We are pleased to offer substantive care-for-creation reflections on the lessons for each Sunday in the Revised Common Lectionary. These commentaries are exegetically-based, theologically sound, creative in their ecological exploration of the text’s potential, and effective in articulation. The care for creation commentary is not an add-on, but an integral part of the exposition of the text itself. The purpose of this commentary is to provide a foundational resource for preachers and congregations seeking to incorporate care for creation into their worship and congregational life.
Thanks to our cohort of commentators (see their bios here). Contact Katrina Martich, Commentary Coordinator, if you are interested, or know of someone else, who may want to join this cohort.
Current year commentaries, Year B, 2020-2021
(see here for Year A and here for Year C)
Preaching on Creation: Sunday July 24-30 in Year B (Carr21)
On Star Trek and Saving the Planet: Messianic Miracles in a New Key - Amy Carr reflects on living toward ...
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Sunday July 17-23 in Year B (Mundahl15)
Shepherds and Children - Tom Mundahl reflects on restoring a healing relationship with the natural world. Care for Creation Commentary ...
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Preaching on Creation: Sunday July 31 – August 6 in Year B (Carr18)
Heaven-Sent Bread - Amy Carr reflects on how the bread of life moves us more fully into an appreciation of ...
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Preaching on Creation: Sunday July 31 – August 6 in Year B (Mundahl15)
The Bread of Christ Is Life, and All of Life Is Communion. - Tom Mundahl reflects on the divine energy ...
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Sunday July 24-30 in Year B (Mundahl15)
Bread That Gives Life to the World - Tom Mundahl reflects on the reverential economy of God's grace. Care for ...
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Sunday July 17-23 in Year B (Ormseth12)
Who Will Shepherd the Shepherdless? - Dennis Ormseth reflects on a way of life where vices have been transformed into economic ...
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Sunday July 10-16 in Year B (Mundahl15)
Faithfulness Will Spring Up from the Ground - Tom Mundahl reflects on God's shalom trumping "royal theologies." Care for Creation Commentary ...
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Sunday July 10-16 in Year B (Ormseth12)
The Whole of Inter-Related Creation - Dennis Ormseth reflects on the meals of Jesus overcoming our "reconciliation deficit disorder." Care ...
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Sunday July 3-9 in Year B (Carr21)
Prophets and Apostles in Our Midst - Amy Carr reflects on a God-driven vision of right relations in our shared ...
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Sunday July 3-9 in Year B (Ormseth12)
Congregations who embrace care for creation will find joy in the initiatives they undertake. - Dennis Ormseth reflects on becoming faithful ...
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Sunday June 26 – July 2 in Year B (Carr21)
God Does Not Desire That Creatures Suffer - Amy Carr reflects on waiting and suffering, fairness and balance. Care for ...
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Sunday June 26 – July 2 in Year B (Ormseth12)
The Full Sacredness of All the Earth - Dennis Ormseth reflects on Jesus crossing and removing boundaries. Care for Creation ...
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Sunday June 19-25 in Year B (Ormseth12)
How is the God of creation related to the storms of global climate change? - Dennis Ormseth reflects on the interconnected ...
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Sunday June 12-18 in Year B (Ormseth12)
A New and Restorative Ordering of Life - Dennis Ormseth reflects on the kingdom of God and the great ecology ...
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The Fourth Sunday in the Season of Creation in Year B: Mountain Sunday
The Season of Creation is an optional season of the church year that celebrates God the creator and various domains ...
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The Season of Creation in Year B: Saint Francis Sunday
The Season of Creation is an optional season of the church year that celebrates God the creator and various domains ...
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The Second Sunday in the Season of Creation in Year B: Humanity Sunday
The Season of Creation is an optional season of the church year that celebrates God the creator and various domains ...
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The First Sunday in the Season of Creation in Year B: Planet Earth Sunday
The Season of Creation is an optional season of the church year that celebrates God the creator and various domains ...
