The service Reflection was a reading of the names of St. Peter’s By the Sea Saints from 1898 to 2026. The service video is available by email request and has been sent to the church email list.
22nd Sunday after Pentecost, October 25, 2026
Scriptures: Leviticus 19:1-2,15-18; Psalm 1; 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8; Matthew 22:34-46
Reflection by Rev. Kathryn Snelling, Deacon
22 Pentecost October 25, 2026
The Rev Kathryn Snelling, Deacon
Testing, Testing, Testing
Tests and testing is nothing new. Not to Jesus. His being tested in the wilderness was only the beginning. In Matthew we read of the Pharisee and religious leaders testing and challenging him repeatedly.
And testing is not new to us, either.
We face tests of various sorts throughout our lives.
During school years we are tested at each grade to see if we have mastered that level of knowledge before moving on to the next grade.
Or we take a test to earn a certificate or degree in a chosen field.
We take driver tests and vision tests
We are tested in situations and relationships.
And there is even the testing our patience. Have you ever been there?
I get the feeling that Jesus may have been feeling that way when this expert in the Law poses his question.
Which is the greatest commandment in the Law?
Now our text this morning doesn’t say Jesus knew the intention of the question was to trip him up, like the time when he was asked about paying taxes, but I’m sure he was aware.
So he answers; (one of the rare times he gives a direct answer) Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul and with all your mind.
And a second is like it - Love your neighbor as yourself.
Adding - that all the Law and the prophets hang on these two.
Now as a funny aside: my niece, when she was a little girl, hearing this read for the first time, kept staring up at the rafters trying to see which rafter all the laws and prophets were hanging from.
But of course what Jesus was saying is that all the 600 plus laws in the Torah and all that the prophets spoke, rested on these two commandments.
Not only was this first Law well known to the expert but also to all the Pharisees standing nearby and all the Jewish people in the crowd. For it is the Shema, the prayer said every morning and every night by all faithful Jews.
And the second would have been known as well. It is found in the passage in Leviticus which we read this morning.
So it was rather a “no-brainer”. And if the expert meant to use it as a jumping off point to pose another question — Jesus beats him to the punch.
As with all his encounters with people, Jesus sees an opportunity.
An opportunity to open and expand understanding of God and of the Law.
And so he flips the conversation to ask a question of the Pharisees.
He asks them this question about the Messiah; who would he be descended from.
They give the “accepted” answer; King David
But when asked how he can be David’s son if David calls him Lord, they clam up.
In the same way they clammed up about John the Baptist - from fear.
To enter into that conversation would force them to think differently, to open up to possibilities of a wider meaning. Something that didn’t fit into their vision of who the Messiah would be.
So that ended the Pharisees’ trying to trip Jesus up.
But Jesus was less trying to test or trip them up as he was inviting them to be open to something they were unwilling to open.
At least at this time. For we do not know the rest of their stories.
But Jesus is always opening the word - to deepen our understanding and widen our vision of God' s love.
God is always more. Always has more to give than we can even imagine.
Fortunately we have Jesus. And when he put the two commandments together, he was showing that they really do work as one.
We see it in how he lived and in his teaching. He offers this as a plum line to measure our relationship to God and neighbor.
Bishop Mark wrapped it up well at the end of his reflection.
So I quote:
Like it or not, loving God with all your heart and soul and mind IS the same as loving your neighbor as yourself.
You cannot do either one separately. They are indistinguishable in practice. The first is the second and the second is the first.
This is the greatest commandment of all.
To love God is to love your neighbor is to love God. The greatest challenge in all of this, however, may be loving yourself the way God loves you.
Amen
21st Sunday after Pentecost, October 18, 2026
Scripture: Isaiah 45:1-7; Psalm 96:1-9, (10-13); 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10; Matthew 22:15-22
Reflection by Kit Allgood-Mellema, Worship Leader
The video’s first 2 minutes are a little scratchy but ok after that.
18 October 2026, 21st Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 24A
I confess very time I hear this reading, the first image that comes to mind is Snoopy as the Flying Ace shaking his fist muttering, ‘Curses! Foiled again!’ The authorities were foiled as they tried to trick Jesus into saying something that would allow them to arrest him.
As tempting as it is to follow that path, it’s not where I’m going in today’s reflection. As I thought about Jesus asking to see a coin, I began to ponder what it means to use coins, and what they, and other types of currency, represent. We learn about coins from a very young age, often as they are discovered on the floor, under a cushion, on the ground, in a pocket, or in a jar. Coins reflect a society’s relationship with wealth and fortune, from the humble (and disappearing) penny to the gold-colored dollar. (The color comes from the alloy in them; there is no gold there.)
