Fourth Sunday in Lent/Year A - March 15, 2026

Reflection by Bishop Mark Lattime, Read by Nancy Jo Bleier, Worship Leader

Scriptures: 1 Samuel 16:1-13; Psalm 23; Ephesians 5:8-14; John 9:1-41

https://episcopalak.org/seeing-our-blindness/

“Seeing Our Blindness”

Category: From the BishopMarch 13, 2026

Jesus said: “I came into this world for judgment so that those who do not see may see, and those who do see may become blind.”  John 9:39.

It’s a miracle!  Jesus gives sight to a man born blind.  Miracle causes quite a stir.

If that reads like a headline, it is because I am imagining the story of Jesus giving sight to the man born blind appearing above the fold in the “Jerusalem Star Tribune” (I think I just aged myself).  This gospel story from John, appointed for this coming Fourth Sunday in Lent, paints quite a picture.  For a story about blindness the description is vivid.  Spit, mud, washing in the pool of Siloam, disbelief, crowds gathering, interrogation, intrigue, even the man’s parents appear on the stage.   So many details color this story.

But are we able to see these details, or, more subtly, are we able to see through them?

The details are important.  This is not a healing miracle–that’s an important detail.  This is not a restoration of sight.  No, this is something entirely new.  The man was born blind–he had never seen.   Jesus didn’t heal him; what Jesus did was to give him sight.

“One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.”

His sight, the only sight he has ever had, is through the eyes of Jesus.  It is a sight that has seen no other light than the light of Christ–a whole new way of seeing.

Of course, the people who represent the systems and structures, the authorized way of seeing–the “normal” way of seeing, see this “miracle” in a different way.  Their vision is focused by judgment–their judgment of sin, of right and wrong.  Their vision is distorted by status and judgments based on power and authority.  In their eyes, they see things clearly.  “Surely we are not blind, are we?”   Am I?

What if we could see through your eyes, Lord?

And here is the miracle–the part of the story where the paradox of Jesus’ words becomes clear.  Jesus offers blindness AND sight.  He offers us blindness to the world’s way of seeing, blindness to vision through the darkness of self-serving judgment of others in order to maintain the status quo and uphold the power and authority of the “seeing.”   He calls us to blindness to  this vision–this way of seeing this world,  then offers NEW sight to those who are blind.

Here is the astonishing thing:  Once your eyes are blind to vision focused by human judgment, prejudice, worldly power, and selfish human designs Jesus offers sight  Not the healing or restoration of old ways of seeing and judging, but the gift of a brand new way of seeing.   Jesus offers sight through His eyes: a vision that judges the world through a lens focused by His love, illuminated by the light of His mercy, His justice, His Grace, and His forgiveness.

Once we see our blindness, Jesus gives us sight.

Third Sunday in Lent/Year A - March 8, 2026

Reflection by Kit Allgood-Mellema, Worship Leader

Scriptures: Psalm 95; Exodus 17:1-7; Romans 5:1-11; John 4:5-42

08 March 2026, 3rd Sunday in Lent, Yr A

Have you ever experienced being upside down, like hanging by your knees on a tree branch or gym bars? Or doing a cartwheel or handstand? I was never able to pull off any of those moves successfully, let alone gracefully. The sense of being upside down was too disorienting. The idea that up was down and down was up made me feel unsteady, as if I’d lost my anchor. It wasn’t until I was in my late 40’s, with the help and encouragement of a compassionate yoga instructor, along with a very sturdy wall, that I was able to go into a supported headstand pose and stay upside down for a few moments. It was still disorienting at first, but I gradually became comfortable with the position, and I grew to like the pose. But let’s face it – upside down is exactly that, upside-down!

Several weeks ago, I joined an online Compline Service and Prayer Vigil organized by the Episcopal Office of Public Affairs and Advocacy in response to the increasing violence in Minneapolis. Minnesota Bishop Craig Loya, in his reflection, spoke of a time two thousand years ago when a man called Jesus began to teach a radical new way of life, following a way of love, mercy and justice, a way of seeing everyone as beloved children of God. Together, Bishop Loya told us, Jesus and his followers turned the world upside down.

