Looking into the lectionary - Is risk part of a pastor’s job description?

Romans 5:1-11 Third Sunday in Lent March 8, 2026 In the iconic comic strip “Calvin and Hobbes,” Calvin is handed a snow shovel and shunted out the door with the observation that he is building character. In response, Calvin quips, “Pretty convenient the way every time I build character, Dad saves a few bucks.”  If it seems old-fashioned to think about building character, perhaps it is because the institutions most known for character-building in society, namely the church and the academy, have fallen silent on the subject. In When Jesus Came to Harvard, Harvey Cox, a Harvard professor, remembers how the college noted that a disproportionate number of its alumni were being featured in the papers for financial scandal. To be sure, Harvard is a fine school. Its alumni tend to be successful. Yet success apparently was affording its graduates greater opportunities for moral failure. Acutely aware that their alumni were being indicted at a rapid clip, the faculty began to question the adequacy of their undergraduate curriculum: were they simply failing to teach such things as ethics and character. And if so, what should be done about it?  According to Cox, the institution’s answer, in part, was to throw Jesus at the problem. He began teaching a moral reasoning course that focused on the person of Jesus Christ. To his utter astonishment, the class became a runaway success. Cox writes of the experience, “These students, like increasing numbers of people in the modern world, sense – however vaguely – that there was something fundamentally inadequate about moral relativism. They were sickened by the devastation some technologies have wreaked on nature. They winced at the posturing of politicians and the deceptions of the media. They recognized that advertising is saturated with calculated sham… but when it came to sorting through real ethical choices in conversation with other people, they seemed awkward and stifled.” I wonder if the members of our congregations feel similarly ill-equipped to understand the ethical choices they face in their day-to-day lives.  ... Thank you to this week's writer, Baron Mullis. Read the rest of the commentary at pres-outlook.org. Want the worship resources for March 1, 2026? You can find them here. Order of worship — March 8, 2026 by Baron Mullis How one Houston church turned a childcare crisis into a calling by Lydia Griffiths Why Christian clergy see risk as part of their moral calling by Laura E. Alexander 8 days, 7 bikers. 500 miles. Awesome church people. Lots of Presbyterians. by Charlie Berthoud The gift of finding our finitude in a digital world by Michael W. DeLashmutt Faith leaders form rapid response network for migrants facing ICE detention in Dallas by Harriet Riley Did you miss our conversation with members of the PC(USA) Special Committee to Write a New Confession? Want to watch it again? You can view the recording here. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT... Lessons from a penguin and his caregiver Rubén Arjona writes on how empathy allows us to imagine the other person’s feelings, thoughts and experiences. Marce Catlett: The Force of a Story In "Marce Catlett," Wendell Berry shows how stories of land, labor, and loss shape generations and our sense of belonging. Chris Taylor offers a review. Horizons – The Woman Bent Over, Luke 13:10-17 Rosalind Banbury's seventh reflection on the 2025-2026 Presbyterian Women/Horizons Bible Study. Our faith calls us to share in letting empathy loose Alfred Walker shares how a 1989 letter from a man who was imprisoned opened a path for ministry. What we lose when confessions are treated as optional Keanu Heydari pens a response to Charles Wiley’s “Why the PC(USA)’s Book of Confessions is too long — and how to fix it.” ‘I am somebody!’: Jesse Jackson, civil rights leader who ran for presidency, dies at 84 'I don't think Jesse Jackson saw his political life as something different from his call from God as a preacher', said the Rev. Valerie Bridgeman. — Adelle M. Banks “Train Dreams” and learning to live with wonder "Train Dreams" asks how we endure loss, accept mystery and remain attentive to beauty, writes Brendan McLean. A daily Lenten devotional Explore how to live faithfully amid division and uncertainty through Matthew’s Gospel.

RNS Morning Report - Minnesota faith groups sue DHS over access to immigrant detainees

