ourselves and others. (Lent 2022). Click here to find the resources and video recordings of these talks.

  • “Mary Magdalene: A Tower of Lineage”- The Rev. Dr. Hillary Raining, Saint Mark’s 2022 Theologian-in-Residence, shares some of the latest research on Mary Magdalene’s lasting impact and engages in spiritual healing practices based on her towering lineage. (Summer 2022)

  • “Spiritual Practices as Balm for the Soul”- The Rev. Dr. Hillary Raining, Saint Mark’s 2022 Theologian-in-Residence, invites us to explore some of the deep spiritual practices of our ancestors of the Christian faith. These practices—new and old—can bring wisdom and joy to our souls. Click here to find the resources and recording of this talk. (Spring 2022)

  • “Liturgy & Intersectionality: Appropriation or Appreciation?”- How do we pray and worship in a way that fully reflects the fullness of the Kin-dom of God while also honoring the integrity of identity? How can our liturgies be shaped with appreciation of all people vs. appropriation without true integration? Reconciling liturgical traditions that were shaped from a primarily white viewpoint takes the ability to have open and honest conversations around creativity and change, and requires alliance on the Holy Spirit’s call to be one in Christ. (Fall 2022)

  • “Living The Virtues”- Opening Retreat designer and leader for the 2021-22 academic year for The General Theological Seminary.

  • “Taking Flight: Brining Ancient Spiritual Practices to Modern Spiritual People”- Speaker at the Lenten Colloquium at General Theological Seminary on Digital Evangelism through the work on The Hive. General Theological Seminary. (2019)

  • "Holy Week: St. Christopher's Church, Gladwyne, PA" - Live-streaming video project in conjunction with The Episcopal Church. This projected streamed live services through the whole of Holy Week to over 15,550 viewers worldwide. This project has served as the kickoff series for similar ongoing offerings from The Episcopal Church. This project was revised in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The original footage was used from the services and incorporated new sermons appropriate to the troubling times. Additionally, two weeks’ worth of morning and evening prayers were offered up for the whole Episcopal Church with the clergy and Bishop at St. Christopher’s.- Holy Week, (2018 & 2020) 

  • Returning guest on the “Prophetic Voices: Preaching and Teaching Beloved Community” preaching podcast from the Episcopal Church, 2020-21. [Advent Episode Available Here]

  • "To Hell and Back: Trauma and Liturgy"- Presentation for The Diocese of Pennsylvanian Clergy Day, 2020. See the video here.

  • "Wisdom in Wonder: Evangelism for Modern Mystics: Plenary Co-Speaker at the Episcopal Church's National Evangelism Matters Conference, Cleveland Heights, OH (2018) 

  • "Revisiting the Rite of Reconciliation" - Paper presented to the Liturgical Theology seminar at the Annual meeting of the North American Academy of Liturgy, Washington, DC (2017) Paper later published in the peer-reviewed journal "Worship." (2018)

  • “Joy in Confession: Reconciliation as a Gateway for Discipleship”- Workshop Presenter, Renewal Works Conference, Whitemarsh, PA (2017)

  • "Joy In Confession"- Women's Retreat Leader for St. Peter & St. Paul Episcopal Church, Marietta, GA (2018)

  • “Reconciliation in Pastoral Ministry”- Guest Session Lecture, Lutheran Theological Seminary, Philadelphia, PA (2016)

  • “Vitality & Effectiveness: Sharing Stories in the Missionary Church”-Keynote speaker at the Invite, Welcome, Connect Summit, Navasota, TX (2016)

  • “Eggs and Tombs: Reflections on the Icon of St. Mary Magdalene”- Presentation, St. George’s Quiet Day (2017)

  • “Of Veils and Virgins: My Life with the Bees”- Article published in “Fidelia’s Magazine” the publication of the Young Clergy Women Project (2016)

  • “Called to be a Pilgrim”- Presenter, Diocese of Bethlehem’s Daughters of the King Lenten Quiet Day, Douglassville, PA (2016)

  • “Julian of Norwich”- Guest Session Lecture, Eastern University, Wayne, PA (2015)

  • “Daring Parenting: Vulnerable Bravery for Families”- Co-Presenter of workshop, Chestnut Hill, PA (2015)

  • “The Wisdom of Proverbs”- Presenter of Diocese of Bethlehem’s ECW Quiet Day, Mountain Top, PA (2015)

  • “Reclaiming Reconciliation”- Presentation for Diocese of Bethlehem Clergy Day, Scranton, PA (2015)

  • “By Who’s Authority?: Faithfully Exercising Authority in the Missionary Church” –Theme Presentation, Gathering of Leaders Conference, Albuquerque, New Mexico (2016)