In today’s gospel reading we heard some examples of Jesus turning the world upside down. On his way to Galilee after meeting with Nicodemus, Jesus had to travel through Samaria, a land long separated from the rest of the Jewish kingdom by political, cultural and religious differences. While resting by himself at midday at Jacob’s well outside the city of Sychar, Jesus spoke to a Samaritan woman, asking her for a drink. This was so far outside the norms that even the woman herself challenged Jesus – she was a Samaritan and a woman, both forbidden contacts. The world was starting to turn upside down! But once that started, there was no stopping either Jesus or the woman, as they began a deep and lengthy conversation about worship and spiritual life, an exchange that led to the woman realizing the man at the well was indeed the Messiah she’d heard of.

And the world continued to turn upside down. When the disciples arrived, they were shocked – you might say they were disoriented – but they did not challenge Jesus. The woman herself did something even more extraordinary – she ran back into the city to share the news and bring all the others, the entire city, to meet the Messiah, and as she spoke, they believed her. The people of Sychar asked Jesus to stay, offering hospitality to one who should have turned away, but Jesus agreed and stayed two days. The people were willing to accept something new, uplifting and exciting, something that fed their souls and showed them what life could be when the world they knew was turned upside down.

John didn’t name the Samaritan woman, and we don’t hear of her again in our gospels. But our sisters and brothers in the Eastern churches continued to turn the world upside down. They embraced this woman as a true apostle and named her – a vital step in recognizing the woman who was one of the first evangelists. Her name became Photini, ‘the enlightened one.’

I don’t know if Jesus would have called what he was doing ‘turning the world upside down,’ but his message of love and justice and mercy, of a life beyond hunger and thirst and need was beginning to spread and create transformation. People were ready and willing for life to change. It was frightening and disorienting, but the vision of that transformed world and Jesus’s words and actions were the support they needed to go on.

All of us at one time or another have had our worlds turned upside down. Maybe it was a time when you met that one special person, or when you landed your dream job, or sold your artwork or patented your invention. Maybe it was a time of loss and sadness – you lost the job or suffered the loss of a loved one or received an unexpected medical diagnosis. Maybe it was an upside-down event that affected a great many people – a natural disaster with impacts felt around the world, a viral pandemic, armed conflict or a human created famine. Many of these are moments that often happen ‘to us,’ brought on by events or happenings outside our control.

But we ourselves can be the source of those upside-down moments, bringing hope, joy and change to others near and far. Let me ask you: if you had the opportunity to ‘turn the world upside down,’ what would it look like? What would it feel like? Where would you begin? How would you begin? What would your anchor be?

I hope you have time in the coming days to ponder these questions. Your upsidedown moment doesn’t have to be big or earth-shattering, and you don’t have to do it alone. Photini – Because we need to use her name! – took a small step by returning to the city and sharing the news, but look at the results! An entire city opening its arms in welcome, the people opening their hearts and minds to the Spirit and the Word. And now think of all the other gospel stories of ordinary people willing to step out and embrace an upside-down world, taking a chance to bring hope and love and support to their families, friends and communities in need.

Here at St. Peter’s, as our congregation navigates our path forward in a world so full of change and upside-down moments that happen with mind boggling speed, maybe it’s time to pause and explore together how we can meaningfully turn the world upside down in the spirit of love, mercy, hope and justice. If that sounds like a task too big to tackle, remember we don’t have to do it alone. We have Jesus, our compassionate teacher and our sturdy wall to guide and support us throughout our own loving actions. We can do it together, with love and compassion and support for each other and the world.

Thanks be to God!

Second Sunday in Lent/Year A - March 1, 2026

Reflection by Kit Allgood-Mellema, Worship Leader

Scriptures: Genesis 12:1-4a; Romans 4:1-5, 13-17; John 3:1-17; Psalm 121

01 March 2026, 2 Lent Yr A

As I pondered today’s gospel, two thoughts came to me. The first thought was that the people around Jesus asked him a lot of questions! There were two types of questions Jesus generally fielded. The first type came from the people with power, influence and connections. When Jesus spoke, those people – the priests, the scholars, those we know as the Pharisees, the Sadducees, the Sanhedrin, the high ranking military and government officials of the Roman occupation – heard words of resistance and opposition, and asked questions designed to paint Jesus in a bad light, to humiliate him, trip him up and cause him to give self-incriminating answers.

