October 11, 2026 – The Feast of Saint Stephen & The Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost

First reading; Psalm, Epistle, and Gospel text

That your Church may be filled with the Holy Spirit. Amen.

That prayer is one that was used weekly from 1924 to 1926 as this building was being constructed. Grace Church was established in 1873 and Saint Stephen’s in 1893, merging in 1923. As they came together, they set out to construct this gem of a building and the first liturgies held in this space were on Sunday, October 10, 1926—100 years ago yesterday. This is certainly something to celebrate—100 years of worship and community in this space. And our prayer remains the same: that this church might be filled with the Holy Spirit.

October 4, 2026 – The Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Lectionary readings; Epistle reading

In the name of God ☩ Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

            I prefer Dijon over yellow mustard. I usually choose the scenic route over the interstate. And I think the Rite I funeral liturgy is far superior to Rite II. On these topics, I am biased. We misunderstand bias though to be a bad thing.

September 27, 2026 – The Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Lectionary Readings (Epistle reading)

In the name of the living God ☩ Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

            In Latin America, the musical that we know as The Sound of Music is called “The Rebel Nun.” And they’re not wrong. The sci–fi blockbuster Blade Runner was going to be called “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep.” Doesn’t quite roll off the tongue. Who can forget the Steven Speilberg classic “A Boy’s Life,” better known as E.T. Or what if we called The Wizard of Oz, “The Witch–Slayer of Kansas”? Titles matter.

September 13, 2026 – The Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Lectionary Readings

In the name of the One who raised Jesus Christ from the dead after first raising Israel out of Egypt. Amen.

How much debt do you have? That’s a serious question. We all have debts and sometimes the amounts are so large that we don’t really know how much we are carrying. Oh, I’m not talking student loans, medical debt, car loans, mortgages, or credit card balances. While our relationship to money and financial debt is absolutely a spiritual matter, that’s not what I mean. No, I’m talking about a much more searing and uncomfortable conversation about our relational debt. Jesus says, “So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”

August 30, 2025 - The Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Lectionary Readings

In the name of the God who is and ever shall be. Amen.

What is your go-to passage of Scripture? Whatever that passage is, it’s a good indicator of your foundational theology. Really like David and Goliath? You likely value justice and believe in a God who is on the side of the underdog. If it’s Peter walking on water, you probably see Jesus as enabling you to overcome fears and do more than you thought possible. If it’s the Baptism of the Ethiopian eunuch, your foundation is that there are no boundaries when it comes to the love of God.

August 16, 2026 - The Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost

Lectionary Readings

Lord Jesus, Son of David, have mercy upon us. Amen.

“We do not presume to come to this thy Table, O merciful Lord, trusting in our own righteousness, but in thy manifold and great mercies. We are not worthy so much as to gather up the crumbs under thy Table. But thou art the same Lord whose property is always to have mercy.” Those words come from the Prayer of Humble Access, an optional prayer that is sometimes used before receiving Communion. It reminds us that we come forward not because of where we fall on the spectrum of worthiness and unworthiness, but solely on the welcoming and gracious invitation of Jesus.

July 19, 2026 - The Eighth Sunday after Pentecost

Lectionary Readings

Gracious Lord, help us to see all things in the light of your love. Amen.

“You can’t have your cake and eat it too.” Or “Pull yourself up by your own bootstraps.” These are phrases that are commonly used and often misunderstood. For example, pulling ourselves up by own bootstraps is a phrase usually meant to convey initiative, resilience, and determination. But that’s not, at all, what the phrase actually means – to find the true meaning of those words, when you get home, lie down on the floor and try to pull yourself up by your own bootstraps, or shoelaces if you don’t have bootstraps. You’ll soon discover that the phrase is meant to describe an absurd and impossible task.