5th Sunday after Pentecost — July 14, 2019
Amos 7:7-17; Luke 10:25-37 Ordinary 15C; Proper 10 “Amos, what do you see?” “A plumb line.” “What is written in the law?..
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Books that make me want to be and do better
In May of this year Ibram X. Kendi, director of the Antiracist Research and Policy Center at American University, published “An Antiracist..
Staff spotlight: Roy Howard
Pastor, writer, coach and Presbyterian Outlook book editor since 2009, Roy Howard possesses many gifts and shares them generously with the world. ..
4th Sunday after Pentecost — July 7, 2019
2 Kings 5:1-14; Luke 10:1-11, 16-20 Ordinary 14C; Proper 9 Seventy-two disciples. One servant girl. A group of Naaman’s servants. Not battalions..
Prayer for the Fourth of July
God of all tribes and every nation, on this day of cookouts and fireworks, parades and pool parties, we pause to remember..
3rd Sunday after Pentecost — June 30, 2019
2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14; Luke 9:51-62 Ordinary 13C; Proper 8 The point of no return looms over both the reading from 2..
Prayer for the migrant children and their families
Lord whose love is boundless, whose mercy knows no borders, whose grace cannot be thwarted by fences, walls or barriers, forgive us..
Milestones and moments
Sitting beside my daughter, a senior in high school, in a darkened theatre in Charleston, South Carolina, I heard the author of..
2nd Sunday after Pentecost — June 23, 2019
1 Kings 19:1-15a; Luke 8:26-39 Ordinary 12C; Proper 7 Elijah, on the run, fleeing Jezebel, seeks refuge in the wilderness, under a..
Trinity Sunday — June 16, 2019
Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31; Romans 5:1-5; John 16:12-15 Our God is characterized by collaboration. Wisdom speaks in Proverbs about being beside God from..
Staff spotlight: Jana Blazek
Jana Blazek joined the Presbyterian Outlook staff in 2011 and continues to bring passion, commitment and excellence to everything she does. And..
Imagining a better life together
Another mass shooting. This time in a municipal office building in Virginia Beach. The news reported that this was the most..
Pentecost prayer
Come, Holy Spirit, bring light to places too long languishing in deep darkness and relentless fear. Come, Holy Spirit, bring fires..
Pentecost — June 9, 2019
Acts 2:1-21 What would it mean for followers of Jesus Christ to speak of God in languages the world could understand? I..
Navigating changes in church leadership
We pastor-types do not look for a job, we seek a call. Churches do not hire a minister, they extend a call...
Prayer for Virginia Beach
Loving God, we defy your goodness and deny your character of kindness in the violent acts we inflict upon each other. Why,..
Prayer for those beset by tornadoes and floods
Lord, when tornadoes touch down and flood waters rise, we are reminded of how quickly our lives can change, how fragile the..
Staff spotlight: Leslie Scanlon
Leslie Scanlon has been the Presbyterian Outlook’s national reporter since 2000. She has covered countless Presbyterian meetings, written a myriad of feature..
Prayer for Memorial Day
Lord, what we remember of the past shapes who we are today and influences how we will act tomorrow. On this..
6th Sunday of Easter — May 26, 2019
Acts 16:9-15; Revelation 21:10; 21:22-22:5; John 5:1-9 “I go down, down, down.” Reflecting on her experience of walking from the concrete deck..
5th Sunday of Easter — May 19, 2019
Acts 11:1-18; Revelation 21:1-6; John 13:31-35 Easter 5C Gentiles receive the Holy Spirit. A whole new heaven and earth emerges. The holy..
More than honesty
“I’m just being honest.” Often, I’ve found that short phrase comes after a biting comment. As if “being honest” absolves the speaker..
4th Sunday of Easter — May 12, 2019
Acts 9:36-43; Revelation 7:9-17; John 10:23-30 Easter 4C A multitude of nations. Every tribe. All peoples and languages. When I read about..
3rd Sunday of Easter — May 5, 2019
Acts 9:1-20; Revelation 5:11-14; John 21:1-19 Easter 3C The risen Christ startles Saul. Angels, every creature in heaven and on earth serenade..
All are welcome?
I cannot count the number of church signs that contain the sentiment or the sentence: “All are welcome.” Occasionally the message reads..