The other type of questions came from the people who had little or no power. These were the people with no influence or connections. The Roman occupation landed hard on them. They knew what they wanted. They craved freedom, mercy, justice, and the basics of food, water, housing, dignity, a chance to make a living and keep enough of their hard-earned money to survive. When Jesus spoke, they heard a message of love, justice, peace and mercy. They asked the honest questions Jesus could use to help them.

My second thought was that Jesus loved to answer those questions, both the ‘gotcha’ questions and the ‘how do we?’ questions. So it was no surprise that when Nicodemus, the Pharisee. came to Jesus and asked to speak with him, Jesus agreed. He probably understood that Nicodemus came at night, alone, in secret, so he could ask without fear the honest, important questions – how do I . . . ? what do you mean when you say . . . ? how can this be? I can imagine these two, sitting in a secluded garden, or in a deserted place, or on a rooftop, upon a rug with a pitcher of cool water to share, the stars above and quiet streets below. The esteemed Pharisee and member of the Sanhedrin, an intelligent and thoughtful person, plying the enigmatic, well-spoken young carpenter from a backwater town with honest questions that few could answer.

Sitting in the dark, Nicodemus asked, and Jesus listened and answered, maybe not with words that Nicodemus expected, but with words that he could take away to ponder and treasure. And I believe when Jesus told Nicodemus that God’s kingdom was there for people who had been born from above, he was offering Nicodemus a radical way to look at the world and the people around him. It was an invitation for Nicodemus to open his eyes and his heart, to look beyond the darkness, to let go of the old and earth-bound ways of envisioning the world. To be born from above was to embrace a new vision, to imagine and bring into being a new life for himself and all who were seeking the kingdom. Jesus was saying, listen, and let my words open your mind, open your heart. Let the Spirit flood you with love and light and strength and purpose, and let the Spirit flow out from you with faith and determination to bring God’s peace and mercy, dignity, hope and justice to all God’s beloved people.

Nicodemus is only mentioned in one gospel – John’s – but he appears two more times, once when he asked his fellow Pharisees a question concerning the law as they argued amongst themselves about the threat Jesus may have presented; and again after Jesus’s body was released to Joseph of Arimathea for burial. Nicodemus joined Joseph in caring for Jesus’s body and placing it in the tomb. This may make you wonder, did Nicodemus continue to ask questions? Did the Spirit continue to grow in him? John certainly must have thought so. Very few people merited more than one brief mention in his gospel.

Pause for a moment and wonder. If you could be like Nicodemus and visit Jesus in a peaceful place without fear or judgement, if you could feel free to ask him any question, what would you ask? What if the answers seemed too easy? Would you shrug them off? What if the answers were too difficult to understand or too hard to hear? Would you give up and walk away? These are questions for you, not me. But Jesus will never tire of our questions, nor will he give up on us when we struggle to embrace and live into the new vision of God’s kingdom.

In this difficult time in our world and our lives, as we struggle with overwhelming events, and in this season of Lent as we learn to let go of the old ways of seeing the world, as we try to let go of practices and ideas that stand between us and a full, fruitful relationship with God, Jesus is always with us to support and guide us, to flood us with the Spirit of love and light and strength and purpose, so we can be the path of the Spirit flowing out into this aching, hungry world that so desperately needs peace, mercy, dignity, hope and justice. Just ask.

Thanks be to God!

First Sunday in Lent/Year A - February 22, 2026

Reflection by Nancy Jo Bleier, Worship Leader

Scriptures: Psalm 32; Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7; Romans 5:12-19; Matthew 4:1-11

Reflection - 2/22/26. First Sunday in Lent. 

