Plans A, B and C
Lectionary Blog

Plans A, B and C

Lectionary for March 15, 2026 Fourth Sunday in Lent 1 Samuel 16:1-13; Psalm 23; Ephesians 5:8-14; John 9:1-41 Did you ever start out to do something great, but your first…
This Lent, do one thing at a time
Living Faithfully

This Lent, do one thing at a time

Focal verse Let your eyes look directly forward and your gaze be straight before you (Proverbs 4:25). Reflection Some days, doing one thing at a time might be the holiest…
A new look at the devil
Theology & Beliefs

A new look at the devil

A mighty fortress is our God. … On earth he has no equal (ELW, 503-505). I’m a Lutheran, baptized, confirmed and ordained in that faith. Yet I was already on…
Thirst and movement
Lectionary Blog

Thirst and movement

Lectionary for March 8, 2026 Third Sunday in Lent Exodus 17:1-7; Psalm 95; Romans 5:1-11; John 4:5-42 After taking a few decades off, I’ve been running again for the past…
Bearing witness by serving my neighbor
Theology & Beliefs

Bearing witness by serving my neighbor

Series editor’s note: The 2026 theme for “Deeper understandings” is faithful witness in challenging times. This year, various authors will explore what it means for the ELCA, and each of us as Lutherans,…
Journeys of blessings
Lectionary Blog

Journeys of blessings

Lectionary for March 1, 2026 Second Sunday in Lent Genesis 12:1-4a; Psalm 121; Romans 4:1-5, 13-17; John 3:1-17 I used to run a small boutique tourism company, guiding tours for…
The honesty of Ash Wednesday
Voices of Faith

The honesty of Ash Wednesday

One blustery Ash Wednesday, some pastor colleagues and I went downtown to distribute “ashes on the go.” We spread on sidewalks that ran along towering office buildings and bustling restaurants, dressed in clergy wear…
Facing temptation
Lectionary Blog

Facing temptation

Lectionary for Feb. 22, 2026 First Sunday in Lent Genesis 2:15-17, 3:1-7; Psalm 32; Romans 5:12-19; Matthew 4:1-11 I grew up in a church culture that made frequent reference to…
Love and stardust
Voices of Faith

Love and stardust

You are dust and to dust you shall return (Genesis 3:19). Atoms in our bodies trace to the remnants of exploded stars. We are stardust. We are alive in the universe. And the…
The divine process of compost
Theology & Beliefs

The divine process of compost

All of creation has embodied experiences and revelations of God—they are our greatest source for knowing God. Human beings, along with all of God’s created, participate in theopoiesis—making and being…
Mountaintops and valleys
Lectionary Blog

Mountaintops and valleys

Lectionary for Feb. 15, 2026 Transfiguration of Our Lord Last Sunday after Epiphany Exodus 24:12-18; Psalm 2; 2 Peter 1:16-21; Matthew 17:1-9 When I was a teenager, I went to…
Celebrating our neighbors
Living Faithfully

Celebrating our neighbors

Focal verse “Little children, let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth” (1 John 3:18). Reflection There’s an unwritten rule in rural America—at least in…