14th Sunday after Pentecost, August 30, 2026

Scriptures: Jeremiah 15:15-21; Psalm 26:1-8; Romans 12:9-21; Matthew 16:21-28

Reflection by The Rev. Kathryn Snelling, Deacon

14 Pentecost August 30, 2026

The Rev Kathryn Snelling, Deacon.                 

I am looking out at the folks sitting in the pews and I think there may be enough grey heads out there, plus mine included, who would remember 45 records. 

The little singles vinyl record with the big hole in the center, and you had to use that little gizmo to fit it on the turntable of your record player. And maybe you had a player that came in his own case with a lid. And maybe you had a little case with all your favorite hits on the A-side  that you would put on the turntable and play over and over.

 And on the B-side - ehh - maybe not such a hit.

Last Sunday we heard the A-side. When Peter made his declaration that Jesus is the Messiah, the son of the living God. And Jesus blesses him and gives him a new name, Rock.

Today, we hear the B side. Or at least at the start.              

After Jesus has begun to speak to the disciples about what is to come; 

his going to Jerusalem, the suffering, the abuse and rejection by the  religious leaders - and his eventual death. 

And we are told he speaks very openly and plainly so that there is no way for them to not understand him,  or so he hopes.

That’s when Peter pulls him aside, for a private consultation.

“Oh no Lord, that must never happen to you. I won’t let it happen. Don’t worry, when it comes time to storm the castle, me and the guys will protect you. I would take an arrow for you”  And he probably would have.

And of course he gets an answer from Jesus that he isn’t expecting;

“Get behind me, Satan.”

But, you know, I don’t think Jesus was calling Peter Satan. I think Jesus was speaking directly to Satan,  who he saw through Peter - trying to use Peter.  

Recall the way that in Luke’s Gospel account, he ends Jesus’s time in the wilderness with;  “and the devil left him — until an opportune time.”

 I think Satan saw an opportune time - while Peter was still envisioning a conquering, warrior messiah. And the devil tríes to manipúlate Peter’s love and care for Jesus to keep him in that mind-set. And maybe trip up Jesus.

So Peter does get renamed, again. But it isn’t Satan. Actually, it’s another kind of rock, a stumbling block.                                 

“You are being a stumbling block to me, keeping your mind on worldly things and not divine things.”

Ah, they can be so subtle those stumbling blocks.

The world has never had a shortage of stumbling blocks. 

They show up in a lot of “isms”; racism, sexism, whiteism, colonialism, and on.

They can even appear as good intentions. 

But Jesus will have nothing to do with it.

So he gathers the disciples again and he tells them “if anyone is to be my disciple he must deny himself  and pick up his cross  and follow me.”

And then goes on to say — that those who would save their life will lose it,  and those who lose their life for his sake, will find it.

Deny self - take up your cross - lose your life to find your life

These words have resonated through the centuries.

 And unfortunately,  as has happened with other bits of scripture,  they have not always been used well, but rather to the detriment of self and others. Rather like stumbling blocks.

When reading and reflecting on Jesus’s words that can seem ambiguous or puzzling and may be susceptible to our “humanism”.

We need to reflect on them  in the light of what Jesus taught and how he lived. 

We often reflect on his sacrifice for us on the cross.

But today,  let’s reflect on his sacrifice in becoming human. 

Daily, he chose his cross of humanity.  He could’ve picked up his divinity at any time. 

But instead,— he chose to humble himself and be fully human. 

Time and time again we see him showing compassion even when he was exhausted - or frustrated. 

He showed understanding and care of basic human needs, sharing some of them himself; food, rest, companionship. 

He demonstrated how to care for one another. Think of his drawing them away from the crowds for rest and recuperation. Think of him washing their feet.

He taught through story, parables that people could relate to.

And when he shed light  on how and where the world was broken - even his dissenters, the Pharisees, Sadducees and other religious leaders, were in awe of his teachings - angered, yes, but amazed as well.  

And through his life and teachings he showed how much God loves us. 

In word and deed,  he showed us the sacrifice that God desires; to love justice, do mercy and to walk humbly with God.                                                                                  

Individually, we are called to this daily. 

But also,  we take up crosses as community. As this particular part of Christ's body.

We have picked up the cross to feed the hungry in our community; we do this through our donations to the food banks, our  participation in the Manna meals, and the other ways that we seek to provide for others. Sacrificing our resources, our time and our energy.

And I can’t help wondering —  what other cross this community may be called to pick up?

So, to paraphrase what the the Apostle Paul expressed in his letters to the churches; 

 We die to self so Christ can live in — and through us.

We lose our life - of self-centeredness - that would deny the needs of others and deny our need for others 

so that — we may have a life that is Christ centered and bound in love. 

Love of God, — love of self, — love of neighbor —and love of all creation.

We all have our cross that we choose to take up daily, remembering that Jesus goes ahead — and we follow.

Embraced by Christ’s love, let us answer the call to live beyond ourselves.

To be the heart and hands of Jesus — in those places of need that abound yet in the world today.— And to see Jesus there, in the presence of neighbor.

Amen

13th Sunday after Pentecost, August 23, 2026

Scriptures: Isaiah 51:1-6; Psalm 138; Romans 12:1-8; Matthew 16:13-20

Sermon by The Rev. Kathryn Snelling, Deacon

Well, as we all probably know our English language can be a little quirky. Some words sound the same - through and threw for example, sound the same, but when used mean something totally different from each other. It is only in context that you understand  - “ he threw the ball through the window.”

And sometimes the meaning of a word, overtime, changes through social and cultural evolution and can flip to mean something quite different

One such word is silly. Now if I say that something or someone is silly, what do you think about that something or someone? We think they are being foolish or it is something not to be taken seriously. Yet originally the word meant blessed, fortunate, someone to be envied. 

Today if we began The Beatitudes with “Silly are the poor, for they shall inherit the earth.” We would be met with a quizzical brow.