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Holy Trinity Sunday in Year B (Mundahl21)
Called to the Dance - Tom Mundahl reflects on making room. Care for Creation Commentary on the Common Lectionary Readings ...
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Day of Pentecost (May 23) in Year B (Mundahl21)
Practice Resurrection - Tom Mundahl reflects on the story told by how we live. Care for Creation Commentary on the ...
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Holy Trinity Sunday in Year B (Ormseth12)
Liberation and Restoration of the Whole Creation. - Dennis Ormseth reflects on the relations of the Holy Trinity encompassing all ...
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Seventh Sunday of Easter in Year B (Ormseth18)
Everything Is Changed - Dennis Ormseth reflects on reorientation of the community to God's creation. Care for Creation Commentary on the ...
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Sixth Sunday of Easter in Year B (Ormseth18)
Living the Ecological Vocation - Dennis Ormseth reflects on the source of new life for all creation. Care for Creation Commentary ...
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Seventh Sunday of Easter in Year B (Ormseth12)
Our human harmony with all of life is grounded in the great, all-encompassing, self-giving of God. - Dennis Ormseth Care ...
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Sixth Sunday of Easter in Year B (Ormseth15)
A flourishing planet in which all of life together is filled with the glory of God. - Dennis Ormseth Care ...
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Sixth Sunday of Easter in Year B (Ormseth12)
Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth. - Dennis Ormseth Care for Creation Commentary on the Common ...
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Fifth Sunday of Easter in Year B (Ormseth18)
In Christ's Resurrection the Earth Itself Arose - Dennis Ormseth reflects on creation acting on behalf of its Creator. Care for ...
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Fifth Sunday of Easter in Year B (Ormseth12)
Vine and Branches Rooted in God’s Good Earth - Dennis Ormseth reflects on hope for all who live in exile from ...
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Fourth Sunday of Easter in Year B (Ormseth12)
We do indeed have this “good shepherd” in whose presence we may dwell all our days. - Dennis Ormseth reflects on ...
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Fourth Sunday of Easter in Year B (Ormseth15)
Creation is our Home, the Abiding Place of Nurture and Sustenance - Dennis Ormseth reflects on the manner with which we ...
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Fourth Sunday of Easter (April 25) in Year B (Ormseth18)
All Creation Is Raised Up - Dennis Ormseth reflects on the Great Economy of the Good Shepherd. Care for Creation Commentary ...
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Third Sunday of Easter in Year B (Ormseth18)
Earth Itself Arose - Dennis Ormseth reflects on the Spirit of creation. Care for Creation Commentary on the Common Lectionary Readings ...
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Second Sunday of Easter in Year B (Ormseth15)
The Self-Giving of the Community is Rooted in the Self-Giving of the Creator. - Dennis Ormseth reflects on what it means ...
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Second Sunday of Easter in Year B (Ormseth18)
“How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity!” - Dennis Ormseth reflects on community, trinity, and ...
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Holy Week in Year B (Jorgenson18)
Root from Dry Ground - Kiara Jorgenson reflects on the themes of water in the Holy Week texts. Care for Creation ...
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Easter Sunday in Year B (Ormseth12)
Jesus is the Gardener - Dennis Ormseth reflects on the garden as the place of restoration. Care for Creation Commentary on ...
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Easter Sunday in Year B (Ormseth18)
A Meal for All Sorts of Hunger - Dennis Ormseth reflects on a broad resurrection vision. Care for Creation Commentary on ...
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Passion Sunday and Holy Week in Year B (Ormseth12)
The Transformation of All Life - Dennis Ormseth reflects on the reorientation of creation to its sacred center. Care for Creation ...
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Second Sunday (April 11) of Easter in Year B (Ormseth12)
Our economy should reflect the self-giving of God’s gift of creation, the life of Jesus, and the sharing in the ...
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Sunday of the Passion in Year B (Schade18)
More than Eco-Palms - Leah Schade reflects on ecojustice and Passion Sunday. Care for Creation Commentary on the Common Lectionary ...