Nancy Jo Bleier, Worship Leader

I was recommended a small book by Paul A. Gilbert called Reclaiming your Imagination.  My cousin, David Wright suggested it.  Pastor Paul, who is lead pastor at Grace Fellowship in Buffalo, Wyoming, did a wonderful dedication of this book to my cousin and his wife, Marietta.  To tell you the truth I would have not read this book if David had not suggested it. 

Pastor Paul talks about how as children we have sharp imaginations. As we age others tell us what we are thinking is “just your imagination”.  What if God gave us this “ability to see something in our minds what we cannot see with our physical eyes.”

Imagination can be a desire of the heart or mind. It can be for creativity like making a quilt, planting a garden, cooking a new cookie recipe or building a computer program.

We use it more as adults than we realize.  We use it remembering past times filling in pieces of what we think happened.

When we take communion we call on our imagination to be spirit-led when we hear the words “Let’s make our Holy Communion in the Body and Blood of Christ given to his people and received by faith.”

I like how Pastor Paul says “often, when God wants to show us something - a calling, mission or a direction- God uses our imagination. God might plant a vivid picture, a stirring idea, or a creative vision on our minds.“  He suggests “embracing our imagination is an act of faith”. 

We often want God to do something for us and we wait. If we look closer to Jesus we see a different pattern called: partnership.  Partnership with the disciples to spread the gospel and love one another. Partnership with us to do the same. This requires faith and often stepping into situations that seem impossible or beyond our abilities.  Um…sounds like the situation we are now in with St Peter’s.  It takes deep listening and imagination.

Let’s talk about being tempted as Jesus was in our Gospel from Matthew 4: 1-11.

So have you ever been tempted?  Maybe eating an extra piece chocolate cake? Or tell someone a secret you promised not to reveal?  Or doing something that would have been illegal?

Has your imagination taken you to where Jesus was today? Here he was in the wilderness fasting for forty days and nights. He was famished and being tempted by the devil three times. 

Wow, turning rocks into bread; going up on pinnacle of the temple and throwing himself off so angels can catch him; taking him to high mountains and he could have the all the kingdoms of the world… Jesus told him three times how it was written: ‘One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God’; “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’  And the last ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.’ The devil left him and the angels came to serve.

This took a lot of imagination to produce these images.  When we put ourselves into this scene we are using our imaginations. It is powerful and can be life changing.

When we picture the worst case scenario over and over it is worry going in the wrong direction. In today’s scripture we don’t hear Jesus worrying about how he going to make it through the fasting and what if the devil comes visiting. He is going forward saying what Scripture says to do. Worry is faith going the wrong way. We can use the same mental energy to vision, to create and have courage praying with hope and thanksgiving .

So maybe you thought you have lost your imagination. We can think God hasn’t been talking to us.  So when our minds wander maybe like during this service, lighten up and listen deeply.  You might be surprised.

I leave you with a paraphrased prayer by Pastor Paul.

“God, I come before you today asking for the mind of Christ… Help me to adopt His humility, His wisdom, and His love in all my relationships and decisions. Open my heart to Your Spirits guidance, so I can discern Your voice and reflect Your character more clearly. May I be humble in service, bold in faith, and compassionate in all I do… Help me to live each day honoring You in every thought and action. In Jesus’ name, Amen.” 

Ash Wednesday/Year A - February 18, 2026

The sermon by Bishop Mark Lattime can be heard on the video. There is no written copy.

Scriptures: Isaiah 58:1-12; Psalm 103; Matthew 6:1-6,16-21; Psalm 51

Last Sunday after Epiphany/Year A - February 15, 2026

Sermon by the Rev. Kathryn Snelling, Deacon

Scriptures: Exodus 24:12-18; Psalm 99; 2 Peter 1:16-21; Matthew 17:1-9

Today we are near the end of our season of Epiphany.

In some traditions, Epiphany ends with the Baptism of the Lord, but we observe an extended version, and Epiphany for us continues until the day before Ash Wednesday.

As we have journeyed through this season, the scriptures have emphasized the glory of Christ, through various events in his life, culminating with this event that we read today, the Transfiguration of Jesus.

We hear a version of it every year at this time.

