The texts for Sunday, October 23, 2016: Joel 2:23-32; Psalm 84:1-7; 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18; and Luke 18:9-14 How do you receive a gift? Or many gifts? I think God pours out gifts beyond measure— Gifts of God’s Spirit Gifts of forgiveness and mercy Gifts of grace and abundance Gifts of vision and life — “I will pour outContinueContinue reading “Open, empty hands”
Tag Archives: forgiveness
Speaking Love
The texts for Sunday, September 7th, 2014: Ezekiel 33:7-11; Psalm 119:33-40; Romans 13:8-14; and Matthew 18:15-20 . “So you, mortal, I have made a sentinel for the house of Israel; whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me.” – Ezekiel 33:7 What does it mean to love? I ask thisContinueContinue reading “Speaking Love”
Praying for Everyone?
Image by Ri Butov from Pixabay The texts for Sunday, September 22, 2013 (Lectionary 25 C): Amos 8:4–7; Psalm 113; 1 Timothy 2:1–7; and Luke 16:1–13 . “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone” – 1 Timothy 2:1 I know this sentence continues in the text to tell us to prayContinueContinue reading “Praying for Everyone?”
Reclamation Grace
The texts for Sunday, September 15, 2013 (Lectionary 24C): Exodus 32:7–14; Psalm 51:1–10; 1 Timothy 1:12–17; and Luke 15:1–10. “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” – Psalm 51: 10 I’d say that God is a God of second chances; but, besides it sounding a little cliché, it might give the impressionContinueContinue reading “Reclamation Grace”
God’s Peace
The texts for the day are: Acts 5:27–32, Psalm 150, Revelation 1:4–8, and John 20:19–31. “Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.’ When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, theyContinueContinue reading “God’s Peace”
The message of reconciliation
The texts for Sunday, March 10, 2013: Joshua 5:9–12; Psalm 32; 2 Corinthians 5:16–21; and Luke 15:1–3, 11b–32 “that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us.” – 2 Corinthians 5:19 Reconciliation. This is the kind of thing thatContinueContinue reading “The message of reconciliation”
Posing Questions
The texts for Sunday, September 11, 2011 (at least the ones that we’re using) were: Jonah 3:1-4:11; Psalm 140; Ephesians 2:1-7 [8-10]; and Luke 10:25-37 This Sunday, we had a picnic, jointly held, between Immanuel, Salem, and Zion Lutheran. Pastor Joshua Rinas (the pastor at Zion) and I planned a service called: “Rising up: Remembering, Healing,ContinueContinue reading “Posing Questions”
A Continual Reminder…
The texts for Sunday, September 18, 2011 are: Jonah 3:10—4:11; Psalm 145:1–8; Philippians 1:21–30; and Matthew 20:1–16. “The LORD is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.” – Psalm 145: 8 “for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfastContinueContinue reading “A Continual Reminder…”
The Body Broken
The texts for Sunday, September 4, 2011 are: Ezekiel 33:7–11; Psalm 119:33–40; Romans 13:8–14; and Matthew 18:15–20. … No, we only encounter that God, that God embodied in Jesus when we live, serve, struggle in community. We only encounter that God embodied in Jesus when we look into the eyes of the person whom hasContinueContinue reading “The Body Broken”