The voting machine was delivered this morning, along with the appropriate tables, sized so that accessibility will be a problem for no voter. And with them comes the tangible reminder of what season we’re in. For some of us, it’s a put-your-heads-down-and-endure season, and for others, it’s a post-more-signs-and-slogans season. But we also need to remember that this should be a season of prayer. Not “I want my own way, Lord,” or even “please change their minds, Lord,” but an honest prayer for the usefulness and good service of both voters and elected officials, for the good of all the people.
October 25, 2026 Twenty Second Sunday After Pentecost
What a great Harvest Dinner we had the other night—I’m so glad so many of you could make it! Lots of great food and good fellowship—and it had an Old Home Week feel, because we had a chance to see again some people who have moved too far away to come every week anymore, but not so far that they couldn’t come for a special evening. Many thanks to those of you who set up, cooked, brought food, or cleaned up, as well as to all of you who came that evening!
And speaking of harvest and fall, as the grass-cutting season winds up, I’d like to thank all of you who have done so much throughout the year, keeping our grounds clean and tidy. The church very much appreciates your time and your faithful effort on the community’s behalf.
And while I’m offering thanks, I’d like to also thank here all of those who participated in our Laity Sunday service last week. Many thanks to Craig, who was brave enough to take on both the prayers and the sermon, and thank you also to all of you who either read scriptures or led the prayer of confession and call to worship. Your service in this way is much appreciated!
In all of these things and in so many others, I want to affirm what I am seeing: that McKnight is a church in which people show up. Whenever there is work to be done or needs to be addressed, I see people stepping up and stepping in. Whether it’s coordinating an electronics recycling drive or a dinner or a coffee collection or a blood drive, multiple members show up and participate. Not everyone likes to lead from the front of the sanctuary, but not all of church service is “from the front,” and I see your faithfulness in so many ways and in so many events and activities.
October 18, 2026 Twenty First Sunday After Pentecost
As I was reading Barbara Brown Taylor’s Bread of Angels this week, I came across this passage: “We believe we know what is right and what is wrong and we do not welcome anyone who challenges our beliefs.” This, by the way, was written in 1997, and had nothing to do with our current political situation, which is telling in its own way.
She continues: “And yet God is dedicated to doing just that”—challenging us— “because it is the only way to get us to believe in God more than we believe in our own beliefs. Jesus was not the only one God sent to shake us up. God is always sending us people to disturb us—to wake us up, to yank our chains, to set us on fire—because about the worst thing that can happen to us, religiously speaking, is for us to hold perfectly still without changing a thing until we turn into fossils.”
One of the blessings of working within this congregation has been that you seem to have a good sense of when to listen, when to hold on to traditions and when to acknowledge that change needs to happen—or when it is already happening. And one of our best traditions is coming up: our Thanksgiving dinner together. What could be more Christian than coming together and giving thanks to the God who has given us so much, in celebration with the community that God has brought together? Fellowship is not all of what we are, but it is an important part of what we are.
As we come together for fellowship, we are also listening to each other. Here again is Barbara Brown Taylor: “God is ahead of us, calling us forward. God is all around us, speaking to us through the most unlikely people. Sometimes it is a mysterious stranger, but more often, I suspect, it is people so familiar to us that we simply overlook them—our own children and parents, our own friends and neighbors—all of those hometown prophets who challenge us and love us and tell us who we are.”
People often think of church as that thing you do in the pews on a Sunday morning, but church is also in the relationships—in the love we share, in the discussions we have, in the things we learn as other people speak of their own lives. As Jesus said, “For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.”
I look forward to gathering with you.
Grace and peace,
Becky
Prayer:
God of love and grace, we give you thanks that we are called into a body, a group of people—not simply as a mass of individuals but as persons called into relationship, both with you and with each other. We thank you for the kind of relationships that are built over time, as we hear about each others’ lives, and know each others’ triumphs and griefs. Thank you for the ways that community can teach us about steadiness and faithfulness, for creating a community that can hold us when we are off-balance, and simply for love and laughter and jokes in common. Thank you for the gift of being known. For these and so many other blessings, we give you thanks for your grace. Amen.
