Lectionary 23/08/2026
- Proper 16 /Ordinary 21 - Year A
Lectionary Readings
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Gazing on the Gospels Year A - Proper 16 Year A
Gazing on the Gospels Year A - Proper 16 Year A
by SPCK - Judith Dimond
Proper 16 - Year A Meditation on Matthew 16: 13-20 Gaze on a stained-glass window, the sort you find in a large church or maybe a cathedral. It is covered with an array of prophets, often dressed in heavy bourgeois robes and fur hats, looking like successful merchants or stern ac…
Twelve Months of Sundays Year A - Proper 16 Year A
Twelve Months of Sundays Year A - Proper 16 Year A
by SPCK - N T Wright
Twelve Months of Sundays – Year A Ordinary Time Proper 16 Exodus 1.8—2.10 Romans 12.1–8 Matthew 16.13–20 How do slaves get free? By living the present in the light of the future. The midwives, and Moses’ mother, act out of defiant hope. Moses, destined to lead Israel through the …
Lectionary Reflections Year A - Proper 16 Year A
Lectionary Reflections Year A - Proper 16 Year A
by SPCK - Jane Williams
Lectionary reflections - Year A Ordinary Time Proper 16 Isaiah 51.1–6 Romans 12.1–8 Matthew 16.13–20 There seems to be a bit of a break in the argument at this point in Romans. Chapters 9––11 are Paul’s attempt to give some kind of coherent shape to God’s activity in choosing fir…
Eco Lectionary August
Eco Lectionary August
by Keynsham Methodist Church Eco Group
ECO-HINTS FROM THE LECTIONARY August 2011 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time—7 August 2011 I Kings 19: 1-8 Psalm 85: 8-13 Romans 10: 5-15 Matthew 14: 22-33 Elijah shows us just how important decent food is to us. Our intercessions today might consider the imbalance of food production…
Feathers fly, the snare is breaking
Feathers fly, the snare is breaking
by Andrew Pratt
Hymn: Feathers fly, the snare is breaking Proper 16 year A Psalm 124 Feathers fly, the snare is breaking, God is here, foundations shaking. Prayer, it seemed, was empty, hollow, now in answer blessings follow! If our God had not been with us, think, if God had gone and left us...…
Little baby that the Levite bore
Little baby that the Levite bore
by Andrew Pratt
Hymn: Little baby that the Levite bore Proper 16 year A Exodus 1: 1.8 – 2.10 Little baby that the Levite bore, floating safely in a boat of straw, hidden from the Pharoah's cruel law, Moses set your people free... O now march with them right through the sea, there are mor…
See the veins that run through marble
See the veins that run through marble
by Andrew Pratt
Hymn: See the veins that run through marble Proper 16 year A Isaiah 51: 1 – 6 See the veins that run through marble, making every slab unique, like them, strands run through our history, through our thoughts and words we speak. We are hewn from living history, formed by comfort, …
This rock raised above all others
This rock raised above all others
by Andrew Pratt
Hymn: This rock raised above all others Proper 16 year A Matthew 16: 13 – 20 This rock raised above all others: 'Peter, here I build my church'. So we hear the words of Jesus, though this rock would shake and lurch. Peter was a human being, filled with insight, seeing clear, clos…
For exiles
For exiles
by Marjorie Dobson
Prayer: For exiles Proper 16 year A Exodus 1: 1.8 – 2.10 (In Egypt, the Israelites were first welcomed and then despised. The world doesn’t seem to have changed much, even after all this time.). Compassionate God, we pray for those who are living in a foreign country, tolerated, …
Pride comes before …
Pride comes before …
by Marjorie Dobson
