12th Sunday after Pentecost – August 27, 2017
Exodus 1:8-2:10; Romans 12:1-8; Matthew 16:13-20 Ordinary 21A; Proper 16 “It’s who you know.” Ever heard that phrase? Numerous friends have shared..
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11th Sunday after Pentecost — August 20, 2017
Ordinary 20A; Proper 15 Genesis 45:1-15; Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32; Matthew 15:21-28 Emotions reverberate through both the Old and New Testament readings for..
Dear President Trump: An invitation from Jill Duffield to visit Charlottesville
Dear President Trump, You saw the videos. I was there. I was there with other ministers, rabbis and pastors: faith leaders standing..
Photo Album: Charlottesville community meeting – what can we do now?
Following a weekend of violence in which white nationalists spilled their bigotry and hatred onto the streets of Charlottesville, the people of..
Our words and God’s Word: A reflection on Charlottesville
Many groups, two sides, one right response Many groups converged on Charlottesville, Virginia, last weekend, but only two sides were represented: good..
A prayer for Charlottesville
Outlook editor Jill Duffield, who lives in Charlottesville, wrote this prayer after participating, along with other clergy, in a call for love,..
Photo album: Calls for love, not hate, in Charlottesville
Presbyterian Outlook editor Jill Duffield was among those in Charlottesville, Virginia, who turned out Saturday (Aug. 12) in opposition to a sometimes-violent..
10th Sunday after Pentecost — August 13, 2017
Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28: Romans 10:5-15; Matthew 14:22-33 Ordinary 19A; Proper 14 I once had someone tell me that he didn’t believe in..
Praying for peace (a prayer for worship by Jill Duffield)
Outlook editor Jill Duffield wrote this prayer for peace as tensions rise between the United States and North Korea, and a white..
9th Sunday after Pentecost — August 6, 2017
Genesis 32:22-31; Matthew 14:13-21 Ordinary 18A; Proper 13 Jesus tries to get away, at least for a short time. He gets in..
The log in my own eye
AIDS, homelessness, wars fought at a distance and quickly, famine in far-off countries, marriages, deaths, cocaine addiction and alcoholism, divorce, youth struggling..
8th Sunday after Pentecost – July 30, 2017
Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52 Ordinary 17A; Proper 12 What is the kingdom of heaven like? A) A mustard seed B) Yeast C) Buried..
7th Sunday after Pentecost – July 23, 2017
Genesis 28:10-19a; Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 Ordinary 16A; Proper 11 “Let me sleep on it.” That’s the phrase we use when we aren’t..
Presbyterian pastor
Fewer and fewer people I encounter have any idea what “Presbyterian” means. When, upon meeting someone, I am asked, “What do you..
6th Sunday after Pentecost – July 16, 2017
Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 Ordinary 15A; Proper 10 Jesus’ parable of the sower would not make it into a self-help book. Nor would..
The people in the Big Tent
This year’s Big Tent conference took place in St. Louis and had the theme, “Race, Reconciliation, Reformation.” As I prepared to go,..
Bible study at Big Tent: Diversity as a gift from God
ST. LOUIS – Eric Barreto, an associate professor of New Testament at Princeton Theological Seminary, led Bible study July 7 at Big Tent..
5th Sunday after Pentecost – July 9, 2017
Genesis 24:34-38, 42-49, 58-67; Romans 7:15-25a; Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30 Ordinary 14A; Proper 9 Sometimes you just can’t win. Sometimes anything you say..
J. Herbert Nelson challenges Big Tent attendees: Who will we serve?
ST. LOUIS – Opening worship began with a rousing spiritual at Big Tent 2017, where approximately 600 Presbyterians came together under the..
Prayer for the country on July 4
Everlasting God, our country, like each of us, is a mixed bag of beauty and brutality. Our ideals are lofty, but our..
July 2, 2017 – 4th Sunday after Pentecost
Genesis 22:1-14; Matthew 10:40-42 Ordinary 13A; Proper 8 Discipleship is not all about rejection and persecution. Here, in the last two verses..
June 25, 2017 – 3rd Sunday after Pentecost
Genesis 21:8-21; Romans 6:1b-11; Matthew 10:24-39 Ordinary 12A; Proper 7 I do not like biblical door number one or biblical door number..
Beloved – A prayer
Lord God, why do we insist on putting boundaries on your limitless love? You create us and call us good, made in..
A time to speak and a time to remain silent
I recently came across this quote attributed to F. Scott Fitzgerald: “The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold..
June 18, 2017 – 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Matthew 9:35-10:23 Ordinary 11A Proper 7 I have never before noticed how a few of these verses from this long lectionary passage..