Coins can be experienced with our senses – you can see them, feel the images and markings on them, hear them rattle, smell them, and yes, they have a taste. This little container I’m holding has coins of different colors, sizes and shapes, with different values and from a few countries. They all have things in common –an amount of value, something to identify the country, and the image of a person. Most of us sitting here have grown up feeling comfortable with the heft of coins in our pockets and the bulk of folding money in our wallets.
But as online services have changed and grown, we’re more at ease with the idea of managing our money virtually, using it and moving it from place to place without ever touching it. If we lose our bank account log-in, it’s annoying, but our accounts and money can be recovered. Then there’s cryptocurrency, such as Bitcoin. A digital currency, crypto requires some tech savvy and can be risky. Ownership is controlled by a key – a long string of characters the owner receives at acquisition. Lose the key and you’ve lost your investment.
With so much money flowing back and forth, in and out at a simple touch or tap, it has become more difficult to define our relationship with money. When was the last time you counted out a ten, a five, some ones, a dime and a penny or two? We have a mental picture of the numbers when we press ‘pay’ at the terminal, but do we see the exchange happen? Do we really comprehend the cost and the value of what just took place? Do we feel the sense that we have traded treasure – our cash or currency – for other treasure – something we wanted or needed? Or is something missing from these transactions? Do they feel automatic and impersonal? Unsatisfying? Are we so inured to cashless, touch-free, anonymous virtual transactions that we fail to comprehend the value of the exchanges we make?
When Jesus answered the question from the men the Pharisees sent, he didn’t try to skirt the issue of paying Roman taxes. Jesus simply told them that only the emperor’s currency would satisfy the emperor, and that he was more interested in God’s currency, in giving to God what God was due.
God’s currency is not found in a jar, a wallet or pocket. It’s not counted out, added up, stored in a bank, or exchanged at a terminal. It doesn’t require a password or a key that can be forgotten or lost. It doesn’t have to be insured, and it’s definitely not impacted by exchange rates, inflation or interest rates. Unlike touch-fee transactions, God’s currency is real and tangible and can be measured by our senses. God’s currency is found in sharing gifts of time and presence. It’s found in hospitality and community, in intentional gathering and connecting. It’s found in sharing meals and play, in quiet times and times of grief. God’s currency often comes out of a place of truth and vulnerability, from listening and hearing and accepting other people’s truths. It comes from creating safe and loving spaces where each one of God’s cßhildren can honestly and faithfully shine forth the image of God that lives in them. God’s currency is found in recognizing that image and honoring the needs and dignity of each other. God’s currency isn’t regulated or limited; there is no supply chain problem with it. Where God’s currency is found, there is only abundance. God’s currency is the blessing of Holy Currency.
We are going to hear more about Holy Currency in the weeks to come. If you were able to attend Rev. Rachel Taber-Hamilton’s visioning session in September, you will likely remember hearing the term. As used by the Kaleidoscope Institute, Holy Currencies describes ‘a holistic model for stewardship . . . to create . . . sustainable ministries,’ using, besides money, the Holy Currencies of ‘Time & Place, Gracious Leadership, Relationship, Truth, and Wellness.’ As they describe it, ‘these currencies flow and recirculate to form a Cycle of Blessings which empower congregations to strengthen their internal relationships as well as reach out and connect with . . . their neighborhoods.’
If you could mint a coin of God’s currency, what would it look like? What image would it bear? How could you use it? There’s a picture on your bulletin of three coins. I invite you - take your bulletin home. Think about your coin. On one or two or all of the coins, draw an image of God’s currency. In the space around the image, jot down a note about how you could use that currency to give back to God what has been so generously given to you.
Thanks be to God! Amen!
20th Sunday after Pentecost, October 11, 2026
Scriptures: Isaiah 25:1-9; Psalm 23; Philippians 4:1-9; Matthew 22:1-14
The letter to the Diocesan Convention by Bishop Mark Lattime was read by Nancy Jo Bleier, Worship Leader at the Sunday service.
Aiming for a Future Worthy of Hope
2026-10-03, Bishop Mark Lattime
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me.”
Welcome to the 51st Convention to the Episcopal Diocese of Alaska. Here we are gathered online; together and yet dispersed. Which is not new to us. This is the third time we have held a Convention using this technology. I still remember the first time we did this. There was a lot of anxiety and opinion about it. We had a lot to learn. The online or “virtual” setting wasn’t the same, isn’t the same, as all our previous gatherings. There were things lost in this “new” way of gathering to conduct the business of the Diocese.
But we did it. And, we have grown from the experience. I continue to be inspired, and a bit awestruck, by the number of our congregations since the pandemic who continue to offer an online option for their worship. This technology has expanded our reach, connecting us with siblings in Christ around the globe, and, even, just down the street.
