The Adventurous Lectionary – Sixth Sunday of Easter – May 10, 2026 Bruce G. Epperly Acts 17:22-31 Psalm 66:18-20 I Peter 3:13-22 John 14:15-21 Today’s readings affirm both the universality and intimacy of God. God is the reality in whom we live and move and have our being and that includes and also ourselves. (Acts 17:28) God’s Spriit is in us and all things just as God’s Spirit is in Jesus and Jesus is in God. Nothing is outside of... Read more
The Adventurous Lectionary – The Fifth Sunday of Easter – May 3, 2026 Acts 7:55-60 Psalm 31:1-15, 15-16 I Peter 2:2-10 John 14:1-14 On the Fifth Sunday of Easter, the heart of the lectionary readings is John 14:1-14. This reading is both inspirational and challenging. Consoling and controversial. Expansive and apparently exclusive. During this time of national and international chaos when leaders have lost their reason and ethical ballast, Jesus’ assurance, “do not let your hearts be troubled” truly hits... Read more
The Adventurous Lectionary – The Fourth Sunday of Easter – April 26, 2026 Acts 2:42-47, Psalm 23, I Peter 2:19-25, John 10:1-10 Today’s lectionary highlights one of the best-known passages in scripture. “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want,” as the traditional translation relates. God is the Good Shepherd, who cares for God’s flock and who will look for every lost sheep until it is brought home to safety. Psalm 23 is a spiritual message for our time... Read more
The Adventurous Lectionary – Third Sunday of Easter – April 19, 2026 Acts 2, 14a, 23-41; Psalm 116:1-4, 12-19; I Peter 1:17-23; Luke 24:13-35 Today’s reading highlights the Emmaus Walk. It could be titled, “Let’s Go For a Walk,” “O Master (Savior) Let Me Walk with Thee,” “Walking with Jesus,” or “I Want Jesus to Walk with Me.” Jesus doesn’t come to us solely “in the garden” but on the highway, the seven mile stretch from Jerusalem to Emmaus, and... Read more
The Second Sunday of Easter – April 12, 2026 Bruce G. Epperly Acts 2:14a, 22-32 Psalm 16 I Peter 1:3-9 How shall we practice resurrection this year? Many of us feel like the first followers of Jesus. We experience a world gone mad in which leaders have lost their reason and fellow Christians, believing they are establishing a Christian nation, have replaced the way of Jesus by the way of Trump and have undermined the power of love by their... Read more
The Adventurous Lectionary – Easter Sunday – April 5, 2026. Acts 10:34-43 Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24 Colossians 3:1-4 John 20:1-18 Matthew 28:1-10 “Christ is Risen! Shout Hosanna!” Words that seem strange and out of character in our world of chaos, division, and uncertainty. Words that were just as amazing and anomalous that first Easter Sunday. In the dark night, new life emerges. The stone is rolled away. And the violence of Herod and power hungry religious and political leaders then and... Read more
The Adventurous Lectionary – Palm Sunday – March 29, 2026 Isaiah 50:4-92 Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29 Philippians 2:5-11 Matthew 21:1-11 Matthew 26:14-27:66 THE SPIRITUAL ROLLER COASTER OF HOLY WEEK. Let the tragic beauty, and the chaotic and creative conflict of Holy Week begin! To those who take the interplay of worship, discipleship, and study seriously, who truly walk the path of Holy Week with Jesus, Holy Week is a spiritual rollercoaster. Putting ourselves in the place of the women and men... Read more
The Adventurous Lectionary – The Fifth Sunday in Lent – March 22, 2026 Ezekiel 17:1-14, Psalm 130, Romans 8:6-11, John 11:1-45 Today’s passages speak directly to our current context, congregationally, nationally, and planetarily. We are as a nation dwelling in a valley of dry bones, and we wonder if the bones that hold together the soul of the nation will rise again. The nation is on spiritual life support. Our leaders are guided by lust, power, and profit. Forsaking morality,... Read more
The Adventurous Lectionary – Fourth Sunday in Lent – March 15, 2026 Samuel 16:1-13, Psalm 23, Ephesians 5:8-14, John 9:1-41 Today’s readings are full of twists and turns, theologically and spiritually. They invite us to look at the world and our beliefs with new eyes. To be faithful to God, we must challenge our assumptions of what is important and who is important. We must also look for God in unexpected situations and unexpected persons. This Sunday’s scriptures challenge glib... Read more
The Adventurous Lectionary -The Third Sunday in Lent – March 8, 2026 Exodus 17:1-7; Psalm 95; Romans 5:1-11;. John 4:1-42 There is a tradition of banning the word, “Hallelujah,” during Lent. Lent is perceived, should be a time of confession, self-examination, sacrifice, and repentance for our evil ways, materialism, and ego. A time of lamentation in which we need to emphasize the realities of sin and mortality. And, yet we practice Lenten lamentation because of the Easter celebration. Even in the... Read more
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