October 4, 2026 Nineteenth Sunday After Pentecost
This week I’ve just returned from an overnight retreat, and I come back tired, and grateful, and, for lack of a better way of putting it, shored up. We had a rich time together at the EmpowHer retreat, and I invite all of the women of this congregation to consider attending next year. The facilities at Jumonville are sort of “comfortable camp”: not luxurious, but comfortable enough (actual beds!), and with the all-important good plumbing. And if it works for your schedule, the chance to spend time together with other women of faith, both lay and clergy, is not to be missed.
I’ve spent this morning catching up on the ordinary tasks of the church week, and I still have two hospice visits to make from my other congregation, so I’ll ask you to forgive the short letter this week, and, in anticipation of World Communion Sunday this weekend, I’ll leave you with this quote:
“Worship is that place where earth and heaven can meet. In worship God breaks into our
messiness and joins us in our brokenness to create a spirit of possibility. In the beginning
God spoke a Word—worship is our response.” -Melissa Lauber
September 27, 2026 Eighteenth Sunday After Pentecost
This week’s letter is just some good things to celebrate:
1) We’re having new members join us this week—some familiar faces. And other people continue to join in worship with us even as they split their time with other commitments, and we are delighted that they are with us.
2) Our Young Adult group continues to meet—look for an announcement about the upcoming date for pumpkin carving!
3) As has become our tradition, we are preparing Halloween treats for the preschool, and a few of us will gather near the Fox Drive entrance to hand out candy on the day itself. (Last year I heard one of the adults chaperoning a group of kids say, “Wow—there’s a church there!”) If handing out candy and making our church more present in the community sound like fun to you, feel free to join us—we would love your company.
September 20, 2026 Seventeenth Sunday After Pentecost
As I continue to sketch out planning for this church year (thinking in terms of Fall through Summer), I decided to look back at our “McKnight Caring” list for last year. I was gratified to see how many of our items we checked off:
In Caring for our World, we did an e-cycle event, we had Rev. Michael Airgood here one Sunday to talk about his experiences and friendships in Ukraine, we hosted a refugee dinner supporting the local Thrive program, and we had our second science-centered VBS.
In Caring for the Community, we did a Learning Hub fundraiser, we helped the Mission Barn with both supplies and labor, we had a blood drive, we participated in preschool fundraisers, and while we didn’t specifically do hot dogs and cider for Halloween, we did do a small-scale trunk or treat.
For a variety of reasons, including difficulty finding speakers, we had less success in the areas of Caring for Others and Caring for Ourselves. But we did have Rev. Dr. Barry Ball come and talk to us about the opioid addiction crisis, and that was an excellent event with much learning—and because of the action of our trustees, we now have Narcan available in the front hall (in the AED box), should we ever need to respond to someone in crisis here in our own building.
I’ve been considering a new list of possibilities for this year (and some repeats, like our blood drive and our e-cycle event), and would very much welcome your input and ideas—either something new or something you would like to see again.
September 13, 2026 Sixteenth Sunday After Pentecost
I used to volunteer with an organization that had a strict policy against mixing causes. We would say, if our meetings veered off into some adjacent cause, “There are many worthy causes. Our organization is about thus-and-such.” It was a good way to bring us back to our central concern, and not invalidate another person’s concern with a related issue. “In this time and place, we are concerning ourselves with one thing.”
I am finding that that those sorts of boundaries and discussions are much more difficult in the church—one of the troubles with being a pastor is deciding which of the many possibilities of ministry to pursue, because so many things are ministry! In terms of whole-church ministry, obviously Council and the church both have significant voices, but I get emails every day from good organizations and good causes seeking our help and our support. And the reality of being human—and finite—mean that one church can address or help with only some of them.
