The latest at Timberville Church of the Brethren
Stay up to date with the happenings of Timberville Church of the Brethren by visiting our blog. You'll find information such as announcements, sermon notes and thoughts from our pastor to encourage and challenge your walk with the Lord.
Readings For April 6, 2025
by: Karl Magenhofer
03/31/2025
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We move to the 5th Sunday in Lent, perhaps you could say the last regular Sunday in Lent.
With that in mind, let’s see what the lectionary has for us:
Isaiah 43:16-21Psalm 126Philippians 3:4b-14John 12:1-8Isaiah is hitting a bit differently this morning, specifically verse 19. The NRSV translation on the website I use to view the lectionary texts is grabbing my collar and asking the question quite pointedly. Last week Paul spoke of being a new creation and this week we he
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Readings For March 30, 2025
by: Karl Magenhofer
03/24/2025
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We seem to be moving through Lent very quickly. Makes me wonder if the days moving towards Jerusalem, the betrayal, the suffering and then crucifixion came quickly for Jesus or whether these days dragged on.
The typical four reading fare from the lectionary this week:
Joshua 5:9-12Psalm 322 Corinthians 5:16-21Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32
It’s not often we find ourselves in the book of Joshua. I remember an Old Testament class I took where this book intrigued me, and I almost did a
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Readings for March 23, 2025
by: Karl Magenhofer
03/17/2025
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It’s a Monday, so here I am looking at the readings for the coming week. Take a look along with me to see what we have for the Third Sunday in Lent.
Exodus 3:1-15Psalm 63:1-81 Corinthians 10:1-13Luke 13:1-9
The Old Testament lesson is one many of us have heard many times, the story of the burning bush. It’s interesting that I quoted part of this passage a couple weeks ago in my sermon, so for me this is a reading I have looked at very recently. A couple first blush thing
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Readings for March 16, 2025
by: Karl Magenhofer
03/10/2025
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After taking a week off, let’s get back to the regular schedule and take a look at the recommended readings for this coming Sunday. The lectionary serves up the standard four readings for the Second Sunday in Lent and here they are:
Genesis 15:1-12,17-18Psalm 27Philippians 3:17-4:1Luke 13:31-35
The familiar story in Genesis hit me differently this morning for some reason. Yes, there’s still a wonderful covenant and promise made to Abraham by God, but something else pushe
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Blessed to be a Blessing
by: Karl Magenhofer
02/25/2025
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It was during my Old Testament class that I first heard the phrase, “blessed to be a blessing.” The teacher was describing a new relationship between God and his chosen people. Being blessed is nice, but there is a calling that comes along with it to bless others. We should “pass it on” as the old camp song says.
With the above being said, I am often blessed to be a blessing here at the church. I am the point person when we have gift cards to hand out for those who nee
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Readings For March 2, 2025
by: Karl Magenhofer
02/24/2025
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This will be the last Sunday after Epiphany. The last Sunday before we move into the Lenten season is also the “Transfiguration.” We’re going to do a strange dance in the lectionary these next couple weeks when it comes to the Gospel, moving three chapters ahead in Luke this week and then going all the way back to chapter four next week before zooming ahead to chapter 13 the following week. I trust there’s a reason and a message in all that.
Here’s what we have for th
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Readings For February 23, 2025
by: Karl Magenhofer
02/17/2025
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We have made it to the second to last Sunday in the Epiphany season, the penultimate week of Epiphany I guess you could say. We remain in a predictable lectionary pattern with an Epistle in 1st Corinthians and a Gospel lesson from Luke. We mix in a Psalm as always and a reading from Genesis. I’ll be curious to see how they all fit together.
Here are the readings:
Genesis 45:3-11, 151 Corinthians 15:35-38,42-50Luke 6:27-38Psalm 37:1-12, 41-42
God’s plans supersede those of
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Readings For February 16, 2025
by: Karl Magenhofer
02/10/2025
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We push closer to Lent, but still hold on to the remnants of Epiphany, reminding us that Christmas was not as long ago as it seems.