There is an irony, or, perhaps, a caution in this: Technology has expanded our ability to connect beyond anything many of us could have imagined 30 years ago--we are well connected, and, yet, loneliness has reached epidemic levels, and selfishness, and dare I say nihilism, are also rising to alarming levels.
Which is to say that there are a lot of troubled hearts in this well-connected world.
And what did Jesus say to his disciples about their troubled hearts, their fear for the future? He offered belief. Troubled hearts need something to believe in—a future worthy of faith and hope. Believe in God, believe also in me, Jesus says.
I have a reminder set in my calendar for October 1 that I entered 20 years ago. It popped-up just two days ago to remind me of the anniversary of my first solo as a student seeking to earn my wings. I remember that day very well. And I remember talking to myself the whole time. Watch your speed, trim, eyes outside, look at the horizon, pitch, power, eyes outside, look at the horizon.
On of the most difficult flying maneuvers to master, believe it or not, is straight and level flight. My flight instructor taught me very early in my training that the key to straight and level flight is to look at the horizon (when not in IMC). Aim for the horizon. Fly towards the future.
Which requires that you have a horizon or a future you can believe in.
When flying, if you can’t see the horizon out the window, you’re in trouble. The body gets disoriented. You need a horizon you can trust, that you can believe in. This is why aircraft have instruments to provide a horizon when flying in clouds.
Jesus gives us a horizon—a future to believe in and to hope for. As people of faith in this changing world, that is our crucial calling—our witness: to be communities that practice hope and faith in a future that nourishes life, love, and the flourishing of all humankind, a future that looks like Jesus and the Kingdom of God he made manifest in his life, death, resurrection, and ascension.
I recently read in a book by futurist Bob Johansen, Bishop Andy Doyle, and AI poet and artist Jeremy Kishbaum that made this very powerful statement about faith: “faith begins when we agree to connect with each other in search of a flourishing that none of us can enjoy on our own. It’s the choice to recognize that one human’s future is connected to another person’s future; to regard the welfare of the community as my welfare, rather than as a consolation prize after my needs are taken care of.”
And there it is: that is the horizon that faith gives us—the thing that I believe gives us a unique and crucial role in nurturing hope for the future. Our belief or faith in Jesus is a communal faith—it is not simply a personal faith. Belief in God and belief in Jesus binds us together as a body—a community that discerns that the future—the horizon that guides us is the Kingdom of God revealed in Jesus of Nazareth. It is a horizon, a future, where there is flourishing for everyone, all creatures, and even this good earth.
That is a future and a horizon worthy of our witness. But more, it is a future worthy of our best efforts, intentions, and commitments to work for as communities of living incarnate beings.
In the news recently, a former AI engineer with Anthropic, Jacob Coxon, announced the terrifying possibility that AI could acquire the power to threaten human survival by the end of the decade. Another engineer from Anthropic stated that there was a 10% chance that AI could cause human extinction within ten years.
That’s not a future worth hoping for. Indeed, it is a future without any hope at all.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying AI is all bad or evil. It can be a powerful tool to benefit humankind. My concern with AI is that it is NOT human, and the world needs a human touch—we need genuine human interaction to flourish, to hope, and to find meaning for our lives and our future. That is the message of the Incarnation: Jesus.
As the body of Christ, a community that puts into flesh and action our belief and hope in Jesus for the life of the word, we are the counter narrative to the AI world and a future without hope. To quote Pope Leo XIV, we bear the “spark” of life that a machine will never have. We also bear the image of God. That spark that exists in all life, and the image of God that we uniquely bear calls us to witness to a future worthy of hope.
My prayer, and my charge to you as my term as your bishop moves toward a close, is that this faith we share—this communal belief in Jesus and the Kingdom of God will give us clarity on how our communities--regardless of numbers, can put our faith into action; working together for a future worthy of our belief in Jesus—witnessing and working for a future that gives meaning to life.
Back in 1950, the psychoanalyst Erik Erikson introduced the term generativity—this was 6 years before the term AI was first used. And a long time and distance from what is now called “Generative AI”—the technology that AI uses to create new content like images, music, video, and computer code. Erikson, however, saw generativity as a uniquely human experience and the primary developmental task of adulthood. Generativity is the tension between creating something that will outlast us and becoming stuck, or stagnant, in self-interest. It is about bringing forth something that is greater than ourselves, that calls us beyond ourselves and serves a world and a people we may never meet.
That’s what it means to believe in Jesus. That is what it means to be truly human, to carry the spark of life and image of God, and to believe that same spark and same image of God is found in every other human and is necessary—is the pearl of greatest value for hope for the life of the world.
This is our generative moment. There is no more critical time for us to be witnesses to life and to the authentic hope for humankind as revealed in Jesus and his Gospel of love.
