Rev. Michelle Manuel Luke 1:26-38 NRSV 26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” 29 But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. 30 The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. [...]

Cynthia Wier Matthew 22:36-40 "Master, which is the great commandment in the law?  Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and all thy soul, and with all thy mind.  This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it. Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.  On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." Reflection: On a day just before Christmas, I was walking near my house. Everyone had decorated their yards with sparkling strings of lights, bright red bows on trees, a snowman [...]

Ann Pierce Arnett Isaiah 5:42    Thus says God, the Lord,     who created the heavens and stretched them out,     who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people upon it     and spirit to those who walk in it.... Reflection:  It seemed like an ordinary day. I usually walk in the evening just around my block.  It’s a spiritual discipline that I enjoy. I know most of our neighbors and we greet each other if they are out at that time. I know their children and their pets; I appreciate the work they [...]

Rachel Fisher Romans 15:5 (ESV) 5 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, 6 so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Reflection: What did you dread most in elementary school? Personally, it was not spelling tests or pop quizzes I despised; contrastly, the bane of my childhood was being forced to do group projects. I always loathed these collaborative assignments because they seemed to inevitably drive a wedge between me and [...]

David Swift John 13:18-22  18 “I am not referring to all of you; I know those I have chosen. But this is to fulfill this passage of Scripture: ‘He who shared my bread has turned against me.’ 19 “I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am who I am. 20 Very truly I tell you, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me.” 21 After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, “Very truly [...]

Suzi Pitts James 2:8 If, however, you are fulfilling the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.  It was a typical day at church the morning it happened. Acolytes proceeded the choir and clergy. We sang hymns and prayed. The pews were filled with the lovely church family of all ages, dressed in their Sunday best. Yes, It was beautiful and routine until it wasn’t. The fire alarms screeched out, and the sanctuary was evacuated as the fire engines roared onto campus. Smoke was billowing out of the kitchen. [...]

Pat Deckert, St. Luke’s member 1987, Lifetime 6 Others Leviticus 19:34 But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.    Reflection:   Passages in my life were pretty smooth and seamless for the first twenty-two years.         Two houses and one church in a small community,         Moving from one school level to another on the same campus,         Attending a [...]

Nancy Walker, member of the Goodwill Class, Altar Guild and Prayer Ministry Luke 19: 1-7 (The Message) Then Jesus entered and walked through Jericho.  There was a man there, his name Zacchaeus, the head tax man and quite rich.  He wanted desperately to see Jesus, but the crowd was in his way--he was a short man and couldn't see over the crowd.  So he ran on up ahead and climbed up in a sycamore tree so he could see Jesus when he came by. When Jesus got to the tree, he looked up and said, "Zacchaeus, hurry down.  Today [...]