Today it was from Matthew on other years in the cycle, it’s from Mark or Luke.

In this vision, Peter, James and John see Elijah and Moses. Elijah being the great prophet, who was to come to herald the coming of the Messiah, and Moses, who was the one who brought God’s law to the people, standing there with Jesus. And Jesus being transfigured with dazzling light.

They hear this voice from the cloud declaring to them who Jesus is, God’s Beloved.

And in the days to come, after the “Son of Man rose from the dead”. They remembered this vision, and the words that Jesus spoke earlier.

We heard those words in last week‘s scriptures, when Jesus talked about us being the salt and light in the world. He went on to say, “do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets, rather, I have come to fulfill them.”

To bring all of God’s work to fulfillment in Jesus, his power, his words, his way of life.

And I love it when they were cowering in fear and confusion -

Jesus came and touched them, “Get up, and do not be afraid.”

And looking up they saw only Jesus

Looking outwardly as the friend and rabi they knew.

Yet, when they came down from that mountain, they were transfigured.

Peter states in his letter of being an eyewitness to this revelation of Jesus’s glory and of hearing the voice, though he leaves off the final words the voice spoke; “Listen to Him.”

Now,I would say that we, each one of us, may have been led up a mountain with Jesus. At some point in our life, whenever it happened, when we said, “yes” to Jesus.

Yes, I want you in my life   -  yes, I will follow you.

That became a moment when we experienced a transfiguration of our own.

For transfiguration is synonymous with transformation or change.

Something changed in our heart, something changed in our mind and in our understanding and in our being.

And these moments of transfiguration continue through our lives as we walk with Jesus. And listen to him.

And it is true that some of these moments may be big and grand experiences with great illumination  - what we call mountain top experiences.

But I venture to say that most of our moments of transfiguration come in rather mundane, ordinary ways as we go about our day-to-day lives. Surprising us.

Something strikes a chord, something suddenly becomes so clear, something deepens our understanding.

Sometimes they come with great joy, sometimes they come as we struggle through difficult situations and dark times.

And always with Jesus, touching our shoulder and assuring us of his presence with us.

As we leave the season of Epiphany, we begin our journey through the season of Lent. This season has many traditional pathways.

My prayer is that as we enter this season of Lent; a time of intentional contemplation and reflection with stillness and quiet and listening,

That we go carrying the Epiphany light - the light of Christ with us.

And when we come out on the other side, may we emerge more deeply and inwardly transfigured.

 Amen

5th Sunday after Epiphany/Year A - February 8, 2026

Sermon by Kit Allgood-Mellema

Scriptures: Psalm 112:1-9, (10); Isaiah 58:1-9a, [9b-12]; 1 Corinthians 2:1-12, [13-16]; Matthew 5:13-20

8 February 2026_The Fifth Sunday After the Epiphany, Year A

Before moving to Sitka, we lived in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, in an area known as the Copper Country. The copper industry had ceased years before, but one of the local mines offered tours, so we decided to check it out. The tour finale took place at the end of 2,000-foot horizontal tunnel; after warning us, the guide reached over to a switch. The light went off and we were plunged into total darkness for about 30 seconds while the tour guide continued to speak. The experience of darkness was a bit scary and completely disorienting. It felt as if the darkness had absorbed the air out of the space. I knew Jim was next to me, but my senses said, ‘maybe not!’ The system of body sensors in my muscles and joints that helps maintain balance were struggling to work properly without my brain having a focal point on which to fix.

On the way home that day we talked about times we’d experienced real darkness in places without artificial or man-made light – while camping in the mountains, sitting outside in the desert, out on the open ocean, or during a night dive in a remote area. Nothing compared to the absence of light we had just experienced.

I thought about that kind of darkness this last week when the power went out through most of the town just before 9:00 at night. The sudden darkness was startling, but not scary or disorienting. Before we turned on the battery lights, I went out onto the deck simply to feel the darkness for a few moments. The outage was over quickly and forgotten by the morning.

