In Matthew 22:15-22, Jesus' wisdom on rendering to Caesar and God calls us to harmonize civic duty with spiritual devotion, uniting our community and engaging with each other.

A parable about a wedding banquet ends with a charge "For many are called, but few are chosen." We're all invited to the banquet of God's grace and glory, but we must be willing to first put on Christ.

Reconciliation, for example with our indigenous foreparents of our land, goes a long way toward wholeness as God’s children. Thank you to guest speaker George Godfrey.

On this pet blessing Sunday, we bless our pets for all the love they give us and we reflect as the gospel calls us to be changed anew, living as stewards of the land for all creation.

A parable about a vineyard owner forces us to confront the reality that God's generous grace is completely unfair. Life isn't fair, and eternal life isn't either, but this is Good News indeed!

Forgiveness is an action rooted in relationship and impacting community. Jesus shares a challenging parable that points us to our place in responding to God's mercy by sharing that mercy, and forgiveness, with others.

"Where two or more are gathered, there I am [and there'll be conflict]." Maybe this isn't the exact quote, but it certainly reflects Jesus' understanding of faith in community as he provides guidance in conflict.

Declared by Peter as the Messiah, Jesus shares what a Messiah must do (suffer/die/rise again) and gives a to-do list for discipleship (to bear one's cross). This work confronts suffering, rather than avoiding it.

We learn from the life of Peter that God invites us into faith as our whole selves, warts and all. We can let go of the pressure to be perfect and embrace the rock that is faith in Christ.

As we bless backpacks we are blessed by an unnamed Canaanite woman whose faith is a reminder that she/you/we matter. She shows Jesus a more expansive vision of mercy.