Looking into the lectionary - The surprising power of small churches

April 6, 2025 Fifth Sunday in Lent Psalm 126 By the time we reach the Fifth Sunday in Lent each year, I generally observe either despair or weariness in the congregation (and myself). For some, the initial fervor of “giving something up” or “beginning a new spiritual practice” faded about halfway through week two. Others who have stayed the course, done the work, and dove deep into prayer and repentance. Both groups are longing for Easter, for church life to return to normal, for a sense of relief. And so, for many encountering Psalm 126 on the Fifth Sunday in Lent can feel like a scandalous interlude of joy. Haven’t we buried the alleluias for this season? What is this psalm about laughter, shouts of joy, restoration, and rejoicing? Did the lectionary get this one somehow wrong? It may be that a psalm about longing for joy is precisely the psalm we need on the Fifth Sunday in Lent. I am reminded of how C.S. Lewis, in his autobiography, Surprised by Joy, describes joy as a particular kind of longing. In his early years, Lewis was awakened to joy through the music of the German composer Richard Wagner and then the tales of Norse and Celtic mythology. Yet the more music he listened to, the more myths he read, the more he realized he had accumulated knowledge, but had lost his joy. All his attempts to “recover the old thrill” proved fruitless. But then, when he felt all hope was lost, there arose “the memory of a place and time at which [he] had tasted the lost Joy with unusual fullness” as he had walked on a morning of white mist, anticipating reading new volumes he had received as a Christmas present from his father. ... Thank you to this week's guest writer Matthew A. Rich. Read the rest of the commentary on the website. Order of worship — April 6, 2025, by Molly Spangler The surprising power of small churches by Phillip Blackburn  Perseverance, grace and community (April 6, 2025) by Mark Hinds Becoming the Pastor’s Wife: How Marriage Replaced Ordination as a Woman’s Path to Ministry reviewed by Amy Pagliarella Want the worship resources for March 30, 2025? You can find them here. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT... Navigating the stars and stripes in the sanctuary David Dack shares how his church navigated the U.S. flag's physical presence in worship, balancing faith and patriotism through thoughtful conversation and respect. Here’s a look at the various legal battles faith groups are fighting against the Trump administration Since he was inaugurated in January, President Donald Trump has faced virtually constant pushback from faith groups, including in the courts. I have a question: Embracing wonder and curiosity in faith Maggie Alsup explores how childlike wonder deepens faith and sparks joy. The virtue in curiosity: An invitation to consider curiosity a Christian virtue worth cultivating during Lent To address the world's most entrenched problems, we need people who yearn to know more about our world and the creatures with whom we share it. — James Calvin Davis Seeing Things A poignant poetry collection on memory, loss, and healing, "Seeing Things" explores trauma, family, and resilience. Amy Pagliarella offers a review. You’ve likely heard the Serenity Prayer − but not its backstory Scott Paeth explores the Serenity Prayer's origins and its deep connection to Reinhold Niebuhr’s Christian realism, exploring faith, courage and justice.