All the scripture readings we heard today, with no exception, took place in times when sundown meant real darkness. The sources of artificial light - untended lamps, lanterns and fires - could be dangerous; kindling had to be sought and carried, and lamp oil was expensive and used sparingly. Small fires might be lit to guide travelers to safety or to keep wildlife at bay, but generally nighttime meant darkness.

Life itself was dark for the people of the time. They had lived under foreign occupation and despotic rule for centuries, struggling for freedom, praying for hope, justice and peace. The darkness of life was a heavy burden to carry. When Jesus appeared, the people were aching for his words and for the promise of new life, and they were eager for a guiding light, a light on which to focus, to fix their gaze and give them balance as they moved forward. And then they heard the words we heard in today’s gospel reading, words that began where last week’s reading left off – after the Beatitudes and at the beginning of what we call ‘The Sermon on the Mount.’

Jesus told the people around him, ‘You are the light of the world.’ They were stunned. Light was valuable, and the materials to create light were hard to come by, yet here was this man telling them they were the light of the world – let your light shine! You have light to share! He was telling them their lives had value and meaning, their lives were precious to God, to Jesus, to everyone who came into their presence! This was unheard of, but the people were amazed and moved.

These days light is difficult to escape, isn’t it. How do we hear Jesus’s words today, in our time and place where light is available at the flick of switch, yet in a time and place where life feels dark and heavy? Do we hear them in the spirit of hope? Do we hear them as an affirmation of our own worth and value – ‘You are the light of the world – let your light shine for others’? When we hear them, do we hear that we are God’s beloved people, full of the light that has been in existence since the beginning? In a world that is begging for light – the light of hope and justice and peace - Jesus says, Let your light shine – let my light shine through you. Be the light others can fix on to find focus and balance as they move forward and do my work in the world.

In a short time, we will gather in the See House to share a meal and have our annual meeting. We will look forward, asking your help in the year to come. We will take some time to look at last year – the work done, the relationships nourished, the outreach we have worked on, the ways we have been the light of the world. And we will have a time of discussion and listening, exploring our shared life and thinking about the next steps we take as a family, a community, as God’s people.

Imagine Jesus walking into our gathering, our conversation, and telling us, ‘You are the light of the world – let your light shine before others!’ Now imagine where could that take us, our gathering of God’s beloved, precious, valuable people? Imagine that light – and shine!

Thanks be to God!

4th Sunday after Epiphany/Year A - February 1, 2026

Sermon by Kathryn Winslow

Scriptures: Micah 6:1-8; Psalm 15; 1 Corinthians 1:18-31; Matthew 5:1-12

Matthew 5:1-12 sermon on the Mount, Beatitudes (The Blessing, or blessed) Kathryn Winslow

A couple of weeks ago Nancy Jo led us in Lectio Divina. We’ll do a variation of that today. Soon I’ll first ask, “what word appraise stands out to you?” We’ll look at the Gospel again. “What questions do you have or is there another word or phrase that stands out?”  I’ll share a bit more and then perhaps after church, in the fellowship hall, and this week you can connect with someone over the question, “What do you think God is asking of you after reading this?” Or you can ask what are you wondering about today’s Gospel?

What is a word, a phrase that stands out to you?

Listen to responses.

Notice how this is a series of balanced questions blessed are those who… (blank noun or descriptor of type of person/group), for they shall…. (Blank Verb). Dependent clause. Shall versus Will… Will is technically a want, wish or desire. Shall is more contractual, a contract between two parties. And God is not then do the lesson again, with some. Added in aspects.

11 Blessed are YOU when people revile you and Persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.

12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad/for your reward is great in heaven, For in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Other thoughts/words?

Previously I visualized each line as a separate group of people.  Now first to jump to that last part, that troublesome last part, vs 11 & 12 blessed are YOU when people revile you, persecute you… “Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad??” What?

We are wronged. Wounded. Hurt. Lied to or about. Judged. Broken relationships. Losses. Deaths. End of Life as we knew it. We’re ostracized from family members or former friends. Our bodies ache. We encounter so many challenges, so much suffering, and see others suffering, too, that we eventually choose, or feel we have no choice, except to lay it down at the Cross, at Jesus feet, and surrender it all. We recognize we cannot do life on our own. We need and turn to something greater than ourselves. We also need community. Perhaps we begin to seek God’s will.

