A Plain Account

Our texts for this week are here Our prayer for this week is a poem from Malcolm Guite: “St Peter”  Here is a version of the children’s song with motions "I Will Make You Fishers of Men"  Other resources on our website: commentaries, discipleship, liturgics, music.

Our texts for this week are here. Old Testament references include: Elijah & the Widow in 1 Kings 17:1-16 and Elisha & Naaman in 2 Kings 5:1-14 Our prayer for this week from Daily Prayer with the Corrymeela Community by Padraig O'Tuama Our Greek word study via StepBible.org: ἐκβάλλω (ekballō) 'to expel' (G1544)  Discussion about "powers & principalities" from Charles Campbell, The Word Before the Powers Other resources on our website: commentaries, discipleship, liturgics, music.

Our texts for this week are here.  Our prayer for this week from Daily Prayer with the Corrymeela Community by Padraig O Tuama Elijah & the Widow– 1 Kings 17:1-16 Elisha & Naaman– 2 Kings 5:1-14 Word Study via StepBible.org: ἐκβάλλω (ekballō) 'to expel' (G1544)  Other resources on our website: commentaries, discipleship, liturgics, music.

Our texts for this week are here. A transcript of this episode will be available on our website.  Our prayer for this week is here. “When the water rushed into the emptiness you were surprised that you were surprised, that you could even feel the sudden wellspring when you thought all had been poured out. And then suddenly the sweetness that stuns you that tells you this was not all, this was not the end that this blessing was saving the best for last.” - Jan Richardson Other resources on our website: commentaries, discipleship, liturgics, music.

Our texts for this week are here. A transcript of this episode will be available later on our website. Our prayer this week is from the Revised Common Lectionary web page– if you haven’t already, check out their calendar feature to add the RCL into your favorite calendar app. A Life of Jesus, by Shusaku Endo Gilead, by Marilynne Robinson. The scene Alicia refers to: “You and Tobias are hopping around in the sprinkler. The sprinkler is a magnificent invention because it exposes raindrops to sunshine. That does happen in nature, but it is rare. When I was in seminary, I used to go sometimes to watch the Baptists down at the river. It was something to see the preacher lifting the one who was being baptized up out of the water and the water pouring off the garments and the hair. It did look like a birth or a resurrection. For us, the water just heightens the touch of the pastor’s hand on the sweet bones of the head. Sort of like making an electrical connection. I’ve always loved to baptize people, though I have sometimes wished there were more shimmer and splash involved in the way we go about it. Well, but you two are dancing around in your iridescent little downpour, whooping and stomping as sane people ought to do when they encounter a thing so miraculous as water.” (page 63) Other resources on our website: commentaries, discipleship, liturgics, music.

Our texts for this week are here. A transcript of this episode will be available later on our website. Kelly Latimore icons Malcolm Guite sonnet Josh Ritter Song– “The Gospel of Mary” Liz Vice Song– “The Refugee King” Other resources on our website: commentaries, discipleship, liturgics, music.

Our texts for this week are here. A transcript will be available later on our website.  The excerpt from Oscar Romero's Christmas Eve sermon is here in Spanish and here in English.  Other resources on our website: commentaries, discipleship, liturgics, music.

Our texts for this week are here. A transcript of this episode will be available later on our website.  Poetry Unbound episode featuring Katie Manning’s poem “What to Expect When You’re Expecting”   Our prayer this week is from Daily Prayer with the Corrymeela Community, by Padraig O'Tuama  Also mentioned: The Overshadowed Preacher, by Jerusha Matsen Neal and “Hidden Joys: A Sonnet for the Visitation”, by Malcom Guite Other resources on our website: commentaries, discipleship, liturgics, music

The texts for this week are here. A transcript of this episode will be available on our website. Megan refers to the work of Ernesto Cardenal and the book Gospel in Solentiname. For many years, the peasants in Solentiname, a remote archipelago in Lake Nicaragua, gathered each Sunday to reflect on the gospel reading. Read more here. Quote from Thomas Merton: “To allow oneself to be carried away by a multitude of conflicting concerns, to surrender to too many demands, to commit oneself to too many projects, to want to help everyone in everything is to succumb to violence. Frenzy destroys our inner capacity for peace. It destroys the fruitfulness of our work, because it kills the root of inner wisdom which makes work fruitful.” (quoted in A Guide to Prayer for Ministers and Other Servants, by Rueben P. Job and Norman Shawchuck) Our Advent prayer this week is from Paul G. Janssen on re:Worship.blogspot.com. Also, here’s Alicia’s 2021 Advent playlist if you’re looking for a soundtrack for the Advent season. Other resources on our website: commentaries, discipleship, liturgics, music

The texts for this week are here. A transcript of this episode will be available on our website. The quote Megan mentioned and the full article is here: “Get mad enough to help somebody.” The poem Alicia mentioned: “Caminante, No Hay Camino” by Antonio Machado. The song Alicia mentioned is “Zechariah and the Least Expected Places” by So Elated.  Also, here’s Alicia’s 2021 Advent playlist if you’re looking for a soundtrack for the season. Other resources on our website: commentaries, discipleship, liturgics, music.