Other words though spelled and pronounced the same can mean different things depending on the context. 

In our Gospel this morning, we have two such words.

Now there has been great debate - and it is still ongoing - around the word “rock”. 

 In Matthew’s text, the Greek word is used twice but in different forms, meaning different types of rock. 

After Simon’s declaration that Jesus is the Messiah, Jesus renames Simon “Rock” when he says “you are Peter “Petros” and on this rock ”Petra” I will build my church.”

Petros means a smallish stone. Could be as small as a gemstone or the size of a stone used for building - but basically a stone that is movable. On the other hand, Petra means a very large, foundational stone, as in a mountain or cliff side, not so moveable.

Now the short of it is that our Roman Catholic friends believe Peter as the foundation that Jesus built his church on- while Protestants believe it is Peter's statement - that Jesus is the Messiah - is what Jesus built his church on.

Either way, Jesus says, “ I will build MY church.” It is Jesus’s church, after all.  

From the ground up. And he is the Master Builder.

So I have come, for myself, to a very Episcoplian answer. I think that instead of either/or it can be both/and.

We certainly see Peter being the rock that Jesus saw in him as he becomes the leading, foundational voice of the emerging church.

And that is the other word - church.

At the start, this emerging church met in peoples homes or in the fields and in the temple - until they were no longer welcome. And later, when under severe persecution, they met in the catacombs or wherever they could safely get together.

Now this may be information many already know, so please bear with me.

It wasn’t until the fourth century, when the emperor Constantine recognized and legitimized Christianity that cathedrals, Basilicas and other structures built specifically for Christian worship began to appear. And now within most towns of any size it’s typical to find at least one church building. 

There was a saying about Sitka that we had as many churches as we had bars. 

I don’t know if that ratio still holds true but we do stil  have a fair number. Of both.

When I travel, I enjoy visiting local churches. Generally there is a cathedral that is open to the public during the day. I admire the architecture, the furnishings, stained glass and have a moment of quiet contemplation. 

And we have such a building here. In St.Peter’s. And when we look around at the architecture, the windows, furnachings, even the ceiling is in the shape of the hull of a boat - all point to Jesus and help us tell our story.

So we say “Mim will open the church each morning and Kit will be locking the church for the evening. And we know they are referring to this building.

Looking at the Greek word translated as church, its literal meaning is a gathering or an assembly. Not a structure, but people - coming together for a specific reason or a common purpose. 

The same word is used elsewhere to describe a political gathering like a city assembly, to manage the governance. Or a court, to hear cases.

I think it is significant that Mathew places Jesus and his disciples near the city of CaesareaPhilippi, a very important city of the occupying Roman Empire. Bustling with commerce and political activity.

In the shadow of this city, Jesus says he will build his church. And his church is to be a gathering of people with a common purpose: to establish, here on earth, His Kingdom, as in heaven. 

And so he asks the disciples, first, “Who do the people say that the Son of Man is?”

And they have ready answers as to what others are saying. But when he asks, "But who do you say that I am?” Only Peter speaks up. And says, not what he has heard others say, but what has been revealed to him in his own heart.

It is the same question Jesus asks all of us. And not necessarily once but periodically as we journey with him and grow in our relationship. Our relationship with Jesus, with God, the world and each other. 

We read in The Acts of the Apostles what the disciples did when they gathered; they shared in the teaching, praying, fellowship and breaking bread together.

Sound familiar? Yep. We’ve been doing just that ever since, in some fashion or another. 

And why do we come? Or perhaps I should pose it like Jesus -   why do you come? Does anyone want to venture a response? Well, I will offer some:

 We come to worship.  Yes, not because God needs our worship, but in response to the Love that we have received.

Do we come to hear God’s word? To read the scriptures and reflect on what we hear and how it affects the way we live in our world. As one of the collects states: to read, mark and inwardly digest…. Our scriptures are our guide book in navigating through life.

We come to lift up in prayer the needs and cares of the world, our friends and ourselves. As well as our joys and celebrations. 

And then there is Fellowship - the time we spend being together, present with and to one another. And this is widened to mean being present with those who join us on Zoom.

We have fellowship time in the See House after the service to provide opportunity to visit and share.

Breaking bread together. Later in this service we will be invited to the altar to share in the sacred broken bread of Holy Communion. But breaking bread together in other ways is worth making time for. Jesus intentionally spent that time with his disciples. Sharing meals in homes, on the road, campfires on the beach — to teach, yes, but also to build up and strengthen them individually and as a body. Knowing they would need each other to carry out the work he was giving them to do.

In all of this, all that we engage in, is for the building up of the church. The nurturing and supporting of each other so we too, can carry out the work we are given to do - when we go outside these walls  to our jobs, to school, to places where we volunteer, to participate in groups or organizations we belong to, Into all the various situations and experiences we encounter, ups and downs - successes and failures - the joys and the hurts - to know we don’t go it alone and that we are carried by Love. 

So that we can share that Love

Jesus’s church — a gathering of people, here in this place and throughout the world, who strive to live their life following His Way. Who measure their choices and guide their actions based on His life and teachings. And on His sacrificial love. 

Being present with each other and with our neighbors. In the beauty of this life and in the muck of it.

So I suggest that we have the keys to God’s Kingdom. To be co-builders of His kingdom,on earth as it is in heaven.

 To bind on earth what is bound in heaven: all that is evil, hateful, oppressive and unjust. 

And to loose on earth what is loose in heaven: all the compassion, mercy and boundless love.

Amen

12th Sunday after Pentecost, August 16, 2026

Scriptures: Isaiah 56:1,6-8; Psalm 67: Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32; Matthew 15: (10-20), 21-28

Reflection by Kit Allgood-Mellema, Worship Leader

16 August 2026, 12th Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 15A

We sometimes come across a reading with sections in brackets, as in today’s gospel reading from Matthew where the first eleven verses (10-20) are bracketed. I found two explanations for why this happens – the first is it gives the option to shorten what might otherwise be a long reading, and the second is scholars may question whether the bracketed section was part of the original text. At St. Peter’s, we usually include the bracketed sections, as we did today. Along with the three other readings we heard today these verses help show us a clearer picture.

