Revised Common Lectionary Readings for June 07, 2026

Revised Common Lectionary Readings (Three-Year Cycle)

Lectionary Readings for Sunday, June 7, 2026

First Reading Genesis 12:1-9 1Now the LORD said to Abram, "Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you.2I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.3I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed." 4So Abram went, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran.5Abram took his wife Sarai and his brother's son Lot, and all the possessions that they had gathered, and the persons whom they had acquired in Haran; and they set forth to go to the land of Canaan. When they had come to the land of Canaan,6Abram passed through the land to the place at Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land.7Then the LORD appeared to Abram, and said, "To your offspring I will give this land." So he built there an altar to the LORD, who had appeared to him.8From there he moved on to the hill country on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; and there he built an altar to the LORD and invoked the name of the LORD.9And Abram journeyed on by stages toward the Negeb. Psalm Psalm 33:1-12 1Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous. Praise befits the upright. 2Praise the LORD with the lyre; make melody to him with the harp of ten strings. 3Sing to him a new song; play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts. 4For the word of the LORD is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness. 5He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the LORD. 6By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and all their host by the breath of his mouth. 7He gathered the waters of the sea as in a bottle; he put the deeps in storehouses. 8Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. 9For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm. 10The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; he frustrates the plans of the peoples. 11The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations. 12Happy is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage. Second Reading Romans 4:13-25 13For the promise that he would inherit the world did not come to Abraham or to his descendants through the law but through the righteousness of faith. 14If it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. 15For the law brings wrath; but where there is no law, neither is there violation. 16For this reason it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his descendants, not only to the adherents of the law but also to those who share the faith of Abraham (for he is the father of all of us, 17as it is written, "I have made you the father of many nations")-in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. 18Hoping against hope, he believed that he would become "the father of many nations", according to what was said, "So numerous shall your descendants be." 19He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was already as good as dead (for he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah's womb. 20No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, 21being fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. 22Therefore his faith "was reckoned to him as righteousness." 23Now the words, "it was reckoned to him", were written not for his sake alone, 24but for ours also. It will be reckoned to us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, 25who was handed over to death for our trespasses and was raised for our justification. Gospel Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26 9As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth; and he said to him, "Follow me." And he got up and followed him. 10And as he sat at dinner in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came and were sitting with him and his disciples.11When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?"12But when he heard this, he said, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.13Go and learn what this means, 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have come to call not the righteous but sinners." 18While he was saying these things to them, suddenly a leader of the synagogue came in and knelt before him, saying, "My daughter has just died; but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live."19And Jesus got up and followed him, with his disciples.20Then suddenly a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his cloak,21for she said to herself, "If I only touch his cloak, I will be made well."22Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, "Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well." And instantly the woman was made well.23When Jesus came to the leader's house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion,24he said, "Go away; for the girl is not dead but sleeping." And they laughed at him.25But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl got up.26And the report of this spread throughout that district.

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, June 8 and Sunday, June 14, we'll lay before God the needs listed below.

• Monday, June 8, 2026 - That we remember those who died in service to their country.
• Tuesday, June 9, 2026 - That World Vision will be able to address real human needs around the world.
• Wednesday, June 10, 2026 - That Russia and Ukraine find a peaceful resolution to their conflict.
• Thursday, June 11, 2026 - That governments recognize nations will be judged based on how they treat the poor and the powerless.
• Friday, June 12, 2026 - That children be protected from those who are not seeking their best interest.
• Saturday, June 13, 2026 - That peace will be restored in the Middle East.
• Sunday, June 14, 2026 - That businesses, unions and government officials be ethical in all tax reporting and financial transactions.

The Sligo Presbyterian Church Celebration Service - Sunday, May 31, 2026

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Looking into the lectionary - Small churches + adaptation

Matthew 9:35-10:8 Third Sunday after Pentecost June 14, 2026 Church membership is shrinking across mainline protestant denominations. The reported number of U.S. adults who claim to be religiously unaffiliated is growing rapidly. Faced with these statistics, many within the church throw up their hands and wonder what will become of the church. Yet, research shows that while many are done with the institution of the church, they are not done with spirituality. Many believe in a higher power. Some are seeking ways to be grounded in something larger than themselves. In a world where so many are starving, where financial stability is increasingly hard to find, where gun violence and mass shootings are ever more frequent, where war rages around the world, and where political discourse is increasingly divisive, people remain hungry for good news. It appears that the more things change, the more they stay the same. Jesus looked out on the crowds and saw a group of people who were tired and overwhelmed, harassed and helpless. They, too, faced a world where political violence was at a high, where people could be killed because they disagreed with the powers that be, where families struggled to put food on the table, where religious leaders seemed to champion rules over people, and the division between the haves and have-nots was increasingly great. The people around Jesus yearned for good news. They hoped for the end of suffering from disease and physical impairment. They dreamed of a world that was just. They grasped at the hope that all could be fed. Jesus’s message was compelling, and so they crowded around him. As Jesus notes in Matthew 9:35-10:8, “The harvest is plentiful …” (v. 37). But, he continues, “the laborers are few” (v. 37). It was not a lack of people who yearned for the good news; it was a lack of people to do the work of proclamation and healing in a hurting world. And it is not a lack of people seeking some hope and good news today. Jesus sent his disciples out, out of their comfort zone, out of the safety of their community, out among the crowds. I wonder how many of our churches still hope that if they build it, people will come? They remain within the walls and the traditions of the church. They remain in their comfort zone and hope for someone who will shepherd them in comfort. ... Thank you to this week's writer, Rae Watson. Read the rest of the commentary at pres-outlook.org. Want the worship resources for June 7, 2026? You can find them here.