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Fifth Sunday of Lent in Year B (Mundahl12)
Wisdom from Gardening - Tom Mundahl reflects on the seed that dies to bear fruit. Care for Creation Commentary on ...
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Fifth Sunday of Lent (March 21) in Year B (Saler15)
Getting Real about the Mortality of the Earth - Robert Saler reflects on renouncing control over outcomes. Care for Creation ...
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Fifth Sunday of Lent (March 21) in Year B (Mundahl18)
Ending Our Exile from Creation - Tom Mundahl reflects on owning the responsibilities of our priesthood. Care for Creation Commentary ...
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Fourth Sunday of Lent in Year B (Mundahl12)
How can we allow the religion of consumption to threaten God’s future? – Tom Mundahl reflects on turning from darkness to ...
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Fourth Sunday of Lent in Year B (Saler15)
Preaching the Adventure of Passion – Robert Saler reflects on being a listening church. Care for Creation Commentary on the Common ...
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Fourth Sunday of Lent in Year B (Mundahl18)
Loving the Cosmos as God Does - Tom Mundahl reflects on repenting of the "windigo" way. Care for Creation Commentary ...
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Third Sunday of Lent in Year B (Mundahl12)
Let’s have a Lenten fast from our consumer economy! – Tom Mundahl reflects on the continuation and completion of the Sabbath ...
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Third Sunday of Lent in Year B (Saler15)
Projection, Humility, and the Call for Justice - Robert Saler reflects on preaching care for creation. Care for Creation Commentary ...
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Third Sunday of Lent in Year B (Mundahl18)
Breathe in the Fragrance of Creation's Renewal – Tom Mundahl reflects on faith and courage for the renewal of creation. Care ...
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Second Sunday of Lent in Year B (Mundahl12)
Expend your life for Jesus and the gospel of new creation, and you will save it. – Tom Mundahl reflects on ...
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Second Sunday of Lent in Year B (Saler15)
Formed to “See” in the Way of the Cross - Robert Saler reflects on the scandalous particularity of our particular ...
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Second Sunday of Lent in Year B (Mundahl18)
Turning Around and Rethinking the "Royal Theology" of Our Time - Tom Mundahl reflects on the appeal of kingdom, power, ...
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First Sunday of Lent in Year B (Mundahl12)
Wilderness As a Place of Possibilities - Tom Mundahl reflects on finding hope in barrenness. Care for Creation Commentary on ...
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First Sunday of Lent in Year B (Saler15)
Jesus and the Journey of Overcoming - Robert Saler reflects on God's healing. Care for Creation Commentary on the Common ...
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First Sunday of Lent in Year B (Mundahl18)
Coming Down to Earth - Tom Mundahl reflects on our vocation to make earth a hospitable household for all. Care ...
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Transfiguration of Our Lord in Year B (Ormseth15)
". . . a spirit from on high is poured out on us, and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field" ...
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Fifth Sunday after Epiphany in Year B (Ormseth15)
New Creation Is Proactive: Regenerative and Restoring - Dennis Ormseth reflects on becoming full participants in maximizing life's creativity. Care ...
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Fourth Sunday after Epiphany in Year B (Ormseth15)
For Those Who Are in Christ, Creation Is New! - Dennis Ormseth reflects on driving out the demon of climate change ...
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Third Sunday after Epiphany in Year B (Ormseth12)
It's Time to Break with Business as Usual and Tend God's Creation - Dennis Ormseth reflects on what we can learn ...
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Third Sunday after Epiphany in Year B (Ormseth15)
This Changes Everything: No Longer Business as Usual - Dennis Ormseth reflects on Jesus inviting the common folk to join him ...
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Second Sunday after Epiphany in Year B (Ormseth12)
God Is the God of Embodiment throughout Earth and Sky! - Dennis Ormseth reflects on God's presence calling us to care ...
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Second Sunday after Epiphany in Year B (Ormseth15)
Planting Trees as Symbol and Expression of the Restoration of Creation - Dennis Ormseth reflects on God's presence in creation. Care ...
