RCL: Trying to Abide in God’s Tent

After reading the texts this week, my first thought was can we please have more bread? The return to Mark is rather jarring. Many U.S. pastors are on vacation this weekend, some are concluding summer sermon series, and the rest might be right with me in wishing for more bread. Then, without further delay, let’s… Read More

The Pastoral is Political: Church Seasons

Jesus said, “Have you never read what David did when he & his companions were hungry? He entered the house of God and ate the bread of the Presence, giving some to his companions too. In the same way, the sabbath was made for humanity’s sake — humanity was not made for sabbath’s sake. The… Read More

Tuesday Prayer

For this new chapter of my life, Divine Designer, I pray this day- For my new desk and new pens and new office, I ask for blessings. May these spaces be one in which I can bring peace into the world. For my new pulpit and new sanctuary and new flock, I give joy. May… Read More

RCL: The Challenge to Love

I’m having some difficulties with these texts this week. It’s the third anniversary of my mother’s death and my grief is complicated. And the things happening in the world that displace such callous indifference to human lives brings the angry cynic out in me. I’m working to contain these feelings as I read these texts… Read More

Revised Common Lectionary: But Thomas

“But Thomas,” this phrase sticks with me. Poor Thomas was the exception, the one who missed it. Maybe that makes sense though. It was Thomas who was the first one willing to risk going back to Judea, even tho they tried to stone him the last time he was there John 11: 7-16. No one… Read More

RCL: T-fig – Terror, Tabernacle, & Travel On

This was originally posted on Write Out of Left Field. The trudge up the mountain can be exhausting. After feeding four thousand people, witnessing Jesus open the eyes of a blind man, a startling recognition of Jesus as Messiah, and some teachings about what it means to be a disciple, climbing a high mountain seems… Read More

Revised Common Lectionary: The Do or Die Edition

Sometimes the lectionary texts present more challenge than I feel ready to accept. This is one of those weeks. Here in Minnesota we are digging out from the largest snowfall in years. For today that means people are taking things a bit slower and the world is covered in the cleanliness of new-fallen snow. And… Read More

Friday Festival: It’s Been a Week . . .

How to respond?  Four possibilities: Every day – every single day – I wonder about church, the who what where when why and how of church. Laura Marie of Everyday Christianity suggests that we think of church as a verb. Huh. Are we bringing hope?  That’s the question Jan Edmiston asks in achurchforstarvingartists. We are… Read More