Looking into the lectionary - Can CREs address PC(USA)'s leadership gap?

26th Sunday after Pentecost 34th Sunday in Ordinary Time Christ the King / Reign of Christ Sunday Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24; Matthew 25:31-46; Ephesians 1:15-23 November 22, 2026 The final Sunday in the liturgical year — whether you call it “Christ the King” or “Reign of Christ” Sunday — is about power. This ancient-sounding holy day is actually only a century old. In his 1925 encyclical, Quas Primas, establishing the Feast of Christ the King, Pope Pius XI argued that this new holy day was necessary in response to what he perceived as the widespread “rebellion of individuals and states against the authority of Christ,” particularly evident in the rise of communism in the East and fascism in the West. The pope lamented the “deplorable consequences” of such rebellion: “the seeds of discord, sown far and wide,” “bitter enmities between nations,” “insatiable greed which is so often hidden under a pretense of public spirit and patriotism,” “a blind and immoderate selfishness” and “the unity and stability of the family undermined.” In short, he described “society ... shaken to its foundations and on the way to ruin.” A century later, we might raise a remarkably similar lament. In a time of war, economic hardship for many, the obscene accumulation of wealth by a few, isolation and outrage fueled by algorithms and declining marriage and birth rates — society, in a word, shaken to its foundations — what can we say about the authority of Christ? Read the rest of the commentary at pres-outlook.org. View the corresponding Order of Worship for the 26th Sunday after Pentecost. Sign up for worship resources in your inbox every Monday. We've got daily Advent devotionals and a long list of holiday liturgies to make your worship planning easier!

Order of worship — November 22, 2026 by Aaron Shepherd   Presbyterians make headlines in 2026 midterm elections by Harriet Riley Can Commissioned Ruling Elders fill a looming leadership void in the PC(USA)? by Phillip Blackburn Feasting on Hope: How God Sets a Table in the Wilderness  by Caroline Garcia

What are we teaching our boys? Matthew Frease examines issues of masculinity, gender norms, the 'manosphere' and the raising of young men. A big piece of bread Teri McDowell Ott reflects on how feeding one another, as Jesus did in Mark’s Gospel, is how the church makes people feel they belong. Discerning futures for theological education Like the disestablishments that birthed the modern seminary, today’s upheaval may feel like the end of the world, but Ted A. Smith sees a time between the times. Movie review: You Can See Everything New documentary explores concepts of truth, knowledge and the creation of alternate realities through the eyes of Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes. — Brendan McLean US Presbyterians call for action in the face of humanitarian crisis in Cuba Following action by the 227th General Assembly, partners respond through advocacy, accompaniment and community ministries —Layton Williams Berkes Breaking, Disintegrating, Scattering As communion goes sideways, a revelation: God’s kingdom always comes. — Larissa Kwong Abazia  What has formed your theology? Maggie Alsup reflects on a lesson learned during her seminary internship: the importance of showing up. When a Presbyterian elder is taken by ICE After Pedro Garcia Luna was detained and deported to Mexico, his North Carolina congregation was left grieving his absence and navigating fear — while finding the faith to carry on. —  Harriet Riley Advent planning doesn’t have to mean sorting through dozens of books and resources on your own. In this recorded webinar, Amy Pagliarella offers ideas for churches, small groups and individuals.

Copyright © 2026 Presbyterian Outlook, All rights reserved.

Revised Common Lectionary Readings for November 08, 2026

Revised Common Lectionary Readings (Three-Year Cycle)

Lectionary Readings for Sunday, November 8, 2026

First Reading Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25 1Then Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and summoned the elders, the heads, the judges, and the officers of Israel; and they presented themselves before God. 2And Joshua said to all the people, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: Long ago your ancestors — Terah and his sons Abraham and Nahor — lived beyond the Euphrates and served other gods. 3aThen I took your father Abraham from beyond the River and led him through all the land of Canaan and made his offspring many. 14“Now therefore revere the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness; put away the gods that your ancestors served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. 15Now if you are unwilling to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served in the region beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” 16Then the people answered, “Far be it from us that we should forsake the LORD to serve other gods; 17for it is the LORD our God who brought us and our ancestors up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, and who did those great signs in our sight. He protected us along all the way that we went, and among all the peoples through whom we passed; 18and the LORD drove out before us all the peoples, the Amorites who lived in the land. Therefore we also will serve the LORD, for he is our God.” 19But Joshua said to the people, “You cannot serve the LORD, for he is a holy God. He is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions or your sins. 20If you forsake the LORD and serve foreign gods, then he will turn and do you harm, and consume you, after having done you good.” 21And the people said to Joshua, “No, we will serve the LORD!” 22Then Joshua said to the people, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the LORD, to serve him.” And they said, “We are witnesses.” 23He said, “Then put away the foreign gods that are among you, and incline your hearts to the LORD, the God of Israel.” 24The people said to Joshua, “The LORD our God we will serve, and him we will obey.” 25So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and made statutes and ordinances for them at Shechem. Psalm Psalm 78:1-7 1   Give ear, O my people, to my teaching;           incline your ears to the words of my mouth. 2   I will open my mouth in a parable;           I will utter dark sayings from of old, 3   things that we have heard and known,           that our ancestors have told us. 4   We will not hide them from their children;           we will tell to the coming generation      the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might,           and the wonders that he has done. 5   He established a decree in Jacob,           and appointed a law in Israel,      which he commanded our ancestors           to teach to their children; 6   that the next generation might know them,           the children yet unborn,      and rise up and tell them to their children, 7        so that they should set their hope in God,      and not forget the works of God,           but keep his commandments; Second Reading 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 13But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who have died, so that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have died. 15For this we declare to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will by no means precede those who have died. 16For the Lord himself, with a cry of command, with the archangel’s call and with the sound of God’s trumpet, will descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up in the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the air; and so we will be with the Lord forever. 18Therefore encourage one another with these words. Gospel Matthew 25:1-13 1“Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; 4but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. 6But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7Then all those bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps. 8The foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9But the wise replied, ‘No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’ 10And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut. 11Later the other bridesmaids came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ 12But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I do not know you.’ 13Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”

Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), 100 Witherspoon Street, Louisville, KY 40202

Prayers for Our Community, Our Nation and Our World

We can offer specific daily prayers for our community, nation and world. Between Monday, November 9 and Sunday, November 15, we'll lay before God the needs listed below.

