St. John’s Lutheran ChurchAlbany, New York26 July 2026 + The Ninth Sunday after PentecostProper 12 / Lectionary 17aMatthew 13:31-33, 44-52The Rev. Josh Evans So far,“the kingdom of heaven” has been like: A sower who went out to sow.And as they sowed, some seeds fell on the path,others on rocky ground,still others among thorns,and, finally, others …
St. John’s Lutheran ChurchAlbany, New York12 July 2026 + The Seventh Sunday after PentecostProper 10 / Lectionary 15aMatthew 13:1-9, 18-23The Rev. Josh Evans As modern readers of scripture,we have this urge to assign neatly defined rolesto the cast of characters – human or otherwise – in a given parable,to find out what it means –as …
St. John’s Lutheran ChurchAlbany, New York5 July 2026 + The Sixth Sunday after PentecostProper 9 / Lectionary 14aMatthew 11:16-19, 25-30The Rev. Josh Evans “Fellow citizens, pardon me, allow me to ask,why am I called upon to speak here today?What have I, or those I represent, to do with your national independence?Are the great principles of …
St. John’s Lutheran ChurchAlbany, New York7 June 2026 + The Second Sunday after PentecostProper 5 / Lectionary 10aMatthew 9:9-13, 18-26The Rev. Josh Evans There’s a song I’ve been hearing on repeat for the past few weeks: All the colors of the rainbow,all the voices of the wind,every dream that reaches out,that reaches out to find …
St. John’s Lutheran ChurchAlbany, New York5 April 2026 + The Resurrection of Our Lord: Easter DayMatthew 28:1-10The Rev. Josh Evans Why bother? Why bother with all of this?Not just today.Not just Easter.But all of this. Why bothertelling the storyof the triumphal entry into Jerusalem,waving our palm branches with acclamation? Why bothergoing to Last Supperwhen we …
St. John’s Lutheran ChurchAlbany, New York22 February 2026 + The First Sunday in LentGenesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7; Matthew 4:1-11The Rev. Josh Evans Since its inception in 1947,the so-called Doomsday Clock,an initiative of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists,has served as a clever, if not ominous, visual,warning the public about how close we areto destroying our planetwith …
St. John’s Lutheran ChurchAlbany, New York15 February 2026 + The Transfiguration of Our LordMatthew 17:1-9The Rev. Josh Evans It begins with a question: “Who do you say that I am?”Which prompts Peter’s bold confession: “You are the Messiah.”Well done, Peter! But when Jesus starts explaining what exactly it meansfor him to be the Messiah –that …
St. John’s Lutheran ChurchAlbany, New York8 February 2026 + The Fifth Sunday after the EpiphanyLectionary 5aMatthew 5:13-20The Rev. Josh Evans Light is a powerful image. Just about a decade ago, I was on internship –the nearly year-long period of full-time field educationrequired as a part of my seminary formation –at Augustana Lutheran Church in Omaha, …
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St. John’s Lutheran ChurchAlbany, New York11 January 2026 + The Baptism of Our LordMatthew 3:13-17The Rev. Josh Evans Baptism: what’s the point? To do the thing because it’s what we’re “supposed” to do?To check the “salvation” box and make sure we get into heaven?Or to check the “ELCA” box and make sure we get another …
St. John’s Lutheran ChurchAlbany, New York7 December 2025 + The Fifth Sunday of Advent(Advent 2a)Matthew 3:1-12; Isaiah 11:1-10The Rev. Josh Evans In the midst of all the holiday preparations this time of year,it’s not difficult to get lost in all the things to be done.So, to make at least one thing easier to prepare,might I …
