Home > Advent Blog 2024 Glorious and TimelessDecember 24, 2024 Isaiah 9:2-7|Titus 2:11-14|Luke 2:1-14And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.  And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the...

Home > Advent Blog 2024 Faith, Forgiveness & FamilyDecember 23, 2024 Genesis 21:8-21 | 2 Corinthians 1:3-7 | Luke 17:1-6Paul’s letter to the Corinthians and Luke’s Gospel speak to me about family both birth & chosen and how we are all better when in this...

Home > Advent Blog 2024 “Start to Smile”December 22, 2024 Micah 5:2-5a|Hebrews 10:5-10|Luke 1:39-55I’m not the easiest person to be around during the Advent season. I’m one of those people who leans into the penitential aspect of the season, sometimes fasting,...

Home > Advent Blog 2024 Love is the fire of transformation.December 21, 2024 Isaiah 43:8-13Isaiah 43:8-13 speaks powerfully to God’s eternal, unwavering presence in our lives. In this passage, Isaiah calls forth all people from all nations, asking them to be...

Home > Advent Blog 2024 John the BaptistDecember 20, 2024 Isaiah 10:5-19| 2 Peter 2:17-22| Matthew 11:2-15I was delighted when I discovered that today’s readings discuss John the Baptist. I have always been fascinated by him. As a child, I was intrigued by John’s...

Home > Advent Blog 2024 His hand is stretched out stillDecember 19, 2024 Isaiah 9:18-10:4| 2 Peter 2:10b-16| Matthew 3:1-12For all this, his anger has not turned away; his hand is stretched out still.Isa. 9:18-10:4;This line from Isaiah stood out to me for two...

Home > Lenten Blog 2024 An Advent Community December 18, 2024 Click image to enlarge Isaiah 9:8-17| 2 Peter 2:1-10a| Mark 1:1-8 I have always loved the tradition of a Christmas creche.   As a child, I liked to set up the figures huddled in the stable around the...

Home > Advent Blog 2024 I am sorry December 17, 2024 Isaiah 9:1-7| 2 Peter 1:12-21| Luke 22:54-69“The Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said to him, ‘Before the cock crows today, you will deny me three...

Home > Advent Blog 2024 The Betrayal of Jesus December 16, 2024 Isa. 8:16-9:1| 2 Peter 1:1-11| Luke 22:39-53How sad Christ must have felt when a crowd suddenly appeared in Gestheme to witness his capture. So many people learned to know Jesus as a caring person who...

Home > Advent Blog 2024 On the Road to Rejoicing December 15, 2024 Zephaniah 3:14-20| Philippians 4:4-7| Luke 3: 7-18I am someone who spent much of my early adulthood getting lost, often in cities, and all too frequently in some pretty shady areas in those cities....

Home > Advent Blog 2024 A Journey Unlike Any OtherDecember 14, 2024 Isaiah 8:1-15| 2 Thessalonians 3:6-18| Luke 22:31-38Now we command you, beloved, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from believers who are living in idleness and not according to...

Home > Advent Blog 2024 Call to ActionDecember 13, 2024 Isaiah 7:10-25| 2 Thessalonians 2:13-3:5| Luke 22:14-30Today’s lessons certainly run the gamut, from Isaiah’s prophesying the birth of Jesus right through to the institution of the Lord’s Supper. Add in the...

Home > Advent Blog 2024 The Mystery of Lawlessness December 12, 2024 Isaiah 7:1-9| 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12| Luke 22:1-132 Thess. 2:1-12As to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we beg you, brothers and sisters, not to be...

Home > Advent Blog 2024 Judgement or Truth? December 11, 2024 Isaiah 6:1-13| 2 Thessalonians 1:1-12| John 7:53-8:11Perhaps because of the current situation in our country right now, I find myself recoiling from the words of judgement that permeate the readings...

Home > Advent Blog 2024 Expectant WaitingDecember 10, 2024 Isaiah 5:13-17, 24-25| 1 Thessalonians 5:12-28| Luke 21:29-38I know that change is inevitable and often welcomed, but it seems to me that the number of changes and the pace at which they are occurring has...

Home > Advent Blog 2024 Put on the Breastplate of Faith and LoveDecember 9, 2024 Isaiah 5:8-12,18-23| 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11| Luke 21:20-28Staying positive and hopeful can be incredibly difficult at times. Life has a way of wearing us down, whether through deep...

Home > Advent Blog 2024 Righteous Peace, Godly GloryDecember 8, 2024 Baruch 5:1-9 | Philippians 1:3-11| Luke 3:1-61 Take off the garment of your sorrow and affliction, O Jerusalem,   and put on for ever the beauty of the glory from God.2 Put on the robe of the...