I am calling us to embrace an active hope for the future as authentic human beings that believe God and Jesus hold the meaning for life now and in the future.
And here’s my practical ask, the “what” I am hoping you will do: I am calling on our congregations to take a sabbath from worrying about numbers in the pews--who isn’t there, or stressing about finances, buildings, all the things that tend to occupy our thoughts about church—the self-interest stuff of church life that more than anything serves only to trouble our hearts. Lay it all aside. Believe in God, believe also in Jesus.
Instead, I want you to gather in prayer together, read scripture together, struggle together, and think about what you as a community--no matter how few, can do to contribute to the flourishing of life in the world now and in the world to come—in your household, in your community or even the world.
It could be as simple as personal commitment to contribute to agency committed to the relief of suffering; or working with other to start or support a feeding program once a month; or it could be something as complicated as a building project for the unhoused. I saw that Pope Leo challenged the Church to renew its alliance with artists and cultural institutions to safeguard humanity and genuine human creativity in a world of growing AI generated images and music.
Of course, you know you are doing these types of ministries already, I’m proud of the many ways our communities are serving hope for the future. Invite others into the work and into the hope and meaning it offers for the future.
Shortly you will have an opportunity to perhaps do some of this generative work in small groups. I pray that time might help you develop clarity for active acts of hope—genuine human disciplines of faith and hope for the future.
Finally, I want to take a moment of personal privilege. As you know, I have announced my resignation and have asked the Standing Committee to begin the process for the search and election of the Ninth Bishop of Alaska. You will be hearing from the Standing Committee later in this Convention about this process and how you may participate.
Serving as the bishop of Alaska has given meaning and purpose to my life. I cannot adequately express the honor, the joy, and the deep love that I hold in my heart for all of you and this land. The clergy will tell you that I often say that we are all interim ministers. The only difference is the length of time each of us serves. But regardless of the term, the ministry forms you—it becomes part of who you are. This is a precious gift I have received from you and will carry with me the rest of my days.
I have nothing but gratitude for all that has been and only great hope and excitement for the future that the Holy Spirit is already bringing into being for this Diocese. Let us embrace that future with joyful expectation. It is a future worth hoping for.
God bless you all.
19th Sunday after Pentecost, October 4, 2026
Scriptures: Isaiah 5:1-7; Psalm 80:7-14; Philippians 3:4b-14; Matthew 21:33-46
Reflection by Kit Allgood-Mellema, Worship Leader
4 October 2026, 19th Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 22 A
This week during our reflection time, I’d like to share some words and thoughts from other voices. First is a portion of Diana Butler Bass’s ‘Sunday Musings’ column on today’s gospel reading. As I was reading it, I was reminded of a letter I had read earlier in the week – a letter summarizing the recent Episcopal House of Bishops gathering - and how the two pieces connected with each other. Both remind us of our role as the recipients, the caretakers and the bearers of God’s word, God’s gifts and God’s hope, even as we navigate difficult times that leave us questioning what we are to do, what we can do to work for future of God’s Creation.
From Sunday Musings, by Diana Butler Bass:
Today, October 4th, is the nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost. October 4 is also the Feast Day of St. Francis! This is the last day of the Season of Creation.
This weekend, the readings from both Isaiah and Matthew remind us that human injustice can ruin God’s vineyard. The vineyard is a poetic image for the Kingdom, the place where everyone sits beneath their own vine and fig tree — a garden restored where there is no want and peace reigns.
We humans long for such a future. But what stops it from arriving? After all, God is, well, God! Can’t the Kingdom come through divine fiat?
Ancient wisdom teaches something different, however. What impedes the bountiful harvest in God’s garden?
We do.
(Kit’s notes: Diana goes on to the readings for the day and the body of her reflection. The following are her closing words.)
The implications for the Season of Creation are clear — if you are worried about the vineyard, DO SOMETHING. Caring for the vineyard is OUR job. One of the best things we human beings can do is to stand up against injustice because corrupt rulers will always destroy the vineyard of God.
The message is also fitting for St. Francis Day. The spiritual movement begun by him was, at its heart, a movement to cleanse a corrupt church and restore it to the purity and simplicity of Jesus’ teachings of compassion, creation, generosity, and peace.
There is much to ponder on this Sunday. And there is reason to be mad, to let the vineyard just go to rot. Yet, some of us refuse to give up. Vines must be dressed and tended, wild boar need to be chased away — even while we plead for some sacred assistance cleaning up the mess.
And now the letter from the House of Bishops:
A pastoral word to The Episcopal Church from the September 2026 gathering of the House of Bishops
Sep 28, 2026
“We look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.”
