Looking into the lectionary - A guide for churches supporting nonprofits

March 2, 2025 Transfiguration Sunday  Luke 9:28-36  The longer I stay in ministry, the more quickly the calendar turns over. Some of the days remain quite long, but the years have gotten short, the seasons pushing against each other more and more each time they come around. It was only just Advent. This year, even though Lent is late on the calendar, it feels once again like it has arrived prematurely. It couldn’t possibly be here already. It couldn’t possibly be Transfiguration again, could it? For the preacher fighting a losing battle with time, the Gospels don’t offer much help when it comes to innovative preaching the Transfiguration year after year. The varying accounts of Jesus’s mountaintop revelation barely differ. The distinctions are in the details, not in the headlines. This means Transfiguration Sunday can be somewhat daunting for regular preachers. What new thing could we possibly say? What new breath could we possibly find? Is anyone else just a little tired of Transfiguration? Other than the disciples, I mean. They are, apparently, exhausted. It’s one of the small details of Luke’s account – but uniquely his contribution to the story – that our disciples are dozing off on the mountaintop just when the scene gets good. Different translations parse the complex Greek in different ways: maybe they’ve already fallen asleep; maybe they’re just resting their eyes; maybe they’re fighting it off with every ounce of their remaining energy — but the particulars seem less important than the impact. Even in the presence of the astounding miracle of Transfiguration, these disciples have gotten a little tired. It’s understandable. They’ve been working hard. Ministry is toughgoing; these disciples have been on their feet for weeks. Just that morning, they climbed a whole mountain. Certainly, we could forgive them a nap. But I’m not sure that’s what Luke wants from this moment. ... Thank you to this week's writer Matt Gaventa. Read the rest of the commentary on the website. Order of worship — March 2, 2025, by Matt Gaventa How to help better: A guide for churches supporting non-profits by Charissa Howe  A priestly kingdom and a holy nation (March 2, 2025) by Tara Bulger  The fastest way to lose the next generation at your church by Nicole Doyley PC(USA) joins religious freedom lawsuit challenging ICE enforcement actions in churches by Rick Jones and Mike Ferguson Seven Ways of Looking at the Transfiguration by Sarah Hinlicky Wilson Want the worship resources for February 23, 2025? You can find them here. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT... A free Ash Wednesday liturgy Written by Anne Apple. Liz Theoharis: Organizing and building power Teri McDowell Ott speaks with Presbyterian Pastor Liz Theoharis on uniting and organizing poor and low-income people into a powerful force. Presbyterian Church of Okemos, Michigan reaffirms baptism vows for a boy named Zach, a beloved member and transgender youth Zach’s mother: ‘When our congregation said in unison, “We see you,” I thought my heart would burst.’ — Mike Ferguson Stated Clerk and Executive Director joins other national faith leaders in public support of sanctuary movement The Rev. Jihyun Oh says PC(USA) recommits to compassion, accompaniment, safety and full dignity for migrant and immigrant siblings. — Layton Williams Berkes Beyond thoughts and prayers: Prophetic witness, righteous rage and sacred tears Public theology can potentially fill gaps in understanding within the intersections of race, gender, faith, and grief, writes Desiree McCray. Have You Got Good Religion? Black Women’s Faith, Courage and Moral Leadership in the Civil Rights Movement AnneMarie Mingo highlights Black churchwomen’s moral leadership in the Civil Rights Movement, showcasing their faith, courage, and theo-moral imagination. — Hunter Farrell The Anti-Greed Gospel: Why the Love of Money Is the Root of Racism and How the Church Can Create a New Way Forward The Anti-Greed Gospel pairs theology with practical approaches: economic solidarity, creative anti-violence, and prophetic storytelling. — Sterling Morse Interim Unified Agency of the PC(USA) announces shift in approach to global ministry engagement New plan further integrates missional and ecumenical partnerships within the US and around the world. — Rick Jones Grief touches every corner of our lives — not just in moments of death but in quiet farewells, conflict, and lost health. Grieving Change and Loss invites you to embrace the wilderness of loss and rediscover the horizon of hope offered by Christ’s resurrection.