On Ash Wednesday (Feb. 18), clergy brought ashes and said Mass for detainees at ICE facilities from New Jersey to California. But in Minneapolis, faith leaders have sued to get inside the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building, where immigrants have been held. Their suit, like another filed in Illinois claims the lack of access violates the clergy members' religious freedom. "Pastoral care is the heart and soul of what our Pastors and Deacons are called to provide," said Bishop Jen Nagel, a local Lutheran leader. Top Stories Minnesota faith groups sue DHS over access to immigrant detainees (RNS) — It's at least the second lawsuit challenging the federal government's policy of barring faith leaders from accessing some DHS facilities. From Diwali parties to daily puja: Hindu campus houses push for deeper faith practice (RNS) — The Vivekananda House, a Hindu student center across eight U.S. college campuses, is contributing, says students, to 'a major push in how Hindus are represented on campus.' Prayer app Hallow faces backlash over Lenten partnership with Tucker Carlson (RNS) — Some Christian users said they planned to stop using Hallow because of its partnership with Carlson, while others praised the collaboration. Multiple users called for boycotts of the app and other sponsors. The bones of St. Francis are going on public display, a mixed blessing for Assisi ASSISI, Italy (AP) — Already, nearly 400,000 people have registered to pray before the relics and Stoppini estimates the number could well reach a half-million before the bones go back into their tomb March 22. Opinion Before we stand on empathy, let’s decide what we mean by it (RNS) — Most Americans believe empathy is foundational to a healthy society. But are we willing to do the hard work empathy requires? Notre Dame professor’s appointment pits academic freedom against bishops’ authority (RNS) — Who ultimately defines the boundaries of acceptable academic discourse within a Catholic institution? ICYMI Cardinal Dolan says Vance apologized for claiming bishops were pro-immigrant for the money (RNS) — Despite Dolan’s condemnation of Vance’s comments, he said in the EWTN interview that Vance is 'a very good guy. I enjoy him a lot.' Hegseth frames Trump policies as ‘biblical’ in address to Christian broadcasters NASHVILLE, Tenn. (RNS) — During an address at the National Religious Broadcasters convention, the defense secretary told attendees that President Donald Trump is fighting for their faith and returning America to its Christian foundations. Support Our Work As a nonprofit newsroom that covers all faiths, RNS sits uniquely at the intersection of freedom of the press and freedom of religion. News tips or feedback? Email comments@religionnews.com. Like the Morning Report? Share it with a friend. Forwarded this newsletter? Subscribe here. We rely on reader donations to power our reporting. Donate here. Or send a check to: Religion News Foundation PO Box 1808 Columbia, MO 65205

Copyright © 2026 RNS, All rights reserved.

WCC NEWS: WCC receives Palestinian foreign affairs ministers

On 24 February, the World Council of Churches (WCC) received Her Excellency Varsen Aghabekian, minister of foreign affairs of the Palestinian National Authority, and His Excellency Ibrahim Mohammad Khraishi, deputy foreign affairs minister of the Palestinian National Authority, Palestine's ambassador to Switzerland, and permanent observer representing Palestine for the United Nations at Geneva. WCC receives Her Excellency Varsen Aghabekian, minister of foreign affairs of the Palestinian National Authority, and His Excellency Ibrahim Mohammad Khraishi, deputy foreign affairs minister of the Palestinian National Authority, Palestine's ambassador to Switzerland, and permanent observer representing Palestine for the United Nations at Geneva. Photo: Grégoire de Fombelle/WCC 24 February 2026 The WCC delegation receiving them on behalf of WCC general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay included: Rev. Dr Kenneth Mtata, WCC programme director for Life, Justice, and Peace; Doug Chial, director of the WCC Office of the General Secretariat; Marianne Ejdersten, director of communication; and Carla Khijoyan, WCC programme executive for peace building in the Middle East. Aghabekian provided an update on the urgent situation in the Holy Land, particularly the very alarming current situation for Christians. In 25 years, she noted, there will be no Christians left in the Holy Land. She underlined that international law must be respected in the Holy Land, and acknowledged the important role of the WCC and of churches across the world in being a moral voice for just peace. The Palestinian foreign ministers challenged the WCC and churches to speak up even more about the violation of human rights and the Palestinians’ right to their land, healthcare, education, and safety. In his welcoming remarks, Mtata expressed gratitude for the visit. “We gather with a profound sense of urgency and moral responsibility in light of the grave developments in the world today, and particularly in your context,” he said. “While a ceasefire has been announced in Gaza, we continue to receive troubling reports of casualties and ongoing suffering.” Mtata urged that a ceasefire must result in genuine protection, sustained humanitarian access, and the safeguarding of human life and dignity. “We are equally concerned for the Palestinian people in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, where insecurity, restrictions, and deepening despair continue to shape daily life,” he said. “Our engagement is rooted in the conviction that every human being is created in the image of God and is therefore entitled to equal dignity, protection, and rights.” The WCC delegation also offered an update on the WCC’s ongoing engagement with the Holy Land, including the announcement of a new campaign, “From Condemnation to Consequences,” which will run 4-18 March, calling on states to hold Israel accountable for ending the illegal occupation of Palestine. In June, the WCC executive committee will convene in the Holy Land. Holy Land: consolidating efforts for justice and peace (February 2026) WCC general secretary meets Heads of Churches in Jerusalem (February 2026) WCC statement on restrictions on humanitarian groups in Palestine (January 2026) WCC Statement Seeking Hope For a Just Peace in Palestine and Israel (November 2025) Statement on Palestine and Israel: A Call to End Apartheid, Occupation, and Impunity in Palestine and Israel (June 2025) Overview: WCC statements, news, and features on Palestine and Israel (1 Jan. 2023 - 31 December 2025) See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 356 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches Chemin du Pommier 42 Kyoto Building Le Grand-Saconnex CH-1218 Switzerland