Prayer - Pride comes before … Proper 16 year A Psalm 138: 6 If I am powerful and proud of it: if I consider myself to be a superior being: if I know that there is none to equal me: if I can look down on everyone else and feel that it is my right to do so – what need do I have of …
Reflection on Romans 12: 3
Reflection on Romans 12: 3
by Marjorie Dobson
Reflection on Romans 12: 3 Proper 16 year A ‘My son works on the bins,’ she said with great reluctance and a faint sense of shame. She knew that others there had children with degrees, or who ran their own businesses, or who had achieved greatness in one form or another. ‘He was …
Matthew for Everyone Part 2 - Peter's Declaration of Jesus' Messiahship
Matthew for Everyone Part 2 - Peter's Declaration of Jesus' Messiahship
by SPCK - N T Wright
Peter’s Declaration of Jesus’ Messiahship Matthew 16.13-20 The Tibetan Buddhists believe in the transmigration of souls. When someone dies, they suppose that the soul of that person goes immediately into a different body, the body of a child born at the same instant. This belief …
Paul for Everyone Romans part 2 - The Living Sacrifice
Paul for Everyone Romans part 2 - The Living Sacrifice
by SPCK - N T Wright
The Living Sacrifice ROMANS 12.1-5 William was coming to the end of his first year as chairman of the company when I met him at a lunch. ‘How’s it been going?’ I asked. ‘Oh,’ he said, ‘it’s been wonderful in several ways. The company is doing well and I’m proud to be part of it.’…
Paul for Everyone Romans part 2 - Living Together in the Messiah
Paul for Everyone Romans part 2 - Living Together in the Messiah
by SPCK - N T Wright
Living Together in the Messiah ROMANS 12.6-13 The seven friends met, as they had arranged, at ten o’clock the next morning. It had been a late night. They had all been excited. Now they were a little apprehensive at how they were going to take the project forward. They had discov…
1 and 2 Kings for Everyone - Horse and Chariots of Fire Around Elisha
1 and 2 Kings for Everyone - Horse and Chariots of Fire Around Elisha
by SPCK - John Goldingay
Horses and Chariots of Fire around Elisha 2 Kings 6:8-23 Over recent years the way I pray has been revolutionized by the awareness from the Prophets that when we pray we are taking part in debates in God’s cabinet in heaven. Stories like the one about Micaiah in 1 Kings 22 illust…
Exodus and Leviticus - Picking Up the Story
Exodus and Leviticus - Picking Up the Story
by SPCK - John Goldingay
Picking Up the Story EXODUS 1: 1-14 As I write in the month of May, the TV series are running down or working their way to the kind of cliffhanger I referred to in the introduction, hoping to keep us in suspense for the fall: “Get out of that problem/threat”! One or two long-runn…
LWPT Meditations - Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year A
LWPT Meditations - Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year A
by Susan Thorne
Meditation – 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time Yr A Romans 12: 9-21 In chapter 12 of his letter to the Romans, Paul has reached an interesting and, I think, surprising point in his argument. Since chapter 1 he has been developing a statement regarding righteousness by faith, first of …
PAUL AND THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD - From Worldview to Theology
PAUL AND THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD - From Worldview to Theology
by SPCK - N T Wright
Part 1: PAUL AND HIS WORLD Chapter One RETURN OF THE RUNAWAY? 2 Philemon and the Study of Paul (iii) From Worldview to Theology The particular claim of the present book, then, embodied in the transition between Part II and Part III, is that when we understand the worldview of Pau…