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Baptism of Our Lord in Year B (Ormseth15)
Jesus Ushers in a New Creation - Dennis Ormseth reflects on the new creation we experience in baptism. Care for Creation ...
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Baptism of Our Lord in Year B (Ormseth12)
If You Would Experience God, You Must Fall in Love with Earth - Dennis Ormseth reflects on baptism as a cosmic ...
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Second Sunday of Christmas in Year B (Utphall21)
God's Plan - Nick Utphall reflects on the order(s) of the universe and a baby. Care for Creation Commentary on ...
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Second Sunday of Christmas in Year B (Mundahl15)
Coming Home - Tom Mundahl reflects on a return from exile. Care for Creation Commentary on the Common Lectionary Readings ...
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Second Sunday of Christmas in Years A, B, and C (Ormseth12)
Giving, Receiving, and Giving Again - Dennis Ormseth reflects on the fullness of God. Care for Creation Commentary on the Common ...
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First Sunday of Christmas in Year B (Ormseth11)
All Nature Sings! - Dennis Ormseth reflects on the incarnate God, given for all creation. Care for Creation Commentary on the ...
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First Sunday of Christmas in Year B (Mundahl14)
Join the Hymn of All Creation - Tom Mundahl reflects on ministering to creation as priests of God. Care for ...
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First Sunday of Christmas in Year B (Utphall20)
Divorced, Together - Nick Utphall reflects on the connections in the family of creation. Care for Creation Commentary on the ...
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Christmas Eve (Nativity of Our Lord) in Years A, B, and C (Utphall20)
Displaced and Found by God - Nick Utphall reflects on the place of baby Jesus in a pandemic. Care for ...
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Fourth Sunday of Advent in Year B (Ormseth11)
Bearing God into the World - Dennis Ormseth reflects on Christ's birth opening space and time for the renewal of Earth ...
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Fourth Sunday of Advent in Year B (Mundahl20)
Courage - Tom Mundahl reflects on beholding versus seeing. Care for Creation Commentary on the Common Lectionary Readings for the ...
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Third Sunday of Advent in Year B (Mundahl14)
Living the Anticipation, with Joy and New Light - Tom Mundahl reflects on what it means to be whole. Care ...
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Third Sunday of Advent in Year B (Ormseth11)
Joyful Anticipation of the Transformation of Creation - Dennis Ormseth reflects on the cosmological significance of Christ. Care for Creation Commentary ...
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Third Sunday of Advent in Year B (Mundahl20)
Rejoice? - Tom Mundahl reflects on joy in the midst of grief. Care for Creation Commentary on the Common Lectionary ...
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Second Sunday of Advent in Year B (Mundahl14)
Thinking about the Unthinkable - Tom Mundahl reflects on our desert struggle in the time of climate crisis. Care for ...
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Second Sunday of Advent in Year B (Ormseth11)
Advent Is about Gathering for the New Creation. - Dennis Ormseth reflects on wilderness. Care for Creation Commentary on the Common ...
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First Sunday of Advent in Year B (Mundahl14)
Stay Alert with Hope; and Beware the Consumers of Christmas. - Tom Mundahl reflects on hope, watching, and serving. Care ...
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Second Sunday of Advent in Year B (Mundahl20)
Thinking the Unthinkable - Tom Mundahl reflects on our communal lament and hope for wholeness. Care for Creation Commentary on ...
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First Sunday of Advent in Year B (Ormseth11)
We Await the Transformation of the Cosmos. - Dennis Ormseth reflects on an orientation to God's Creation in the season of ...
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First Sunday of Advent in Year B (Mundahl20)
Let's Just Start Over! - Tom Mundahl reflects on the start of Advent in the midst of pandemic, climate crisis, ...
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Ash Wednesday in Years A, B, and C (Ormseth11)
Returning to Our Origins - Dennis Ormseth reflects on the start of our Lenten journey. Care for Creation Commentary on ...