— The Nicene Creed
“See, I am making all things new.” — Revelation 21:5
Dear People of God:
Grace and peace to you in Jesus Christ our Lord.
The bishops of The Episcopal Church gathered from Sept. 22-28, 2026, at Camp Allen Conference Center in Navasota, Texas. Our gathering included 118 bishops and bishopselect, representing 93 dioceses and special ministries across 17 countries and territories. Mindful of the pressures and challenges facing our world and our church, we are grateful for this time set apart for spiritual renewal and focused work. We leave this meeting with deepened relationships and renewed commitments to the ministry we share in Jesus Christ.
Over the course of our meeting, we held in constant tension a clear-eyed look at the realities of the present and a persistent hope for the future. We received the latest draft of Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe’s strategic framework: Our Courageous Witness. This vision for The Episcopal Church has three strategic priorities that will compel our church to proclaim a Christianity that is authentic, expansive, beautiful, and unafraid; connect, convene, and coordinate resources across the breadth of our church; and better organize and allocate our resources to support the work of the Gospel.
We spent time learning about the opportunities and challenges of artificial intelligence as we reflected on the theological and existential questions of what it means to be human. Our time with futurist Bob Johansen, from the Institute for the Future, gave us the opportunity to engage in future-back thinking to help us better align our shared mission and ministry over the next decade.
As we have done in previous meetings, we continued to engage matters critical to the vitality of our church, including theological education, church planting, congregational redevelopment, and the ongoing dialogue toward a full-communion partnership with the United Methodist Church. We were joined by Mary Kate Wold, chief executive officer and president of the Church Pension Group (CPG), who shared the broad research being conducted by CPG to better align its services with the changing needs of the church.
A highlight of our time was our visit with the Most Rev. Sarah Mullally, who joined us on the six-month anniversary of her installation as the 106th archbishop of Canterbury. Echoing many of the themes of our week, Archbishop Mullally spoke of our call to grow in cultural competency and spiritual maturity and encouraged us to nurture confidence in the Gospel as we move from fear to hope.
Each time we gather as the House of Bishops, God meets us in word and sacrament, and we see God at work in one another. Our meeting has been marked by a holy vulnerability. We remember not only who we are, but who authors our lives and renews our hope. The ability to hope as bishops and as the church seems ever more important in our present circumstances.
Our ancestors faced seemingly insurmountable troubles, yet their hope for us and future generations was boundless. Hope is a gift given to us by a God who loves us completely. With God’s grace, we meet all manner of circumstances with hope. Our hearts may tremble with fear, but with confidence we look for “the life of the world to come.”
In the book of Revelation, we are given a glimpse of God’s future, the promise of a new heaven and new earth (Revelation 21:1). The hope of this new creation frames, but does not erase, our present struggle.
The Apostle Paul holds this tension in his letter to the Romans. He does not deny that the sufferings of this present time are real but insists they are not worth comparing with the glory to be revealed (Romans 8:18). As we look for “the life of the world to come,” the whole creation groans in labor pains, and so do we. We groan in pain because the former things have not yet passed away. We also groan in hope because we know what is to come. Yet we do not groan alone. The Spirit intercedes for us and within us with sighs too deep for words.
We believe what God began in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, God will complete in the new creation. God will dwell with God’s people and wipe every tear from their eyes (Revelation 21:3–4).
As we move from fear to hope, we are called to live now as an embodied sign of God’s future. To draw near to those who weep. To bear the burdens of those who are suffering. To work for justice, healing, and reconciliation. To stand in confidence that God, not fear or death, will have the final word.
18th Sunday after Pentecost, September 27, 2026
Scriptures: Ezekiel 18:1-4,25-32; Psalm 25:1-8; Philippians 2:1-13; Matthew 21:23-32
Reflection by Kit Allgood-Mellama, Worship Leader
27 September 2026, 18th Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 21A
If I say the word ‘fair’ (f-a-i-r), what comes to mind? This is a word that has a lot of meanings, so I’ll say now I’m not thinking of the weather, or the annual gathering where we celebrate the harvest, eat too much fried food, and risk life and limb on crazy rides. I’m thinking of the word that might apply to the landowner’s sons in today’s parable, or the chief priests who were trying to trip up Jesus; or to the new believers in Phillipi who were struggling to live into their new-found faith, or the weary exiles of Israel in Ezekiel’s story of a people longing for relief from suffering they felt was imposed upon them unjustly.
Merriam-Webster defines fair as ‘marked by impartiality and honesty; free from self-interest, prejudice or favoritism; conforming with rules, equitable. Do any of those match your thoughts about fair or fairness?