Psalms for Everyone - I Wash My Hands in Innocence
Psalms for Everyone - I Wash My Hands in Innocence
by SPCK - John Goldingay
I Wash My Hands in Innocence Psalm 26 In the Episcopal church, when we move from the first part of a service, which focuses on the reading of Scripture, to the celebration of communion, someone pours a little water over my hands as the priest and I say some words from Psalm 26: “…
Paul and the Faithfulness of God - The Story Retold : After AD 70
Paul and the Faithfulness of God - The Story Retold : After AD 70
by SPCK - N T Wright
Chapter TWO LIKE BIRDS HOVERING OVERHEAD: THE FAITHFULNESS OF THE GOD OF ISRAEL (ii) The Continuous Story (d) The Story Retold: After AD 70 It might have appeared that with the destruction of the Temple in AD 70 the great narrative had come to an end. Some of the most important r…
Paul and the Faithfulness of God - The Theology of a Pharisee
Paul and the Faithfulness of God - The Theology of a Pharisee
by SPCK - N T Wright
Chapter TWO LIKE BIRDS HOVERING OVERHEAD: THE FAITHFULNESS OF THE GOD OF ISRAEL The Theology of a Pharisee It is not difficult to draw out from what has already been said the main lines of Pharisaic theology, bringing into brief and I hope sharp focus the larger and longer treatm…
PAUL AND THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD - Jewish Responses to Pagan Philosophy
PAUL AND THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD - Jewish Responses to Pagan Philosophy
by SPCK - N T Wright
3. Athene and Her Owl: the Wisdom of the Greeks Jewish Responses to Pagan Philosophy Before we do that, one final task remains. Granted that Paul grew up in the world of strict Pharisaic Judaism, what response might we expect him to have to the world of pagan philosophy? It would…
New Testament Prayer for Everyone - To God Be The Glory
New Testament Prayer for Everyone - To God Be The Glory
by SPCK - N T Wright
PART 2 PRAYERS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT PRAYERS OF PAUL TO GOD BE THE GLORY Romans 11: 33-36 I was taken yesterday to see the site of a new bridge across a river. We parked the car in a grassy wood and set off to walk. The trees were quite thick to begin with, and I couldn’t see the …
Rhythms of remembering - Easter - Tuesday Morning Prayer
Rhythms of remembering - Easter - Tuesday Morning Prayer
by SPCK - Hannah Ward & Jennifer Wild
EASTER - Tuesday Morning Prayer Alleluia, blessed be God: you come to redeem us, alleluia. How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger who announces peace, who brings good news, who announces salvation...
Psalms for Everyone Part 2 - Mountains around Jerusalem, Yahweh around His People
Psalms for Everyone Part 2 - Mountains around Jerusalem, Yahweh around His People
by SPCK - John Goldingay
Mountains around Jerusalem, Yahweh around His People Psalm 124-125 Last weekend we overheard a conversation on the San Francisco subway in which the father of two small children who was on his way to the airport with some people from different parts of the country was recounting …
Psalms for Everyone Part 2 - How to Be Defiant in Spirit
Psalms for Everyone Part 2 - How to Be Defiant in Spirit
by SPCK - John Goldingay
How to Be Defiant in Spirit Psalm 138 This morning I received a message from a woman who a year ago was attacked and stabbed by a man while she and a friend were hiking in a forest; her friend was killed but she survived because the man mistakenly thought she was dead. She has re…
Four Gospels, One Jesus - Where is he who is born King of the Jews?
Four Gospels, One Jesus - Where is he who is born King of the Jews?