Home > Advent Blog 2024 The world ends daily December 7, 2024 Isaiah 4:2-6| 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18| Luke 21:5-19‘When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for these things must take place first, but the end will not follow immediately.’…. So...

Home > Advent Blog 2024 A Right Relationship with GodDecember 6, 2024 Isaiah 3:8-15| 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12| Luke 20:41-21:4 Advent is a season of spiritual reflection, inward meditation, and self-examination. The readings for today lead us fully into this space,...

Home > Advent Blog 2024 Joy in LoveDecember 5, 2024 Isaiah 2:12-22 | 1 Thessalonians 3:1-13 | Luke 20:27-40What is the first thing that comes to mind for Advent? Stories of Joseph, Mary, Angels and a newborn king? That is what we are used to, so I had to wonder...

Home > Advent Blog 2024 To Be the Glory and Joy of God’s Love December 4, 2024 Isaiah 2:1-11   |   1 Thessalonians 2: 13-20   |   Luke 20:19-26So often I read passages such as today’s and am reminded of Martin Luther King’s ‘Beloved Community’. In his 1956 speech...

Home > Advent Blog 2024 A Profile of St. Luke’s New Rector?December 3, 2024 Isaiah 1:21-31| 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12| Luke 20:9-18Given my first 75 years of life as a conscientious Roman Catholic (whereby a local bishop appoints each new pastor and faith-filled...

Home > Advent Blog 2024 “For the mouth of the Lord has spoken” December 2, 2024 Isaiah 1:10-20 | I Thessalonians 1:1-10 | Luke 20:1-8Come now, let us argue it out,   says the Lord:though your sins are like scarlet,   they shall be like snow;though they are red like...

Home > Advent Blog 2024 “There will be signs…” December 1, 2024 Jeremiah 33:14-16  |  Thessalonians 3:9-13  |  Luke 21:25-36From the time when humans first began to notice the changing world surrounding them, they have looked for signs to guide them into an unknown...

Home > Advent Blog 2023 Magnificent!December 25, 2023 Luke 1:46-55Today, many of us will give, receive, and open presents. We will hear a litany of phrases like, “wow, just what I wanted!” Or, “this is great!” Or, “um… well… it is clear that you put a lot of work...

Home > Advent Blog 2023 Christmas Eve with family December 24, 2023 2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16  |  Psalm 89:1-4, 19-26  |  Romans 16:25-27  |  Luke 1:26-38We are nearing the end of the Advent season. And today’s scripture reminds me just how far humanity had fallen to...

Home > Advent Blog 2023 This Advent, choose to be the breath of heaven to someone – be God’s love. December 23, 2023 Zech. 8:9-17  |  Psalm 55  |  Revelation 6:1-17  |  Matt. 25:31-46In his recent book, How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and...

Home > Advent Blog 2023 God Bless the Child That’s Got Her Own December 22, 2023 Zechariah 7:8-8:8  |  Psalm 40  |  Revelation 5:6-14  |  Matthew 25:14-30Back in 1968, the rock band Blood, Sweat & Tears released their second album, which included their version...

Home > Advent Blog 2023 Believing is Seeing! December 21, 2023 Habakkuk 2:1-4  |  Psalm 126  |  Hebrews 10:35-11: 1  |   John 20:24-29Thomas was known as “Doubting Thomas”.  He did not believe things unless he saw them himself.  He did not believe Jesus had risen...

Home > Advent Blog 2023 Where do you find Joy?December 20, 2023 Isaiah 55:6-11  |  Psalm 46  |  John 15:1-11I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete. John 15:11 This is the 3rd week of advent. The pink candle...

Home > Advent Blog 2023 The Lesson of the Fig Tree December 19, 2023 Zechariah 2:1-13  |  Psalm 45  |  Revelation 3:14-22 |  Matthew 24:32-44‘From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is...

Home > Advent Blog 2023 May you find poetry even in dark moments.December 18, 2023 Zech. 1:7-17  |  Psalm 41  |  Psalm 53  |  Revelation 3:7-13  |  Matt. 24:15-31When you hear the word ‘Advent’, what do you think? If you’re like me, plenty of images spring to mind:...

Home > Advent Blog 2023 Make Straight the Way of the Lord December 17, 2023 Isaiah 61:1-4  8-11  |  Psalm 126  1  |  Thessalonians 5:16-24  |  John 1:6-8, 19-28A few weeks ago, I decided to begin a new project. It always seems that when I begin a new project,...

Home > Advent Blog 2023 Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning. December 16, 2023 Haggai 2:1-19  |  Psalm 30  |  Psalm 32  |  Revelation 3:1-6  |  Matthew 24:1-14One of the many ways that being a part of St. Luke’s has deepened my faith...

