March 22, 2026 - The Fifth Sunday in Lent

Lectionary Readings

Gracious God, grant us the serenity to accept the things we cannot change, the courage to change the things that we can, and the wisdom to know the difference ☩ in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Where do you feel trapped? What parts of your life feel bound up? What sigh of relief do you long to breathe? This morning’s Gospel text from John puts that question before us, as Jesus, having restored Lazarus to life, says “Unbind him, and let him go.” Imagine Jesus standing here in our midst, looking at you with compassion, love, and mercy, and saying “Unbind him, unbind her, and let them go.” What would be loosened? What relief would you experience?

March 8, 2026 - The Third Sunday in Lent

Lectionary Readings

Gracious God, grant us the serenity to accept the things we cannot change, the courage to change the things that we can, and the wisdom to know the difference ☩ in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Over the past several Sundays, we’ve heard some of the most well-known and most load-bearing passages in all of our sacred Scriptures. Last Sunday, we heard John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” A few weeks prior, it was Micah 6:8, “What does the Lord require of you but to do justice and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God?” Back in Christmastide it was John 1:14, “And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.”

March 1, 2026 - The Second Sunday in Lent

Lectionary Readings

Gracious God, grant us the serenity to accept the things we cannot change, the courage to change the things that we can, and the wisdom to know the difference ☩ in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

With nearly 70 million views, Simon Sinek’s TED Talk called “How Great Leaders Inspire Action” is one of the most widely viewed, discussed, and implemented leadership strategies. Using the examples of Apple, Martin Luther King, and the Wright brothers, he argues that “people don’t buy what you do; people buy why you do it.” In other words, if you don’t know your “why” it doesn’t matter how good the “how” or the “what” of your product, business, or plan is, it won’t flourish or captivate anyone.

February 22, 2026 - The First Sunday in Lent

Lectionary Readings

Gracious God, grant us the serenity to accept the things we cannot change, the courage to change the things that we can, and the wisdom to know the difference ☩ in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

“Hearing things you like about people you don’t.” That’s one definition of gossip – hearing things you like about people you don’t. Now, I’m from the South, where gossip could be an Olympic sport, as long as you know how to use the phrase “bless their heart.” Another way of defining gossip would be “talking about, instead of talking with.” This morning’s texts from Genesis and Matthew show us dangers of gossiping about God; of talking about God instead of with God.

February 18, 2026 - Ash Wednesday

Lectionary Readings

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

One word that describes the modern world is “escapism.” I remember when our youngest daughter was younger, we’d ask her to do a chore and a few minutes later, she’d be off doing something else. When we’d remind her about the neglected chore, she’d say, “Sorry, I’m just so distractable.” And that’s not only true of toddlers who don’t want to clean their rooms, it’s true of us all. We’re all looking for an escape.

February 1, 2026 - Septuagesima

Lectionary Readings

Keep us forever grounded in your blessing, O God of love. Amen.

Faith is a dialogue; a conversation between Creator and Creation. In Genesis, we read that God created not with the snap of the fingers, or by assembling various parts, or by a thought, but with a word – “Let there be.” God spoke to nothingness and nothing responded by becoming something. God’s relationship with Israel is rooted in speech to Abraham, Rebekah, Moses, Deborah, Daniel, Isaiah, and Micah. One way of understanding the faith of Israel is as a holy conversation with God.

January 25, 2026 - The Third Sunday after the Epiphany

Lectionary Readings

Blessed are you, O Lord God, King of the Universe, for you shine upon us the light and warmth of your gracious love. Amen.

“Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.” That is the Ninth Commandment and an ethnical norm for both Jews and Christians. As we so often profess, Jesus is the Truth of God in the flesh, and so to lie is to violate the Godly characteristic of truthfulness. In particular, the directive is not about untruthfulness in general, but specifically is about not spreading falsities about our neighbors.