#NarrativeLectionary
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The real feast of #Epiphany is a wedding buffet with an open bar.
#NarrativeLectionary

ecologian.wordpress.com/2026/01/01/a...
A Funny thing: John 2:1-11
A Funny thing happened on the way to the pulpit with John 2:1-11, the Narrative Lectionary for January 11. Where are we? Wedding at Cana. Mary Jane Miller, 2008. We’ve just spent four days he…
ecologian.wordpress.com
January 2, 2026 at 1:50 AM
nshwilliams.bsky.social
For the third Sunday of Advent, Isaiah tells us that maybe Christmas doesn’t come from a store…

#NarrativeLectionary #EpicLectionary

ecologian.wordpress.com/2025/12/04/a...
A Funny thing: Isaiah 55
A Funny thing happened on the way to the pulpit with Isaiah 55:1-13, the Epic Lectionary and Narrative Lectionary for December 14. (I’m using this text on the 21st, because Advent.) For some …
ecologian.wordpress.com
December 9, 2025 at 1:25 PM
revkevw.bsky.social
Been #preaching through the #NarrativeLectionary this year and I've really enjoyed. But I think my favorite part was that meant yesterday we got to be like, "happy mother's day*...here's a sermon about a eunuch!"

#PCUSA
May 12, 2025 at 1:20 PM
nshwilliams.bsky.social
The powers of the world keep ironically testifying to the truth that they don’t have any real power where Jesus is involved.

#NarrativeLectionary

ecologian.wordpress.com/2026/03/04/a...
A Funny thing: John 18:28-40
A Funny thing happened on the way to the pulpit with John 18:28-40, the Narrative Lectionary for Lent 4, March 15. I’m not preaching this Sunday, but this is such an important text for the ov…
ecologian.wordpress.com
March 10, 2026 at 2:24 AM
normdeplume.bsky.social
I haven't found a lot of #pastors on Bluesky yet, aside from Episcopalians. Are any other #ccdoc and #ucc folks here looking to connect? Anyone following the #NarrativeLectionary?
October 19, 2024 at 10:06 PM
nshwilliams.bsky.social
Jesus’ crucifixion looks like a religious and political defeat, but it turns out to be the victory of a priest-king whose offering is himself and whose reign is a community of mutual care.

#NarrativeLectionary

ecologian.wordpress.com/2026/03/18/a...
A Funny thing: John 12 & 19
A Funny thing happened on the way to the pulpit with John 12:12-27; 19:16b-22 and 19:23-30, the Narrative Lectionary for Palm Sunday and Maundy Thursday. (Note: The scripture search query is broken…
ecologian.wordpress.com
March 18, 2026 at 10:11 PM
nshwilliams.bsky.social
“The church does not have a mission. Christ's mission has a church."

While the #NarrativeLectionary leaves us to our own devices for the summer, I’m preaching a series from Acts. I’m calling it #PeopleOfMission and connecting each passage to a section of the #PCUSA Book of Order.
June 23, 2025 at 7:55 PM
nshwilliams.bsky.social
Petitioning to translate “again/from above” in John 3:3 as “from the top” and the first “so” in 3:16 as “thus.”

#NarrativeLectionary

ecologian.wordpress.com/2026/01/19/a...
A Funny thing: John 3
A Funny thing happened on the way to the pulpit with John 3:1-21, the Narrative Lectionary for January 25. Where are we? Photo by Tom Fisk, Pexels John’s gospel has this structure of Sign-Dia…
ecologian.wordpress.com
January 21, 2026 at 5:06 PM
nshwilliams.bsky.social
The temple protest in John 2:13-25 doesn’t suggest that anybody is stealing (contrast the synoptics), but Jesus still isn’t happy about it.

#NarrativeLectionary
ecologian.wordpress.com/2026/01/11/a...
A Funny thing: John 2:13-25
A Funny thing happened on the way to the pulpit with John 2:13-25, the Narrative Lectionary for January 18. Where are we? Christ cleansing the Temple. Pieter Aertsen, 16th c. After Jesus wowed his …
ecologian.wordpress.com
January 11, 2026 at 8:47 PM
nshwilliams.bsky.social
We set up a narrative arc about Joseph by meeting his father Jacob in the first text of the #EpicLectionary variant of the #NarrativeLectionary.

