Irreverently Reverend

  Trinity Sunday Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him, but they doubted. 18 And Jesus came and said to them, “ All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit 20 and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you . And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age .” (NRSVue)             A congregant said to a colleague of mine once that she clearly needed to have some extra training as a pastor because the congregation wasn’t growing.   My colleague asked what the congregant was doing to grow in their own faith and the person looked at her with scorn; the purpose of a pastor is to grow a church, they said, and to make sure there were people to step up to take over leade...

  First Sunday of Advent “There will be signs in the sun, moon, and stars. On the earth, there will be dismay among nations in their confusion over the roaring of the sea and surging waves.  26  The planets and other heavenly bodies will be shaken, causing people to faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world.  27  Then they will see the Human One coming on a cloud with power and great splendor.  28  Now when these things begin to happen, stand up straight and raise your heads, because your redemption is near.” 29  Jesus told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees.  30  When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near.  31  In the same way, when you see these things happening, you know that God’s kingdom is near.  32  I assure you that this generation won’t pass away until everything has happened .  33  Heaven and earth will pas...