Queerying Easter 2C

Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Acts reading.

Gospel: Acts 5:27-32
²⁷When the captain and police had brought the Sent Ones, they had them stand before the council. The high priest questioned them, ²⁸saying, “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and you are determined to bring this person’s blood on us.”

²⁹But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than any human authority. ³⁰The God of our ancestors raised up Jesus, whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. ³¹God exalted Them at Xyr right hand as Lover and Savior that They might give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. ³²And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Xem.”

Queeries for the text:
Why were the captain and police bringing the Sent Ones?
How do Christians bring Jesus' blood on Jewish people?
What is of God?
What happens when someone is hung on a tree?
Who actually hung Jesus on a tree?
How are religious and community leaders complicit in oppression?
Who needs repentance and forgiveness?
What is the Holy Spirit up to?

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J. Pace Warfield- May queeries the reading from Revelation.

Revelation 1:4-8
⁴John to the seven churches that are in Asia:

Grace to you and peace from Them who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before Their throne, ⁵and from Jesus the Anointed, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the Sovereign of the monarchs and leaders of the earth. To Them who loves us and freed us from our harm and harm to others by Their blood, ⁶and made us to be a kin-dom, priests serving Their God/ess and Parent, to Them be glory and authority forever and ever. Amen.

⁷Look! They are coming with the clouds; every eye will see Them, even those who pierced Them; and on Their account all the peoples of the earth will wail. So it is to be. Amen. ⁸"I am the A (the Alpha, the First) and the Z (the Omega, the last)," says the God/ess, who is and who was and who is to come, the Supreme.

Queeries for the text:
Who is this message addressed to?
What does it mean to be firstborn of the dead?
What or who is Jesus witness to?
What does it mean to be a member of Jesus' kin-dom and a priest serving God/ess?
Why will the peoples of the earth wail?

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Find previous queeries for the John text.

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What are your queeries?

Queerying 3rd after Epiphany A

River Needham, M.A., queeries the Tanakh reading.

Tanakh: Isaiah 9:1-4

The people that walked in darkness have seen a brilliant light; on those who dwelt in a land of gloom light has dawned.
You have magnified that nation, have given it great joy; they have rejoiced before you as they rejoice at reaping time, as they exult when dividing spoil.
For the yoke that they bore and the stick on their back— the rod of their taskmaster— you have broken as on the day of Midian. Truly, all the boots put on to stamp with and all the garments donned in infamy have been fed to the flames, devoured by fire.

Queeries for the text:
How is this text different if the first verse reads, "The people who walked in light have seen a calming darkness; on those who dwelt in a land of brightness, dusk and fallen?"
Does light exist without darkness?
How do you magnify a nation?
Who rejoices at reaping time?
When did the rod of their taskmasters get broken?
What garments were donned in infamy?
Why are the garments devoured by fire?

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Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Gospel reading.


Gospel: Matthew 4:12-23

¹²Now when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. ¹³He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, ¹⁴so that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: ¹⁵“Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali, on the road by the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles— ¹⁶the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned.” ¹⁷From that time Jesus began to proclaim, “Repent, for the reign of heaven has come near.”

¹⁸As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen. ¹⁹And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.” ²⁰Immediately they left their nets and followed him. ²¹As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. ²²Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him.
²³Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness among the people.

Queeries for the text:
Why was John arrested?
Why would Jesus withdraw?
Where have I heard "Repent, for the reign of heaven has come near"?
How much does Jesus like the oppor-tuna-ty to cast out puns?
Why would anyone leave home and family?
How do you cure the sickness of white supremacy?
How do you cure the sickness of capitalism?

What are your queeries?

Queerying 3rd after Pentecost C

Periodic queerier, River Needham, queeries the Tanakh reading.

Tanakh: 2 Kings 2:1-2, 3-5, 6-14

When the Becoming One was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind,
Elijah and Elisha had set out from Gilgal.
Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here, for the Becoming One has sent me on to Bethel.”
“As the Becoming One lives and as you live,” said Elisha, “I will not leave you.”
So they went down to Bethel. 