Perhaps it is in suffering we can better relate to the prophets, saints, and Christ, who died, and rose again.…. So when we suffer we may better understand Christ and connect.

Maybe in being entirely honest with ourselves, God, and God’s people, we suffer, and make a deliberate choice to praise the Holy One always, and receive the joy from our Creator, seeing our circumstances through God’s eyes (not seeing God through our circumstances), we are truly blessed. Maybe being deliberate to find joy in suffering, and to drawing closer to God are all steps in the

Beatitude Process.

    1.    Maybe in order to surrender,

    2.    we become poor in spirit,

    3.    we mourn, deep in grief over our losses of people, relationships, life as we knew it. We feel powerless, meek, weak.

    4.    We hunger and thirst for justice for ourselves, and others who have been wronged and hurt.

    5.    We seek God. We “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and its righteousness, justice.”

    6.    We experience Our Creator’s grace and mercy and extend it to others.

    7.    We cannot hide from God; we are Honest with God and ourselves and draw closer. Once we are in the Holy One’s presence, how hallowed God is and praise the name and that space, we make peace and become peacemakers to those around us.

Synonyms for blessing, bless, or blessed are:

Joy. Joyful. Beatify. Beatitudes. Hallowed. Hallowed be thy name. Consecrated.

The Holy One consecrates us in this process. We struggle, work through the Beatitudes Process and we gain compassion, our faith increases. We are connected. We are consecrated.

We struggle, and we are blessed.

We can help extend that mercy and bless others, Beatify others.

And in doing this we bless God.

God the Holy One who blesses us, consecrates us. Hallowed be thy name. Thy will be done….Amen.

3rd Sunday after Epiphany/Year A - January 25, 2026

Reflection by Kit Allgood-Mellama

Scriptures: Psalm 27:1, 5-13; Isaiah 9:1-4; Canticle 11 Third Song of Isaiah; 1 Corinthians 1:10-18; Canticle 16 The Song of Zechariah; Matthew 4:12-23

One of the best things about having gospel readings from four sources is that we hear different points of view and maybe get details that another writer missed. For example, today’s gospel lesson from Matthew introduces us to some of Jesus’s first disciples. If that sounds a bit familiar, you aren’t mistaken. Last week we heard a reading from John with a similar story, as Jesus called and named his disciples. In her reflection last week, Deacon Kathryn reminded us we all are God’s Beloved, called and named even as we were being formed.

Today we also heard that Jesus had just learned of John the Baptist’s imprisonment. Jesus and John lived in a time and place of unrest and tyranny, under the rule of a force that wanted to repress and control the Jewish people, who lived in poverty and fear. Hearing the news about John seemed to energize Jesus, as if it was a signal that sent him on a path in line with the prophesies of Isaiah, a path to the Sea of Galilee. There he began to share his message of repentance, redemption and love. And it was there, according to Matthew, Jesus met two brothers, fishermen named Simon and Andrew and called them to follow him. He promised to make them fish for people. Matthew tells us Simon – later called Peter - and Andrew, and a little while later brothers James and John, immediately followed him.

When I hear this passage, my first thought is always, ‘Jesus had a magnetic personality!’ People were drawn to him irresistibly, leaving behind family, friends, homes, livelihoods, expensive equipment, everything they had, to be in his company! What was it about Jesus that made this happen?

I believe when Jesus met people, he met them exactly where they were in their lives. He recognized each person individually as Beloved, just as Deacon Kathryn said last week. He saw them and loved them as the people they were - perfectly imperfect individuals, with needs of their own and needs that were universal. He knew they had strengths and weaknesses, talents and rough spots. And that was OK.

So, when Jesus called to the four men and said, Follow me and I will make you fish for people, he was calling those four fishermen just as they were. And they listened and followed him. If Jesus had found a group of bakers, he would have said, Follow me and you will feed all the hungry. And if he’d found a gathering of midwives and healers, he would have called to them, Follow me and I will make you healers of all the sick and infirm, caring for the vulnerable and marginalized. To a group of weavers and sewers, he would have called, Follow me and you will clothe those in rags. To anyone who had sinned, he would have said, Follow me and find a new life for yourself and others.

