Looking into the lectionary - The future of lay ministry

Jonah 3:10-4:11 Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time September 20, 2026 Who is your arch-nemesis? My husband once playfully asked me this while we were dating. My answer came surprisingly quick: the person who consistently parked their car in front of the Evergreen Café on Penn Avenue in Pittsburgh’s East End, narrowing the busy two-lane thoroughfare at an extremely inconvenient point. We were tickled when, months later, the car's owner was voted Pittsburgh City Paper’s winner for Best Jagoff — Pittsburghese for “jerk.” Apparently, I wasn’t alone in my annoyance. Jonah 3:10-4:11 asks us to consider what happens when God’s mercy extends to the people we find irritating, frustrating or morally bankrupt. Jonah knows that God is merciful. His problem is that God insists on being merciful to those people, including the owner of the car in front of the Evergreen Café. Many evil forces in the world – systems, institutions, and people – profit from death and suffering. But the preacher may find it more revealing to begin closer to home when exploring this week’s theme of mercy. What sets us off, kicking our feet and muttering about “those people”? Is it our neighbor whose dogs bark way too late into the night? The radically conservative pastor whose church has an amazing ministry caring for foster children, while we barely have enough energy to plan worship this week? The church with the rainbow flag that pulls in dozens of volunteers to run its food bank, while we can’t get anyone to lead VBS? The coworker who is constantly interrupting us? Jonah is a prophet for those of us with a long list of “those people,” who find it easier to have compassion for a plant than another person. This story contains layers of anger and resentment. ... Thank you to this week's writer, Rose Schrott Taylor. Read the rest of the commentary at pres-outlook.org. Want the worship resources for September 13, 2026? You can find them here.

Order of worship — September 20, 2026 by Rose Schrott Taylor   Large Presbyterian churches see post-pandemic growth — and changing patterns of belonging by Emma Ledbetter Two educators on the future of lay ministry by Brittany Harrold Porch and Christy Williams  The ministry of showing up: Charlotte pastor starts nonprofit after suffering traumatic brain injury by Mary Mabry

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