by SPCK - Richard A Burridge
Where is he who is born King of the Jews? Infancy narratives, Matthew 1—2 Mark begins with ‘the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ’, but Matthew picks another key word – genesis: ‘the book of the generation (biblos geneseos) of Jesus Christ, son of David, son of Abraham’ (1.…
Four Gospels, One Jesus - Mountains
Four Gospels, One Jesus - Mountains
by SPCK - Richard A Burridge
Mountains For some strange reason, human beings connect mountains with God. In many ancient religions, worship took place on the ‘high places’. Even today, we talk of ‘mountain-top experiences’, despite having left behind the notion that mountains are closer to God’s supposed dwe…
Four Gospels, One Jesus - Conflict between the Teacher and Israel
Four Gospels, One Jesus - Conflict between the Teacher and Israel
by SPCK - Richard A Burridge
Conflict between the Teacher and Israel Matthew 8—23 The intrusion of substantial non-narrative material in these sermons inhibits the movement of the plot. This mixture of Jesus’ ministry and his teaching produces a more measured air; instead of the breathless dash of Mark’s bou…
Four Gospels, One Jesus - The ox, the herd, and the drivers
Four Gospels, One Jesus - The ox, the herd, and the drivers
by SPCK - Richard A Burridge
The ox, the herd, and the drivers Luke’s characterization The gospels’ stories involve three main protagonists – Jesus himself, his disciples and the religious leaders of his day, with three storylines developing en route to their shared climax at the death and resurrection. So l…
Defiant in Spirit
Defiant in Spirit
by Richard Harris
TIP- PowerPoint Slide Size- The ideal way to insert into PowerPoint is:- • Reduce the image size to 1024x768 pixels using your image editing software. (Will reduce image proportionally) • Insert as Picture in the normal way. • If needed fill the slide area by placing the image in…
Times and Seasons - Full Service - Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost - Year A
Times and Seasons - Full Service - Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost - Year A
by Andrew Pratt and Marjorie Dobson
Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost – Proper 16(21) - Year A Hymn: Lord, for the years or Here we will meet to praise, with hesitation Poem: to precede Confession base on Psalm 138:6 - Pride comes before … Prayer: God of justice and equality Hymn: Amazing grace or Feathers fly, the s…
Enabling Church: inclusion of disabled people - Living Diversity
Enabling Church: inclusion of disabled people - Living Diversity
by SPCK - Gordon Temple and Lin Ball
6 Living with diversity 1 Corinthians 12.12–26; Romans 12.3 – 6 Purpose: to think about how to recognize and release the gifting of disabled people as a contribution to the unity and wholeness of the body of Christ…
We are the body of Christ
We are the body of Christ
by Twelvebaskets Ltd
A composition image created by Twelvebaskets Ltd Faces used as background left to right are: Thinking outside the Box by Don Stott Blowing Dandelion seeds by David Perry Thoughtful by Linda Ransome Face of boy (Olly) by Mark Boulton Tom by Ian Mason Contented by Linda Ransome
THE WOMEN'S BIBLE COMMENTARY - Book IV
THE WOMEN'S BIBLE COMMENTARY - Book IV
by SPCK - Newsom, Ringe and Lapsley
Book IV (Psalm 90-106) Book IV opens with “A Prayer of Moses, the Man of God.” It is the only psalm in the Hebrew Psalter ascribed to Moses. Its words are a plea to God for mercy: “Turn [shub], O YHWH! How long? Change your mind [nakham] concerning your servants” (90:13, my trans…
THE WOMEN'S BIBLE COMMENTARY - Book V
THE WOMEN'S BIBLE COMMENTARY - Book V
by SPCK - Newsom, Ringe and Lapsley
Book V (Psalms 107-150) Book V of the Psalter opens with Psalm 107, a community hymn celebrating God’s graciousness in delivering the community of faith from exile in Babylon. The psalmist says: “Let the redeemed of YHWH say so, those he redeemed from trouble and gathered in from…
clouds and glory - Proper 16 - Year A
clouds and glory - Proper 16 - Year A
by SPCK - David Adam
Proper 16 Year A Sunday between 21 and 27 August inclusive Lord, transform us by your love, that we may know and do your will, that we may live and work to your praise and glory, through Christ, the King of glory, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, world …
