Far too often, when faced with the enormous challenges of life and faith, we approach our Sunday through Saturday through a theology of scarcity. Rather than asking ourselves what we do have and what we have been blessed with, we ruminate and lament what we don’t have.

We ask, “What do I/we need?” I think the more provocative question to ask is: What is here?

As a kid of the 80’s (yes, the best decade!), I loved watching the TV show MacGyver, portrayed by the actor Richard Dean Anderson. MacGyver could get out of almost anything. Give him a thread of dental floss, a pebble, and a penny, and I bet you he could defuse a bomb and escape from a sealed room. His approach to life was, “So, what do I have and what can I do with this?”

Having been a local church pastor for two decades and now blessed with a fabulous call of supporting congregations, worshipping communities, fellowships, and teaching/ruling elders in Silicon Valley and the surrounding regions of our slice of northern California, I get to see God work with a little for the wonder-work that is God’s expertise. Most of our churches, as with my first call, as with most of the churches in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) are relatively small, i.e. less than 150 members on the roll, and less than a 100 weekly worship attendance.

Yet, there is a vibrancy of faith, a resilience in service, and a contagious love for God and for the world around us. I think of the apostle Paul’s exhortation and benediction to the church at Ephesus: “Now to God, who by the power that is at work within us, is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen” (Eph 3:20-21)

So when the question of “What do I/What do we need?” pops up in our circles, it’s less about longing for yesteryear when the church had power, privilege, and financial resources. Instead, that question comes up so that we can assess opportunities for community partnerships and potential collaborators for the work of justice in our neighborhoods. It is a reminder that who we are as communities of faith are meant to be about ministry in partnership with and in collaboration with others – yes, with other members of the household of faith, but even more so, with our common humanity, our neighbors, strangers, who, unbeknownst to us, are angels in our midst (Hebrews 13:2).

Perhaps, then, the more provocative and far interesting question to ask ourselves and one another, in addition to “What is here?” is the question “Who is here?” Because when we discern who is here, we may be surprised who those gifts from God are, those persons in front of us whom we didn’t notice. Those folks may very well be the embodiments of Jesus Christ, at the right time and in the right place.

For the Gospel texts (Luke 10 and part of Luke 11) we will preview for July 2025 in Year C, we will behold the presence of Jesus and how he mediates his love to his friends, neighbors, and strangers alike, speaking to our hearts and theirs.

He encounters them. He encounters us.

Read the preview for each Sunday below:

“Who are You, Really?”
July 6, 2025 – Fourth Sunday After Pentecost
Luke 10:1-11, 16-20

“Who is God to You?”
July 13, 2025 – Fifth Sunday After Pentecost
Luke 10:25-37

“Who Cares?”
July 20, 2025 – Sixth Sunday After Pentecost
Luke 10:38-42

“How Do We Breathe?”
July 27, 2025 – Seventh Sunday After Pentecost
Luke 11:1-13