Galatians 5:22-25 (NRSV) By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit.   Reflection: A skill I learned at an early age was how to make a to-do list. Thanks, Mom! I make one every, single, day upon entering my office and maybe a few more throughout the day. The [...]

Shelby Olive Matthew 28:1-10 After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. 2 And suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. 4 For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men. 5 But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus [...]

Savannah Burch, Associate Director of Student Ministries Matthew 27:33-37 And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull), they offered [Jesus] wine to drink, mixed with gall, but when he tasted it, he would not drink it. And when they had crucified him, they divided his garments among them by casting lots. Then they sat down and kept watch over him there. And over his head they put the charge against him, which read, “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.” Reflection: Have you ever found yourself trapped in a hard conversation [...]

Betty Owens Geary, member since 1988, past chair of Executive Committee, member of Gene Decker Study Class Matthew 26:17-29 (NRSV) 17 On the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Where do you want us to make the preparations for you to eat the Passover?” 18 He said, “Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, My time is near; I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.’” 19 So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover meal.   [...]

Meghan Kazmann, Member Matthew 25:32-36; 37-40 (New Living Translation) 32 All the nations will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left. 34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. [...]

Louise McEvoy, Adult Ministries Coordinator, Child of the ’80s, and proud of it Matthew 24:36, 44-51 (The Voice) 36 No one knows the hour or the day, not even the messengers in heaven, not even the Son. Only the Father knows.  44 So you must be ready because you know the Son of Man will come, but you can’t know precisely when. 45 The trustworthy servant is the one whom the master puts in charge of all the servants of his household; it is the trustworthy servant who not only oversees all the work, but also ensures the servants [...]

Mike Mosby, Children’s Ministries Matthew 21:33-45 The Parable of the Tenants 33 “Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and moved to another place. 34 When the harvest time approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his fruit. 35 “The tenants seized his servants; they beat one, killed another, and stoned a third. 36 Then he sent other servants to them, more than the first time, and the [...]

Keenen D. Brinson, MDiv – Coordinator of Youth Ministries, Gethsemane Campus, St. Luke’s United Methodist Church Matthew 21:12-17 (NLT) 12 Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out all the people buying and selling animals for sacrifice. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves. 13 He said to them, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves!” 14 The blind and the lame came to him in the Temple, and he healed them. 15 The [...]

Rachel Fisher, Children’s Ministries Communications Specialist Matthew 20:9-16 (NIV) 9 “The workers who were hired about five in the afternoon came and each received a denarius. 10 So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. 11 When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. 12 ‘These who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.’ 13 “But he answered [...]

Richard Ethun, proud husband of Karen, father of Elizabeth, Angela and Cecilia, member of St Luke's for 30 plus years, GoodWill Sunday School Class teacher, Sinner and Saved by Grace Matthew 19:16-22 16 Then someone came to him and said, ‘Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?’ 17And he said to him, ‘Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.’ 18He said to him, ‘Which ones?’ And Jesus said, ‘You shall not murder; You shall not commit [...]