2017-11-02T08:23:59-04:00

Last updated on: November 2, 2017 at 8:23 am   By

“Goodbye Christopher Robin” is a difficult movie for Winnie the Pooh aficionados. In contrast to the peaceable kingdom of the 100 Aker Wood, it portrays dysfunctional family dynamics, post-traumatic stress disorder, wartime violence, and the emotional distance characteristic of early 20th century upper middle class British parent-child relationships. Emotional pain and neglect abound in the book, along with bullying and loneliness. Yet, there are a few bright moments within this well-done film, most particularly its portrayal of the healing power... Read more

2017-10-25T15:54:21-04:00

Last updated on: October 25, 2017 at 3:54 pm   By

The Adventurous Lectionary – November 5, 2017 – Pentecost 22 Joshua 3:7-17 Psalm 1071-7, 33-37 I Thessalonians 2:9-13 Matthew 23:1-12 Today’s scriptures paint a variety of pictures of God’s involvement in the raising up of leaders and in our institutional and corporate decision-making. Does our image of God include or exclude those who differ from us, or create the possibility of persecution and genocide or institutional healing and transformation? Does our vision of God shape our vision of leadership in... Read more

2017-10-19T08:35:10-04:00

Last updated on: October 19, 2017 at 8:35 am   By

The Adventurous Lectionary – October 29, 2017 – Pentecost 21 Deuteronomy 34:1-12 Psalm 90:1-6, 13-17 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8 Matthew 22:34-46 Today’s readings point us beyond the individual self – and our individual life histories – to identification with God’s Self and the well-being of others long after we have left the scene. Our lives are not only lived in the moment, but participate in the philosopher Alfred North Whitehead describes as “objective immortality,” the impact of our lives on the... Read more

2017-10-12T05:56:44-04:00

Last updated on: October 12, 2017 at 5:56 am   By

The Adventurous Lectionary – October 22,2017 Exodus 33:12-23 Psalm 99 I Thessalonians 1:1-10 Matthew 22:15-22 “No one shall see me and live,” so God proclaims God to Moses. But, you can see my “goodness” as it passes by, God also proclaims. God reveals God’s glory to Moses, but it is more than mere mortals can handle, even those like Moses who “walk with God.” Like gazing at a solar eclipse, we must shield our eyes and, dare we say, our... Read more

2017-10-12T05:54:01-04:00

Last updated on: October 12, 2017 at 5:54 am   By

The Adventurous Lectionary – October 22, 2017 – Pentecost 20 Exodus 33:12-23 Psalm 99 I Thessalonians 1:1-10 Matthew 22:15-22 “No one shall see me and live,” so God proclaims God to Moses. But, you can see my “goodness” as it passes by, God also proclaims. God reveals God’s glory to Moses, but it is more than mere mortals can handle, even those like Moses who “walk with God.” Like gazing at a solar eclipse, we must shield our eyes and,... Read more

2017-10-06T11:38:39-04:00

Last updated on: October 6, 2017 at 11:38 am   By

The Adventurous Lectionary – The Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost – October 15, 2017 Bruce G. Epperly Exodus 32:1-14 Psalm 106:1-6, 19-23 Philippians 4:4-9 Matthew 22:1-14 This Sunday’s lectionary readings challenge us to orient ourselves toward God’s way rather than pathways of our own making. As John Calvin says, the human mind is a factory of idol making and whether our idols are gun ownership, the flag and anthem, prosperity, consumerism, they are all grounded in ideologies that put our interests... Read more

2017-09-22T10:28:13-04:00

Last updated on: September 22, 2017 at 10:28 am   By

The Adventurous Lectionary – The Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost – October 1, 2017 Bruce G. Epperly Exodus 17:1-7 Psalm 78:1-4, 12-16 Philippians 2:1-13 Matthew 21:23-32 The biblical tradition proclaims that God is faithful, providing a way where there is no way, and giving us the energy to grow in freedom and creativity at every stage of life. God is the source of provocative possibilities that move us from slavery to freedom and fear to love. Faithful agency, responsive to God’s... Read more

2017-09-14T13:09:38-04:00

Last updated on: September 14, 2017 at 1:09 pm   By

Exodus 16:2-15 Psalm 105:1-6, 37-45 Philippians 1:21-30 Matthew 20:1-16 One of the most important questions persons of faith ask in times of stress is “Will God provide for our deepest needs?” This question begs other theological and spiritual queries such as: “Are we alone in the world or is there a gentle providence working through our lives, giving us guidance, energy, and sometimes surprising manifestations of grace?” Moreover, “What do we really need in the confusion of want and need... Read more

2017-09-09T09:45:19-04:00

Last updated on: September 9, 2017 at 9:45 am   By

The Adventurous Lectionary – September 17, 2017 – Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost Exodus 14:19-31 Romans 14:1-12 Matthew 18:21-35 Today’s readings explore the themes of forgiveness, pluralism, and deliverance. Our dependence and interdependence with God and others is the framework for understanding the spiritual adventure. Still, the readings are challenging, first, because of the relationship of deliverance and violence in the Genesis story and, second, in the contrasting scandal of Jesus’ demand for forgiveness in our current polarizing, unforgiving environment. The... Read more

2017-09-01T08:37:55-04:00

Last updated on: September 1, 2017 at 8:37 am   By

The Adventurous Lectionary – September 10, 2017 – The Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost Bruce G. Epperly Exodus 12:1-14 Psalm 149 Romans 13:8-14 Matthew 18:15-20 This week’s scriptures are spiritually ambiguous. They raise issues of divine violence and exclusion as well as God’s protective safety and the preservation of community. Like many important religious feasts, the celebration of Passover is shrouded in mystery and ethical ambiguity. On the one hand, God delivers the Hebrew people from oppression in Egypt. Those who... Read more

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