ecologian.wordpress.com/2026/08/31/a...
A Funny thing: Genesis 27-28
A Funny thing happened on the way to the pulpit with Genesis 27:1-4, 15-23, 30-33; 28:10-17, the first reading of the Epic Lectionary, scheduled for September 6. This is either the beginning of a f…
ecologian.wordpress.com
September 1, 2026 at 5:08 PM
nshwilliams.bsky.social
The Advent promise is not just incarnation, but resurrection and restoration. (And as I’m sure I said four years ago, bodies coming back to life are merely a metaphor for the resurrection.)
#EpicLectionary #NarrativeLectionary
ecologian.wordpress.com/2025/11/23/a...
A Funny thing: Ezekiel 37
A Funny thing happened on the way to the pulpit with Ezekiel 37:1-14, the Epic Lectionary for December 7 (my text for November 30 instead, because Advent is always complicated). This is also the Na…
ecologian.wordpress.com
November 24, 2025 at 1:33 AM
nshwilliams.bsky.social
We talk like loving our neighbors is what sets Christians apart from other people, but in fact loving neighbors is the most normal part of being #Christian.

#CurriculumOfLove #NarrativeLectionary

ecologian.wordpress.com/2026/07/23/a...
A Funny thing: Luke 6, Romans 2
A Funny thing happened on the way to the pulpit with Luke 6:32-38, John 12:44-50, and Romans 2:1-4, the texts for Week Ten of A Curriculum of Love (August 2). The curriculum contrasts judgment with…
ecologian.wordpress.com
July 24, 2026 at 1:47 AM
nshwilliams.bsky.social
The darkness can’t apprehend the light, but the powers of darkness will receive the light by the light’s own volition. The world does not know the one through whom it came into being, but that one knows the world.
#NarrativeLectionary #EpicLectionary
ecologian.wordpress.com/2025/12/12/a...
A Funny thing: John 1:1-18
A Funny thing happened on the way to the pulpit with John 1:1-18, the Narrative Lectionary (and Epic Lectionary) for December 21. I’m saving this for Christmas Eve (when we will also read &#8…
ecologian.wordpress.com
December 15, 2025 at 3:30 PM
nshwilliams.bsky.social
The #EpicLectionary aligns with the #NarrativeLectionary this week. Solomon built the Lord not so much a house as a call box. Where do we focus our attention (and where is God’s attention focused) that connects us with a God who is boundlessly everywhere?

ecologian.wordpress.com/2025/10/15/a...
A Funny thing: 1 Kings 8
A Funny thing happened on the way to the pulpit with 1 Kings 8:1-13, 27-30, 41-43, the Epic Lectionary for October 26. This is one of the weeks when we more-or-less align with the NL, which has 5:1…
ecologian.wordpress.com
October 21, 2025 at 4:36 PM
nshwilliams.bsky.social
The #NarrativeLectionary for Sunday (Luke 13:1-9, 31-35) looks like it’s about sin and danger, but when you add in a scene in the middle (13:10-17), it suddenly seems to be about setting free a world that is captive to powers unworthy of God.

ecologian.wordpress.com/2025/03/07/a...
A Funny thing: Luke 13
A Funny thing happened on the way to the pulpit with Luke 13:1-9, 31-35, the Narrative Lectionary for March 16. Where are we? Photo by Marek Kupiec, Pexels. Used by permission. Jesus is on his way …
ecologian.wordpress.com
March 12, 2025 at 3:03 AM
nshwilliams.bsky.social
We know that “love people even in the outgroup” is the right answer. We struggle more with “don’t justify your unloving behavior” and especially with “love even when you’re scared.”

#NarrativeLectionary #CurriculumOfLove

ecologian.wordpress.com/2026/07/18/a...
A Funny thing: Mark 10, Luke 10
A Funny thing happened on the way to the pulpit with Mark 10:17-22 and Luke 10:25-37 (plus Isaiah 55:6-9), the texts for week 9 of A Curriculum of Love. This week we turn from loving God and loving…
ecologian.wordpress.com
July 18, 2026 at 5:46 PM
nshwilliams.bsky.social
The #EpicLectionary variant begins September 6 (a week earlier than the conventional #NarrativeLectionary because we always use the same liturgical date no matter when Labor Day falls). See this year’s schedule in detail at:
ecologian.wordpress.com/2026/07/16/e...
Epic Lectionary late 2026
Here is the Epic Lectionary for late 2026, pointing toward Matthew’s gospel. You can also find the four-year Epic Lectionary, newly updated after a couple of times through the full cycle. You…
ecologian.wordpress.com
July 17, 2026 at 2:54 AM
nshwilliams.bsky.social
The greatest temptation is to deny the possibility of our own shadow side (especially relevant on a great big patriotic weekend, perhaps). 

Notes for week 6 of A Curriculum of Love #CurriculumOfLove #NarrativeLectionary

ecologian.wordpress.com/2026/06/28/a...
A Funny thing: Ephesians 2, Luke 4
A Funny thing happened on the way to the pulpit with Luke 4:1-13, Ephesians 2:14-22, Psalm 46, the texts for week 6 of A Curriculum of Love. The topic this week Loving Yourself: Facing the Shadows …
ecologian.wordpress.com
June 29, 2026 at 1:10 AM
nshwilliams.bsky.social
The only thing we can give in return for our Life is our “life.” What’s inside us is more truly and completely “us” than the surface of ourselves whose job is to protect us.

Notes on week 5 of A Curriculum of Love #CurriculumOfLove #NarrativeLectionary

ecologian.wordpress.com/2026/06/22/a...
A Funny thing: 2 Corinthians 4-5, Matthew 16
A Funny thing happened on the way to the pulpit with Matthew 16:24-27, 2 Corinthians 4:16-5:5, Ephesians 4:22-24, Psalm 91, the texts for week 5 of A Curriculum of Love. I’ll be using 2 Corin…
ecologian.wordpress.com
June 22, 2026 at 4:02 PM
nshwilliams.bsky.social
Trusting God doesn’t mean that you’re at all excited about doing the thing you’ve committed to. (And “temptation” means wavering from faithfulness, not cheating on your diet.)

Notes for week 4 of A Curriculum of Love #CurriculumOfLove #NarrativeLectionary

ecologian.wordpress.com/2026/06/12/a...
A Funny thing: Luke 22
A Funny thing happened on the way to the pulpit with Luke 22:39-54, Psalm 121, the texts for week four of A Curriculum of Love. The topic for this week is Trust and Surrender. I’m going to fo…
ecologian.wordpress.com
June 12, 2026 at 8:48 PM
nshwilliams.bsky.social
When we rest in connection with God, our activity comes to reflect the life of God in the world.

Notes for week 3 of A Curriculum of Love #CurriculumOfLove #NarrativeLectionary

ecologian.wordpress.com/2026/06/03/a...
A Funny thing: Philippians 4, Mark 6
A Funny thing happened on the way to the pulpit with Mark 6:30-31, 45-47, John 16:23-24, Philippians 4:4-7, Psalm 19, the readings for week 3 of A Curriculum of Love. The topic for the week is Conn…
ecologian.wordpress.com
June 8, 2026 at 9:05 PM
nshwilliams.bsky.social
We like to believe in unconditional love, as long as we can choose whom it applies to. And as long as it doesn’t imply that we’re among the people who need it.

Week two of A Curriculum of Love #CurriculumOfLove #NarrativeLectionary

ecologian.wordpress.com/2026/05/31/a...
A Funny thing: Luke 10 & John 8
A Funny thing happened on the way to the pulpit with Luke 10:38-42, John 7:53-8:11, 1 Corinthians 13, Psalm 139:1-18, the recommended texts for week 2 of A Curriculum of Love: Dismantling Condition…
ecologian.wordpress.com
June 1, 2026 at 2:40 PM
nshwilliams.bsky.social
The question of faith is whether the life Jesus showed us is what God is really like. The answer is love.

Notes for the first week of Siri Strommen’s #NarrativeLectionary summer series A Curriculum of Love. #CurriculumOfLove

ecologian.wordpress.com/2026/05/25/a...
A Funny thing: 1 John 4
A Funny thing happened on the way to the pulpit with John 3:16; 1 John 4:7-12; Psalm 42, the first week of Siri Strommen’s series A Curriculum of Love. This week’s topic is “Who i…
ecologian.wordpress.com
May 25, 2026 at 11:12 PM
nshwilliams.bsky.social
When the #NarrativeLectionary has been in John, I want to use some of Jesus’ teachings about the #HolySpirit for #Pentecost.

ecologian.wordpress.com/2026/05/17/a...
A Funny thing: John 14, 16
A Funny thing happened on the way to the pulpit with John 14:15-17, 16:4b-15, my text for Pentecost Sunday. This is not the Narrative Lectionary, but it combines a bit of the RCL texts for Pentecos…
ecologian.wordpress.com
May 21, 2026 at 7:45 PM
nshwilliams.bsky.social
In John, Jesus doesn’t just commission the church to propagate his teachings, or even just to go forgive the world. The disciples’ real commissioning is to feed and tend each other in imitation of Jesus’ life laid down for them.

#NarrativeLectionary

ecologian.wordpress.com/2026/04/30/a...
A Funny thing: John 21:15-19
A Funny thing happened on the way to the pulpit with John 21:(1-14) 15-19, my text for (May 3 and) May 10. The youth group is reading v. 1-14 on 5/3 and preaching by sharing their year in review, s…
ecologian.wordpress.com
April 30, 2026 at 10:25 PM