by Kent French, January 16, 2025
Good News and common cathedral. One of the pivotal moments in Jesus’ ministry happens when he goes back to his hometown of Nazareth to preach in the synagogue (Luke 4:14-30). We call it his “inaugural” sermon. The congregation is bristling with excitement, waiting to see and hear how their favorite son has grown “in wisdom and stature.” Jesus preaches from Isaiah 61. Which is all well and good until he starts interpreting it, basically saying that the Good News is for everyone, not just for those who believe like we do. The crowd is so pissed off that they run… Read More
by Amy Norton-Benfield, January 09, 2025
We’re returning to the Narrative Lectionary for the remainder of the winter and spring, following along with our young people in Church School. We’ll spend the seasons of Epiphany and Lent in the Gospel of Luke, catching glimpses of God as revealed through Jesus, his ministry of healing, and his journey to the cross. My friends, we’ve made it! We’ve heard the angels, followed the star, worshiped the Christ child, and gone home by another way with the Magi. Advent welcomed in the new liturgical year, Christmas welcomed the newborn Prince of Peace, and January ushered in the new calendar… Read More
by Kent M French, January 02, 2025
Throughout Advent and Christmastide, we’ve been following “Words for the Beginning: Advent Reminders for New Seasons” from A Sanctified Art, diving into the themes of blessing, companionship, risky hope, abiding love, holy laughter, crooked roads and a whole lot more! Are you a planner or a just-let-it-unfold-er? Perhaps some of both? Ever had the best-laid plans not turn out at all like you expected, and the result was better than you could have imagined? Or ever just followed your hunch and seen where the wind took you? On Sunday, we’ll once again re-visit the Epiphany story of the Magi, those… Read More