Disciples of the prophets at Bethel came out to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that the Becoming One will take your master away from you today?” 
Elisha replied, “I know it, too; be silent.” 
Then Elijah said to him, “Elisha, stay here, for the Becoming One has sent me on to Jericho.” 
“As the Becoming One lives and as you live,” said Elisha, “I will not leave you.” 
So they went on to Jericho. The disciples of the prophets who were at Jericho came over to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that the Becoming One will take your master away from you today?” 
He replied, “I know it, too; be silent.” 

Elijah said to him, “Stay here, for the Becoming One has sent me on to the Jordan.”
“As the Becoming One lives and as you live, I will not leave you,” he said, and the two of them went on.
Fifty men of the disciples of the prophets followed and stood by at a distance from them as the two of them stopped at the Jordan. Thereupon Elijah took his mantle and, rolling it up, he struck the water; it divided to the right and left, so that the two of them crossed over on dry land. As they were crossing, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?”
Elisha answered, “Let a double portion of your spirit pass on to me.”
“You have asked a difficult thing,” he said. “If you see me as I am being taken from you, this will be granted to you; if not, it will not.”
As they kept on walking and talking, a fiery chariot with fiery horses suddenly appeared and separated one from the other; and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. Elisha saw it, and he cried out, “Oh, father, father! Israel’s chariots and horsemen!” When he could no longer see him, he grasped his garments and rent them in two. He picked up Elijah’s mantle, which had dropped from him; and he went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. Taking the mantle which had dropped from Elijah, he struck the water and said, “Where is the Becoming One, the God of Elijah?” As he too struck the water, it parted to the right and to the left, and Elisha crossed over.

Queeries for the text:
Which other stories is this reminiscent of?
Does God play hide and seek?
Why is the trip from Bethel to Jericho omitted from the pericope?
How does God speak in this passage? What does God look like?
What is a mantle?
Is God's existence dependent on each person? How is Elisha's experience of God different from Elijah's? What are the theological implications?
Who could the false prophets be today?
Where else do prophets strike water?

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Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Gospel reading.

Luke 9:51-62
⁵¹When the days drew near for Jesus to be taken up,

he set his face to go to Jerusalem.
⁵²And he sent messengers ahead of him.

On their way they entered a village of the Samaritans

to make ready for Jesus;

⁵³but they did not receive him,

because his face was set toward Jerusalem.

⁵⁴When the disciples James and John saw it,

they said, “Master, do you want us to command fire

to come down from heaven and consume them?”

⁵⁵But Jesus turned and rebuked them.

⁵⁶Then they went on to another village.

⁵⁷As they were going along the road,

someone said to Jesus,

“I will follow you wherever you go.”

⁵⁸And Jesus said to them,

“Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests;

but the Human One has nowhere to lay their head.”

⁵⁹To another Jesus said,

“Follow me.”

But they said,

“Master, first let me go and bury my father.”

⁶⁰But Jesus said to them,

“Let the dead bury their own dead;

but as for you,

go and proclaim the reign of God.”

⁶¹Another said,

“I will follow you, Master;

but let me first say farewell to those at my home.”

⁶²Jesus said to them,

“No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back

is fit for the reign of God.”

Queeries for the text:
How do you set your face?
Which messengers did Jesus send?
Why do James and John want to command terrible weather?
Why are we so inclined towards increased vengeance?
Did the "someone" know what they were proposing?
What is it like for Jesus to be without home
How does Jesus feel about family?
What happens when you look back while plowing?  What if you want to plow in a curve?

What are your queeries?

Transfiguration year C

Periodic queerier, River Needham, queeries the Tanakh reading.

Tanakh: Exodus 34:29-35
So Moses came down from Mount Sinai.
Then, as Moses came down from the mountain bearing the two tablets of the pact,

Moses was not aware that the skin of his face was radiant, since he had

spoken with Her.

Aaron and all the Israelites saw that the skin of Moses’ face was radiant; and they

shrank from coming near him.

But Moses called to them, and Aaron and all the chieftains in the assembly returned

to him, and Moses spoke to them.

Afterward all the Israelites came near, and he instructed them concerning

all that the Becoming One had imparted to him on Mount Sinai.