Jesus changed lives by accepting people in the lives they were living, by loving them as they were, and by asking them to do likewise with everyone they met, whether by fishing, feeding, healing, clothing, caring and listening. This was the way of love he lived and shared with people two thousand years ago. It’s been the way of love ever since.

In our time, as we grapple daily with unsettling news, images of violence and threatening rhetoric, it’s difficult to look about ourselves without feelings of unease and suspicion. Our fears for the future of our families and friends, and the future of our world can be overwhelming.

In the middle of the night when I can’t sleep, I often wonder what Jesus would say to me, to you, to us about our fears, our unease, our suspicions. I’m pretty sure he would remind me that I live in a world surrounded by people who are named and beloved by God. He would remind me that the way of love is the way of justice, peace, mercy and hope. He’d say, You’ve got this, and I’ve got you. He’d tell me that he welcomed the tax collector and dined with him, and that he healed the centurion’s daughter, coming face to face with both of them just as they were. He would tell me I’m loved by God. And I’m pretty sure he would tell me to always meet people where they are, as they are, and to always care for them, listen, heal and love them.

If Jesus walked in our doors today, how would he call us? I believe he would say, Follow me and I will hold you and I will make you the light that shines on the path of the way of love.

Thanks be to God!

2nd Sunday after Epiphany/Year A - January 18, 2026

Reflection by Rev. Kathryn Snelling, Deacon

Scriptures: Isaiah 49:1-7; 1 Corinthians 1:1-9; John 1:29-42; Psalm 40:1-12

Well, I think it’s safe to say that we probably all noticed the strong thread running through our scriptures this morning.
And that is - of being known and being called and being named.

Being known - even before we physically existed.
Isaiah says it this way: The Lord called me before I was born. While I was in my mother’s womb, he named me.
We’ve heard similar words from the Psalmist - in Psalm 139 it states; You created my inmost parts, you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

Being known — even more thoroughly than we know, or think we know, ourselves.
For we humans can be very good at masquerading.
But, as we prayed at the beginning of the service:
 “To you, all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid”

This intimate knowing offers that space where we can rest in knowing that God loves us right where we are, even when we are being gently nudged closer and closer.

And being called.
Now being “called” often carries some weighty expectations.
We usually refer to someone who is “called” as being called to an ordained ministry, whether to the diaconate or priesthood or to be a bishop.
But I think being called can be as simple as Jesus saying come, come and see.
Come and sit with me, come and spend time with me, come and learn from me.

Paul identifies himself as “Called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God”
And in a sense, we are all called as an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God.
For what is an apostle but; a witness, a messenger, a follower.
And I dare to say that more of Christ’s love has been manifested in the world by faithful followers through their witness and sharing of what Christ offers us, than through any given sermon on a Sunday morning.

And on mentioning sermons. I saw a cartoon a few days back. It pictured Jesus walking on a beach with another person. You are probably familiar with the poem about  Footprints in the Sand. And Jesus is saying, “when there were one set of prints is when I carried you. And that long groove over there, is when I dragged you, kicking and screaming.”
Today is the 20th anniversary of my ordination to the Diaconate. And as I prepared for the day, I adamantly told Fr. Dave that no way was I ever going to stand up here and give sermons.
Well, if you read today’s reflection in Forward Day by Day, you’ll recall the last sentence reads, “Sometimes the challenge is that God’s call isn’t the call we would choose for ourselves.”
So, Fr.Dave got the last laugh.

And finally, being named. Even when still in mother’s womb.

I suggest that we all have been given a name.
One we have had since before we were born.  One we share in common, And that is “Beloved”
Beloved insert name.   Beloved insert name
Beloved insert name
Beloved, even before I was Kathryn

And it is this name, Beloved, that we grow into when we accept Jesus’s invitation to come and see.
And be prepared to be taken by surprise.

Amen