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Oh, the Options!
22nd Sunday after Pentecost & Reformation Sunday, October 25, 2015
The Good News of Jesus Christ is timeless and unchanging, but it aims to be presented in fresh, new ways that speak to every age and context. We can take a cue from Martin Luther and the other 16th century reformers and make good use of the tools available to us, especially this Sunday when we have some very good choices for lessons and celebrations. (Photo: Daniel Oines, Creative Commons)
Last Place Winners
21st Sunday after Pentecost Lectionary Reflection, Year B October 18, 2015 For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many. Mark 10:45 Service with a smile! All right, we sort of expect that, and it’s nice when it happens. Well, how about […]
Who Can Be Saved?
Lectionary Reflection for the 20th Sunday after Pentecost, Year B October 11, 2015 And the disciples were perplexed at these words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God.†They were greatly astounded and said to one another, “Then who can be saved?†Mark 10:24-26 The […]
Cultivating a Mindset of Generosity
Is it possible to cultivate a mindset within our congregations and institutions that would reframe the stresses of the budgeting and fundraising season? Could a “sharing†mindset open up more creativity and decrease the feeling of fighting for scarce resources? The mindset I have in mind is “generosity,†writes David Odom, executive director, Leadership Education at Duke Divinity School.
Hard Hearts, Little Children, and the Reign of God
Lectionary Reflection, 19th Sunday after Pentecost, Year B, October 4, 2015
Do you have too much spiritual, emotional, and mental plaque clogging your arteries and hardening your heart? Jesus has a prescription to reverse the damage. Dig down deeply and find the child within that longs to be held in Jesus’ arms. Then you will experience the reign of God here and now. (Photo: hannes.a.schwetz, Creative Commons)
Make Giving Easy – Electronically
Churches today are seeking newer and easier ways to set up giving to benefit their congregations. Online giving has its own set of complexities and options, but is becoming easier all the time. Giving kiosks are popular. New options for online giving are being developed all the time. Here is a sampling of the most popular innovations. (Photo by Creativity 103, used by Creative Commons license)
Will We Ever Have Enough?
What does it mean to have enough? Writer and retreat leader Erin S. Lane explores this question through scripture and observation of natural world and our human interactions. (Photo: Lisa L. Wiedmeier, Creative Commons)
Be Careful What You Ask For
Lectionary Reflection for the Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost, Year B
September 27, 2015
Do you occasionally pine for “the good old daysâ€? Do you hear folks in the parish lament about the way things used to be? Moses heard the same thing. Thankfully, God is still up to new things in, with, through, and even in spite of us. What if we turned our “Oh, if only…” into “With God only”? (Photo: wsilver, Creative Commons)
Missing the Point
Lectionary Reflection for the Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost, Year B September 20, 2015 But they did not understand what he was saying and were afraid to ask him. Mark 9:32 Have you ever labored long and hard to make an important point and then been completely misunderstood by your intended audience? If you have, you […]
A Case of ‘Teacher’s Tongue’
16th Sunday after Pentecost Lectionary Reflection, Year B, September 13, 2015
God has given us voices to be used in service of the good news of Jesus. One question this week’s lessons may invite is how are we using our “teacher’s tongue” to make a difference? A lot of words fill the air all around us, and not all of them are nice. Yes, a lot of responsibility comes with being given the “tongue of a teacher.†(Photo: Australia Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Creative Commons)
