Looking into the lectionary - January 21 worship resources

January 21, 2024 Third Sunday after the Epiphany Jonah 3:1-5, 10, Psalm 62:5-12, 1 Corinthians 7:29-31, Mark 1:14-20 I’m old enough to have paid nominal fees for unique ringtones on my first few cell phones but young enough to be one who always has my phone on vibrate and prefers not to answer if I receive an actual phone call. I’m especially unlikely to answer a call from an unknown number, but if someone calls twice in a row, I figure it might be a call I need to answer. Last week’s texts gave us some classic call stories, and this week we get a few more. Why two weeks in a row? Why two different accounts of Jesus calling the disciples? How many times will we sing, “Lord, You Have Come to the Lakeshore,” and “I, the Lord of Sea and Sky”? God’s call to Samuel in the night (1 Samuel 3:1-10) and Jesus’s invitation, “Follow me” (John 1:43), were clear and direct. This week’s texts convey urgency. Jonah has wasted time and gotten off course — he must go to Nineveh immediately. Once there, he delivers the ultimatum: four words in Hebrew saying, essentially, “40 days, you’re toast!” (Jonah 3:4). Paul reminds the church in Corinth that time is of the essence. And when John is arrested, Jesus immediately gets to work. In Mark 1:14-20, Jesus calls to Simon and Andrew, and then James and John, all of whom respond immediately. I always feel bad for poor Zebedee, left holding his nets in the boat. Did James and John commandeer one of the smaller boats? Or did they jump in the water and swim to shore? However they got there, and when Jesus called, they responded without delay. While Jonah and Paul both point to near-future events, Jesus proclaims, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.” Mark uses the present perfect continuous tense, indicating that the action has been completed, but the result is ongoing. The phone has rung and keeps ringing. Are you going to answer the call? ... Read the rest of the commentary on the website. Thanks to this week's writer Stephanie Sorge. Order of worship for January 21, 2024. These liturgies are free to use. Prayer for Martin Luther King Jr. Day by Jill Duffield    Fear and faithfulness (January 21, 2024) by Tara Bulger Exploring Jonah — Weekly Christian ed lesson by Joelle Brummit-Yale Want the worship resources for January 14, 2024? You can find them here. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT... The great ends of the (small) church Budgets and worship numbers matter — but they are not everything, Phil Blackburn believes. Small is beautiful "Church vitality is more about spirit than size, and small churches across the country often serve as hubs of connection for small towns and rural areas." — Teri McDowell Ott 13 emerging faith leaders who made their mark in 2023 2023's rising stars in religion are loud, proud and defiant. — Yonat Shimron The future of the PC(USA) is pastor-less, and that’s OK. A church can be viable without a pastor, writes Catherine Neelly Burton. Once we embrace this, churches can go about their work of being Christ’s body. Oh, the places you will go: Reflections from a multi-faith funeral Looking at Psalm 121, Karie Charlton reflects that we are all called to respond to each other and participate in the Universal Heart. Devotional recommendations for Lent 2024 Amy Pagliarella has devotional recommendations for individuals, small groups and Jane Austen fans.