Home > Advent Blog 2023 Bearing Witness December 15, 2023 2 Kings 5:1-14  |  Psalm 96  |  Luke 13:10-17Today “Lesser Feasts and Fasts” invites us to reflect on the life of Nino, a fourth century missionary to the country of Georgia. Georgia was and is located at...

Home > Advent Blog 2023 God’s Lullaby December 14, 2023 1 Kings 19:1-9  |  Psalm 121  |  John 16:12-221 I lift up my eyes to the hills; *       from where is my help to come?2 My help comes from the Lord, *       the maker of heaven and earth.3 He will not let your...

Home > Advent Blog 2023 The True LightDecember 13, 2023 Revelation 19:5-8  |  Psalm 131  |  John 1:9-149"The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.10 He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not...

Home > Advent Blog 2023 Things That Matter December 12, 2023 I keep thinking about Jonathan’s sermon from Sunday, Nov. 26th. If you missed it, go to YouTube… Watch… Listen… REALLY LISTEN… I know… I know… Jonathan’s sermon wasn’t an ADVENT sermon… It wasn’t Advent...

Home > Advent Blog 2023 Shepherding Community December 11, 2023 1 Corinthians 1  |  Psalm 18:1-6, 18-20  |  John 10:11-18The themes of division and community thread through both 1st Corinthians and today’s Gospel. Today, as in long ago Corinth, we are all too...

Home > Advent Blog 2023 Where do you find Peace? December 10, 2023 Isaiah 40:1-11  |  Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13  |  2 Peter 3:8-15a  |  Mark 1:1-8Psalm: 85:8  “I will listen to what the Lord God is saying, for he is speaking peace to his faithful people and to those who...

Home > Advent Blog 2023 A lot to think about… December 9, 2023 Amos 5:18-27  |  Psalm 20-21  |  Jude 17-25  |  Matthew 22:15-22In the Amos reading, while this passage is about darkness rather than light, this is the verse that speaks to me: 24But let justice roll...

Home > Advent Blog 2023 Hope and Grace December 8, 2023 Isaiah 64:1-9   |  Psalm 80:1-7, 16-18  |   1 Corinthians 1:3-9  |  Mark 13:24-37My first reading of today’s selected scripture left me feeling a bit unsettled. I’m just not comfortable with all the anger and...

Home > Advent Blog 2023 Having Faith December 7, 2023 1Kings 21:17-29  |  Psalm 27:5-11  |  Luke 12:35-46After reading and re-reading the passages and psalm a couple things came to mind. One of the things is that being a person of any faith comes with a price. That...

Home > Advent Blog 2023 Receive the Kingdom of God!December 6, 2023 1 John 4:7-14  |  Psalm 145:8-13  |  Mark 10:13-16I’ve been thinking a lot about little children these days. Not just because it’s the holiday season, in which we see all kinds of ads with and for...

Home > Advent Blog 2023 Seeking PeaceDecember 5, 2023 Psalm 34:9-14  |  Colossians 1:11-20  |  John 6:57-63Some days it is difficult to reconcile the scripture readings with what is happening in the world around us. Having lived through many tumultuous times you...

Home > Advent Blog 2023 Oh, Happy Day! December 4, 2023 1 Corinthians 15:12-20  |  Psalm 118:14-21  |  John 5:24-27‘Confirm our minds, O Lord, in the mysteries of the true faith … that we, with him, confessing Jesus to be true God and true Man and singing the...

Home > Advent Blog 2023 Do we need God? December 3, 2023 Isaiah 64:1-9  |  Psalm 80:1-7 1  |  Corinthians 1: 3-9  |  Mark 13:24-37It’s here! Again! The most wonderful time of the year! Again! Advent! A beginning! A time of anticipation! A time of preparation! A...

Home > Advent Blog 2022 Promise! December 24, 2022 Isaiah 52: 7-10 | Psalm 98 | Hebrews 1:1-4 | John 1:1-14 It is December 25! We made it! You know the story that we are celebrating on this very day. Maybe you spent time with the passage from Matthew which mentions...

Home > Advent Blog 2022 Promise!December 24, 2022 Isaiah 35:1-10 | Revelation 22:12-17,21 | Luke 1:67-80So . . .  it is finally Christmas Eve! It is full of promise of Who is to come. We read and remember that God has promised to lead His people, to protect them. ...

Home > Advent Blog 2022 Being the Light and Love of ChristDecember 23, 2022 Isaiah 33:17-22 | Revelation 22:6-11 | Luke 1:57-66Last Saturday morning St. Luke’s was bustling with activity. Folks were in the food pantry organizing the offerings there, the choir was...