“Join me in this journey of faith, where every person's story matters, transitions hold sacred possibilities, and God's love makes all things new.”

Andries (Dries) Coetzee in religious attire giving a sermon, wearing a green stole with Christian symbols, standing at a wooden lectern.

Welcome to my collection of sermons, where faith meets real life, and God's love transforms our communities. These messages emerge from the sacred intersections of my own journey - through apartheid South Africa to the United States of America, through blending families and embracing authenticity, and through discovering how an HIV diagnosis can open doorways to deeper spiritual growth. Each transition in my life has deepened my understanding of God's boundless grace and redemptive love.

As a transitional pastor and catalyst for change, I preach from these liminal spaces - the thresholds between what was and what could be. My sermons weave together vulnerability and clear leadership, humility, and faith-rooted confidence, drawing from my experiences of navigating profound life changes while remaining grounded in God's transformative presence. This authenticity creates spaces where everyone - both in-person and online participants - can feel welcomed, worthy, and included.

You'll find a commitment to justice, mercy, and radical inclusion in these messages, shaped by my journey through multiple cultural contexts and denominations. I believe deeply that God's love knows no bounds and that the church must be a sanctuary where everyone - regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, immigration status, and reproductive decisions - can encounter divine grace and belonging. I aspire for worship to intentionally involve diverse voices in leadership, including youth and children while embracing practices that affirm everyone's dignity.

These selected sermons represent moments of shared worship and spiritual growth from my ministry across diverse communities. Each message emerges from deep listening and authentic engagement, creating space for both personal transformation and communal action. Whether we're exploring questions of faith and surrender, cultivating hope and resilience, deepening our capacity for love and compassion, or pursuing justice and community, each sermon invites us into a deeper understanding of God's all-encompassing love.

I preach with the conviction that fostering compassion and vulnerability is key to unlocking understanding and enabling everyone and everything to flourish. Through these messages, we explore how our own "in-between times" can become journeys of profound discovery and renewal, where truth-telling leads to reconciliation and vulnerability becomes strength.

Join me in this journey of faith, where every person's story matters, transitions hold sacred possibilities, and God's love makes all things new. For more sermons and to experience the full breadth of our worship services, please visit the YouTube channels of the congregations I've served.

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  • My HIV Disclosure: Reclaiming Identity as Sacred Resistance

    My HIV Disclosure: Reclaiming Identity as Sacred Resistance

    Following my HIV disclosure in Presbyterian Outlook, this sermon explores how breaking silence becomes an act of liberation. As Interim Pastor, I connect my personal journey with our congregation's identity work. When systems attempt to erase our stories, speaking truth becomes sacred resistance. Preached March 2, 2025, at Presbyterian United Church of Christ in Saratoga Springs.

  • "Beyond Single Stories: The Power of Today"
    • 2/2/25

    "Beyond Single Stories: The Power of Today"

    Beyond Single Stories: The Power of Today

    Scripture: Luke 4:21-30

    Just as Jesus' hometown reduced him to "Joseph's son," we often limit each other to single stories. Drawing from Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's wisdom about "The Danger of a Single Story," this message explores how we can move beyond stereotypes to truly see one another, especially in times of transition. In doing so, we discover that "Today this scripture is being fulfilled in our hearing."

  • “Reconnected: Finding Our Way in a Lonely World”

    “Reconnected: Finding Our Way in a Lonely World”

    Reconnected: Finding Our Way in a Lonely World

    Scripture: 1 Corinthians 12:12-31a

    Just as a friend's text promising help wasn't merely about avoiding ditches, but about having someone's back, Paul reminds us we are the Body of Christ—integrally connected. In these times of increasing isolation and division, we're called to be a church where worship inspires action and relationships transform lives.

  • Hope and Justice in Psalm 146
    • 9/25/22

    Hope and Justice in Psalm 146

    Scripture Reading: Psalm 146, "Praising God in the Midst of Desecration: Hope and Justice in Psalm 146"

    It appears that with increasing frequency, we are seeing individuals and institutions claiming a right to discriminate – by refusing to provide services to women and LGBT people – based on religious objections.
    So what do we do when our political leaders follow the way of the wicked? The psalmist clearly tells us: God loves the righteous while condemning the wicked.

  • Passing the Torch: Leadership in Abundance
    • 2/12/23

    Passing the Torch: Leadership in Abundance

    Preached at University Presbyterian Church, San Antonio, Texas

    The ideal for church leaders is to make our roles dispensable, recognizing the diverse gifts others bring to help our church flourish. From an abundance perspective, we celebrate all talents, finding beauty when our generation becomes sages, sharing wisdom and spiritual awareness with those who follow.

  • Embracing Acceptance and Unbinding Shame
    • 2/19/23

    Embracing Acceptance and Unbinding Shame

    "A Coming Out Sermon" , Scripture: Matthew 26:36-46 A Coming Out Sermon

    Let's face it, it is not as much about me being gay as it is about us being human. This is not about my path alone but about our journey as community, about what it means to truly follow Jesus.

    Preached at University Presbyterian Church, San Antonio, Texas

  • Saying Goodbye, Crossing  Thresholds
    • 3/5/23

    Saying Goodbye, Crossing Thresholds

    There is no easy way to say goodbye, nor is there a single "right" path through parting. Each of us experiences transitions uniquely, yet there are practices that can guide us. In our spiritual journey at University Presbyterian Church, it is vital we honor this threshold moment together. Preached at University Presbyterian Church, San Antonio, Texas

  • Embodying Christ
    • 6/11/23

    Embodying Christ

    Pride Sermon, "Embodying Christ" (Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26) Preached at St. Andrew Presbyterian Church, San Antonio, TX on June 11, 2023

    Divine Love, literally saved my life when the closet's burden became too much. In recognizing my gay identity, I found I wasn't alone but surrounded by community embodying Divine Love. Queer people, especially trans people, need churches as sanctuary now more than ever.