Looking into the lectionary - Remembering Walter Brueggemann

June 22, 2025 Second Sunday after Pentecost 1 Kings 19:1-15 In times of scarcity, it is tempting to think God must be in the first thing that comes along that could conceivably get us out of the mess we’re in. This wouldn’t be so bad if we didn’t live in a world that runs on the imposition of scarcity. The forces that rule over our lives depend for their survival on us feeling like we don’t have enough time, money, community, bandwidth, status, attention, and on and on. Our news outlets are judged not by their veracity but by clicks. Our feed is curated based on its likelihood to get our attention, which is to say it is biased toward what is most outrageous. One notable political strategist correctly predicted that “flooding the zone” with garbage would lead people to be overwhelmed and have no idea how to respond. People of good faith everywhere are feeling the squeeze: too many emails to respond to, too many news stories to be outraged by, too little money to pay the bills, too little time with the spouse or kids. Too much of the bad stuff. Too little of the good stuff. Come to think of it, maybe my life could be saved by that productivity app, for which I would pay a monthly fee. In 1 Kings 19:1-15, Elijah is fleeing in the wilderness and his prospects for living genuinely are scarce. He has just defeated and executed the prophets of Baal and their patroness, Queen Jezebel, intends to kill him. He is sent deeper and deeper into the wilderness, beyond cell service, where eventually he hears that the Lord is about to pass by. Then, three starkly obvious signifiers for God – a wind, a fire, and an earthquake – occur. Yet somehow, Elijah knows that the Lord is not in any of them. Finally, in the sound of “sheer silence” (1 Kings 19:12), Elijah encounters God. ... Thank you to this week's writer, Andy Greenhow. Read the rest of the commentary on the website. Want to do a sermon series on nonviolent resistance?  This webinar offers biblical insight, stories, and tools to preach peace in a violent world. "Pay-what-you-can" for the recording now! Learn more Order of worship — June 22, 2025, by Andy Greenhow Walter Brueggemann, influential biblical scholar, dies at 92 by Yonat Shimron General Assembly Co-Moderator opens Moral Monday event with a prayer by Mike Ferguson Swipes and likes: Redefining the loneliness epidemic by Kat Robinson Want the worship resources for June 15, 2025? You can find them here. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT... The spiritual art of staying Amy Pagliarella recommends two memoirs on rootedness and renewal. Presbyterian Peace Fellowship’s Atwood Institute fosters the joy of acting together to save lives Schedule released for PPF's Sept. 24-27 gun violence prevention training at Massanetta Springs Camp and Conference Center near Harrisonburg, Virginia. Holy punks and sacred spaces: Rethinking where we can find God Charissa Howe calls on churches to look for God's action in their community, even in unexpected places. When Pentecost meets the blues Ryan Coogler's “Sinners” prompts Jordan Burton to reflect on Pentecost, juke joints and the movement of the Spirit. Haven on Garland’s radical hospitality Shawn and Sarah Hyska have turned a historic Lynchburg house into a refuge of radical hospitality for Afghan women students, built on faith, family, and shared meals. — Lydia Griffiths How students are struggling — and connecting — in 2025 College students face rising loneliness and anxiety. Katrina Pekich-Bundy shares how community spaces, on campus and beyond, can help rebuild connection and emotional well-being. In four sessions, “Revelation: Professing Christ Today” by Mark D. Hinds seeks to create an inclusive environment for discussing and reflecting on the political ramifications of following Christ.