Trinity Sunday – May 22, 2016 Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31; Psalm 8; Romans 5:1-5; John 16:12-15 After the fireworks of Pentecost, Trinity Sunday seems like a bit of a letdown. Functionally speaking, most mainline, liberal, and progressive Christians are Unitarian in spirit, if not theology. Although we recite the creeds from time to time, the doctrine of the Trinity is vague, confusing, and for the most part irrelevant in most congregants’ experience. Mainline and progressive Christians tend to focus on God... Read more

The Adventurous Lectionary – Pentecost Sunday – May 15, 2016 Acts 2:1-21 Psalm 104:24-34, 35b Romans 8:14-17 John 14:8-17, (25-27) Like Easter and Christmas, the Pentecost preacher is presented with a scripture that is so familiar that he or she wonders if anything new can be said. Moreover, Pentecost is an anachronistic festival in many mainstream and progressive congregations. While we may dress in red, we don’t expect a mighty wind to blow through our congregations – unless we live... Read more

The Adventurous Lectionary – The Seventh Sunday of Easter – May 8, 2016 Acts 16:16-34 Psalm 97 Revelation 22:12-14, 16-17, 20-21 John 17:20-26 As I read the story of Paul and Silas singing and praying in prison, I am reminded of the traditional hymn “How Can I Keep From Singing.” My life flows on in endless song; Above earth’s lamentation, I hear the sweet, tho’ far-off hymn That hails a new creation; Thro’ all the tumult and the strife I... Read more

The Adventurous Lectionary – The Seventh Sunday of Easter – May 8, 2016 Acts 16:16-34 Psalm 97 Revelation 22:12-14, 16-17, 20-21 John 17:20-26 As I read the story of Paul and Silas singing and praying in prison, I am reminded of the traditional hymn “How Can I Keep From Singing.” My life flows on in endless song; Above earth’s lamentation, I hear the sweet, tho’ far-off hymn That hails a new creation; Thro’ all the tumult and the strife I... Read more

The Adventurous Lectionary – The Sixth Sunday of Easter – May 1, 2016 Acts 16:9-15; Psalm 67; Revelation 21:10; 21:22-22:5; John 5:1-9 Today’s readings join vision, spiritual transformation, and healing, and call persons to become everyday mystics. When we respond to God’s visions for us, we claim God’s healing touch and bring healing to ourselves and our communities. The reading from Acts describes Paul’s venture to Macedonia and the founding of the Philippian church. It begins with a visionary experience... Read more

The Adventurous Lectionary – The Fifth Sunday of Easter – April 24, 2016 Acts 11:1-18 Psalm 148 Revelation 21:1-6 John 13:31-35 On Earth Day Weekend, the adventurous preacher would do well to reflect on the widest images of divine revelation. Often our faith has been parochial, xenophobic, and anthropocentric. We privilege our brand of spirituality and ecclesiology, our culture, ethnicity, or species, assuming that it is the fullest expression of divine wisdom and handiwork, when, in fact, God is generous... Read more

The Adventurous Lectionary – The Fourth Sunday of Easter – April 17, 2016 Acts 9:36-43 Psalm 23 Revelation 7:9-17 John 10:22-30 What gives us the power to confront the inevitable and necessary losses and challenges of life? What enables us to go through the valley of the shadow of death, when there is no way around it and to live with our fear and terror – or panic and anxiety – knowing that God has the final word and that... Read more

The Adventurous Lectionary – The Third Sunday of Easter – April 10, 2016 Acts 9:1-20 Psalm 30 Revelation 5:11-14 John 21:1-19 How many sermons can you get out of one week’s lectionary readings? Today’s lectionary readings, all have a mystical air, but they express the mystic vision in a variety of ways – revelation and transformation, angelic praise, and ethics and spirituality. If you are able, read the totality of the lectionary recommendation for Acts of the Apostles, all twenty... Read more

The Adventurous Lectionary – Second Sunday of Easter – April 3, 2016 Acts 5:22-27; Psalm 150; Revelation 1:4-8; John 20:19-31 Let the Easter celebrations continue! Resurrection is a present and future as well as past reality. Christ the Lord is risen today, and every day! Resurrection is just a breath away! Psalm 150 describes a world of praise. We can dance and sing, play drums and tambourines, hire a piper, and even a synthesizer and orchestra! But, not just us,... Read more