Outdoor
Service at church last Sunday.
Ann
Vickstrom, Carolyn Alexander
Fun
lunch, great conversation!
17th Annual Evergreen Rotary Recycle Day
in Memory of Mereth Meade
72
pounds of plastic!
(Photo by Kimra Perkins)
Jeff
Stone - one of the coordinators
(Photo by Patti Stone)
The elk have continued to be
very active during rutting season.
The golf course maintenance
people chase them off the fairways
and they often just come back.
Great
news from Tokyo, Japan!
Meishi Sakakibara (64) had his first official soccer
match and his team won 🥇
1st place!!!!
He
played 3 games, 2 goals and 1 assist!
Great
team! (Cute soccer shoes)
The big obstacle
to God’s grace is bitterness.
Some people
complain because they are not
blessed by God as
others have been.
They do not
realize that in thinking of themselves,
they open the
door to bitterness and close it to God’s grace.
No matter what
happens,
we dare never be
bitter or resentful.
~
Anna Mow
September 20, 2026 Seventeenthth Sunday after Pentecost - Proper 20 (25) Year A
1“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out
early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2After agreeing with the laborers for the usual daily wage, he
sent them into his vineyard. 3When he went out about nine
o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace; 4and he said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and I will
pay you whatever is right.’ So they went. 5When he went out again about
noon and about three o’clock, he did the same. 6And about five o’clock he went out and found others standing
around; and he said to them, ‘Why are you standing here idle all day?’ 7They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to
them, ‘You also go into the vineyard.’ 8When evening came, the owner
of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the laborers and give them their
pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.’ 9When those hired about five o’clock came, each of them received
the usual daily wage. 10Now when the first came, they
thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily
wage. 11And when they received it,
they grumbled against the landowner, 12saying, ‘These last worked
only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of
the day and the scorching heat.’ 13But he replied to one of
them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual
daily wage? 14Take what belongs to you and
go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. 15Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or
are you envious because I am generous?’ 16So the last will be first,
and the first will be last.”
Matthew 20:1-16
Agnus
Day, by
James Wetzstein
Agnus Day appears with
the permission of www.agnusday.org
Parable
of the Laborers in the Vineyard: Matthew 20:1-16 [drawing].
Rembrandt
Harmenszoon van Rijn
1650
Pen
and brown ink, pentimento in left arm of seated figure corrected in opaque
white, on paper; later washes and pen strokes in gray.
LECTIONARY
Exodus 16:2–15
Psalm 105:1–6, 37–45
Philippians 1:21–30
Matthew 20:1–16
THE
WORD:
The parable of the generous vineyard owner (which
appears only in Matthew’s Gospel) is the first of several parables and
exhortations challenging the Pharisees and scribes and those who criticized
Jesus for preaching to tax collectors and sinners.
Jesus makes two points in this parable:
First, the parable
speaks of the primacy of compassion and mercy in the kingdom of
God. The employer (God) responds to those who have worked all day that he
has been just in paying them the agreed-upon wage; they have no grievance if he
chooses to be generous to others. God's goodness and mercy transcends the
narrow and limited laws and logic of human justice; it is not the amount of
service given but the attitude of love and generosity behind that service.
The parable also illustrates the
universality of the new Church. The contracted workers, Israel, will
be joined by the new “migrant workers,” the Gentiles, who will share equally in
the joy of the kingdom of God.
2The whole congregation of the Israelites complained against
Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. 3The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the hand of
the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots and ate our fill of
bread; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole
assembly with hunger.”
4Then the Lord said to Moses, “I am going to rain bread from
heaven for you, and each day the people shall go out and gather enough for that
day. In that way I will test them, whether they will follow my instruction or
not. 5On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will
be twice as much as they gather on other days.“ 6So Moses and Aaron
said to all the Israelites, “In the evening you shall know that it was the Lord
who brought you out of the land of Egypt, 7and in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord, because
he has heard your complaining against the Lord. For what are we, that you
complain against us?” 8And Moses said, “When the Lord gives you meat to eat in the
evening and your fill of bread in the morning, because the Lord has heard the
complaining that you utter against him — what are we? Your complaining is not
against us but against the Lord.”
