Year 3

Gathered at the Table of Grace

September 1, 2017 By Sharron R. Blezard Leave a Comment

Narrative Lectionary Reflection for the Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost, Year Three, September 3, 2017
In approaching the Lord’s Supper or Holy Communion from a stewardship perspective it is always helpful to remember that Jesus is Lord and host. We are simply servers and guests at the table. Whether the meal resembles fine dining or the family table is not so much the point. Instead, we might do well to ask whether we are setting a table that is welcoming and worthy of the Lord of Life. What is our motivation? Who is this feast for? What is its purpose? (Photo: Randy OHC, Creative Commons)

Come to Christ’s Table!

August 25, 2017 By Sharron R. Blezard 2 Comments

Narrative Lectionary Reflection for the Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost, Year Three, August 27, 2017
Holy Communion is the great equalizer. All are welcome. All are fed. We all come as beggars. We are sinners in need, yet forgiven beloved indeed. If that’s not reason to celebrate and give thanks, I don’t know what is. Come to the feast!

Rising to New Life

August 17, 2017 By Sharron R. Blezard Leave a Comment

Narrative Lectionary, 11th Sunday after Pentecost, Year 3, August 20, 2017
We belong to Christ, and as part of Christ’s body, we “walk wet” in this world, living out our baptismal covenant in tangible, visible, and countercultural ways. It means that we confront that which is counter to the way of Christ and provide opportunities and ways to work for justice, equity, and peace. (Photo: Dmitry Kichenko, Creative Commons)

A Spectacular Splash of Stewardship

August 10, 2017 By Sharron R. Blezard Leave a Comment

Narrative Lectionary Reflection for the Tenth Sunday after Pentecost, Year Three, August 13, 2017
Go ahead! Make a big splash this week as you recall your baptism and give thanks for the gift of water. We are stewards of this gift of Baptism insomuch as we embrace—however imperfectly and haltingly—the life of discipleship that is walked by faith. We don’t take our baptism lightly or for granted, and we remember it daily and desire this gift for others. (Photo: Paul Varuni, Creative Commons)

Stand Strong

August 3, 2017 By Sharron R. Blezard Leave a Comment

Narrative Lectionary Reflection, 9th Sunday after Pentecost, Year Three, August 6, 2017
When the world is too much with you, be of good cheer, friend in the faith. Gather with your community of faith this week to hear the word of God proclaimed, to be strengthened by the bread and wine of communion, and to offer God your very best in gifts of praise, time, and resources. You will be strengthened and equipped to be sent back into the world, fully decked out in some mighty fine armor. (Photo: Michael Coghlan, Creative Commons)

Building Up the Body

July 27, 2017 By Sharron R. Blezard Leave a Comment

Narrative Lectionary Reflection for the Eighth Sunday after Pentecost, Year Three, July 30, 2017
To plant a garden is to invest in the future of one’s well-being and bountiful table. Such work requires love, attention, care, and commitment.“Growing” spiritually gifted disciples involves similar effort and process. One doesn’t baptize the person and then only attend to cultivating the disciple a couple of times a year or even an hour on Sundays. It takes the same kind of consistent effort and commitment to grow disciples and strengthen their faith as it does to take a plant from seedling to abundant harvest. Discipleship is not a once-a-week activity but rather a life-long season of living into one’s identity as a child of God.

Called to Make Peace

July 19, 2017 By Sharron R. Blezard Leave a Comment

Narrative Lectionary Reflection for the Seventh Sunday after Pentecost, Year A, July 23, 2017
Peace. Sometimes it seems like such an elusive word, such a foreign concept–especially if you’ve been spending much time with social media or the news lately. We humans crave peace and need peace, but we’re not very good at making and keeping peace. Thankfully, our Lord IS in the peace business–proclaiming and passing and breathing peace into the darkest corners of this fallen and fragmented world of ours, and exhorting us to find peace both in rest and in trust in his abiding presence. (Photo: Leland Francisco, Creative Commons)

Bless, Blessed, and Blessing

July 13, 2017 By Sharron R. Blezard Leave a Comment

Narrative Lectionary Reflection for the Sixth Sunday after Pentecost, Year Three, July 16, 2017
Today’s lesson reminds us that we are all beneficiaries of God’s good “will” in Christ Jesus. We are adopted into God’s family and recipients of abundance. Even if your congregation or family is struggling financially, you are still rich beyond measure as heirs of God’s grace, mercy, and salvation. We have been richly blessed by God who loves us, adopted into God’s family, and blessed to be a blessing. This is very good news!

Hallelujah! Amen!

July 6, 2017 By Sharron R. Blezard Leave a Comment

Narrative Lectionary Reflection for the Fifth Sunday after Pentecost, Year Three, July 9, 2017
This week we finish our summer Psalm series, and we end on a high note—a note of praise and hallelujah. Imagine how much better our world could be if we always ended on a note of praise with a song of joy and thanksgiving on our lips? What if we trusted God enough to offer our praise and thanksgiving no matter what our situation? (Photo: Derek Bridges, Creative Commons)

Sing a Song of Praise

June 29, 2017 By Sharron R. Blezard Leave a Comment

Narrative Lectionary Reflection for the Fourth Sunday after Pentecost, Year Three, July 2, 2017
Psalm 30 is a song of praise to the God who constantly lifts us up and who will never leave us. How should we respond? We may sing off-key and dance awkwardly, but our job is to point to the One who holds it all together, to pour out our offering of praise and thanks, to fall down seven and get up eight by the grace of God. How will you sing of God’s goodness this Sunday? How will you proclaim the promise and hope of resurrection in the face of this world’s lies about death and destruction? What song is stuck in your head? (Photo: Noel Pennington, Creative Commons)