The lectionary returns to Jeremiah and continues on with readings from Luke and 1st Corinthians.
Jeremiah 17:5-101 Corinthians 15:12-20Luke 6:17-26Psalm 1
In the Old Testament lesson, it’s always tough to read this section of Jeremiah and not think about politics and other cult of personality. How often do we think we’ll be delivered from one
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Readings for February 9, 2025
by: Karl Magenhofer
02/03/2025
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Can you believe we have pushed into the second week of February already? Back to the typical fare out of the lectionary site I use and the lectionary itself.
Isaiah 6:1-8, [9-13]1 Corinthians 15:1-11Luke 5:1-11Psalm 138
For the second week in a row, we get the story of a prophet being called. We had Jeremiah last week and this week we get the classic Scripture where Isaiah says, “Here I am.” Would have been nice if the pastor hadn’t already had the congregation sing, “He
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Readings for February 2, 2025
by: Karl Magenhofer
01/27/2025
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Some behind the curtain stuff to start the week. The traditional “Revised Common Lectionary” differs from the Episcopal version I typically use this week. Nine times out of ten they are the same, but on occasion, we get what we have this week which are four completely different readings. I’ll go with the RCL and let our Episcopal friends do their own thing.
With that being said, here’s what we have today:
Jeremiah 1:4-10
Psalm 71:1-6
1 Corinthians 13
Luke 4:21-30
This sectio
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Readings for January 26, 2025
by: Karl Magenhofer
01/20/2025
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It is now coming up on the Third Sunday after the Epiphany
Here’s what the lectionary serves up:
Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-101 Corinthians 12:12-31aLuke 4:14-21Psalm 19
The OT reading from Nehemiah paints a wonderful picture for us. It is a time of Spiritual and faith renewal as the Israelites are slowly rebuilding their lives and fully accounting for their ancestry and genealogy. They are literally trying to get their houses in order and in the midst of it, they stop to hon
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Readings for January 5, 2025
by: Karl Magenhofer
12/30/2024
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We’re doing things just a bit differently this week. Yes, I am still going from the lectionary, but not the Scripture’s recommended for Sunday, January 5th, but instead the readings for Monday, January 6th.
Each year you have the choice to go with the second Sunday after Christmas or to celebrate Epiphany. My wife noted that I used the word Epiphany in the sermon on Sunday and perhaps I use that word without everyone knowing what it means. I think we all know the dictio
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Readings for December 22, 2024
by: Karl Magenhofer
12/16/2024
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The final Sunday of Advent brings us a peculiar happening in the lectionary, the same Scripture twice.
Here’s what the lectionary serves up:
Micah 5:2-5aLuke 1:46-55 or Psalm 80:1-7Hebrews 10:5-10Luke 1:39-45, (46-55)Two doses of the Magnificat if we’d like to go that route, but more than that, it is beginning to feel like Christmas in the Scriptures.
The Old Testament lesson from the prophet Micah foretells of our Lord and Savior. We get a first glimpse of our Christmas se
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Readings for December 15, 2024
by: Karl Magenhofer
12/09/2024
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Third Sunday in Advent. Sorry to have skipped last week, but let’s get back to it this morning. An oddity for three of the four weeks of Advent is that there is no Psalm. We instead get to hear from two OT prophets and then the typical Epistle and Gospel lessons.
Zephaniah 3:14-20Isaiah 12: 2-6Philippians 4:4-7Luke 3:7-18
You’re not supposed to put much stock in the little headlines your Bible puts above sections of Scripture, but I certainly like the sentiment as I r
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Readings for December 1, 2024
by: Karl Magenhofer
11/25/2024
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It has taken more than half a year, but we have left Pentecost behind and enter the joyful and anticipatory season of Advent!
Here’s the lectionary readings for this coming Sunday:
Jeremiah 33:14-161 Thessalonians 3:9-13Luke 21:25-36Psalm 25:1-9
The texts for Advent rarely change and I actually preached on this text from Jeremiah last year. I have no idea what I said, but I am certain I look at this text a bit differently now than I did back then. Between our Sunday morn
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