9Then Moses said to Aaron, “Say to the whole congregation of the
Israelites, ‘Draw near to the Lord, for he has heard your complaining.’” 10And as Aaron spoke to
the whole congregation of the Israelites, they looked toward the wilderness,
and the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud. 11The Lord spoke to
Moses and said, 12“I have heard the complaining of the Israelites; say to them,
‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall have your fill of
bread; then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.’”
13In the evening quails came up and covered the camp; and in the
morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. 14When the layer of dew
lifted, there on the surface of the wilderness was a fine flaky substance, as
fine as frost on the ground. 15When the Israelites saw it, they said to one another, “What is
it?” For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, “It is the bread
that the Lord has given you to eat.”
1 O give thanks to the LORD, call on his name,
make known his
deeds among the peoples.
2 Sing
to him, sing praises to him;
tell of all his
wonderful works.
3 Glory
in his holy name;
let the hearts of
those who seek the LORD rejoice.
4 Seek
the LORD and his strength;
seek his presence
continually.
5 Remember
the wonderful works he has done,
his miracles, and
the judgments he has uttered,
6 O
offspring of his servant Abraham,
children of Jacob,
his chosen ones.
37 Then he brought Israel out with silver and gold,
and there was no
one among their tribes who stumbled.
38 Egypt was
glad when they departed,
for dread of them
had fallen upon it.
39 He spread
a cloud for a covering,
and fire to give
light by night.
40 They
asked, and he brought quails,
and gave them food
from heaven in abundance.
41 He opened
the rock, and water gushed out;
it flowed through
the desert like a river.
42 For he
remembered his holy promise,
and Abraham, his
servant.
43 So he brought his people out with joy,
his chosen ones
with singing.
44 He gave
them the lands of the nations,
and they took
possession of the wealth of the peoples,
45 that they
might keep his statutes
and observe his
laws.
Praise the LORD!
21For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain. 22If I am to live in the
flesh, that means fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which I prefer. 23I am hard pressed
between the two: my desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far
better; 24but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you. 25Since I am convinced
of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for your
progress and joy in faith, 26so that I may share abundantly in your boasting in Christ Jesus
when I come to you again.
27Only, live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ,
so that, whether I come and see you or am absent and hear about you, I will
know that you are standing firm in one spirit, striving side by side with one
mind for the faith of the gospel, 28and are in no way intimidated by your opponents. For them this
is evidence of their destruction, but of your salvation. And this is God’s
doing. 29For he has graciously granted you the privilege not only of
believing in Christ, but of suffering for him as well — 30since you are having
the same struggle that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.
1“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out
early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2After agreeing with
the laborers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. 3When he went out about
nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace; 4and he said to them,
‘You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ So they
went. 5When he went out again about noon and about three o’clock, he
did the same. 6And about five o’clock he went out and found others standing
around; and he said to them, ‘Why are you standing here idle all day?’ 7They said to him,
‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the
vineyard.’ 8When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his
manager, ‘Call the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last
and then going to the first.’ 9When those hired about five o’clock came, each of them received
the usual daily wage. 10Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more;
but each of them also received the usual daily wage. 11And when they received
it, they grumbled against the landowner, 12saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them
equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ 13But he replied to one
of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the
usual daily wage? 14Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last
the same as I give to you. 15Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or
are you envious because I am generous?’ 16So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”
———
First Reading Exodus 16:2-15
2The whole congregation of the Israelites complained against
Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. 3The Israelites said to them,
“If only we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat
by the fleshpots and ate our fill of bread; for you have brought us out into
this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”
4Then the Lord said to Moses,
“I am going to rain bread from heaven for you, and each day the people shall go
out and gather enough for that day. In that way I will test them, whether they
will follow my instruction or not. 5On the sixth day, when they
prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather on other
days.“ 6So Moses and Aaron said to
all the Israelites, “In the evening you shall know that it was the Lord who
brought you out of the land of Egypt, 7and in the morning you shall
see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your complaining against the
Lord. For what are we, that you complain against us?” 8And Moses said, “When the Lord gives you meat to eat in the
evening and your fill of bread in the morning, because the Lord has heard the
complaining that you utter against him — what are we? Your complaining is not
against us but against the Lord.”
