2/17/2022
Blessing and Benediction from Rev. Greg Allen-Pickett
by Rev. Greg Allen-Pickett
God who meets us where we are:
Sometimes we are people who are afflicted in need of comforting.
Sometimes we are people who are comfortable in need of afflicting.
Wherever we find ourselves this week, may your holy presence and your holy words provide us what we need.
We hear Jesus’ voice telling us, “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you.” May we live out these challenging words in our daily lives.
We hear Jesus’ voice saying, “Do to others as you would have them do to you.” May these words inspire us to treat others, and ourselves, with compassion, tenderness, and love.
We hear Jesus’ voice proclaiming, “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” May we embrace this call to grace, as we accept the grace that we have been given by God. Amen.
Rev. Greg Allen-Pickett is Pastor and Head of Staff of First Presbyterian Church in Hastings, Nebraska.
Rev. Greg Allen-Pickett
Rev. Greg Allen-Pickett is a pastor and author. Starting in August 2026, he will begin serving as senior pastor of Lake Grove Presbyterian Church in Lake Oswego, Oregon. In addition to writing for The Presbyterian Outlook, he recently published the book Purple Church, Red State: Finding Common Ground in an Age of Polarization, which explores how faith communities can resist division. In July 2026, he will conclude his service as senior pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Hastings, Nebraska. Greg’s diverse ministry background spans leadership roles in small, medium, and large churches, as well as serving as the general manager of Presbyterian World Mission at the PC(USA) denominational offices in Louisville. A native of Flagstaff, Arizona, Greg holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Pacific Lutheran University and a Master of Divinity from Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary.
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