The lectionary, if you don’t already know, is a three-year cycle of Bible readings designed to take you through almost the entire Bible. A few passages do get left out, like some of the extremely specific law passages in the Hebrew Bible, but it really is almost everything. This week’s gospel reading is from Matthew 18.

I’d like to encourage all of you as well to check in on your neighbors, church and otherwise. I’m hearing and reading about mental health and loneliness from a variety of sources, and the consensus is that people are under a great deal of stress right now. It doesn’t have to be elaborate—a phone call or, depending on the person, a text, is still a good way to let people know that you’re thinking of them. Or maybe you prefer a symbolic gesture, such as something from your garden or something simple and homemade. This is especially if you know that they’re grieving or having a hard time. Even if they don’t confide in you, they’ll know that they matter to their community, and that is an important buffer for mental health, and it’s a perfect way to share love.

I’ll see you in church!

Becky

Prayer

God of love and reconciliation,

You call us together in church, and in families, and in friendships. By your grace, we are not meant to live every moment alone. We are grateful for the relationships and communities that you have given us, and for the sustaining love and fellowship that you yourself offer us. Help us to share that love with the world, and teach us to recognize it when it comes to us. Let us be your messengers to the world, and let us help to welcome the world to the feast of your love. Amen.