2nd Sunday after Epiphany – January 17, 2021
1 Samuel 3:1-10 (11-20) The lectionary text from 1 Samuel presents a challenge for the preacher on this 2nd Sunday after Epiphany...
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Order of worship — January 17, 2021
You are welcome to use this liturgy in your online worship services and distribute it to your congregation. It is free for..
A lament in the shadow of the Capitol
We lament, O God, the tragic display of violence at the U.S. Capitol this week, and pray that the horror of it..
Baptism of the Lord — January 10, 2021
Mark 1:4-11 One of the things that most captures my attention in the Gospel lesson for Baptism of the Lord Sunday is..
Love our enemies, bind up the nation’s wounds
Abraham Lincoln attended the church I served in Washington D.C. — The New York Avenue Presbyterian Church. His memory is revered there,..
Can I suggest an exorcism?
The new year promises to be one of the most challenging in our lifetimes. A relentless, devastating virus has cost us hundreds..
Order of worship — January 10, 2021
You are welcome to use this liturgy in your online worship services and distribute it to your congregation. It is free for..
2nd Sunday of Christmas — January 3, 2021
John 1:(1-9), 10-18 Christmas 2B If John’s majestic prologue is a summary of the whole Gospel, verse 12 is its synopsis of..
Order of worship — January 3, 2021
You are welcome to use this liturgy in your online worship services and distribute it to your congregation. It is free for..
Christmas Eve prayer
A Christmas Eve prayer based on Luke 2:1-14 and John 1:1-14 by Roger Gench.
December 27, 2020 — 1st Sunday of Christmas
Galatians 4:4-7 Christmas 1B The year 2020 has been a chaotic one by any measure! And as we have grappled with formidable..
Meditation for Christmas Eve/Christmas Day
You are welcome to use this liturgy in your online worship services and distribute it to your congregation. It is free for..
Order of worship — December 27, 2020
You are welcome to use this liturgy in your online worship services and distribute it to your congregation. It is free for..
4th Sunday of Advent — December 20, 2020
Luke 1:26-38 Advent 4B I’ve never had much interest in British royalty and know next to nothing about them. But in our..
A prayer of thanksgiving for the COVID-19 vaccines
Merciful God, hear our prayers for a world that continues to grapple with a relentless virus, and our gratitude for the light..
Order of worship — December 20, 2020
You are welcome to use this liturgy in your online worship services and distribute it to your congregation. It is free for..
3rd Sunday of Advent — December 13, 2020
Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11; Luke 1:46b-55 Advent 3B Isaiah 61 provides an inspiring vision for profoundly disorienting, destabilizing times — such as the..
Order of worship — December 13, 2020
You are welcome to use this liturgy in your online worship services and distribute it to your congregation. It is free for..
2nd Sunday of Advent — December 6, 2020
Isaiah 40:1-11 Advent 2B One of the watershed moments of Old Testament history was the destruction of Jerusalem and the exile of..
You can help the Outlook on #GivingTuesday
Friends, Ever since the founding of #GivingTuesday in 2012, nonprofits, small businesses, schools and faith-based organizations all over the world have mobilized..
Order of worship — Dec. 6, 2020
You are welcome to use this liturgy in your online worship services and distribute it to your congregation. It is free for..
1st Sunday of Advent — November 29, 2020
Isaiah 64:1-9; Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19; 1 Corinthians 1:3-9; Mark 13:24-37 Advent 1B I grew up in the Midwest in the 1950s and..
Thanksgiving 2020: Give thanks for those who have helped us weather this pandemic
Scarcity, rather than abundance, may strike many as the keynote of Thanksgiving 2020, given the absence of family and friends who are..
Order of worship — Nov. 29, 2020
You are welcome to use this liturgy in your online worship services and distribute it to your congregation. It is free for..
Introductions: A letter from Roger Gench
Dear Outlook reader, To introduce myself: In June of 2019, I retired from 17 years of service as the senior pastor of..