Keep in mind - each of the readings we heard follows a common theme, a theme that includes ‘all the peoples,’ the nations,’ ‘all the ends of the earth,’ ‘the foreigners,’ ‘others,’ ‘mercy for ‘all,’ and Isaiah’s words, ‘my house will be a house of prayer for all peoples.’

To help set the stage, it’s good to know that the opening verses of today’s reading – the bracketed verses - are referring to the first nine verses of the chapter. In those first nine verses, the Pharisees had left Jerusalem to find Jesus in the countryside and chided him because his disciples didn’t wash their hands before eating, a tradition of the elders. Perhaps still aching at the loss of his cousin John, Jesus turned and lashed out at the delegation and took them to task, scolding them for breaking God’s commandments for the sake of their tradition.

We then come to today’s reading – beginning in brackets – which picked up right after Jesus’ comments to the Pharisees. Jesus called the crowd to come to him so he could explain what he had just said to the Pharisees, prompting this response from the disciples: ‘you have offended the Pharisees with your words!’ Jesus continued with his explanation, then chose to leave and go into the district of Tyre and Sidon, two ancient cities along the coast of what is now Lebanon. It was there that the main event occurred, the disturbance that ties all these readings together.

Mark’s gospel named her a Gentile of Syrophoenician origin, a person from the coastal area of Tyre and Sidon. Matthew’s gospel labeled her a Canaanite. That term might be a euphemism for foreigner but could also mean someone of a lower status. In the 3rd century CE someone in a written homily gave her a name: Justa. And because everyone deserves to be called by name, I am going to call her Justa.

As Jesus ended his day of travel, Justa suddenly approached, calling out to him, acknowledging him as Lord, begging him for help. Jesus did the unthinkable. He ignored her.

The disciples were adamant, ‘Send her away! She’s loud, she’s obnoxious, she’s bothering us!’ Jesus came back with a pat and dismissive answer. Not satisfied with his response, Justa did something very radical – she came directly in front of Jesus and knelt down before him. Kneeling before a person was a sign of respect and acknowledgment. But the person on their knees was also vulnerable and open. And yes, it was a sign of submission, but the disciples were about to get a lesson in how one could appear submissive and be powerful at the same time. On her knees, Justa spoke directly and honestly to Jesus. She took him to task just as he had done with the Pharisees. She spoke the truth back to him, the truth that even as a foreigner she had heard, that what he offered was offered to all. And finally, Jesus said yes. Her daughter was healed.

Did the disciples notice that Justa had done what Jesus himself had been doing all along? Justa spoke truth to power. She reminded everyone present that God’s promise of love was a promise encompassing all of creation. We don’t know anything about her status, her education, her family connections, but as a woman, as a mother with a daughter who suffered a terrifying illness, she felt she had very little to lose. She had no choice but to approach Jesus, as an outsider, as a woman who had very little social standing. She had to say the words that needed to be said. She had no other options. Let’s face it - it’s often those who have nothing else to lose who speak most clearly and honestly, who hold up a mirror, who shine a light back on our intentions, our words, our actions, who challenge those in power in ways no one else can.

I’m not going to dig deep to try to figure out why Jesus began to turn away from Justa. That’s been addressed by a lot of people who are more knowledgeable than I am. But I will say this – I wonder if Jesus was expecting a different response from the disciples. I wonder if he hoped they would say, ‘Lord, what can we do to help her?’ This was not simply a story about the great faith of one woman.

This is a story about Isaiah’s promise that God’s house would be a house for all people. It’s a story about God’s saving health among all nations, and about all the peoples praising God. It’s about God’s mercy for all, not simply a few specially chosen people. (Do those words sound familiar? We heard them earlier this morning.) This story is a reminder that we are all beloved people of God. This is a timeless story about yearning for a life that can be lived to its fullest, in peace, with justice and mercy, abundance and wholeness and love available for all to embrace and share.

This is also a story about what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. And it is a reminder that no one – not one single person - should have to beg for their basic needs and rights. Not for nourishment, nor shelter. Not for clothing or health care. Not for safety or justice or dignity. We each made a promise in our baptismal covenant to seek and serve Christ in everyone, to love our neighbors as ourselves, to strive for justice and peace among all and to respect the dignity of every beloved human. That’s what this story is about.

And this is a story about us. The question is, where will we find ourselves in this story? How will we help?

Thanks be to God! Amen!

11th Sunday after Pentecost, August 9th, 2026

Scriptures: 1 Kings 19:9-18; Psalm 85:8-13; Romans 10:5-15, Matthew 14:22-33

Sermon by Chip Camden

Proper 14

In today's lesson from Kings, we find the prophet Elijah in a cave.  Elijah is fleeing for his life again, because King Ahab of Israel and his wife Jezebel, who are promoting Canaanite religion, want to have him killed.  Elijah, a prophet of Yahweh, is a thorn in their side.  In the previous chapter of Kings, Elijah has convinced a large crowd of people by means of an impressive display of power that Yahweh is the true God and Baal is a fraud -- inciting the people to kill the prophets of Baal and return to Yahweh.  This episode followed three years of drought that Elijah had predicted, demonstrating the impotence of the rain god Baal.  He also predicted the very day that the drought would end.  You would think the royals would be convinced.  Instead, Jezebal threatens Elijah with immediate death.  

