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Rev. Meg Jenista Kuykendall lives in Washington, DC, and is an ordained minister in the Reformed tradition. She earned her M.Div at Calvin Theological Seminary (2008) and her ThM, also at CTS (2019). She spent 15 years pastoring churches in Kalamazoo, MI, and Washington DC. Currently, Meg is studying for her PhD in public theology at Fuller Theological Seminary, with a particular focus on the intersection of political discipleship and pulpit ministry. She balances out her PhD research by reading Sandra Boynton and Mo Willems books with her one-year-old son, cooking with her husband, and enjoying the great city of Washington DC, which she is privileged to call home.
2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16
Commentary
Advent 4B
Comments, Observations and Questions: Verse 16 is a glorious refrain, especially in close anticipation of Christmas Eve worship (likely less than 12 hours away). “Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever.” The preacher might well add, “If you want to hear more, I’ll see you back…
Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11
Commentary
Advent 3B
Covenant Renewal, Part 1 Isaiah 61 follows the main themes of the preceding chapter with its focus on Jerusalem finally coming into its own, exalted over the oppressive nations being brought low. What is unique to this text is the human agent who speaks through this text. In fact there is a dialogue between this…
Isaiah 40:1-11
Commentary
Advent 2B
Comments, Observations and Questions: The Good News! The prophet Isaiah must have gotten pretty tired of breaking bad news to people. Roughly 95% of Isaiah 1-39 is bad news, with the tiniest snippets of hope popping up here and there. So, I can imagine him taking a deep breath, maybe a soothing drink of water…
Isaiah 64:1-9
Commentary
Advent 1B
What are you waiting for? At the beginning of Advent, we turn our hearts toward the practices of waiting and anticipation. Though I suppose a lot depends on what it is you are waiting for: for out of town guests to arrive, best get busy preparing extra linens and stocking up on meals. Waiting for…
Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24
Commentary
Proper 29A
A Shepherd In the US context, the day after Thanksgiving begins the Christmas season. But this is one of those years where a fluke of the calendar means the church won’t be celebrating Advent (let alone Christmas) yet. We have one last Sunday in Ordinary Time. Liturgically, the first Sunday of Advent begins a brand…
Judges 4:1-7
Commentary
Proper 28A
While the Lectionary can’t include the full chapter because it would be a lengthy reading, it’s a shame to miss the high drama and irony of this narrative. What we have in Judges 4 is an underdog story, layered into underdog story and folded into yet another underdog story. Underdog #1: Israel In the opening…
Joshua 24:1-3, 14-25
Commentary
Proper 27A
Comments, Observations and Questions: A Choosing Place: Shechem was the site of Jacob putting away foreign gods (Gen 35) recitation of the law (Joshua 8) and the rape of Dinah, leading to decisions about the relationship between God’s people and the other people of the land. “The setting of this episode thus creates an atmosphere…
Joshua 3:7-17
Commentary
Proper 26A
Preamble: Although this text comes to us through the ordinary 3 year lectionary cycle, it also lands with particularly distressing and uncomfortable timing. As war rages over the lands once given to Joshua and the Israelites, I urge pastors to tred lightly, as I have attempted to do here. First, we acknowledge that the modern…
Deuteronomy 34:1-12
Commentary
Proper 25A
Preamble: Although this text comes to us through the ordinary three-year lectionary cycle, it also lands with particularly distressing and uncomfortable timing. As war rages over the lands once promised to Moses, I urge pastors to tread lightly, as I have attempted to do here. First, we acknowledge that the modern nation-state of Israel is…
Exodus 33:12-23
Commentary
Proper 24A
In military and government work, informal clearance is often withheld with a simple phrase, “that is need to know,” meaning that you don’t. You can complete your assignment or your project without the answer to that particular question. It seems as though, in this text, Moses is not satisfied with the information God has been…
About Meg Jenista