When the angel Gabriel comes to Mary, she is perplexed and confused—and no doubt, afraid. And yet, the angel’s news is: “Do not be afraid.” Do not be afraid. We hear this refrain all throughout the Christmas story and remember it is the most common phrase in all the bible. From generation to generation, God shows up in the midst of our fear and uncertainty and confusion. From generation to generation, faithful people have said “yes” despite apprehension. From generation to generation, our ancestors in faith have accepted the invitation. The prophecy in Isaiah paints a vision of what we work toward when we say “yes”: righteousness and equity reign, the wolf lives with the lamb, no harm or hurt shall destroy the earth, a child shall lead the way.

Our series begins with Matthew’s genealogy. In that long list of names, we remember the trauma and triumph of those who came before; each name holds a story and their story gives way to Christ’s story. When you zoom in, you may not be able to see how each character propels the story forward, but when you zoom out, you can see how each story is woven together into a larger tapestry. The Isaiah passage illustrates a convergence of opposing groups and identities coming together. Instead of the way of the past—of war—they learn a new way by transforming their weapons into gardening tools. What are the old paths that we’ve followed, and where must we diverge into a new way?

Have you ever felt like a failure or that you have let someone down? Our passage from John is a reminder that God is in the business of restoring us when we fail. Certainly, Peter’s experience of having denied Jesus three times on the night of that terrible trial must have weighed heavily on him. Yet Jesus’ interest is not to condemn, but to restore. Jesus redeems Peter’s failure and transforms that failure into an opportunity for discipleship. On this Thanksgiving Sunday, we are called to give thanks for our God who refuses to give up on us and who offers us grace that covers and restores us even after our worst failures.

Scripture calls us to reimagine a world where our social and economic systems are not built to disparage or impoverish, but instead to provide for and benefit all. This week we revisit the story of the widow’s mite, a scripture that begs for reimagination and reinterpretation from the harmful ways it has been used. Instead of commending the widow’s giving practices, perhaps Jesus is condemning the economic system that created her poverty. The Jewish practice of the Jubilee year invites us to imagine leaving the edge of the harvest for the poor and immigrant to reap; in the fiftieth year, the harvest is shared and disparities are rebalanced. In light of these stories in scripture, we are called to reimagine our own money stories.

This week we practice releasing shame, anxiety, guilt, greed or anything that keeps us from freedom and wholeness. We release the elements of our money story that prevent us from fully living into God’s story. In Matthew, we see a man grieved to let go of his wealth. In Deuteronomy, we find the radical social mandate of canceled debts, a communal release that is practiced for the good of all. Releasing is a spiritual practice that frees us from ourselves and liberates others.

We begin our series for the Season of Stewardship by looking back at what our spoken and unspoken stories of money and how those stories have impacted our practices of stewardship. From scripture, we remember God’s steadfast relationship with us throughout time and trials. We remember stories of hardship, complaining and betrayal, yet discover that God is enough. Even in stories of desperation and deep betrayal, we are gifted with God’s faithfulness and provision—of the feast of enough, and the holy meal of remembrance.

This Scot’s Sunday come celebrate our rich Scottish heritage as Presbyterians and the courageous stand of the Reformers for faith in the midst of corruption. We will explore Hebrews image of Jesus as our High Priest whose sacrifice for humanity is once for all, transcending our human institutions with the power to transform them. Explore how Christ’s eternal priesthood summons us into a new kind of spiritual and prophetic leadership to live lives of service, justice and faithfulness. Celebrate with us in worship, wearing your tartan if you have one, in our long tradition of bagpipes and drums this Sunday!

God’s power is so great. God stretches the heavens like a tent, sets the earth on firm foundations, and covers the waters of the deep. We long for a taste of this power. We long to possess this power, but Christ reminds us that true power is found in service. The true path to greatness is paved with humility, obedience, and even servanthood. When we let go of arguing with God or trying to be first in some kind of contest, we are free to take our proper place among all the wonders of God’s good creation, to be grateful for all the goodness that surrounds us, and to serve one another in love.

The psalms invite us on a journey deep into the heart of lament, into the very heart of God. Sung from Jesus’ lips on the cross in the gospel of Matthew, Psalm 22 embodies the raw and existential experience of abandonment, yet reveals a profound gift discovered in lament. Praise. Psalm 22 is a liturgy that journeys through the stages of grief. In this deeply personal and communal act, lament becomes a sacred space where our cries are held within the community of faith. As Martín Prechtel reminds us, grief is an act of praise; it honors what we have lost and acknowledges that beauty and suffering are intertwined. This Sunday we will explore the gift of lament as Christian community calls us to move together through brokenness toward healing and praise.