Seventh Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 11A, July 23, 2017; The Rev. Pamela L. Werntz
Genesis 28:10-19a He called that place Bethel; but the name of the city was Luz at the first.
Romans 8:12-25 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.
Matthew 13:24-30, 26-43 Listen!
O God of grace, grant us the wisdom, the strength and the courage to seek always and everywhere after truth, come when it may, and cost what it will. Amen.
Listen! Very early on Tuesday mornings in July, people have been gathering in the Emmanuel Room to do some exploration of the Gospel lesson appointed for the coming Sunday. We follow a process of reading the passage three times and after each time we respond to a question. After the first reading the question is “what did you notice?” After the second reading the question is “what is speaking to you?” And after the third time through the question is “what will be different about your week because of this encounter with the passage?” In other words, “how will you be changed by this experience?” As a group we generally don’t like that question and it takes considerable discipline to make sure that we have time in the hour that we spend together to ask and respond to it.
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