And when Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face.
Whenever Moses went in before the Becoming One to speak with Her, he would leave the veil off until he came out;

and when he came out and told the Israelites what he had been commanded,

the Israelites would see how radiant the skin of Moses’ face was.

Moses would then put the veil back over his face until he went in to speak with Her.

Queeries for the text:
Where is Mount Sinai? Do other traditions of this story exist?
Which pact was on the two tablets?
How does radiance look on different types of skin?
Where else do the leaders of the congregation show up in Torah?
Why did the Israelites fear Moses? What made his radiance atypical?
Where else do veils show up in Torah? How are veils gendered? What about veils or wigs today?
How many times did Moses see Her? Was this a regular occurrence? What about people who hear directly from God today?

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Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Gospel reading.

Gospel: Luke 9:28-36 [37-43]
²⁸Now about eight days after these sayings

Jesus took with him Peter and John and James,

and went up on the mountain to pray.

²⁹And while Jesus was praying,

the appearance of his face changed,

and his clothes became dazzling white.

³⁰Suddenly they saw two men,

Moses and Elijah,

talking to Jesus.

³¹They appeared in glory
and were speaking of his departure,

which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.

³²Now Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep;

but since they had stayed awake,

they saw his glory
and the two men who stood with him.

³³Just as the men were leaving him,

Peter said to Jesus,

“Master, it is good for us to be here;

let us make three dwellings,

one for you,
one for Moses,
and one for Elijah”

—not knowing what he said.

³⁴While he was saying this,

a cloud came and overshadowed them;

and they were terrified as they entered the cloud.

³⁵Then from the cloud came a voice that said,

“This is my Child,

my Chosen;

listen to him!”

³⁶When the voice had spoken,

Jesus was found alone.

And they kept silent

and in those days told no one any of the things they had seen.

³⁷On the next day,

when they had come down from the mountain,

a great crowd met Jesus.

³⁸Just then a man from the crowd shouted,

“Teacher, I beg you to look at my son;

he is my only child.

³⁹Suddenly a spirit seizes him,

and all at once he shrieks.

It convulses him until he foams at the mouth;

it mauls him
and will scarcely leave him.

⁴⁰I begged your disciples to cast it out,

but they could not.”

⁴¹Jesus answered,

“You faithless and perverse generation,

how much longer must I be with you and bear with you?

Bring your son here.”

⁴²While he was coming,

the demon dashed him to the ground in convulsions.

But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit,

healed the boy,

and gave him back to his father.

⁴³And all were astounded at the greatness of God.

While everyone was amazed at all that he was doing,

Jesus said to his disciples,

Queeries for the text:
Eight days after which sayings?
What does glory look like?  How does transfiguration appear?
Where have we heard that claim before?
How could Peter not know what he was saying?
Where are other places that God shows up in clouds?
What does God's voice sound like?
Why can't the disciples cast out the demon?
Who is the faithless and perverse generation?
What did Jesus say?

What are your queeries?

Queerying Epiphany

Periodic queerier, River Needham, queeries today's reading from the Tanakh.

Tanakh - Isaiah 60:1-6

Arise, shine, for your light has dawned;

The Presence of the Becoming One has shone upon you!

Behold! Darkness shall cover the earth, And thick clouds the peoples;

But upon you the Becoming One will shine, and
Their presence be seen over you.

And nations shall walk by your light, Kings, by your shining radiance.

Raise your eyes and look about: the nations have all gathered and come to you.

Some of your children shall be brought from afar,

Other children like babes on shoulders.

As you behold, you will glow; your heart will throb and thrill— for the wealth of the sea shall pass on to you, the riches of nations shall flow to you.
Dust clouds of camels shall cover you, dromedaries of Midian and Ephah.
They all shall come from Sheba; They shall bear gold and frankincense, and shall herald the glories of the Becoming One.

Queeries for the text:
What light has dawned?
What is the Presence of the Becoming One?
What is darkness?
Where else does The Becoming One shine?
What is this Shining Radiance?
Can you be brought from afar on shoulders? What does this imply about those traveling?
Where else do hearts throb and thrill?

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Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries today's gospel reading.

