All Past Reflections

Third Sunday in Lent"Impossible?" — Rev. Brent Gundlah First Reading (Ephesians 3:20-21/NRSVUE)Gospel Reading (Mark 6:32-40/NRSVUE) When I left the finance business to do this ministry thing I thought I’d also left behind that industry’s obsession with numbers, but I...

First Sunday in Lent"Surprises" — Rev. Brent Gundlah First Gospel Reading (John 2:1-11/NRSVUE)Second Gospel Reading (Matthew 13:31-32/NRSVUE) Not long after I decided to become a minister, both of my daughters made it very clear that they don’t want me to officiate...

Transfiguration Sunday"Being Change" — Rev. Brent Gundlah First Reading (Exodus 24:12-18/NRSVUE)Gospel Reading (Matthew 17:1-9/NRSVUE) There are moments in all of our lives that provoke us into seeing things differently than we had before. And moments like these can...

Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany"Let Your Light Shine" — Rev. Brent Gundlah First Reading (1 Corinthians 2:1-12/NRSVUE)Gospel Reading (Matthew 5:13-20/NRSVUE) One night not long ago I woke up at about three a.m. and just couldn’t to get back to sleep. After about a...

Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany"Complicated Blessings" — Rev. Brent Gundlah First Reading (Micah 6:6-8/NRSVUE)Gospel Reading (Matthew 5:1-12/NRSVUE) Living in Salt Lake City and having to drive way more than I’d like to, means that I also sit in traffic way more than...

Second Sunday after the Epiphany"See, Learn, Do" - Rev. Brent Gundlah First Reading (Isaiah 49:1-7, NRSVUE)Gospel Reading (John 1:29-42, NRSVUE) I love old books, so I spend a lot of time wandering around Salt Lake City’s wonderful used bookstores. I especially enjoy...

Baptism of Christ"Up from the Water" - Rev. Brent Gundlah First Reading (Acts 10:34-43/NRSVUE)Gospel Reading (Matthew 3:13-17/NRSVUE) As I’m sure you all know, the church has many rituals — things we do, songs we sing, words we say — and each of these practices...

Second Sunday after ChristmasEpiphany - Rev. Brent Gundlah First Reading (Isaiah 60:1-6/NRSVUE)Gospel Reading (Matthew 2:1-12/NRSVUE) One Christmas Eve when I was in elementary school we went over to my grandparents’ house, as was our family custom. This was an event...

First Sunday after Christmas"Let Fear Fuel a Fire for Justice" Scripture Reading - Matthew 2:1-23 I know what you’re thinking — believe me, I know because I was thinking the very same thing. Today’s reading from Matthew’s Gospel, which tells us about the Holy...

Third Sunday in Advent"Joy" — Rev. Brent Gundlah First Reading (Jeremiah 1:4-10/CEB)Gospel Reading (Luke 1:26-39/NRSVUE) I remember the day like it was yesterday, even though it was actually thirteen years ago today. I was with some coworkers having lunch at a...