Message for worship on 24th day of the fifth month in 2026 by Matthew Ciske Scripture: Psalm 104:24-34, 35b Good Morning Friends, Many denominations mark the Feast of Pentecost today. The Lectionary offers several scripture texts for this year’s services — far too many to read today. A few weeks ago, Dinora Uvalle preached on Acts Chapter 2, a Pentecost account. Pentecost is the closing of Eastertide, the fifty days after Easter. Easter, Eastertide, and Pentecost tell a sing

Message for worship by Matthew Ciske on the fifth day of the fourth month, 2026. Scripture: John 20:1-18 “We go to the tomb with Mary Magdeline, early, while it is still dark. The stone is rolled away. We stoop with Peter to look on at abandoned linen cloth, and we don’t know what you do, O God. Now we stand with Mary weeping outside the grave. It is not an angel but your Son we seek, O God; send him to us. Let us turn and see Jesus standing there. Make him no stranger to our

Message for worship on the 1st day of the third month at West Richmond Friends Meeting given by Matthew Ciske Scripture: Matthew 17:1-9 Friends, good morning, In our Scripture today, we went up to the mountains, where Peter, James, and John witnessed Jesus transfigured – that is, changed into another form. An account of this appears in the three synoptic Gospels and the second letter of Peter. The synoptic Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke share many of the same stories, oft

Sermon for worship on the 1st day of the Second Month, 2026 by Matthew Ciske Scripture: Isaiah 58:6-11 Friends, good morning, I am grateful to be joined this chilly Sunday on the facing bench by members of the Witness and Service Committee. I am mindful that the Gifts and Leadings Committee met last Sunday to discuss your survey responses. When I began preparing this sermon two weeks ago, I had planned to follow the lectionary and talk about what happened in the Temple the d

Message for worship on the 3rd day of the Twelfth Month, 2025 Given by Matthew Ciske Psalm 130:5-8 and Luke 2:8-20 Good morning, Friends, how truly wonderful it is to be with you on this chilly December Sunday. I am Matthew Ciske, a candidate for a half-time position on the West Richmond Friends ministry team. I reside in Richmond's Depot District and am enrolled in the Master of Divinity Program at ESR. I studied philosophy at Ohio University and worked for the federal