‘That’s not fair!!’ We’ve probably all said that ourselves, both as children and adults. The search for fairness and accusations of unfair treatment are all part of the human condition. Take any one of the definitions above, state it as a negative, and you will have a word to describe most of the causes of individual and collective protest and discontent that pervade the world today. The theme of what is fair is certainly well-covered in scripture, beginning in Genesis. The snake persuaded Eve and Adam to do a forbidden act by appealing to their sense of fairness – God has all this knowledge, so why shouldn’t it be shared with you? From the story of Cain and Abel to the fear and envy Herod felt for the anticipated King of Israel, and yes, to the questions the religious leaders asked Jesus in Matthew’s gospel, we can find many examples of fair and unfair treatment.
Listening to today’s gospel reading, did you think the chief priests were being fair to Jesus? All they did was ask him a question; the problem was that one answer could have given them cause to denounce Jesus as a fraud; another could have led them to condemn him as a heretic and a threat to the faith and the empire. Jesus gave them a chance to find common ground and asked a question of the leaders. When they realized they couldn’t safely answer, they said they didn’t know. Rather than denouncing the leaders for trying to lead by virtue of their power, Jesus responded by telling them a parable about the way each of two sons behaved when asked by their father to work for him. As he finished, he asked the chief priests which son had done what he’d been asked; they replied that it was the son who at first had said no but later changed his mind and went to work. Jesus then reminded the chief priests that the people who they least expected to go to the kingdom of God – the ones who the leaders condemned as hopeless sinners – would be the first in the kingdom, because they were the ones who had first believed what they heard from John the Baptist. In his words and in his manner, Jesus became the perfect example of God’s fairness to all.
Fairness can be a difficult concept to pin down, but I think Jesus’s responses give us a perfect picture of what is fair and isn’t. The chief priests focused on themselves and on keeping their own power structure in place so they could use it to keep their positions and influence. Jesus focused on the people he’d been sent to save - the poor and suffering; those on the margins of society, unseen by people with wealth and power. He advocated for the unclean and undesirable; for those labeled as outright sinners – the tax collectors and prostitutes. And yes, he even cared for the chief priests and leaders of the Hebrew faith.
Jesus showed us God’s way of life, God’s fairness, God’s love for all of creation, including those who had yet to see they were beloved children of God. The religious leaders did not realize that leading by power they held - the power of fear, envy and pride - was not the same as leading by God’s power of love, compassion and justice. Some of the leaders would find that knowledge and faith; others would not.
In a world like ours, so many people wake up each day knowing the odds are stacked against them. They feel the burden of struggling under unfair conditions, rising costs, a changing environment, and a sense that they are not given the respect and dignity that is the right of every living being. In this world it is more and more important that we ensure everyone everywhere knows that fairness and justice belong to all, not just a special few. Everyone has the right to live in a safe, peaceful and life-sustaining environment. They have the right to learn and play and rest in secure conditions. Everyone has the right to food, housing, clothing, education, work, and health care that doesn’t break the bank. This is not about those who deserve and those who don’t deserve. This is about living in harmony with God’s fairness that knows no boundaries, that embraces all people without question or hesitation.
Jesus showed us how to share the story of God’s love for us, a love that is so all-encompassing and so generous, it is almost beyond belief. And it is ours to generously share and bring to the world in ways that only we can. We have promised in our baptismal covenant that we will strive for justice and peace among all people and respect the dignity of every human being and every living being. We promise we will do this, with God’s help.
Thanks be to God! Amen!
16th Sunday after Pentecost, September 13, 2026
Scriptures: Genesis 50:15-21; Psalm 103:(1-7), 8-13; Romans 14:1-12; Matthew 18:21-35
Reflection by Nancy Jo Bleier, Worship Leader
Reflection 9/13/26. Season of Creation
As Kit mentioned last Sunday there are scriptures that make her squirm. This passage from Matthew 18: 21-35 has always made me cringe. In reading through it I realized that the parable isn’t about being revengeful but about forgiveness. Looking at all of our readings today the theme is forgiveness.
What are your thoughts about forgiveness? Does talking about it make you squirm? This is a principle that is central in church relations and resolving conflict. This seventy times seven is found in Genesis 4:24 and Luke 17: 3b-4 - all related to forgiveness using an exaggeration to get the point across. So I did the math of 70 x 7 = 490 times.
I am just back from visiting the Canadian Maritimes. One stop was to the Millbrook Cultural and Heritage Center, Nova Scotia. This museum is dedicated to the region’s indigenous Mi’kmaq people. Our interpreter/staff member told her family’s story of Canadian Reconciliation for boarding school trauma. The mass graves found of the children on school grounds. I can not remember her exact words; more of the tone I heard. Their pain has been for generations. They were forgotten. She talked about how her father and his family needed to be forgiven. How her people had to learn not only how to survive but how to show love and care for others. We were in tears and so was she as she told her story. We have heard this story in the USA especially around religious boarding schools. The trauma that goes on for generations with alcoholism and poverty haunting families.