9Then Moses said to Aaron,
“Say to the whole congregation of the Israelites, ‘Draw near to the Lord, for
he has heard your complaining.’” 10And as Aaron spoke to the
whole congregation of the Israelites, they looked toward the wilderness, and
the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud. 11The Lord spoke to Moses and said, 12“I have heard the complaining of the Israelites; say to them,
‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall have your fill of
bread; then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.’”
13In the evening quails came up
and covered the camp; and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the
camp. 14When the layer of dew lifted,
there on the surface of the wilderness was a fine flaky substance, as fine as
frost on the ground. 15When the Israelites saw it,
they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was.
Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat.”
Psalm 105:1-6, 37-45
1 O give
thanks to the LORD, call on his name,
make known his
deeds among the peoples.
2 Sing to him, sing praises to him;
tell of all his
wonderful works.
3 Glory in his holy name;
let the hearts of
those who seek the LORD rejoice.
4 Seek the LORD and his strength;
seek his presence
continually.
5 Remember the wonderful works he has done,
his miracles, and
the judgments he has uttered,
6 O offspring of his servant Abraham,
children of Jacob,
his chosen ones.
37 Then he brought
Israel out with silver and gold,
and there was no
one among their tribes who stumbled.
38 Egypt was glad when they departed,
for dread of them
had fallen upon it.
39 He spread a cloud for a covering,
and fire to give
light by night.
40 They asked, and he brought quails,
and gave them food
from heaven in abundance.
41 He opened the rock, and water gushed out;
it flowed through
the desert like a river.
42 For he remembered his holy promise,
and Abraham, his
servant.
43 So he brought his
people out with joy,
his chosen ones
with singing.
44 He gave them the lands of the nations,
and they took
possession of the wealth of the peoples,
45 that they might keep his statutes
and observe his
laws.
Praise the LORD!
Second Reading Philippians 1:21-30
21For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain. 22If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me;
and I do not know which I prefer. 23I am hard pressed between the
two: my desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better; 24but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you. 25Since I am convinced of this, I know that I will remain and
continue with all of you for your progress and joy in faith, 26so that I may share abundantly in your boasting in Christ Jesus
when I come to you again.
27Only, live your life in a
manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that, whether I come and see you or
am absent and hear about you, I will know that you are standing firm in one
spirit, striving side by side with one mind for the faith of the gospel, 28and are in no way intimidated by your opponents. For them this
is evidence of their destruction, but of your salvation. And this is God’s
doing. 29For he has graciously granted
you the privilege not only of believing in Christ, but of suffering for him as
well — 30since you are having the same
struggle that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.
Gospel Matthew 20:1-16
1“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out
early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2After agreeing with the laborers for the usual daily wage, he
sent them into his vineyard. 3When he went out about nine
o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace; 4and he said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and I will
pay you whatever is right.’ So they went. 5When he went out again about
noon and about three o’clock, he did the same. 6And about five o’clock he went out and found others standing
around; and he said to them, ‘Why are you standing here idle all day?’ 7They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to
them, ‘You also go into the vineyard.’ 8When evening came, the owner
of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the laborers and give them their
pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.’ 9When those hired about five o’clock came, each of them received
the usual daily wage. 10Now when the first came, they
thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily
wage. 11And when they received it,
they grumbled against the landowner, 12saying, ‘These last worked
only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of
the day and the scorching heat.’ 13But he replied to one of
them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual
daily wage? 14Take what belongs to you and
go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. 15Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or
are you envious because I am generous?’ 16So the last will be first,
and the first will be last.”
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