Browsing
It’s not Fair! God’s Grace and Human Nature
Lectionary Reflection, 14th Sunday after Pentecost
God’s idea of fair and our idea of what’s fair can be quite different. I’d say that’s a very good thing! What do you think?
The Mathematics of Manumission = Freedom in Forgiveness
Who benefits from forgiveness—the one forgiven or the one who forgives? Considering this question leads to some important answers, strange mathematics, and hard work. Are you ready? (Photo by FeatheredTar used under Creative Commons License. Thanks!)
Messy Moments in Ministry
Lectionary Reflection (12th Sunday after Pentecost, September 4, 2011)
Ministry is messy; there is no way to be intimately involved in the work of God without getting dirt under our fingernails and confronting the debris of broken lives and dreams. Do we dare to be real, or do we wear the masks of who we “think†we ought to be? Photo by Eli Duke used under Creative Commons License. Thanks!
The Biggest Losers
11th Sunday after Pentecost Lectionary Reflection
Do you have what it takes to be among the biggest losers? If you are a disciple of Christ, you have what it takes to lose in order to win. This Sunday’s gospel tells all about it. (Photo by D. Sharon Pruitt used under Creative Commons License. Thanks!)
Heavenly Hushpuppies and Crumbs of Grace
“We are beggars; this is true” are among the last words supposedly written by Martin Luther. In this week’s gospel reading we see both sides of the table–insider and outsider–and we play both roles in this life. Photo by Clevergrrl used under Creative Commons license. Thanks!
“What are you doing here, (Insert Name)?â€
Lectionary Reflection for the Eighth Sunday after Pentecost, August 7, 2011
Even prophets get the blues sometimes. Elijah was ready to call it quits, but God comes to him in the silence to give new direction and hope. For us, like Elijah, it’s the listening that’s the hard part. (Photos of Mt. Sinai by Shannon Hobbs used under Creative Commons License. Thanks!)
Plenty: Satiating both Physical and Spiritual Hunger
Lectionary Reflection for the 7th Sunday after Pentecost, July 31, 2011
This week’s texts invite us to contemplate both physical and spiritual hunger and our role as Christians in being filled and filling others for the sake of the gospel. Photo by hoyasmeg used under Creative Commons License. Thanks!
Simile Sunday: The Kingdom of Heaven is Like…
Lectionary Reflection for the Sixth Sunday after Pentecost
Put on your literary hat and dive right in the midst of five parables that enable us to see what the kingdom of heaven is like and how we are a part of it. Photo by odysseus-thevoyager used under Creative Commons License. Thanks.
Darnel, Durum, and a Duke’s Mixture
5th Sunday after Pentecost, Year A, July 17, 2011
If the parable of the wheat and tares makes you squirm, you are not alone. Read on for one pastor’s approach to the text, along with ideas for youth, children, and visuals.
Rescue Me
At the end of your rope? In need of rescue? Don’t rely on a styrofoam ring or Life Saver candy; reach out to the One who offers real hope and lasting rescue. (Photo by Amanda Munoz used under Creative Commons License. Thanks!)