The throne is not as interested in religion as it is in cultural and political uniformity.  Jezebel was the daughter of Ethbaal, the Phoenician king of Tyre and Sidon.  Ahab's marriage to her cemented an alliance between the kingdom of Israel and the Phoenicians.  The worship of Baal had been a key element of Phoenician culture for centuries, since at least the Bronze Age.  It spread throughout the region and embraced many forms.  Before and during the time of David, it appears that even Yahweh was sometimes called Baal.  Coincidentally,  that was also a time when relations between Israel and Phoenicia were strong and friendly.  So when Elijah preached an exclusive, anti-Baal Yahwism, he was probably seen as an exclusivist, separatist radical.  That version of the worship of Yahweh even came with its own anti-Canaanite origin story.  Elijah needed to be silenced in order to consolidate cultural unity and political power across the region.

Elijah flees to the place where that origin story begins: Mount Horeb, the mountain where Yahweh appeared to Moses in the burning bush, and later gave the ten commandments to the Israelites. In this holy place, Elijah should be able to get a clear answer from God about all that has gone wrong.

But instead of an answer, God asks a question: "What are you doing here?"  Literally, the Hebrew says "What is here for you?"

Elijah responds with a litany of everything that's gone wrong with the nation.  Instead of responding to this, God tells him to go stand on the mountain and wait.  

Being on Mount Horeb, Elijah is ready for something big.  A great wind kicks up, so great that it splits rocks!  But God is not in the wind.  Then comes an earthquake!  But God is not in the earthquake either.  A fire!  Now we're talking Horeb-style!  But God isn't even in the fire.

Finally, a still, small voice.  Our translation says "a sound of sheer silence" (which might evoke the words of prophets that are written on subway walls and tenement halls rather than in the Book of Kings).  Either translation is reasonable; literally "a voice, silent, tiny"

In any case, it's not at all what Elijah expected.  Yet he recognizes God in it, because he wraps his face in his mantle, just as Moses had hid his face when he realized that God was speaking from the burning bush.

God repeats his question: "What are you doing here?"  Elijah repeats his litany of wrongs.  God doesn't say "I'm sorry" or offer comfort -- rather, God gives Elijah new marching orders:

1. Anoint Hazael king of Aram (roughly Syria).  After murdering his predecessor, Hazael will brutally invade Israel, taking all of the territory east of the Jordan as well as the city of Gath.

2. Anoint Jehu king of Israel.  Jehu will utterly destroy the family of Ahab and Jezebel, and will purge Israel of Baal worshippers.

3. Anoint Elisha as your successor.  This is the only one of the three tasks that Elijah performs -- he leaves the other two to Elisha.

All three of these tasks will work towards the elimination of the worship of Baal.  "Whoever escapes from the sword of Hazael, Jehu shall kill, and whoever escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha shall kill."

Not your typical Sunday school lesson. 

Seriously, though, what can we take away from this story?  Certainly we don't believe that we should execute those whose religion conflicts with ours.  Religious tolerance is a natural extension of the teachings of Jesus.   But one lesson we can take is against the state appropriation of religion for political ends.  That lesson is confirmed by other accounts where even pro-Yahweh kings are chastised for taking religious matters into their own hands.  God does not serve the state.

“But wait!” I hear you cry. “At least two of God’s action items for Elijah are political!”  Yes, that is true. God does not serve politics, but God can inspire us to political action in accordance with God’s will. “But…Hazael and Jehu are going to kill a lot of people!”  Part of the incarnational nature of God’s action is that it occurs in the context of our broken human systems. That doesn’t mean that God doesn’t want to change them for the better, though. When Elisha later tells Hazael that he will become king, Elisha weeps over the destruction that Hazael’s reign will bring. Hundreds of years after that, Jesus will teach us non-violence, and two thousand years later we still haven’t learned that lesson!  God always wants to move us towards the Way of Love, but it takes a long time due to our human limitations. Fundamentalists mean well when they insist on fidelity to God’s word, but they fail to recognize that God’s revelation comes to us through human filters. We often misapply God’s call in ways that are distorted by our brokenness. So two things can be true: we can be following God’s call at the same time that we are failing to do so in significant ways.  May God grant us discernment and growth. 

Another lesson can be drawn from the way in which God speaks to Elijah.  The "still, small voice" seems to call us to quiet contemplation, silencing the noise in our lives so that we can hear God speak in our hearts.  While that is true and a good practice, I don't think that is the only, or even the best, lesson here.  If we stop with this, we might expect God to speak to us every time we sit down and quiet ourselves.  No, I think the real point here is that God spoke in a way that Elijah wasn't expecting, yet Elijah heard.  One repeating feature of the prophetic narratives in the Bible is that God does the unexpected.  To hear God speak, you have to be out of your mind — your usual mind, that is.  The Greek word that is translated “repentance” in the New Testament is “metanoia”, which literally means “think differently”. That idea pervades Jesus' teaching, with "the first shall be last," "blessed are the poor" and other counter-intuitive sayings, not to mention mind-shattering deeds like walking on water and rising from the dead.  Whenever we try to put God into a box, to circumscribe what is God’s way of doing things versus what is not, then we are placing ourselves above God.  If we do that, we will be disappointed, perhaps even angered, by the unexpected.  If instead we open ourselves to God's surprises, we will find freedom and joy.

10th Sunday after Pentecost, August 2, 2026

Scriptures: Isaiah 55:1-5; Psalm 145: 8-9, 15-22; Romans 9:1-5; Matthew 14:13-21

Reflection by Nancy Jo Bleier, Worship Leader

8/2/26 10 Pentecost Morning Prayer
Matt: 14: 13-21
I read “the rest of the story” in the Daily Sitka Sentinel this week about a boat coming down Sitka Channel and anchoring off the UAS ramp. Some scruffy fishermen rowed ashore. Pretty soon the whole area from the Coast Guard on both ends, thru MEHS and SEARHC were filled up with people - families, women, kids, men. Some brought chairs they still had out from a local parade. UAS brought out more chairs plus tables. Many put the word out on FaceBook that some guy called Jesus was healing the sick at SEARHC.