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Epiphany of Our Lord in Years A, B, and C (Ormseth11)
We need wisdom to sustain us as we live with the rest of Earth community. - Dennis Ormseth reflects on the ...
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Let All Creation Praise! – companion site
Our ecumenical companion site, www.LetAllCreationPraise.org , is maintained by long-time supporter and fellow Lutheran restoring creation, Nick Utphall. ...
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Christ the King Sunday, Year B (Ormseth)
The priesthood of all believers means that we are “priests” of all creation. - Dennis Ormseth Care for Creation Commentary on ...
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Twenty-Fifth Sunday after Pentecost, Year B (Sassaman)
Ecojustice Commentary on the Revised Common Lectionary Series B: 2017-2018 By Jeremiah Sassaman The 25th Sunday after Pentecost in Year ...
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Twenty-Fourth Sunday after Pentecost, Year B (Sassaman)
Ecojustice Commentary on the Revised Common Lectionary Series B: 2017-2018 By Jeremiah Sassaman The 24th Sunday after Pentecost in Year ...
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Twenty First Sunday after Pentecost, Year B
Care for Creation Commentary on the Common Lectionary—Year B 2018 Reading for Series B: 2018 by Nick Utphall 21st Sunday ...
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Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost, St. Francis Day, Year B
Creation Care Commentary on the Revised Common Lectionary St. Francis Day, Lectionary 27 By Nancy Wright Genesis 2:18-24 Psalm 8 ...
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Lessons for Year B (Lent – Easter 2018)
The Sixth Sunday of Easter in Year B (by Dennis Ormseth) The Fifth Sunday of Easter in Year B (by Dennis Ormseth) ...
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Fifth Sunday of Easter in Year B (Ormseth15)
The true vine is the sign of right relationship—Creator, people, and land interrelated. - Dennis Ormseth Care for Creation Commentary ...
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Twenty-first Sunday (Oct 17) after Pentecost, Year B (Utphall18)
Nick Utphall Care for Creation Commentary on the Common Lectionary Readings for the Twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost November 14, 2021 ...
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Sunday July 3-9 in Year B (Mundahl15)
A Costly Calling - Tom Mundahl reflects on the courage and action required to be prophetic for creation. Care for Creation ...
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Sunday June 19-25 in Year B (Schade15)
Now is the acceptable time—to speak out boldly! - Leah Schade reflects on prophetic voice in the midst of the storm. Care ...
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The Day of Pentecost (May 23) in Year B (Ormseth12)
In Pentecost, the whole creation is in process of being reconciled and incorporated into Christ. - Dennis Ormseth Care for ...
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Day of Pentecost (May 23) in Year B (Schade15)
Fire and Wind - Leah Schade reflects on letting the Pentecostal fires and the winds of the Spirit transform your congregation into ...
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Holy Trinity Sunday in Year B (Schade15)
Here Am I! - Leah Schade reflects on answering the call to love and serve creation. Care for Creation Commentary ...
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Sunday June 5-11 in Year B (Schade15)
Act, and Do Not Lose Hope! - Leah Schade reflects on living in a house divided against itself. Care for ...
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Sunday June 12-18 in Year B (Schade15)
Mighty Cedars and Impertinent Mustard Plants: Signs of the Kin-dom of God - Leah Schade reflects on every green shoot ...
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The Twenty Fifth Sunday (Nov 14) after Pentecost in Year B (Ormseth12)
Jesus’ life and death are about the transformation of all life. - Dennis Ormseth Care for Creation Commentary on the Common ...
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Sunday June 5-11 in Year B (Ormseth12)
Life Outside the Garden of Goodness - Dennis Ormseth reflects on overcoming the hostilities that divide us. Care for Creation ...
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The Third Sunday in the Season of Creation Year B: Sky Sunday
The Season of Creation is an optional season of the church year that celebrates God the creator and various domains ...
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Commentaries for Years A, B, and C can also be found here:
