Writing

Devotional Reflection, Thursday, December 11, 2025 The week of the second Sunday in Advent The Rev. David W. Perkins,Th.D. Key phrases for reflection from today’s reading: 25‘Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup, so that the outside also may become clean. You will find the full text of today’s Gospel re

Devotional Reflection, Wednesday, December 10, 2025 The week of the second Sunday in Advent The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D. Key phrases for reflection from today’s reading: 2‘The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat; 3therefore, do whatever they teach you and follow it; but do not do as they do, for they do not practice what they teach. . . . 5They do all their deeds to be seen by others; for they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long. You will find th

Devotional Reflection, Tuesday, December 9, 2025 The week of the second Sunday of Advent The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D. Key phrases for reflection from today’s reading: 36`Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?' 37He said to him, `"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind." 38This is the greatest and first commandment. 39And a second is like it: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." 40On these

Devotional Reflection, Monday, December 8, 2025 The week of the second Sunday of Advent The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D. Key phrases for reflection from today’s Gospel reading: 23 The same day some Sadducees came to him, saying there is no resurrection; and they asked him a question, saying, Other ancient authorities read who say that there is no resurrection 24`Teacher, Moses said, "If a man dies childless, his brother shall marry the widow, and raise up children for his bro

Daily Office Devotional, Friday, December 5, 2025 The week of the first Sunday of Advent The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D. Key phrases for reflection from today’s Gospel reading: 22:1Once more Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying: 2`The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. 3He sent his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding banquet, but they would not come. . . . . 8Then he said to his slaves, "The wedding is

Devotional Reflection, Thursday, December 4, 2025 The week of the first Sunday in Advent The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D.. Key phrases for reflection from today’s Gospel reading: 33 ‘Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to tenants and went to another country. 34When the harvest time had come, he sent his slaves to the tenants to collect his produce. 35B

Devotional Reflection, Wednesday, December 3, 2025 The week of the first Sunday in Advent The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D. Key phrases for reflection from today’s Gospel reading: 28 ‘What do you think? A man had two sons; he went to the first and said, “Son, go and work in the vineyard today.” 29He answered, “I will not”; but later he changed his mind and went. 30The father went to the second and said the same; and he answered, “I go, sir”; but he did not go. 31Which of the t

Devotional Reflection, Tuesday, December 2, 2025 The week of the first Sunday of Advent The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D. Key phrases for reflection from today’s Gospel reading: 12 Then Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who were selling and buying in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. 13He said to them, ‘It is written, “My house shall be called a house of prayer”; but you are making it a den of robbers

Devotional Reflection, Monday, December 1, 2025 Monday of the first week of Advent The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D. Phrases for reflection from today’s Gospel reading 4This took place to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet, saying, 5‘Tell the daughter of Zion, Look, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’. . . 7they brought the donkey and the colt, and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them. 8A very

Devotional Reflection, Friday, November 28, 2025 Proper 29, the week of the last Sunday after Pentecost The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D. Key phrases for reflection from today’s reading: 18 For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, in order to bring you to God. He was put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit, 19in which also he went and made a proclamation to the spirits in prison . . . . 6For this is the reason the gospe

Devotional Reflection, Thursday, November 23, 2023 Thanksgiving Day The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D. Key phrases for reflection from today’s Old Testament reading: 5you shall make this response before the LORD your God: “A wandering Aramean was my ancestor; he went down into Egypt and lived there as an alien, few in number, and there he became a great nation, mighty and populous. 6When the Egyptians treated us harshly and afflicted us, by imposing hard labor on us, 7we c

Devotional Reflection, Wednesday, November 26, 2025 Proper 29, the week of the last Sunday after Pentecost The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D. Key phrases for reflection from today’s Old Testament reading: 15For the day of the LORD is near against all the nations. As you have done, it shall be done to you; your deeds shall return on your own head. 16For as you have drunk on my holy mountain, all the nations around you shall drink; they shall drink and gulp down, and shall be as

Devotional Reflection, Tuesday, November 25, 2025 Proper 29, the week of the last Sunday after Pentecost The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D. Key phrases for reflection from today’s Old Testament reading: 1:1An oracle concerning Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum of Elkosh. 2 A jealous and avenging God is the LORD, the LORD is avenging and wrathful; the LORD takes vengeance on his adversaries and rages against his enemies. 3The LORD is slow to anger but great in power, and

Devotional Reflection, Monday, November 24, 2025 Proper 29, the week of the last Sunday after Pentecost The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D. Key phrases for reflection from today’s reading: 3:1For then, in those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem 2I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the valley of Jehoshaphat, and I will enter into judgment with them there, on account of my people and my heritage Israel, because they have sca

Devotional Reflection, Friday, November 21, 2025 Proper 28, the week of the twenty- Sunday after Pentecost The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D. Key phrases for reflection from today’s reading: 10‘Take care that you do not despise one of these little ones; for, I tell you, in heaven their angels continually see the face of my Father in heaven.. . . .14So it is not the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost. You will find the full text of today’s

Devotional Reflection, Thursday, November 20, 2025 Proper 28, the week of the twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D. Key phrases for reflection from today’s reading: 4Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me. 6‘If any of you put a stumbling block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were fas

Devotional Reflection, Wednesday, November 20, 2025 Proper 28. the week of the twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D. Key phrases for reflection from today’s reading: 27However, so that we do not give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a hook; take the first fish that comes up; and when you open its mouth, you will find a coin; take that and give it to them for you and me. You will find the full text of today’s Gospel reading at the end of t

Daily Office Devotional, Tuesday, November 18, 2025 Proper 28, the week of the twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D. Key phrases for reflection from today’s reading: 19Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, ‘Why could we not cast it out?’ 20He said to them, ‘Because of your little faith. For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, “Move from here to there,” and it will move.’ Yo

Devotional Reflection, Monday, November 17, 2025 Proper 28, the week of the twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D. Key phrases for reflection from today’s reading: 17:1Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain, by themselves. 2And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white. 3Suddenly there appeared to them Moses and Elijah,

Devotional Reflection,  Friday, November  14, 2025 Proper 27, the week of the twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D. Key phrases for reflection from today’s reading: 13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say that the Son of Man is?’ . . . . 15He (Peter) said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ 16Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.’ You will fi