Let us hear again today’s Gospel reading from the First Nations Version: An Indigenous Bible Translation of the New Testament:
Stands on the Rock (Peter) came close to Creator Sets Free (Jesus). “Wisdomkeeper,” he asked, “how may times must I forgive a brother or sister who does wrong to me? Is seven times enough?” “Not just seven times,” Creator Sets Free (Jesus) answered, “but seventy times seven.”
To help them see more clearly into the ways of forgiveness, he told them a story. “
So then, Creator’s good road is like a ruler who wanted to collect the debt owed to him by his hired servants. The first one brought to him owed ten thousand horses. The man could not repay him, so the ruler ordered that the man, his family, and all he owned be sold to pay for the debt.
“The servant fell to his knees before him and said, ‘Ruler, give me time and I will repay all that I owe!’
“The ruler felt sorry for the servant, set him free, and released him from his debt.
“But that same servant went to one of his fellow servants who owed him only a small horse blanket. He took hold of the man’s throat and said, ‘Pay me all that you owe!’
“The man humbled himself, bowed down and pleaded, ‘Please, give me more time and I will repay you!’
“But he would not even listen and threw the man into prison until he could pay all that he owed. When his fellow servants saw this, it made their hearts fall to the ground. They went to the ruler and told him the sad story.
“The ruler had the man brought to him and said, “You worthless servant! How could your heart be so cold? I forgave you all your debt because you begged me to. Why would you not do the same for your fellow servant?”
“The ruler was angry with him and put him in prison to be punished until his debt was paid in full.”
Creator Sets Free (Jesus) looked deep into the eyes of the ones who walked the road with him.
“My Father from above is warning you that the same thing will happen to you
unless, from your heart, you each forgive your fellow human beings.”
“Forgive from your heart” is what I hear and read in both of these versions. Feeling sincerity. The unleashing of love for the wrongs that have been committed. Give up or cease feeling resentment. Grant relief from payments /debts.
From the Season of Creation for Episcopal Parishes listen to the following words.
“Nothing is Lost” from Ladder to the Light, Rt. Rev. Steven Charleston. Citizen of the Choctaw Nation, author, served as Bishop of Alaska, staff officer for Native American ministries and Dean of the Episcopal Divinity school.
“In the days of conquest, when darkness covered the land, the hoop of many nations was broken, the story of many people lost—-and lost forever. The number who perished will never be counted, but their graves are still here. Their testimony is written into the earth. The wisdom of the ancestors is a mist over the valley, a cloud passing before the moon. The teachings of the elders can be heard in the rain, the message of the poets seen in the first stars that put the sun to bed. Nothing is finally lost. The ancient visions are within us. The old dreams are part of us. The steady rhythm of hope was never silenced. It beats today for all who would hear it. It beats within me. It beats within you. Life is still growing beneath the concrete. The sound of the earth is breathing beneath the glass and steel.”
Someone who embodied Bishop Steven Charleston’s words is Joel Jackson, Kake Tribal Leader who died 8/29/26. His legacy is his advocacy for protection of the Tongass National Forest, subsistence and other Indigenous rights, obtaining an apology from the US Navy in 2024 for its 1869 bombardment of Kake, and Alaska Native cultural healing projects. He cared and mentored others to care. Daily Sitka Sentinel obituary quotes his uncle Ken Jackson who said ‘’ Joel listened a lot to the older ones… he had an ability to listen and then make a decision.”
As we move forward in our service and out the doors of this church, I ask you to listen to the wind, the birds, to music and to voices of others who are hurting. Pray without ceasing from your heart to forgive seventy times seven for reconciliation of justice, peace and healing for our community of creation.
Gloria to God, sustaining, redeeming, sanctifying, as in the beginning, so now, and forever. Amen.
Nancy Jo Bleier, Worship Leader
15th Sunday after Pentecost, September 6, 2026
Scriptures: Ezekiel 33:7-11; Psalm 119:33-40; Romans 13:8-14; Matthew 18:15-20
The Reflection is by Kit Allgood-Mellema, Worship Leader.
6 September 2026, 15th Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 18A
Most of us have probably heard some texts from scripture that make us uncomfortable. Not so long ago, if certain readings showed up in the calendar, I would check the schedule to see if someone else was available to give the reflection. These days, though, I tend to look at those ‘uncomfortable’ readings more as opportunities to go deep into the scriptures, to challenge my beliefs, my relationships with God, with Jesus, with the Spirit, with this congregation, with people here and people far away, with the entire created world.
