The Rev. Meghan Mullarkey
Text: Matthew 22:34-46

"This church that would welcome these people who had been kicked out of their churches and give them a place to connect to God and to one another.

This church that would face the darkness of our world and fight for justice in and outside of our church walls, believing that another world was possible.

This church that would be formed by liturgy and sacraments, but not be so rigid, a church that would let the tradition breath new life. 

And then the other day I had this deep realization that stopped me in my tracks.  

You all, St. Columba’s is the church I’ve been waiting for.  Being your priest, leading this church, is a fulfillment of the dream I had in seminary. "

Maeve Wyatt

Text: Matthew 22:15-22

"I long to know how we get out of such quagmires, whether the messes of our own making, or those nightmares seemingly beyond our control. So I turn to Christ’s example, and the wisdom of international peacemakers, like John Paul Lederach, both of whom testify to the power of Moral Imagination.”

The Rev. Meghan Mullarkey
Text: Matthew 22:1-14

"And it is one of the most encouraging things about being your priest.  It is why this place is so special to me and why I love inviting people to come here, because I trust that you will welcome them. 

And you know who two of our greatest teachers have been?  The African Refugee communities connected to our church and our children.  I have heard stories of people giving rides home to those who use the community garden, I’ve seen you work to get google translator out when trying to speak to someone who does not know English, the  way this whole community has embraced singing in french and the Congolese and Sudanese music, which is so different than our traditional hymns. 

You may be sitting here thinking, but they are all such a gift to us.  And that is how we know we are doing this, “all are welcome” right, when it doesn’t feel like we are just tolerating difference, but we experience it as gift." 

The Rev. Meghan Mullarkey
Text: Matthew 21:33-46

"The hungry are fed, the prisoner and refugee are welcome, the houseless have a place to rest, creation is stewarded, the kids have a place at Jesus’s feet.  The least of these have a place at the table.  I see these fruits here in this place at our harvest.  

The community garden, the just garden, the food bank, one parish one prisoner, our bees, our parking lot ministry, our ongoing relationship with the Congolese and Sudanese communities, our kids ownership of this place, our people of differing neurodivergence, our communal working on fighting white supremacy and patriarchy through our different feminist offerings. So many places where the world tells us to be violent, to turn our backs, here at St. C’s we choose welcome. "

James Wyatt
Text: Philippians 2:1-13 & Matthew 21:23-32

“The Gospel of Jesus Christ is supposed to change us, and the purpose of a congregation in the church of Jesus Christ is to be a community where that transformation can happen. That transformation happens whenever we gather together. Of course it happens when we worship together, take the Eucharist together, pray together. But it also happens when we eat together, when we study together in adult forum, when we serve together, and when care for each other. Transformation happens when we parent together, entrusting our children to each other’s care. It transforms us when we tell our stories to each other, reflecting on the way the Spirit of God moves in our lives. And transformation happens even when we talk about money together. All the conversations we have about stewardship as a community every fall are—hopefully—shaping the way we think about the resources we have, as a gift from God that we receive with gratitude, and how we use those resources, not just for our material needs  but to support the work of our spiritual community. Transformation even happens when we bring our pets to church!”

The Rev. Meghan Mullarkey
Text: Matthew 20:1-16

"The first will be last and the last will be first is only a brutal saying in a world that pits people again each other, in a world where we have been told time and time again that there is not enough. 

In a world where being last means you may not get what you need.  Isn’t this what drives us to be first?  There might not be enough. 

But in God’s kingdom - it is actually more like a circle, like our celtic cross reminds us, like our worship space - there is no better seat at the round table, there is no beginning or end, there is no first or last in this infinity circle of God’s grace and love, everyone receives it abundantly. "

The Rev. Meghan Mullarkey
Text: Matthew 18:21-35

"Because the only way God is like the king in this story is that first scene, when the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the debt.  Nothing else in this story is of God’s kingdom, there is no begging or pleading in God’s kingdom, there are no threats there is no torture.

Every morning, when we wake, God comes to us to reckon our debt.  God comes to set us free, to offer us grace and forgiveness, and every day you are that slave who was  completely forgiven.

What will you do now?"

Pray with us. 

The Rev. Meghan Mullarkey
Text: Matthew 18:15-20

"Now, this is not a free pass to treat people poorly nor that we have to put up with poor treatment from others.

Nope.  No way.  Not here, not on my watch - you are a beloved child of God and deserve to be treated as such. And the people in this community should reflect that love back to you.  And yet, Jesus knows, we will fail each other, we will have conflict, we will get on each other nerves, we will fail to reflect the image of God back to each other.  

And Jesus says go to one another. 

This is Jesus’ message to us this morning.  As long as you feel safe, go towards one another."