THE WOMEN'S BIBLE COMMENTARY - Personified Daughter Zion
THE WOMEN'S BIBLE COMMENTARY - Personified Daughter Zion
by SPCK - Newsom, Ringe and Lapsley
Personified Daughter Zion (Isaiah 47: 1-15; 49: 14 – 50: 3; 51: 17 – 52: 12; 54: 1-17) Babylon’s fall is imagined throughout Isaiah 41–48, climaxing in chapter 47, where Daughter Babylon herself is taunted. Once tender and delicate, she will now sit throneless in the dust. She wi…
THE WOMEN'S BIBLE COMMENTARY - Second Isaiah
THE WOMEN'S BIBLE COMMENTARY - Second Isaiah
by SPCK - Newsom, Ringe and Lapsley
Second Isaiah (Isaiah 40-55) The sixteen chapters that begin with “Comfort, comfort my people” comprise a complex but thematically continuous piece focusing on Jerusalem’s restoration as the Babylonian era ended. The prophet is self-effacing and barely visible, but certain aspect…
Traces of Glory Year B - Proper 21 - Year B
Traces of Glory Year B - Proper 21 - Year B
by SPCK - David Adam
Proper 21 Lord our God, On the way of goodness, if we stumble lift us up; On the way of holiness, if we stay bring us back; On the way of kindness, if we toughen soften our hearts; That we may draw others to you and your saving power, By our words and our example; Though Jesus Ch…
Isaiah for Everyone - Meanwhile, back in Jerusalem
Isaiah for Everyone - Meanwhile, back in Jerusalem
by SPCK - John Goldingay
Meanwhile, Back in Jerusalem I have just come off the phone from a conversation with a former student in England who was in tears about failing a degree program. She doesn’t claim that her exam performance was brilliant; she sees herself as a poor examinee. But she doesn’t think …
Isaiah for everyone - On Following God’s Prompting
Isaiah for everyone - On Following God’s Prompting
by SPCK - John Goldingay
On Following God’s Prompting We were at a singer-songwriter venue and the singer’s last song was about her mother’s death two or three years ago. The song title referred to the year of her mother’s birth, which was the same birth year of someone who was with us. She later told us…
52 Reflections on Faith - The body of Christ: respecting difference
52 Reflections on Faith - The body of Christ: respecting difference
by BRF - Stephen W. Need
The body of Christ: respecting difference On a recent visit to the concert hall at Snape Maltings in Suffolk, I became particularly aware of the need to respect differences. The concert hall at Snape is widely known as the music centre founded by the composer Benjamin Britten (19…
glimpses of glory - Proper 1 - Year C
glimpses of glory - Proper 1 - Year C
by SPCK - David Adam
Proper 1 Grant, O gracious God, that we not only hear your word, but understand it and receive it into our hearts; that we not only receive it, but reveal it in our lives by living up to our calling and to your praise and glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns…
THE WOMEN'S BIBLE COMMENTARY - Israelites in Egypt
THE WOMEN'S BIBLE COMMENTARY - Israelites in Egypt
by SPCK - Newsom, Ringe and Lapsley
Israelites in Egypt The descendants of Jacob number seventy when they arrive in Egypt. They multiply and fill the land of Egypt with language reminiscent of the fertility of creation in Genesis (Exod. 1:7; Gen. 1:28)…
THE WOMEN'S BIBLE COMMENTARY - A Living Sacrifice
THE WOMEN'S BIBLE COMMENTARY - A Living Sacrifice
by SPCK - Newsom, Ringe and Lapsley
A Living Sacrifice On the basis of the claims that Paul has made in Romans 1–11 about the grace and the righteousness of God, he turns in 12:1 to an explicit discussion of ethical matters. Romans 12:1–2, then, serve as an introduction to and a basis for the ethical instructions t…
Fresh Thoughts For Sunday - Fresh Thoughts For Sunday Issue 182
Fresh Thoughts For Sunday - Fresh Thoughts For Sunday Issue 182
by Twelvebaskets Ltd
A selection of commentary, reflection and prayer ideas from various Christian authors and the full bible texts from the NRSV for this week's lectionary. NOW INCLUDING SERIALISED BOOKS FROM SPCK AND CONTRIBUTIONS FROM BRF. Check below for details. Subscribe to Fresh Thoughts For S…
CHRISTIANITY AND THE RENEWAL OF NATURE - 1 Renewing the face of the earth: Human responsibility and the environment