September 6, 2026 Fifteenth Sunday After Pentecost
As Fall ramps up, we are beginning all the things here at McKnight, including our new Bible study on Genesis. In order to accommodate a class I am taking (in order to prepare for the next Bible study!), we are moving Bible study to Monday nights, beginning the first Monday after Labor Day. I’m very excited about this study, and am hoping that the new night might make it possible for a few more of us to join. Also, I know that some of you prefer to drive only when it’s light out, but we’ll have several more weeks of evening sunshine, so feel free to join us for as long as you are comfortable.
Our preschool is also starting up again soon, and I invite you to keep the students, the teachers, and the parents and caregivers in prayer as they start this new year. It was especially fun for me this year at orientation to see families that I have started to know through Vacation Bible School—to have that little kid wave to me with a shy smile as I came into the room to pray with them was a special blessing. We are lucky to have a gifted and experienced team of teachers here in our building, and the work that they do is a labor of love and a service to our community.
And even as new things are beginning, your council and several other members of the church are working to continue our ongoing ministries: the feeding ministry, the food pantry, building maintenance (including new lights down in the Fellowship Hall!), and Global Links, among others. Thank you to all who participate in these ongoing ministries, either by contribution or by coordination.
August 30, 2026 Fourteenth Sunday After Pentecost
In my personal Bible study lately, I’ve been looking at the book of Acts, with the help of author and UM Bishop Will Willimon. Writing of the multiple groups of Christians Paul meets on his final journey, Willimon writes,
“The nineteenth-century historian Alfred Loisy is often quoted as saying, ‘Jesus proclaimed the Kingdom of God, and what came was the church.’ Loisy did not mean this in the cynical way in which it is most often repeated, as if the church were a later misunderstanding of the original, more individualistic teachings of Jesus. Jesus’ message formed a distinct people. His message was about a new community. The Acts question is not merely the intellectual one of ‘Do you agree?’ But the political and social question, ‘Will you join up?’"
Sometimes I think that one of the church’s biggest problems right now is that we fell for the individualistic story of our current culture. “I, personally, believe” somehow became enough, even for the church. And while “I believe” and “I trust” are important, we have missed a good portion of the Bible if we think that, if we believe, we can continue in the world without reference to anyone else, as long as we are relatively decent people. We are called again and again to be a body, the people of God.
August 23, 2026 Thirteenth Sunday After Pentecost
I’ve been feeling that burst of last-of-summer energy in the air. Even for those of us who aren’t in school in any role, there’s a sense of trying to get in one more thing before the summer is over, or of preparing for the new season. For others of you it means trying to get in one more hike or one more trip to the beach, or preparing your garden for some fall planting. Pastorally speaking, for me that means preparing for our new Bible study and fall events, and even thinking about Advent. More on all of that to come!
Depending on whether or not you were able to join us for worship on Sunday, you may or may not know that for us at McKnight, fall also will mean a partial repaving of our parking lot. We had some uncommitted funds in our reserve that we will be using, as well as our $20,000 grant from conference, and so we are able to do a thorough repaving (rather than just repair) of the area in front of the church doors. We are now on the contractor’s list of projects, but dates will be somewhat weather dependent, so please be on the watch for announcements and potentially also for traffic cones and yellow tape blocking off a portion of the lot.
August 16, 2026 Twelfth Sunday After Pentecost
As I write this letter this morning, Red Cross blood drive personnel are setting up downstairs, getting ready to receive the 50 donors who have already signed up. Our country has a blood shortage right now, and these 50 donors will help with that—as we have helped by sharing our resources in the form of the building itself and a few volunteers. This is one of many examples of a ministry of presence in our community, of sharing the resources we already have. It is also a form of witness to our community—that the church doesn’t exist only for itself and its own interests, but for the entire world. And finally, it is a form of stewardship—of good use of our resources, and of using them for God’s beloved. Thank you to those of you who have signed up to donate, or who have contributed to the organization and staffing of this event, and especially for finding this new way that we can be present to and show care for our community.
