Narrative Lectionary: Minimum Protection (Jeremiah 1:4-10, 7:1-11)

Watching the work that people in my congregation do, it’s clear that they’re called by God to use their gifts as teachers or social workers, as parents or attorneys.  Sometimes they say they just drifted into the work they do, not seeing the steps as part of God’s leading.  Other times they have a certainty… Read More

Saturday Prayer – Prayer for parents of young adults

  “There they go, God.” I think they are still mine. I want to call after them, “Wait! There are so many things I forgot to warn you about! You know you can always come back, right?” But the words catch in my throat. They can’t hear me, anyway.  The future is roaring in their… Read More

Pastoral is Political: The Talk

There it was, out of the blue, I mean, I maybe should have seen it coming, but didn’t. I can’t explain it, all the signs were there. Last week I was catching up on Grey’s Anatomy, a show many have abandoned over it’s fourteen seasons, but one I still watch. If you watch it too,… Read More

Narrative Lectionary—The Wedding at Cana (John 2:1-11)

Have you noticed that Jesus never performed weddings? And yet, for us, weddings are one of the big ways we do our religious work. Not once does Jesus ever perform a wedding or officiate a funeral. And he didn’t officiate this wedding in Cana. But nearly every week, a young minister asks a question on… Read More

Narrative Lectionary: Dance Bones Dance! (Ezekiel 37:1-14)

It seems like such a silly question.  Standing in a valley of dried up skeletons Ezekiel is asked “Can these bones live?” The answer is obvious….isn’t it? Not in this week’s reading.  Good thing Ezekiel is smart enough to defer to God’s answer. You can read the passage here. The Working Preacher commentary is here… Read More

Narrative Lectionary: What Abraham Did (Gen 21:1-3; 22:1-14)

This week’s NL passage is the story of Isaac. It can be found here, and the Working Preacher commentary can be found here. Perhaps you’ve read the story of Luke Howard, who has been playing the piano non-stop at College Green in Bristol for 24 hours in a bid to win back his ‘lost love.’… Read More

Narrative Lectionary: The Circle Starts to Spread Edition (Acts 8:26-39, Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch)

As we continue our Easter journey through Acts we embark on a theme that will carry us through the next few weeks . Who gets to be part of the church? What are the criteria for inclusion? A foreign eunuch? Those who do not follow the Law? This week we have a story that is… Read More

RCL: Everyone Loves a Parade

Everyone loves a parade and Sunday’s Revised Common Lectionary readings offer you two. The first parade has Jesus entering into Jerusalem amid joyous celebration and the other a more macabre march to the cross. You can find the Palms here and the Passion here. Our congregation holds several special services during Holy Week so we will… Read More