Gospel - Matthew 2:1-12
In the time of King Herod,

after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea,

magi from the East came to Jerusalem,

²asking, “Where is the child who has been born ruler of the Jews?

For we observed their star at its rising,

and have come to pay them homage.”

³When King Herod heard this,

he was frightened,

and all Jerusalem with him;

⁴and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people,

he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born.

⁵They told him,

“In Bethlehem of Judea;

for so it has been written by the prophet:

⁶‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,

are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;

for from you shall come a ruler

who is to shepherd my people Israel.’”

⁷Then Herod secretly called for the magi

and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared.

⁸Then he sent them to Bethlehem,

saying, “Go and search diligently for the child;

and when you have found him,

bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.”

⁹When they had heard the king,

the magi set out;

and there, ahead of them,

went the star that they had seen at its rising,

until it stopped over the place where the child was.

¹⁰When they saw that the star had stopped,

the magi were overwhelmed with joy.

¹¹On entering the house,

they saw the child with Mary his mother;

and they knelt down and paid him homage.

Then, opening their treasure chests,

they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

¹²And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod,

they left for their own country by another road.

Queeries for the text:
What are magi and which one is Jesus' star?
Why was all Jerusalem frightened with King Herod?
Why didn't Herod know where the Messiah was to be born?  Which prophet wrote that?
Why did Herod call the magi back secretly?
Why does Herod assume the baby will be a boy?
What does it feel like to be overwhelmed with joy?
When did the Holy Family get a house?
How many magi were there?  How did they make it across so many lands?  Why gold, frankincense, and myrrh?
What warnings are dreams bringing today?
How can we take another road?

What are your queeries?

Queerying Advent 1 Year C - Luke

Luke 21:25-36
²⁵“There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars,

and on the earth distress among nations

confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves.

²⁶People will faint

from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world,

for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

²⁷Then they will see ‘the Human One coming in a cloud’

with power and great glory.

²⁸Now when these things begin to take place,

stand up and raise your heads,

because your redemption is drawing near.”

²⁹Then Jesus told them a parable:

“Look at the fig tree and all the trees;

³⁰as soon as they sprout leaves

you can see for yourselves and know that summer is already near.

³¹So also, when you see these things taking place,

you know that the reign of God is near.

³²Truly I tell you,

this generation will not pass away until all things have taken place.

³³Heaven and earth will pass away,

but my words will not pass away.

³⁴“Be on guard

so that your hearts are not weighed down

with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life,

and that day catch you unexpectedly,

³⁵like a trap.

For it will come upon all who live

on the face of the whole earth.

³⁶Be alert at all times,

praying that you may have the strength

to escape all these things that will take place,

and to stand before the Human One.”

Queeries for the text:
What sort of signs will be in the sun and the moon and the stars?
Why are end times thought to be bad when the imagery is so positive?
What is distressing the nations today?
What is confusing us today?
What if we can't stand up or raise our heads?  How is ableism affecting this text?
What sort of time is Jesus talking about if the generation that "will not pass away" has passed away?
What sort of strength will we need?  What can we PrEPare for?
Where is Hope?

What are your queeries?



If you want to check out the sermon that came in part from this queery, you can find it here!

Queerying Advent 1 Year C - Jeremiah

This text was queeried by periodic queerier, River Needham

Tanakh - Jeremiah 33:14-16
See, days are coming—declares the Becoming One—when I will fulfill the promise that I made concerning the House of Israel and the House of Judah. In those days and at that time, I will raise up a true branch of David’s line, who shall do what is just and right in the land. In those days Judah shall be delivered and Israel shall dwell secure. And this is what she shall be called: “The Becoming One is our Vindicator.”

Queeries for the text:
What is the context of this passage?
Where is the house of Israel/house of Judah?
What are we waiting for in this passage?
How do these promises come to be?
What does this text refer to in its original context?
What about modern day controversies?
What kind of tree is David's branch from?
What looks just and right in the land?
What is the Becoming One vindicating? What does it look or feel like?

What are your queeries?



If you want to check out the sermon that came in part from this queery, you can find it here!

21st after pentecost year b - mark

This was queeried by me with collaboration from River Needham.