In my studies this morning, I read that psychologist Erik Erikson was asked once, via letter, whether he was a Christian. His response was one I find very moving: he said that he was what he would call a “Christian apprentice.” He did not mean that he wasn’t yet a Christian, or that he had some questions about the faith—although probably, like many people, there were still a few questions for which he would have preferred to have answers. He meant something more like “I am a disciple”: I am a learner, someone at some point along the way. Christianity, at its best, is a way of life, an orientation toward Christ that changes you not simply in a moment, but as you live your life. You learn and grow over time. John Wesley called this process sanctification, and while his term points up the aspect of holiness, there is also in it a quality of ongoing learning.
August 9, 2026 Eleventh Sunday After Pentecost
As of today, we have 49 out of 50 slots filled for our upcoming blood drive—well done, McKnight! Yet another good way for us to be present and visible and contributing in and to the community. By the way, if you don’t manage to get a slot but would still like to donate, you might choose to come anyway, as sometimes they have to turn another potential donor away for a temporary risk factor. And if we get a minimum number of donors, they’ll even give us an Amazon gift card for the church.
I am currently beginning my work on this year’s Bible study: I have been intrigued by the Genesis passages in the lectionary recently, and as we did a New Testament book last year, we’ll do an Old Testament book this year. The story of God’s people began long before the birth of Jesus, and we have much to learn from looking at these ancient texts—texts about which I’m concerned we’re losing our cultural memory.
August 2, 2026 Tenth Sunday After Pentecost
A few weeks ago someone asked me what the church was doing for the McKnight garage sale, and I essentially said, “What garage sale?” But that person’s awareness and her thoughtfulness got us on the ball, and so we were able to host in our church parking lot the neighborhood’s already planned food truck, and we had friendly volunteers and a table with brochures for both church and preschool, as well as a page of upcoming activities. We also gave out free water bottles and just generally offered hospitality—people could use the bathroom, etc. So thank you to all of you who showed up for that in various ways: noticing the event and bringing it to the church’s attention, reworking our literature, and staffing the table with friendly faces and warm conversation.
These kinds of events are really important for churches in today’s world, in which there is no longer an assumption that one simply goes to church because that is what one does on a Sunday. It is also important as a kind of counter-witness, because when any church shows up in the news because of something negative, it unfortunately touches all of us, in terms of the trust people have in the wider church. And finally, in our case specifically, it’s important simply for visibility. People may or may not notice the sign that they pass every day, but friendly faces and some hospitality can make a significant impression. So again, thank you to all who helped with that event.
July 26, 2026 Ninth Sunday After Pentecost
Last year we were blessed with beautiful weather for our VBS, but this year was a whole different story! You all had the same week we had: hot, smoke-filled, and probably mostly indoors. But it was still a really great week: the kids learned a lot about the world we all live in, we sang songs, learned some Bible verses, and did some projects together. And we also had some really fun, theme-appropriate snacks! We had about 30 kids, and several volunteers, and we made it through all of the challenges and still had a good time.
That said, I’m grateful for the quiet this week. It’s still busy—we’re gearing up for a table at the McKnight Village rummage sale and food truck events that are coming up, and we’ve refreshed our brochures and gotten the business cards ready. One family is donating water bottles to distribute and we’ll have coloring pages, bookmarks, and crayons ready. And another person has prepared a page of some of our current goings-on, so that people in our wider McKnight community will know what we’re up to here at the church.
But also, I’m just looking forward to worshipping with you every week. I love that time when we come together in the presence of God.
July 19, 2026 Eighth Sunday After Pentecost
As I write this, we’re a few sessions into this year’s Vacation Bible School. Our program is called Wild Wonder, and this year is about Creation Care. The kids have learned about water and soil one day, and plants another, and insects another. Thursday will be birds, and Friday will be mammals. We’re having a great time with Bible lessons, music, and different art and science encounters—not to mention theme-appropriate snacks!