Order of worship — June 14, 2026 by Rae Watson   Braving the Truth by Rachel Held Evans, reviewed by Amy Pagliarella Adapting together: A small church and Buddhist monks by David Williams Presbyterian Outlook wins five honors at Associated Church Press awards by Rose Schrott Taylor

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT... How the Board of Pensions prices the Medical Plan Two principles guide the approach to pricing. — Todd Ingves The Presbytery of Milwaukee is just about set to host the 227th General Assembly The Committee on Local Arrangements practices its warm welcome on PC(USA) national staff. — Mike Ferguson Thinking about prayer and posture In this reflection, Brenda Moten explores how posture, humility and memory shape the way we pray. Beyond the altar: Prayer as devotion, discipline and public witness Winterbourne Harrison-Jones reimagines prayer as activism, insisting that true communion with God must move beyond the sanctuary and into the streets. Order the chaos Artist and mother Merideth Hite Estevez discovers that creativity — and grace — are often born in life’s glitter-covered chaos, where God meets us in the messy work of mending. Choosing between the banquets of the empire and the kingdom Quincy Worthington recounts witnessing protest and brutality outside an ICE detention center in Broadview, Illinois — and how that moment reshaped his understanding of faith, power and public discipleship. Why this Presbyterian pastor still knows the Hail Mary by heart Brittany Porch reflects on her Catholic roots, the comfort of inherited prayer and the words that return to us in moments of grief.

Copyright © 2026 Presbyterian Outlook, All rights reserved.

WCC NEWS: Ecumenical organizations launch “Fasting and Prayer to Awaken Consciences” campaign across Argentina

The Ecumenical Roundtable for Democracy, Life, and the Common Good, joined by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Adolfo Pérez Esquivel, is promoting a nationwide campaign in Argentina entitled “Fasting and Prayer to Awaken Consciences,” from 2 to 9 June. Plaza de Mayo, Buenos Aires, Argentine. Photo: Marcelo Schneider/WCC 3 June 2026 Centered in Buenos Aires’ historic Plaza de Mayo and replicated in public squares across Argentina, the initiative seeks to draw public attention to the growing challenges of hunger, social exclusion, violence, and widening inequality. Organizers describe the campaign as a collective call for reflection, solidarity, and renewed commitment to the common good. Many Argentines continue to face economic hardship, as cuts to public spending have affected social programs, health, education, and pensions. Poverty remains widespread, especially among children and vulnerable households. Over eight days, participants will engage in fasting, prayer, public dialogue, cultural activities, and community gatherings designed to foster discussion about the country’s social realities and the urgent need for peace, justice, and inclusion. The campaign emphasizes both social justice and environmental justice as essential foundations for a more equitable society. According to organizers, the initiative is intended not only as a symbolic act but also as a practical demonstration of civic and community engagement. Local organizations, faith communities, and citizens are being encouraged to organize parallel events in cities and towns throughout Argentina, creating a nationwide network of participation and solidarity. “We fast to denounce hunger. We gather to defend life. We pray to sustain hope,” organizers said in a statement announcing the campaign. Members of the Ecumenical Roundtable include: Argentine Federation of Evangelical Churches; Service for Peace and Justice; Ecumenical Movement for Human Rights; Evangelical Social Ministry; Priests from Urban Settlements; Priests for the Option for the Poor; Argentine Commission for Refugees and Migrants; Buenos Aires Anabaptist Mennonite Church; Hora de Obrar Foundation; National Network of Argentine Women Building Community; Sorority & Faith; and Grupo La Tranquera. WCC member churches in Argentina See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 356 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches Chemin du Pommier 42 Kyoto Building Le Grand-Saconnex CH-1218 Switzerland

Prayers for Our Community, Our Nation and Our World

We can offer specific daily prayers for our community, nation and world. Between Monday, June 1 and Sunday, June 7, we'll lay before God the needs listed below.

• Monday, June 1, 2026 - That artists and entertainers avoid debauchery, pornography, perversion, and drunkenness in their craft.
• Tuesday, June 2, 2026 - That the racial, ethnic, religious, and political divisions within the United States be healed.
• Wednesday, June 3, 2026 - That the Ukrainian refugees are protected and sheltered.
• Thursday, June 4, 2026 - That we reject the politics of division and hatred and join together as we work to solve the problems we face.
• Friday, June 5, 2026 - That the body of Christ would fervently pray for our nation and its leaders.
• Saturday, June 6, 2026 - That people put the needs of others before their own wants.
• Sunday, June 7, 2026 - That we unite to deal with the gun violence within our society.