I happened to be at an appointment at SEARHC so decided I better go down toward the water to see what was happening. I had heard that Jesus had been preaching good news in other villages in SouthEast Alaska. As we know rumors move quickly thru social media, amateur/
HAM radio and CB radio.

An obituary was in the paper this week for his cousin, John the Baptist. John who was in prison had his head cut off on the order of Herod. His disciples had buried him and let Jesus know. The word was Jesus had gone away on a boat most likely to grief the loss of this great man.

It became evening so his fishermen friends said “let’s send everyone on their way to find their own food and we’ll go to the Pioneer Bar”. Jesus said “they don’t need to go; we’ll feed them. But the fishermen said “all we have is 5 sourdough loaves and 2 leftover fish.” So this Jesus blessed the food, broke it up and asked his friends to hand it all out. Somehow this guy doesn’t believe in scarcity as there were 12 totes full of leftovers that went to Sitkans Against Family Violence, Salvation Army and other places. They had folks counting the crowd and they came up with most of Sitka plus another 2,000 from the ships in town came down to hear this Jesus.

There were no picket signs, no flags flying and no guns reported. Everyone was happy and grateful for the words of hope and food. Those who felt their own healing were ecstatic. 

One woman told the newspaper reporter she couldn’t believe how humble this Jesus was. He was quite outstanding she said because you could feel his aura, like a light shining all around him. And he was appropriately wearing Xtra-tufs. She said he made his message clear that God was the one everyone could count on.

The reporter noted he quoted the Psalmist; 'The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and of great kindness…The eyes of all wait upon you, O Lord, and you give them their food in due season. You open wide your hand and satisfy the needs of every living creature…”

Later I heard after the meal he insisted his fishermen friends go back to the boat to move back up Peril Strait. They said he took off walking up Gavin Hill to be by himself.

So it's now Sunday in our present day ordinary time…how do these scriptures affect each one of us.. We are in a church sanctuary built to honor God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Are we witnesses to his stories today? Would we be grateful for hearing in person his parables or irritated that he talked in circles.

What jumped out to me reading Matthew was Jesus’ compassion for healing of the ill wherever he traveled. Most of all for knowing everyone was hungry and the community needed to be fed not just with words but with real food. And he had a Divine Power to make this happen. 

Did you know this story is found in all four gospels?
Matthew 14:13-21
Mark 6:31-44
Luke 9:10-17
John 6:1-15

The story varies some in each gospel. In John this story is considered the 4th sign in Jesus’ ministry. The 1st sign was Turning Water into Wine, the 2nd sign Healing the Royal Official’s son and the 3rd sign was Healing the Man from Bethesda.

Historical context - the time period of the miracle of feeding the 5,000+ occurred during the early ministry of Jesus, in the first century AD. This was a time of Roman occupation in Judea, with significant social and political tensions.

Jesus' Ministry - Jesus was gaining recognition as a healer and teacher, attracting large crowds. His teachings often focused on compassion, mercy, and the Kingdom of God.

Cultural Context - The event took place near Bethsaida, a rural area known for its natural resources. The setting was significant as it was a desolate place, emphasizing the miracle's impact.

Social Dynamics - The crowd consisted of thousands, including men, women, and children, highlighting the communal aspect of Jesus' ministry. The miracle reflects the cultural importance of hospitality and sharing food in Jewish tradition.

Religious Significance - The feeding of the 5,000 is the only miracle recorded in all four Gospels, underscoring its theological importance. It demonstrates Jesus' compassion for the needy and serves as a sign of his divine authority. (Suggestions from CSLewis Institute and Wikipedia.)

So let us be challenged to feed as many as we can in this world where starvation is real every day for so many children and adults.

Locally we can donate food to the Salvation Army Food Bank and SAFV. St Peter’s also collects to give to these groups. In Sitka for those who are facing food insecurity, ALFA (alfafish.org) is donating locally caught fish in late July/early August.

Those of you on Zoom elsewhere will have local places to give too. Other well known groups are: No Kid Hungry; World Central Kitchen; Feeding America; Food for the Poor; Catholic Relief Services; Episcopal Relief & Development; World Food Program USA; and UN World Food
Programme.

Famine is real as it's related to climate change and wars. These groups have been trying to get rid of the famine that exists in our world but they need help.

So going forward: How will you help in giving out the good news of love which includes food?
Amen.
Nancy Jo Bleier, Worship Leader

9th Sunday after Pentecost, July 26, 2026

Scriptures: 1 Kings 3:5-12; Psalm 119:129-136; Romans 8:26-39; Matthew 13:31-33,44-52

Reflection by Kit Allgood-Mellema, Worship Leader

26 July 2026, 9th Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 12A

I once attended a talk given by an ‘expert’ in his field, but a few moments into the session I realized I could not follow his train of thought. It was almost like being in a Peanuts movie when the adults start talking but all you hear is a muffled ‘wah, wah, wah.’ All around me, participants were smiling and nodding. I was embarrassed, not wanting to admit I was lost and confused. Months later I met up with a friend who had also attended that talk; during our visit she confessed she also hadn’t understood the speaker’s reasoning but was embarrassed to admit it.

Today’s gospel reading from Matthew is a continuation of the parables we’ve heard the last few weeks. In this week’s Sunday Musings column, Diana Butler Bass calls this string of stories a ‘parable lightening round,’ a ‘parabalooza!’ I agree. And when I hear the readings from the last three Sundays, I always think about attending that lecture. Why? Because more than once, Jesus paused and said, ‘Let anyone with ears listen!’ Or as we heard today, he asked ‘Have you understood all this?’ The response was ‘Yes.’ Wow!