Our Bible memory verse this year is taken from Psalms: “All creatures look to you to give them their food at the proper time. When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are satisfied with good things.” – Psalm 104:27-28 (NIV). So we’re talking about God’s care for the world, and we’re also talking about the invitation that God gives us to participate in that care. And as part of caring for the world, we are caring for our neighbors by participating in the food pantry’s personal care product collection. Speaking of which—feel free to join us in our collecting this week!
July 12, 2026 Seventh Sunday After Pentecost
July 6, 2026 Sixth Sunday After Pentecost
First of all, thank you all for the lovely ordination celebration! It was good to see so many of you there—and the food was delicious! I have said it before and am happy to say it again: I am so glad to have journeyed through this process with this congregation.
As we all move well into the summer season, we are preparing for our upcoming Vacation Bible School. I invite you to keep in prayer both the kids and the teachers, as well as the families of the kids and all those who work so faithfully behind the scenes. We pray that all will be blessed by this work, and that God’s faithful love for all of creation will be made known.
June 28, 2026 Fifth Sunday After Penetcost
I have so been enjoying our turn into the Book of Genesis for this month’s Sunday scriptures. There is an unfortunate tendency in the modern church to generally ignore the Hebrew Bible, also called the Old Testament. But the church throughout all of our history has affirmed that the story of God’s love for us—for all of us—begins there. Our creation stories have richness and affirmations that still have relevance to us now, and so do the stories about Abraham and Sarah and the beginnings of the people of God. And the fact that our New Testament makes continual references to the “Old” is a clue that these books still have important relevance to us as Christians.
This year once again our VBS curriculum will take us to the Old Testament as well. The core verse for this four-year series is Psalm 104:24: “What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at your side, made the earth overflow with your wonderful creations” (MSG). And the specific verses for this year, which is about God’s care for creation, are Psalm 104:27-28: “All creatures look to you to give them their food at the proper time. When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are satisfied with good things.” (NIV)
June 21, 2026 Fourth Sunday After Pentecost
You guys. Oh my goodness. Thank you so very much for your lovely ordination gifts! I love my new stole, quilted with all of the liturgical colors, especially knowing that it was handmade with such love. And I am so looking forward to using my gift certificates at the Body Bar—I have been wanting a massage for a while, but just wasn’t getting to it in terms of time and budget. But now I have the perfect excuse! Thank you so much for the gifts—but thank you especially for the love and the affirmations with which they were given. You touched my heart. I consider myself very blessed to serve in this community and in this church.
In the same general vein, I am very much looking forward to this Wednesday’s picnic celebration—I hope you all can make it! It will be a great time of good food and good fellowship. I’ve invited our new young adult group as well, and am hoping that their work schedules allow them to come.
June 14, 2026 Third Sunday After Pentecost
As many of you already know, this last week I made it through the last few hurdles in our United Methodist process of preparation for ordination, and at Annual Conference on Friday, I was—at long last—ordained as a full elder. I am both relieved and elated—this is the culmination of a process that takes a minimum of six years.
Those of us who choose this path begin in seminary, and are required to complete a Master’s of Divinity from an approved theological school; this is the first three years. Once that process is completed and we are serving a church full-time, another three-year clock begins, during which we serve as “provisional” elders. At the end of the second three-year period, having completed multiple sets of papers and interviews, along with a site visit and a few specific longer-term projects, all to be reviewed by our Board of Ordained Ministry, the Board votes on whether to pass us for clergy, vote on status or to continue us in the provisional process. Finally, all already ordained clergy in our Annual Conference vote on each candidate’s readiness for ordination—a vote which takes place at Annual Conference. Only then are we truly ready for ordination.
Happily, I passed my interviews this spring and then the clergy vote at Annual Conference.