Looking into the lectionary - For churches, simply surviving is not enough

Luke 16:1-13 Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost September 21, 2025 “What if we get it right?” That’s the question marine biologist and policy expert Ayana Elizabeth Johnson says we rarely ask about the climate crisis. In her book, What If We Get It Right? Visions of Climate Futures, Johnson imagines what could happen if we actually used the resources already in our hands – the science, the technology, the policies, the collective will – to meet this challenge head-on. She calls her book “an invitation to imagine.” Adding, “goodness, do we need more imagination right now, to create clearer visions of desirable climate futures… a future we can see ourselves in, where there’s a place for us and the communities we hold dear.” Her question is haunting in its hope: What if we get it right? Luke 16:1-13 is not the first place I’d expect to find resonance with such a question. Charles Cousar, the late professor of New Testament at Columbia Theological Seminary, describes the parable of the dishonest manager as “one of the great exegetical mountains” preachers must climb in his Feasting on the Word commentary. And when you read it, you, like me, will nod along with Cousar’s words, shaking your head in bewildered frustration. A wealthy master hears his manager has been squandering resources. He calls him in and fires him. Faced with unemployment, the manager panics. He’s not strong enough for manual labor and too proud to beg. So he hatches a scheme: he slashes the debts of those who owe his master, hoping that when he’s thrown out, they’ll remember his “generosity” and welcome him into their homes.  By every moral standard, this is brazen, self-serving deceit. We, the readers, wait for the hammer to fall — for the master’s rebuke, or for Jesus to wrap up the story with a tidy moral about honesty and integrity. But in a shocking twist, the dishonest manager is praised. Praised! For acting “shrewdly.” Luke tells us this parable is about how we handle resources: wealth, possessions, money. For Luke, wealth is dangerous because it so easily becomes its own master, demanding our loyalty, shaping our lives. Yet wealth is also a tool that can be used for faithful purposes.  ... Read the rest of the commentary at pres-outlook.org. Order of worship — September 21, 2025, by Teri McDowell Ott Our fork in the road: On the end of the Presbyterian Mission Agency by Stanley Skreslet Presbyterian community in the Texas Hill Country comes together to rebuild and renew by Erin Booke For small churches, simply surviving is not enough by Phillip Blackburn Want the worship resources for September 14, 2025? You can find them here. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT... How a vigil changed me: Remembering Pulse in an age of erasure After the disappearance of a prominent Pulse memorial, William Horton’s reflection recalls how a 2016 vigil transformed his perspective and deepened his sense of shared humanity. The seeds we scatter Ministry isn’t about perfection but planting small seeds of care, faith, and presence, writes Teri McDowell Ott. God will bring unexpected growth over time. The Presbyterian Church Growth Network announces inaugural fall conference Join PCGN’s first Fall Conference, Oct 7–8 in Englewood, NJ. Equip church leaders with tools, insights & strategies to strengthen Sunday worship. The good news and the not so good news A strong market has ballooned PC(USA) investment coffers so far in 2025, but some Stewardship and Funds Development receipts are lagging. — Mike Ferguson Pope Leo is focused on AI. What should his guidance offer the world? Pope Leo XIV has addressed the opportunities and challenges of AI often, leading many to think he will write in an encyclical about its implications. A quieter, grounded faith: Discoveries on a Celtic Cross pilgrimage A pilgrimage through Scotland with Presbyterian College allows M.C. Dailey to renew her faith, rethink leadership, and reimagine the church’s future. Thin places, full hearts: A pilgrimage toward healing, calling and communion Presbyterian College graduate Kennedy Elise Perry finds renewal and a vision for a more inclusive church during a pilgrimage to Scotland.