They heard seven parables, some of them 1-liners, with only a couple of explanations. And those listening said they understood them. I think I’d be stuck around the second one trying to figure it all out! But remember. speaking and listening were the main forms of communication during those times. One source I found estimated that about 3% of the people in 1st century Palestine could read and write. People knew how to listen; it was the only way to learn and communicate for most. The act of speaking could be life-giving, and the act of listening could be lifesaving. Did everyone in the congregation when Jesus spoke, hear and understand? Matthew didn’t tell us in his gospel. And we can hazard a guess that many of them didn’t understand at that moment, given the reactions to Jesus that follow in the remainder of Matthew. I wonder if, like me at the lecture, they were embarrassed, or afraid to admit they were at a loss. Often even the disciples didn’t understand what Jesus said in the moment.

Why does this matter, this phrase, ‘Have you understood all this’? I’ve always wondered if Jesus was expecting another answer to this question, an answer that would free up those listening to hear more, to question Jesus, to go deeper into what was happening, and what might be coming. Just one person answering, ‘No, I don’t understand. Please help me.’ After all, the last words of this reading tell us Jesus was preparing those around him for their place and role in the kingdom of heaven by giving them everything they needed, to have it within their reach.

Why does this phrase about understanding matter to us? These days we have all our technology available 24/7, along with huge numbers of ‘experts’ offering us advise to solve problems we didn’t know we had. We have quick and easy access to all the answers. Well, maybe. But that quick and easy access comes with a price. We have to know exactly how to word our questions. We may not know the source of an answer, or the intent of the author. We have many more ways to communicate than those available in the 1st century, but do we really use them to the fullest? How well do we listen? Are we prepared to understand everything we hear, everything we read, everything we see? There’s a lot of information out there. Are we prepared to carefully and lovingly discern and use the information for the good of God’s people? Most importantly, are we prepared to say to Jesus, ‘No, I don’t understand! Please help me understand’?

The good news is these are the words Jesus was waiting to hear - is still waiting to hear! Jesus, wants to answer the questions we struggle to put into words, the questions technology can’t answer. If Jesus walked through these doors todayß, and asked us if we understood all we’ve heard, he’d be happy to hear us reply, ‘No – help us understand!’ We are not meant to be left out, lost and embarrassed. We are here to be part of God’s kingdom, here on earth and for ever, to hear, to learn, to share, to love.

How do I know this? Think about our readings today. Solomon asked God to give him an understanding mind, to be able to discern between good and evil and govern God’s people, and God said, ‘you have asked for help understanding what is right, and I will give you a wise and discerning mind.’ Solomon’s request and God’s response were all about God’s love for us. The author of Psalm 119 wrote in praise of God, ‘when your word goes forth it gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.’ God loves us enough to pour light into our world, our lives. In his letter to the Romans – yes, it was written, but it was always read aloud to those gathered! – Paul gives us another vision of God’s love found in the work of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit that helps us in our weakness, the Spirit that helps us pray, and supports us in all times and places, in all we do in the name of God and God’s love.

So again, how do I know this? Well, honestly, sometimes I’m not sure I do know it. I sometimes lose my way and may not want to admit it. As Rev. Canon Stephanie Spellers says in ‘The Church Cracked Open,’ ‘Look to Jesus. He made plain the way to follow him . . . No matter how many times we’ve turned the other way, Jesus stands before us full of grace and hope, offering opportunities to follow him . . . ‘

In my moments of uncertainty, I try to ask Jesus to help me understand. And then I try to listen. I remember that I’m supported by a community who loves me and each other even when we don’t have the answers. There’s always an answer, although it may take a while to hear it. When I hear it, I always hear, ‘because you are loved, because you share love, and because you are love.’ And then I know that’s what Jesus wants us to understand. Wow!

Thanks be to God! Amen!

8th Sunday after Pentecost, July 19, 2026

Scriptures: Wisdom of Solomon 12:13, 16-19; Psalm 86:11-17; Romans 8:12-25; Matthew 13:24-30,36-43

Reflection by Rev. Kathryn Snelling, Deacon

8 Pentecost July 19,2026

Almighty and gracious God, open our ears to hear your word and open our hearts to receive it. In the name of he who is the Word, the truth and the life, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

I expected that you noticed I didn’t read the full portion of scripture we had today, but stopped when Jesus had finished telling the parable and had gone back into the house.

And that was intentional.

Because I would like us to sit with just the parable this morning and not the explanation, the allegory offered in the text.

I know it’s hard to un-hear something we have heard over so many years, but l would like us to try.

And this is not to say that the allegory offered in the text isn’t viable. It certainly is and there is truth there.

But in general, Jesus did not give explanations to his parable. He left it with; “Let those with ears, listen.”

That’s one of the beauties and challenges of parables and gives them their timelessness.

Every generation hears it within the context of when it was first spoken and in the context of the world of their own times and perhaps even from where they are in their own lives.

So, please join me in exploring this parable.

Jesus uses common items and events in his parables that people could easily relate to. Things and circumstances  his listeners would be familiar with.

How many of you grew up around wheat fields?

I did not. Growing up in southeast Alaska, the closest wheat fields are thousands of miles away. So other than seeing pictures and reading about it, my knowledge of wheat was scant.

So I decided I should look up wheat and refresh my knowledge about the plant and how it grows. See what that might offer in reading and understanding this parable.

And I did learn a few interesting facts;

— Wheat seed does not need a well fertilized soil to grow in.

Unlike here, where serious gardeners gather the seaweed and fish heads and work it into the soil to add more nutrients to it before they plant — wheat grows in the soil as it is - it just needs to be well tilled and raked out so there are some groves for the seed to fall into and germinate. And after it is established it doesn’t even require regular or frequent  watering. 

— And one more thing, the wheat will get what it needs to grow and produce grain in spite of the weeds. The wheat will outcompete the weeds.

And now the weeds. Our translation from the New Revised Standard Version uses the broad term weeds, while in other translations such as King James they are called tares and others they name the weed - the darnel.

The darnel is a weed that looks very much like wheat and so much so that it is very difficult to tell the difference when it is first growing.

