Looking into the lectionary - The Presbyterian pastor who won Jeopardy!

Matthew 22:34-46 22nd Sunday after Pentecost 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time October 25, 2026 We recently celebrated Pride here in the “Friendly City” of Harrisonburg, Virginia. Our congregation joined with others for the second annual ecumenical worship service the evening before Pride. This year, we had company. Standing on public sidewalks with big signs and a video camera, protestors were stationed close enough to church entrances to shout at participants. One protester asked a worship leader if he had read Leviticus 20:13. The leader, referencing Leviticus 19:19, responded by asking about the material of the protester’s clothing. For Leviticus 19:19 instructs: “You shall keep my statutes. You shall not let your animals breed with a different kind; you shall not sow your field with two kinds of seed; nor shall you put on a garment made of two different materials.” He told me, “I hope my brakes still work after the service!” That’s a frustrating thing about Leviticus in particular. Some of the laws are easy for us to embrace and promote. Justice is evergreen. Others we quickly brush aside. I’m comfortable in my cotton-blend shirt, petting my mixed-breed rescue dog, and I have no idea what is growing in my yard, but I guarantee there are more than two kinds of seed. How, then, shall we live? Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians is generally accepted as the earliest New Testament writing in our canon. It is full of assurances of Paul’s love for that early church community, and his prayers that the people will be strengthened in love to love more completely. That love will lead the church to be blameless before God. Paul then goes on to encourage the Thessalonians to do even better in how they’re living and pleasing God — and by the way, here are a few more guidelines, while we’re at it. ... Thank you to this week's writer, Stephanie Sorge. Read the rest of the commentary at pres-outlook.org. Want the worship resources for October 18, 2026? You can find them here. We've got daily Advent devotionals and a long list of holiday liturgies to make your worship planning easier!

Order of worship — October 25, 2026, by Stephanie Sorge Harmful theology hiding in plain sight by Teri McDowell Ott Who is the Presbyterian pastor who won on ‘Jeopardy!’? by Rich Copley The Communion Table can be a place of healing by Julia Burkley

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