In the church member who sits alone in the back pew crying silently, May I see the face of Christ. In the stranger who looks lost in my closed and gated community, May I see the face of Christ. In the child who knocks at my door asking me to play when I assume I… Read More
Sunday Prayer:
The Church is a-buzz with debate, O God.
We do not know what to call your Son:
is he prophet?
priest?
king?
Is he shepherd? … Read More
Revised Common Lectionary: Blood and Life and Equity
This week’s Revised Common Lectionary Gospel reading should carry a trigger alert for feminine health concerns. And also – what a blessing that a health issue particular to people with uteruses is addressed in Scripture! Moreover, Jesus does not follow the traditional teaching of his religion claiming that the woman who asks for healing is… Read More
The Pastoral is Political: All Day, Everyday!
Warning…this may seem like a rant. However, I feel the need to share my recent experience as an example of why this particular blog space is so vital. Too often, many think of pastor OR prophet. Sometimes we even describe someone as both pastor AND prophet. I believe that the role and responsibility of prophet… Read More
Narrative Lectionary: the tweenager Jesus (Luke 2:41-52)
The celebration of New Year’s Eve (Hogmany) is a big event in Scotland. However, this year it will be very much curtailed, as were our Christmas and Easter celebrations, along with the festivals of other faiths in 2020. It’s within this very different New Year that we read of Jesus’ family going up to Jerusalem… Read More
Narrative Lectionary: Rituals Then and Now (Luke 2: 21-38)
This week’s lectionary passage, saturated in ritual and tradition, invites us to consider the rituals of our own lives. Read More
Wednesday Prayer
Our Parent God, When Jesus taught us to pray “thy kin-dom come on earth” could it be because he knew the hell we would experience? Was it meant as a “go to” to ground us when all hell is breaking loose on earth? A way to conjure up a bit of heaven – calling on… Read More
Wednesday Prayer
As we cry out for the end to violence all around us May we seek to address the violence within us As we demand justice from leaders and systems May we ensure that our actions are just As we declare love as the answser May we seek to ground our work and lives in love… Read More
Wednesday Prayer
God, sometimes it is hard to pray Perhaps that’s why those earlier followers asked Jesus to teach them to pray Perhaps that’s why Jesus laid it out: Our Creator God, who is above all things We call on your name God and ask that you bring your full power into this moment, into our very… Read More
Narrative Lectionary: Source of Love
It’s the infamous LOVE text! Read it (maybe for the umpteenth time) here. It is not unfamiliar. This text is often used in wedding and union ceremonies; sometimes ordinations and installations, too. In the Working Preacher Commentary, you can find a historical and contextual glimpse into what might have prompted the Apostle Paul to write these… Read More