 And if that wasn’t sneaky enough, the darnel wraps its roots around the roots of the wheat.

And darnel is very poisonous to both humans and animals.

Which is something that the farmer apparently understood about the plants, but not so the workers.

They are ready to go into the field and pull up the weeds. So it is fortunate that they checked in with the farmer first. If they had acted on their own it would have caused a worse situation by damaging the wheat.

So perhaps there is a message in this. That before we assume we are right, we make sure our hearts and actions are in line with our Master.

So what about the farmer? How would you describe him, what attributes would you apply? 

wise - knew his business - patient - willing to wait, give it time - flexible - didn’t panic, no knee jerk reaction

It’s something to note here what he did not do - he did not accuse the workers with any wrong-doing - such as, “you didn’t tilled the soil deep enough” - or 

He knew what the seed was and where it came from; “an enemy has done this.”

Any other thoughts to add at this point?

So the wheat and weeds are left to grow together.

What happens when the wheat is ripe? 

Now I also read that wheat turns a golden brown and the heads get heavy with the ripped grain and that causes the wheat head to bend over.

The darnel, on the other hand, turns black when it matures and stays straight so it towers over the wheat. Showing itself for what it is. Making it easy to tell it from the wheat.

One can fool the eye for a while but the truth shows in the end.

So harvest time comes. 

And who does the farmer send into the field to harvest? The Reapers.

Not the workers — those who tilled the soil and planted the wheat.

But reapers who are under the authority and instructions of the farmer. And have the skill to separate the weeds from the wheat.

I was chatting with a couple of friends last week and one was telling us how she had been busy weeding her garden and she had more to do —- and the other friend spoke up and said;

”You know, a weed is just another flower growing in the wrong place.”

It is a saying I have heard before. And it kept surfacing as I pondered this parable.

Using the wider term of “weeds” and not just “darnel”, widening my thinking.

It could be that more than one weed was growing among the wheat. Ones that weren't poisonous. But whose final outcome and worth are not recognized.

And if we look at the parable allegorically - meaning you give a persona to each of the characters in the story - and the wheat and weeds are characters  - and say the wheat and weeds are people - we know that unlike seeds, which can only grow into the plant they came from - humans can change, with God’s help. 

We see examples of this in the Bible and throughout history.

Can you think of some examples?

We read a portion of his letter to the Romans this morning. Saul from Tarsus, persécuter of the new Jesus followers, became Paul the Apostle to the Gentiles. 

Another is John Newton the author of the hymn Amazing Grace. He was a slave trader and later became an outspoken abolitionist against slavery.

And we all probably know of people who have struggled - struggled against addictions to substances or harmful activities, or of being led down a wrong path. And through hard work and conviction and help, they have overcome and changed. 

So perhaps there is another harvesting - or maybe it’s a winnowing - one that is done only by the farmer.

The farmer says that all will be taken care of at harvest time. I will see to it.

I think Bishop Mark summed it up nicely in his reflection, and I quote:

Weeding can be a dangerous activity: an exercise in judgement, bias, control; a violence against what one sees as out of place or unknown; unrecognized or believed to be wrong.

Perhaps this is why Jesus suggests that weeding be left to angels - to himself, the master gardener.

Let the business of growing and bearing fruit be ours, the work of weeding be left to divine love. 

Unquote

Ultimately, from beginning to end, the farmer is in charge of the field. Weeds and all. 

 Amen

7th Sunday after Pentecost, July 12, 2026

Scriptures: Isaiah 55:10-13; Psalm 65: (1-8), 9-14 (or BCP 672); Romans 8:1-11; Matthew 13:1-9,18-23

Reflection by Kit Allgood-Mellema, Worship Leader

12 July 2026, 7th Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 10A

Spending time this last week pondering the readings, I let my mind wander around the words, waiting for something to jump out at me. Then Wednesday morning, I checked my email inbox and saw a post from Farmer Sam, and her first words jumped up! I love when that happens.

Farmer Sam is Samantha Burns, who in 2018 bought 53 acres to farm in rural Maine. In 2020, putting into place a safety net to help her continue her work on the farm, Sam signed a 50-year Natural Resources Conservation contract with a provision in the contract that 40 acres of the land would be protected from development and preserved for conservation of the resources on the land – the stream that runs through it, the brook trout and freshwater mussels in the stream, the lynx and other wildlife, the grove of Northern Larch, the Common Nighthawk that the grove shelters. She sustainably works the remaining 13 acres with the help of her son, in the hope that her small farm will provide them with the income needed to keep the farm going and profitable enough for them to live comfortably while also providing affordable fresh food to a community in need of food basics. She is the fertilizer bringing life to the land and to her community.

Sam began her Wednesday email with, ‘Feeding the soil, not the plant . . .‘ Those six words took me back to today’s gospel, and left me asking a lot of questions. Why is it so vital to focus on the soil? Well, we know plants growing in well-fed soil have a long-lasting and supporting foundation, a good start. I wondered, if I was a farmer, how could I make soil fertile for planting the word of the kingdom?

The gardeners among you know that in an earthly garden, it takes many different elements to create healthy, well balanced, fertilized soil. Get a group of gardeners together, and they’ll start talking about the fertilizers they prefer and how to use them.

Today, I’m inviting you to join me in thinking about creating fertile soil, the mix of elements that create healthy soil, and specifically how we can make soil fertile to nourish the growth of God’s word, God’s kingdom here on earth, our very beings. We are the farmers caring for the soil. So, I’m inviting you to take some time to ponder a few of the questions that came up for me this week, thinking as a farmer might as they work to enhance their soil. As I ask the questions, I’ll give time and space to let the words settle in and allow the thoughts to come. You might feel moved to say those thoughts out loud – please do! As we listen to our own thoughts and the thoughts of others, please remember these are the words that God has already planted in us. They are sacred. This is the Spirit speaking. Honor what you think and say as you honor what others think and say. Simply listen. Learn. Grow.