• Monday, November 9, 2026 - That those in the entertainment industry recognize any negative influences within their media creations.
• Tuesday, November 10, 2026 - That World Vision be able to address real human need around the world.
• Wednesday, November 11, 2026 - That those in the media and government would report facts accurately and without any bias.
• Thursday, November 12, 2026 - That young people are able to grow into their potential.
• Friday, November 13, 2026 - That the people of Ukraine be protected.
• Saturday, November 14, 2026 - That all racial divisions be healed.
• Sunday, November 15, 2026 - That police officers show strength and compassion when enforcing the law.

The Sligo Presbyterian Church Celebration Service - Sunday, November 1, 2026

Sligo Presbyterian Church: Our Congregation and Community: The Sligo Presbyterian Church Celebration Service ...: Even though life can seem threatening and overwhelming, Isaiah 41:10 reminds us that we don’t need to be afraid: Don’t be afraid. I am with ...

Sunday's Message (His Power - “I will...give you victory.”)

Sligo Presbyterian Church: Our Congregation and Community: Sunday's Message (His Power - “I will...give you v...: Even though life can seem threatening and overwhelming, Isaiah 41:10 reminds us that we don’t need to be afraid: Don’t be afraid. I am with ...

Looking into the lectionary - What are we teaching our boys?

Matthew 25:14-30 25th Sunday after Pentecost 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time November 15, 2026 When I was a kid, every summer day when my brothers and I were home from school and my mom was at work, we were given chores to do. Invariably, however, we spent the majority of the day lounging in front of the TV or playing outside. My mom’s usual arrival time after work seemed so far away. After whiling away the day doing just what I wanted, I can distinctly remember hearing my mom’s car pull up the driveway. I would spring into action, as if I had been working all day, heart racing because I knew I was probably in trouble. My mom was never fooled. She knew we had wasted the day with our laziness. Our passage today from Matthew’s Gospel, the parable of the talents, feels similar: being charged with something and caught without doing it.   This passage comes in a series of three parables that deal with how one should live their lives in the face of the coming of the Son of Man. Jesus, in the previous chapter, has told us that there will come a time when we will see “the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven” (Matt. 24:30), but “about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father” (Matt. 24:36). The question then, in light of this promise, is how then should we live? The answer comes in three parables: the parable of the two servants, the parable of the ten bridesmaids and the parable of the talents.    The parable of the talents begins with what would have been a familiar situation for first-century hearers. A master is about to go away and entrusts all he has to his servants. The master gives each of the three slaves talents “according to (the slave’s) ability” (v. 15). When he returns from his trip, he holds a reckoning and the first two slaves do well. They have taken their talents and made more. But the third slave, out of fear, does nothing. He merely preserves the talent he was given and does nothing with it. The two slaves who used their talents well “enter into the joy of their master,” while the slave who has done nothing is thrown into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (v. 30). A hard master indeed. Read the rest of the commentary at pres-outlook.org. Thank you to this week's writer, Tara Bulger. Thanks also to Robert Lowry who wrote an additional lectionary reflection on 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11. We've got daily Advent devotionals and a long list of holiday liturgies to make your worship planning easier!

Order of worship — November 15, 2026 by Tara W. Bulger What has formed your theology? by Maggie Alsup What are we teaching our boys?  by Mathew Frease  A prayer for democracy on election day By Teri Ott

No other God: Voting, faith, and state intimidation  As citizens of the United States, we have the responsibility to vote and decide on the shape of our future. When we vote as Christians, we should make these decisions based on our vision of what God calls us to do, not what someone else might threaten us into doing. — Serene Jones  When a Presbyterian elder is taken by ICE After Pedro Garcia Luna was detained and deported to Mexico, his North Carolina congregation was left grieving his absence and navigating fear — while finding the faith to carry on. —  Harriet Riley At This Time: Dialogues in Theological Education What does theological education look like beyond enrollment and budgets? Amy Pagliarella explores the answers in "At This Time." — Amy Pagliarella A community of mutual belonging Drawing on Paul’s letter to Philemon, Dr. Ruth Padilla DeBorst delivers the W. Don McClure Lecture at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary — Mike Ferguson Theology Beer Camp creates radically inclusive space Annual gathering challenges attendees to be welcoming year-round.— Brandon M. Mercer Paul for the World  Nijay Gupta’s "Paul for the World" argues that the apostle’s writings are meant to change lives here and now, not just guide us to the afterlife. Samuel McCan offers a review. Breaking, Disintegrating, Scattering As communion goes sideways, a revelation: God’s kingdom always comes. — Larisa Kwong Abazia Discussion guide for October 2026 issue In each issue of the Outlook, we include a discussion guide to further reflect on the issue. We recommend using this guide in your Bible study, small group or book club. It's our invitation into a faithful conversation.— Donald L. Griggs  Advent planning doesn’t have to mean sorting through dozens of books and resources on your own. In this recorded webinar, Amy Pagliarella offers ideas for churches, small groups and individuals.

Copyright © 2026 Presbyterian Outlook, All rights reserved.