3rd Sunday in Lent – March 19, 2017
“Give me something to drink,” Jesus says to the Samaritan woman at the well. The writer of John’s Gospel has noted..
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2nd Sunday in Lent – March 12, 2017
Genesis 12:1-4a; Romans 4:1-5, 13-17; John 3:1-17 Lent 2A Nicodemus is still in the dark, unable to see the kingdom of God..
Two coats, barn building and the eye of a needle
If often we in the church don’t have much to say about economics, Jesus sure does. The sermon on the plain, a..
1st Sunday in Lent – March 5, 2017
Genesis 2:15-17; Romans 5:12-19; Matthew 4:1-11 Lent 1A Limits or limitlessness, these are the options before us this first Sunday of Lent...
Remembering: An Ash Wednesday reflection
I have held the last of what remains of an earthly life in my hands, whole people now only ashes, years of..
Transfiguration Sunday – February 26, 2017
Exodus 24:12-18; 2 Peter 1:16-20; Matthew 17:1-9 Transfiguration of the Lord God’s data is, apparently, in the cloud. Is it securely stored..
7th Sunday in Ordinary Time – February 19, 2017
Leviticus 19:1-2, 9-18; 1 Corinthians 3:10-11, 16-23; Matthew 5:38-48 Ordinary 7A Proper 2 You shall be holy. You are God’s temple. Be..
Karma or grace?
I remember repeatedly reminding my children that, as Christians, we believe in grace, not karma. One instance remains vivid in my memory...
6th Sunday in Ordinary Time — February 12, 2017
Deuteronomy 30:15-20; 1 Corinthians 3:1-9; Matthew 5:21-37 Ordinary 6A Proper 1 Earthly actions have heavenly repercussions… Or so it seems to say..
5th Sunday after Epiphany — February 5, 2017
Isaiah 58: 1-9a; Matthew 5:13-20 Ordinary 5A In Matthew’s version of this sermon Jesus is on the mountaintop, talking to his disciples...
Help us – A prayer for such a time as this
Lord God, Help us. How did we get to this place? When was it we made our personal security an idol and..
4th Sunday after Epiphany — January 29, 2017
Micah 6:1-8; 1 Corinthians 1:18-31; Matthew 5:1-12 Ordinary 4A Jesus recognizes a teachable moment with his new disciples. Jesus has been gathering..
Embracing my ignorance
Let’s start with fact that ignorance is unavoidable. Like sin, we can never escape the reality of our finitude. There will always..
3rd Sunday after Epiphany — January 22, 2017
Isaiah 9:1-4; 1 Corinthians 1:10-18; Matthew 4:12-23 Ordinary 3A This is one of those Sundays when everyone in the pew will be..
2nd Sunday after Epiphany – January 15, 2016
John 1:29-42 Is John as surprised as everyone else that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah, the Son of God? It would..
Learning the language of Christianity
Forget New Year’s resolutions, how about a commitment to renewed spiritual practices? Or, dare I say, disciplines? I know, I know… the..
Baptism of the Lord — January 8, 2017
Isaiah 42:1-9; Acts 10:34-43; Matthew 3:13-17 On this Baptism of the Lord Sunday, all three appointed texts present us with accounts of..
1st Sunday after Christmas – January 1, 2017
Isaiah 63:7-9; Hebrews 2:10-18; Matthew 2:13-23 Well, we can’t say we don’t have lots of teaching and preaching choices this Sunday. We..
A bidding prayer for the new year
God of all times and all places, as the calendar flips from one year to the next we are profoundly grateful that..
Would you consider an end-of-year gift to the Outlook?
As 2016 draws to a close I am filled with gratitude for God’s blessings. I have the joy of working with faithful,..
Looking ahead to 2017: New things on the horizon for the Outlook
Friends, As 2016 comes to a close I am keenly aware of divisions: within families, churches and, of course, our country. The passing..
Forming a new family
Black lives matter. I must begin there, and if I begin there then I must confess. I must confess that I was..
A prayer for Christmas Day: Welcoming Christ with Joy
"We pray this Christmas to welcome the Prince of Peace, not just with 'Silent Night,' but with joy, to and for the world..." — Jill Duffield
Christmas Day, 2016
Isaiah 52:7-10; John 1:1-18 This year we have the joy of Christmas falling on a Sunday. My husband grew up Episcopalian and..
Christmas Eve, 2016
Isaiah 9:2-7; Luke 2:1-20 All the world and this one couple with a baby on the way collide in Luke’s Gospel. Events..