For the good growth of God’s word, what does fertile soil look like – in our church, in our community, in our world?

In God’s kingdom, what makes soil fertile? Is it compassion? Joy? Hope? Love? Food? Shelter? How can we, the farmers, make the soil of St. Peter’s fertile, a place where people can plant themselves, grow, flourish?

As a farmer, if you look at the soil of your soul and your life, what makes it fertile? Is it study? Prayer? Worship? Music? Is it taking action? Is it finding and seeing God in all things – large and small? Is it finding and seeing God in all faces, even the faces of those you don’t know or the faces of those you aren’t sure you can love?

Think about what happens when a seed sprouts and grows. In a fertile, moist environment, a seed will begin to swell as a small crack forms around the middle. The seed begins to push a small root down and a small sprout up as the crack widens and creates space for the new living plant to grow. Imagine – a seed has to crack open to grow new life. Have you ever nourished the soil that allowed someone to crack open and grow?

Have you ever felt yourself crack open and grow? How did it feel?

We are more than just the seed or the soil that makes up the kingdom of God here on earth. We are the farmers. Every day we have the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of others by our intentional feeding of their bodies, hearts, minds, souls. The nourishment we can offer as God’s ‘fertilizer,’ not just the soil they are planted in, but the very food that gives them sustenance, is lifesaving for those who are searching for God and God’s kingdom. It is lifesaving for those who feel lost and alone, helpless and hopeless, those hungering for love, safety and a recognition of their human dignity. And it is lifesaving for us.

Thanks be to God! Amen!

6th Sunday after Pentecost, July 5, 2026

Scriptures: Psalm 145:8-15; Zechariah 9:9-12; Romans 7:15-25a; Matthew 11:16-19,25-30

Reflection by Nancy Jo Bleier, Worship Leader

7/5/26 Reflection Sixth Sunday after Pentecost Morning Prayer

Today I want to respectfully acknowledge that we are meeting in Sheet’ká Ḵwáan on Lingít Aaní, also known as Sitka, Alaska. We acknowledge that the Lingít Peoples have been stewards of the land on which we worship, work and reside since time immemorial, and we are grateful for that stewardship and incredible care.

In the verses before our Gospel reading John the Baptist is in prison so he sends his disciples to find out what Jesus is doing. Jesus says for them to tell John: “The blind see, the lame walk, leapers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the wretched of the earth learn that God is on their side.” So they go back to report to John about Jesus.

The verses we read today (Matt. 11: 16-19, 25-30) Jesus is talking to a crowd about John. Explaining he is a prophet and John has been preparing the way for the Messiah. I am going to continue our gospel readings from two more translations.

From The Message translation, Jesus asks “Are you listening to me? Really listening? How can I account for this generation? The people have been like spoiled children whining to their parents, ‘We wanted to skip rope, and you were always too tired; we wanted to talk, but you were always too busy.’ John came fasting and they called him crazy. I came feasting and they called me a boozer, a friend of the misfits. Opinion polls don’t count for much do they? The proof of the pudding is in the eating.”

In the missing verses that our lectionary insert does not give us, Jesus goes on to be furious with all the places he has been preaching that they are not interested in his words. And maybe this is what is happening with the crowd he’s talking to as he breaks into saying a prayer. “Thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth. You’ve concealed your ways from sophisticates and know-it-alls, but spelled them out clearly to ordinary people. Yes, Father, that’s the way you like to work.”

He goes on to talk to the people and explains that this Father-Son relationship is being intimate and knowing each other. Jesus says he’ll share this with anyone who listens.

He asks “Are You tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

From the First Nations Version: An Indigenous Bible Translation of the New Testament I read:

“My Father has put everything into my hands,” he said with a solemn voice. “Only the Father knows the Son and only the Son knows the Father. No one can know the Father in his fullness unless the Son makes him known.”

“Come close to my side, you whose hearts are on the ground, you who pushed down and worn out, and I will refresh you. Follow my teachings and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble of heart, and you will find rest from your troubled thoughts. Walk side by side with me and I will share in your heavy load and make it light.”

Wow, I like how all of these translations we have heard sound. They make me feel taken care of, being wanted, loved and maybe with a little hope thrown in.

Forward Day by Day’s author, Tina Francis offered this for 7/5/2026: “I’ve tried to quit hope—swore it off in whispered prayers I never finished. But it keeps finding me: through cracked windows, under locked doors. Hope has teeth. It doesn’t knock. It barges in, unshowered, humming a half-forgotten song. And God, thankfully, doesn’t mock us for holding on too long. God says: Return. I will restore what was lost. Twice over. Maybe not on your timeline. Maybe not how you imagined. But restorative somehow. Hope is not a mood. It’s a calling. Not optimism, but fidelity. You don’t have to feel confident for it to be true. You just have to limp your way toward it.”

This week I pondered the Statue of Liberty that my Swedish ancestors came through and the sonnet Emma Lazarus wrote in 1883:

“Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,

With conquering limbs astride from land to land;

Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand

A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame

Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name

Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand

Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command

The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.

"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she

With silent lips.

"Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

Let’s end with “A Prayer for Our Nation” by James Martin, SJ, Jesuit priest.

Loving God,

on our 250th

anniversary

as a nation,

help us to be

just,

loving,

merciful,

grateful,

compassionate,

and, above all,

kind.

Help our nation mirror

the kind of people

we want to be.

And help us to avoid

envy,

cruelty,

violence,

boasting,

prejudice,

nationalism,

scapegoating,

and malice towards anyone

Help us to be loving,

As you are, Loving God. Amen.

Nancy Jo Bleier, Worship Leader

5th Sunday after Pentecost, June 28, 2026

Scriptures: Jeremiah 28:5-9; Psalm 89:1-4,15-18; Romans 6:12-23; Matthew 10:40-42

Reflection by Rev. Kathryn Snelling, Deacon (there is no written copy)