Mark 10:17-31
¹⁷As Jesus was setting out on a journey,

a man ran up and knelt before him,

and asked him,

“Good Teacher,

what must I do to inherit everlasting life?”

¹⁸Jesus said to him,

“Why do you call me good?

No one is good but God alone.

¹⁹You know the commandments:

‘You shall not murder;

You shall not commit adultery;

You shall not steal;

You shall not bear false witness;

You shall not defraud;

Honor your parents and caregivers.’”

²⁰He said to Jesus,

“Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth.”

²¹Jesus,

looking at him,

loved him and said,

“You lack one thing;

go,

sell what you own,

and give the money to the poor,

and you will have treasure in heaven;

then come,

follow me.”

²²When the man heard this,

he was shocked

and went away grieving,

for he had many possessions.

²³Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples,

“How hard it will be for those who have wealth

to enter the reign of God!”

²⁴And the disciples were perplexed at these words.

But Jesus said to them again,

“Children,

how hard it is to enter the reign of God!

²⁵It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle

than for someone who is rich to enter the reign of God.”

²⁶They were greatly astounded and said to one another,

“Then who can be saved?”

²⁷Jesus looked at them and said,

“For mortals it is impossible,

but not for God;

for God all things are possible.”

²⁸Peter began to say to Jesus,

“Look,

we have left everything

and followed you.”

²⁹Jesus said,

“Truly I tell you,

there is no one

who has left house or siblings or parents or children or fields,

for my sake

and for the sake of the good news,

³⁰who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age—

houses, siblings, caregivers and children,

and fields with persecutions—

and in the age to come eternal life.

³¹But many who are first will be last,

and the last will be first.”

Queeries for the text:
Why does Jesus question his own goodness?
What does it mean for Jesus to love the man?
What does the young rich man lack?
What was the man grieving? What did he decide to do?
What does it mean for Jesus to call the disciples children?
Was Jesus really talking about a dromedary and sewing?
Who has left house, family, and fields today?
Which fields come with persecutions?
Who is last?  Who is first?  Why are they trading places?

What are your queeries?



I preached on this text this past weekend, so if you'd like to see a bit of the sermon that came from this queerying, check it out!

epiphany year b - matthew

Matthew 2:1-12

In the time of King Herod,

     after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea,

          wise ones from the East came to Jerusalem, ²asking,

               “Where is the child 

                    who has been born king of the Jews?

                    For we observed his star at its rising,

                         and have come to pay him homage.” 

³When King Herod heard this,

     he was frightened,

     and all Jerusalem with him; 

     ⁴and calling together 

          all the chief priests 

          and scribes of the people,

          he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. 

     ⁵They told him,

          “In Bethlehem of Judea;

               for so it has been written by the prophet: 

                    ⁶‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,

                    are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;

                         for from you shall come a ruler 

                              who is to shepherd my people Israel.’” 

     ⁷Then Herod secretly called for the wise ones

          and learned from them the exact time 

               when the star had appeared. 

          ⁸Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying,

               “Go and search diligently for the child;

                    and when you have found him,

                         bring me word 

                              so that I may also go 

                              and pay him homage.”

⁹When they had heard the king,

     they set out;

     and there, ahead of them,

          went the star that they had seen at its rising,

               until it stopped over the place where the child was. 

          ¹⁰When they saw that the star had stopped,

               they were overwhelmed with joy. 

          ¹¹On entering the house,

               they saw the child with Mary his mother;

               and they knelt down and paid him homage.

               Then, opening their treasure chests,

                    they offered him gifts 

                         of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 

        ¹²And having been warned in a dream 

               not to return to Herod,

                    they left for their own country by another road.

Queeries for the text

How many magi were there?

Were the wise ones really magicians?  Witches and wizards?  Did their descendants know Harry Potter?

How long does it take to travel from the Far East to Bethlehem?

If Herod hadn't noticed, were Mary and Joseph planning on raising Jesus in Bethlehem?

Does that mean they found a home to live in during Jesus' first couple years of life?

Why do powerful men feel so threatened by those who are most vulnerable?

What do you do with awkward gifts?

Did Mary keep the frankincense and myrrh as they fled to Egypt as undocumented refugees?

What are your queeries?