Lessons: Jeremiah 15:15-21 Psalm 26:1-8 Romans 12:9-21 Matthew 16:21-28 Some variation on the story that we just heard appears in all three Synoptic Gospels, in Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Luke shortens the story considerably, omitting the startling anger of Jesus’ reaction to Peter: in Luke, Jesus’ words, “Get behind me, Satan!” are gone from thisContinueContinue reading “Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost by The Rev. Martin Elfert”
Author Archives: gracememorialpdx
Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost by The Rev. Martin Elfert
Lessons: Isaiah 51:1-6 Psalm 138 Romans 12:1-8 Matthew 16:13-20 One of the several stylistic elements that distinguishes scripture from contemporary writing – say from a contemporary novel – is that almost nothing in it is superfluous to what we might call the core message of a given passage. The authors of scripture, in otherContinueContinue reading “Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost by The Rev. Martin Elfert”
Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost by The Rev. Martin Elfert
Lessons: Isaiah 56:1,6-8 Psalm 67 Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32 Matthew 15:10-28 A Canaanite woman came and knelt before Jesus, saying: Lord. Help me. Jesus answered: It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs. She said, Yes, Lord. Yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall fromContinueContinue reading “Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost by The Rev. Martin Elfert”
Tenth Sunday after Pentecost by The Rev. Ken Powell
Lessons: 1 Kings 19:9-18 Psalm 85:8-13 Romans 10:5-15 Matthew 14:22-33 Walk on Water or Stay in the Boat? Deacon Ken Powell, Grace Memorial, August 13, 2017 Some years ago, while my wife Karen and I were in Rome we spent a lot of time visiting the magnificent churches that seemed to be just aroundContinueContinue reading “Tenth Sunday after Pentecost by The Rev. Ken Powell”
The Feast of the Transfiguration by The Rev. Maureen Hagen, Deacon
Lessons: Exodus 34:29-35 2 Peter 1:13-21 Luke 9:28-36 Psalm 99 or 99:5-9 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, * O Lord, my strength and my redeemer. Invite. Encounter. Send. Happy Feast of the Transfiguration! I hope you managedContinueContinue reading “The Feast of the Transfiguration by The Rev. Maureen Hagen, Deacon”
Eighth Sunday after Pentecost, July 30 by the Rev. Richard Toll
Lessons: 1 Kings 3:5-12 Psalm 119:129-136 Romans 8:26-39 Matthew 13:31-33,44-52 Gospel Matthew 31 – 33, 44 – 52 Today Jesus speaks to us about the kingdom of God. It is like a mustard seed that grows into a large tree. It is like a yeast that adds to flour and makes a large amount ofContinueContinue reading “Eighth Sunday after Pentecost, July 30 by the Rev. Richard Toll”
Second Sunday after Pentecost
Lessons: Exodus 19:2-8a Psalm 100 Romans 5:1-8 Matthew 9:35-10-23 In the summer after my first year of seminary, I spent ten weeks interning as a chaplain at San Francisco General Hospital. The General, as it is known by those who serve and are cared for there, is the Level One Trauma Centre for the BayContinueContinue reading “Second Sunday after Pentecost”
Day of Pentecost by The Rev. Martin Elfert
Lessons: Numbers 11:24-30 Acts 2:1-21 John 20:19-23 Psalm 104:25-35, 37 I believe that a carpenter’s son named Jesus did indeed crack Time in half, enter this world in the guise of a squalling infant, say his piece, be slaughtered for his pains, and crack Time again on his way home. I have no realContinueContinue reading “Day of Pentecost by The Rev. Martin Elfert”
Sixth Sunday of Easter by The Rev. Martin Elfert
Lessons: Acts 17:22-31 1 Peter 3:13-22 John 14:15-21 Psalm 66:7-18 The late Jesuit theologian, Karl Rahner, struggled with a question that a lot of Christians have struggled with: what does God do with good and compassionate and decent people who don’t go to church? Are those folks rejected by God, will they be punished byContinueContinue reading “Sixth Sunday of Easter by The Rev. Martin Elfert”
Fifth Sunday of Easter by The Rev. Martin Elfert
Lessons: Acts 7:55-60 1 Peter 2:2-10 John 14:1-14 Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16 During a recent radio interview with Terry Gross, the standup comic Pete Holmes talked about his upbringing in a conservative Evangelical context and about what faith looks like for him today. The interview is frequently funny (I guess that’s what you would expect inContinueContinue reading “Fifth Sunday of Easter by The Rev. Martin Elfert”