Liberation Theology Lutheran

Today we celebrate the lives of Saint Simon and Saint Jude--two of the disciples about whom we really don't know much.

The All Saints Sunday readings for Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026: First Reading: Revelation 7:9-17 Psalm: Psalm 34:1-10, 22 Second Reading: 1 John 3:1-3 Gospel: Matthew 5:1-12 This Sunday we celebrate All Saints Day.

We had a good Reformation Sunday at Faith Lutheran.

October 25, 2026 By Kristin Berkey-Abbott Reformation Sunday Here we are at Reformation Sunday, a Sunday chosen because it is closest to the day when Luther nailed his 95 Theses on the door in Wittenberg, Germany.

Reformation Sunday comes early this year--it's tomorrow.

I did not realize until recently just how many James exist in the circle of Jesus.

Every year, as the lectionary returns to readings that use sheep or crop yields as a metaphor, I wonder what has been lost to modern ears.

I have been part of a church that offers a pumpkin patch every year, a huge undertaking, from the offloading of the pumpkins to the selling of them.

The readings for Sunday, October 25, 2026: First Reading: Jeremiah 31:31-34 Psalm: Psalm 46 Second Reading: Romans 3:19-28 Gospel: John 8:31-36 Here we are, back at Reformation Sunday.

We had a good day at church yesterday, and I felt good about both sermons.

October 18, 2026 By Kristin Berkey-Abbott Matthew 22:15-22 How interesting to have this text in an election year, in the closing weeks of this election year, when it seems impossible to escape political ads.

Soon I will put the last of my stuff in the car.

Last night over dinner, my TEEM cohort exchanged notes over how tired we are.

The readings for October 18, 2026: First Reading: Isaiah 45:1-7 First Reading (Semi-cont.): Exodus 33:12-23 Psalm: Psalm 96:1-9 [10-13] Psalm (Semi-cont.): Psalm 99 Second Reading: 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10 Gospel: Matthew 22:15-22 This week's Gospel contains

Writing time is short this morning, so let me run a Columbus Day post that I wrote some years ago.

October 11, 2026 By Kristin Berkey-Abbott Matthew 22: 1-14 The idea that the reign of God is like a banquet is probably not unfamiliar to us.

Last June, when I left Indiana after the first TEEM onground intensive that I attended, I thought ahead to our next gathering in October, where I anticipated autumnal shifts with still-warm days.

On Sunday, I went through my old files looking for a St.

The readings for Sunday, October 11, 2026: First Reading: Isaiah 25:1-9 First Reading (Semi-cont.): Exodus 32:1-14 Psalm: Psalm 23 Psalm (Semi-cont.): Psalm 106:1-6, 19-23 Second Reading: Philippians 4:1-9 Gospel: Matthew 22:1-14 Today's Gospel sounds imp…

We had a pretty good Sunday at Faith Lutheran in Bristol, Tennessee.

October 4, 2026 By Kristin Berkey-Abbott Matthew 21:33-46 The parable in today’s sermon doesn’t need much explaining.

Yesterday I drove down to Columbia, SC to meet my parents so that we could all go to the James R.

Many congregations are doing some sort of Blessing of the Pets this Sunday.

I met Tim Brown at the onground intensive for TEEM students back in June when he came to talk to us about stewardship.

The readings for Sunday, October 4, 2026: First Reading: Isaiah 5:1-7 First Reading (Semi-cont.): Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20 Psalm: Psalm 80:7-14 (Psalm 80:7-15 NRSV) Psalm (Semi-cont.): Psalm 19 Second Reading: Philippians 3:4b-14 Gospel: Matthew 21:33-46…

If we lived in an earlier culture, a time more marked by the agricultural shifts of each season, we would celebrate Michaelmas today.

We had a great Sunday yesterday.

September 27, 2026 By Kristin Berkey-Abbott Matthew 21:23-32 In the church of my youth, both childhood and teenage youth, we would not have had a pet blessing service.

ELCA pastor Clint Schnekloth has been doing some interesting thinking and writing about housing and the Church's responsibility in this time of housing lack; this piece about the vacant (not abandoned so much as underused and underutilized) church space is

The readings for Sunday, September 27, 2026: First Reading: Ezekiel 18:1-4, 25-32 First Reading (Semi-cont.): Exodus 17:1-7 Psalm: Psalm 25:1-8 (Psalm 25:1-9 NRSV) Psalm (Semi-cont.): Psalm 78:1-4, 12-16 Second Reading: Philippians 2:1-13 Gospel: Matthew…

Later today, I will stop by my favorite apple orchard on the way home.

It was a good Sunday at Faith Lutheran, in Bristol, Tennessee.

September 20, 2026 By Kristin Berkey-Abbott Matthew 20:1-16 Children have fierce notions of fairness.

For several weeks now, I've found my brain returning to an idea that doesn't exist as much as I can tell.

September 17 is the feast day of Hildegard of Bingen, mystic, herbalist, musical composer, naturalist, and Abbess.

In late 2022 and early 2023, I first heard about ChatGPT and the current incarnation(s?)

The readings for Sunday, September 20, 2026: First Reading: Jonah 3:10--4:11 First Reading (Semi-cont.): Exodus 16:2-15 Psalm: Psalm 145:1-8 Psalm (Semi-cont.): Psalm 105:1-6, 37-45 Second Reading: Philippians 1:21-30 Gospel: Matthew 20:1-16 I've often th…

Yesterday was a fairly good day.

September 13, 2026 By Kristin Berkey-Abbott Matthew 18: 21-35 Last week’s Gospel instructed us in how to deal with disagreement in the context of community.

Even though my friends tease me for my apocalyptic mindset, my ability to see dystopia lurking around every development, I am not always quick to see immediate, personal danger in world developments.

The readings for Sunday, Sept.13, 2026: First Reading: Genesis 50:15-21 First Reading (Semi-cont.): Exodus 14:19-31 Psalm: Psalm 103:[1-7] 8-13 Psalm (Semi-cont.): Psalm 114 Psalm (Alt.): Exodus 15:1b-11, 20-21 (Semi-continuous) Second Reading: Romans 14:…

It was a good day at church yesterday.

September 6, 2026 By Kristin Berkey-Abbott Matthew 18:15-20 Truly, this Gospel text is a hard teaching.

The readings for Sunday, September 6, 2026: First Reading: Ezekiel 33:7-11 First Reading (Semi-cont.): Exodus 12:1-14 Psalm: Psalm 119:33-40 Psalm (Semi-cont.): Psalm 149 Second Reading: Romans 13:8-14 Gospel: Matthew 18:15-20 The Gospel readings from the…

I was sad to hear of the death of Wendell Berry on Monday.

We had a good Sunday yesterday.

August 30, 2026 By Kristin Berkey-Abbott Matthew 16:21-28 Today’s Gospel picks up where last week’s Gospel stopped.

At one point yesterday evening, as I began to despair at ever getting my huge quilt done, I thought of my grandmother.

I've spent part of the summer finishing the process of putting together the quilt top for the quilt I hoped to be assembling during Summer 2026 Quilt Camp at Lutheridge.

I'm as sad as everyone about the death of Dolly Parton.