Inside-Out Religion – Acts 2:1-21 (Year A, Pentecost Sunday)

2026-05-19T14:13:36-04:00May 19th, 2026|Lectionary Sermon Starters|

Fred Craddock once told the story of driving through Anderson County, Tennessee, searching for a little church he'd served decades ago as a student pastor. It had been a difficult congregation. When he proposed they reach out to newcomers moving into the area — folks living in trailers near the expanding Oak Ridge National Lab — the deacons weren't exactly enthusiastic. "They wouldn't fit in here," came the response. Which raises the question: fit in where, exactly? Heaven has a pretty loose dress code. A congregational vote followed. One long-time member moved that membership require ownership of property [READ MORE]