27th Sunday in Ordinary Time – October 4, 2015
Job 1:1, 2:1-10; Hebrews 1:1-4, 2:5-12; Mark 10:2-16 The Pharisees know the answer to the question they pose to Jesus. Hence, this..
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Rejoice always
My daughter looked at a picture of Pope Francis and said, “He looks like a happy person.” I responded, “I think he..
Pastoral grief
There were not infrequent times in ministry when I found myself overwhelmed with a kind of cosmic grief. It wasn’t depression —..
26th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Proper 21 – September 27, 2015
Esther 7:1-6, 9-10, 9:20-22; James 5:13-20; Mark 9:38-50 “My Jesus, My Savior” do you know the song? It is nice, catchy. It..
25th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Proper 20 – September 20, 2015
Proverbs 31:10-31; James 3:13-4:3, 7-8a; Mark 9:30-37 I am having a psychological conundrum around this week’s texts. There is Proverbs 31, that ode..
Stewards of the mysteries of God
Our schools, like our churches and our ministers, have no clear conceptions of what they are doing but are carrying on traditional..
24th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Proper 19 – September 13, 2015
This Sunday we see Jesus the master teacher in action. There is back-and-forth, questions and answers, exposition and application. Clearly, there is..
Today we remember
Today is one of those days when we individually, collectively, remember where we were when. God admonishes us to remember. Remember you..
In memory of Aylan, Galip and Rehen (A prayer for worship by Jill Duffield)
What can we do but weep, Lord God? We cry out with Hagar for all the children whose mothers cannot provide them..
23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Proper 18 – September 6, 2015
Proverbs 22:1-2, 8-9, 22-23; James 2:1-10, 14-17; Mark 7:24-37 Sandwiched (pun intended) between the feeding of the five thousand and the..
This is the Word of the Lord!
I have now been on the other side of the pulpit for six months. My overwhelming response to this new vantage point is..
22nd Sunday of Ordinary Time, Proper 17 – August 30, 2015
Song of Solomon 2:8-13; Psalm 45:1-2, 6-9; James 1:17-27; Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 At first read, I didn’t notice many –..
Don’t give up, don’t give in and don’t give out: John Lewis speaks at Montreat
Congressman John Lewis showed no signs of giving up, in or out as he paced, gestured and spoke with passion to a..
21st Sunday of Ordinary Time, Proper 16 – August 23, 2015
Ephesians 6:10-20; John 6:56-69 We have finally come to the end of John chapter 6 – from the feeding of the 5,000..
It is about the money
It is that most wonderful time of the church year: stewardship season! If your congregation is like most, fall is the time..
20th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Proper 15 – August 16, 2015
Ephesians 5:15-20; John 6:51-58 This is just strange, isn’t it? Talk of eating flesh and drinking blood brings to mind..
19th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Proper 14 – August 9, 2015
2 Samuel 18:5-9, 15, 31-11 Ephesians 4:25-5:2 John 6:35, 41-51 More about the bread. And there is still more next..
2015 Bible Conference at Massanetta Springs tells the Christian story
Massanetta Springs Camp and Conference Center in Harrisonburg, Virginia, kicked off the 92nd annual Bible and Music Conference on July 26. Best..
God’s Word to us
John, the parish associate at my first call, was a person I admired greatly and from whom I learned a lot. He..
18th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Proper 13 – August 2, 2015
Ephesians 4:1-16; John 6:24-35 Some of the crowd who were fed on the mountainside search for Jesus. They are seekers. People who..
17th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Proper 12 – July 26, 2015
2 Samuel 11:1-15; Ephesians 3:14-21; John 6:1-21 Break out your record player and old Rolling Stones albums… because this week, we’re going..
Our brother’s brother
My persistent worry with every Vacation Bible School service project, every Thanksgiving spent serving at the soup kitchen, every Habitat build and mission..
16th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Proper 11 – July 19, 2015
Ephesians 2:11-22; Mark 6:30-44, 53-56 I feel compelled this week to return to a meeting I mentioned in an earlier lectionary reflection...
15th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Proper 10 – July 12, 2015
Mark 6:14-29 I tell people that I never believed in the demonic until I started to work in the church. This quip..
Swords, candles, doves and more
Colored sand. Doves. Unity candles. Swords. Flower petals. Satin pillows. Screaming young children. Bagpipes. String quartets. CD players. Complicated seating charts. Converse..