To be honest, today’s gospel is one of those that makes me a little squirmy. Knowing that, I began to prepare by trying to figure out what was making me squirm. I read Matthew’s passage from three different sources; I included several verses before and after today’s selection. I noted the words and ideas that jumped off the pages at me.
When I was done, the word that stood out for me was in two of the three versions; that word was ‘sin.’ ‘If someone sins against you . . .’ (The Message version used ‘hurt’ in place of sin.) The word ‘sin’ is used often in the Bible and also in our Book of Common Prayer, so I decided to look the word up with the hope that I could figure out why it made me uncomfortable - and what better place to start than the Episcopal Church’s online glossary.
A quick search in the glossary for the word ‘sin’ took me to a page on the church website that featured a photo of Presiding Bishop Rowe, shrugging his shoulders, under a note that said, ‘Page Not Found.’ Below that were these lines: ‘Seek, and ye shall find . . . just not on this page.’ Followed by ‘Knock, and it shall be opened unto you: Try typing keywords into our search bar.’ Gotta give it to us – we do have a sense of humor. But on another page, I was able to find this short definition: ‘Sin is intentional disobedience and rebellion against God. It alienates us from our true selves.’
Various dictionaries define sin as ‘an offense against religious or moral law; a transgression of the law of God; ‘state of human nature in which the self is estranged from God . . . as a result of breaking God’s law.’
I decided to make another attempt with the Episcopal Church resources and turned to the catechism pages in the Book of Common Prayer; on page 848, our prayer book tells us, ‘Sin is the seeking of our own will instead of the will of God, thus distorting our relationship with God, with other people and with all creation.’
Sin prevents us from fully loving God, God’s people – including our family, friends, those we know and even those we don’t know - and all of God’s creation.
Knowing that then led me to look at the idea that stood out for me in this passage – that of facing a person who had sinned, whose relationship with God and creation was broken. As someone who doesn’t like conflict or confrontation, the thought of going to another person and pointing out a wrong really made me uncomfortable, until I realized that for years I had been reading into this passage words and ideas that were not there! Jesus was not talking about conflict, or confrontation, or arguments. As he continued to tell his disciples about reconciliation, forgiveness, living and praying together – all the work we heard in today’s readings - Jesus was preparing them to lovingly build up the emerging communities of God and the kindom of God here on earth. He was reminding those around him that when he was no longer on earth with them, it would be up to them, the disciples, to live the life he had taught them, and to teach others how to live a life grounded in God’s love, even if that meant sometimes speaking with another person about a wrong that had been done. It was not about confrontation. It was all about tenderly bringing people into community.
You may have noticed I just said, ‘the work we heard about in today’s readings!’ Put an emphasis on the ‘s,’ please. All our readings this week are about the commandments, about the role of love in our relationships, about teaching and living as an example, and about gathering in community and finding strength and support and life together, through all the times of our lives. This started with our opening prayer this morning - a version of the Shema, that reminds us to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, and to love our neighbors.
No, this gospel is not about conflict and confrontation – this gospel is about connection. This is about coming together with love and compassion, about supporting one another on our walk with God, in God’s Creation. It’s about following our baptismal covenant, when we promise that with God’s help, whenever we fall into sin we will repent and return to God. It’s about listening to and learning from one another, about finding peace as we heal that which has been broken or damaged. It’s about finding wholeness, knitting together people and communities that have been broken apart, that feel estranged. It’s about weaving all our lives into the pattern that forms the fabric of all Creation.
What does that mean to us today? As we begin the 2026 Season of Creation, we look to the theme of “Living Water . . . as a powerful biblical vision of hope and ecological healing. . . .the image of living water flowing from God’s sanctuary reveals divine healing that renews land, water, biodiversity, and human responsibility towards the whole creation.” (from the Season of Creation Celebration Guide). We are reminded that throughout the world today, there are areas too many to count that have lost their water resources. Too many people have no access to clean water for drinking, cooking and washing. There are rivers that no longer flow freely, wells that have run dry, streams that were once full of diverse life that are now too polluted to breathe and support any life. We can’t begin to name all the ecosystems that have been damaged or stripped bare, many beyond repair. Water that was once alive and supported life is no longer safe. The life and creatures the waters once supported, the life that has fed and nourished our bodies for millennia, is now in danger of disappearing.
Today we are called to pray for our created home, the earth, sky and waters. And we are called as God’s beloved to take action, to acknowledge the harm we have caused to the precious gifts of water and life, and to call out to ourselves, to each other, and to all those who share the responsibility for this sin against creation to acknowledge and respond to save our Living Waters and bring healing to the earth. We are called to find our common ground, to connect, to come together with energy and compassion to support one another and creation, to love creation back into wholeness.
Thanks be to God! Amen!
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