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...