The Sixth Sunday after Pentecost - Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30 - The Rev. Colette Hammesfahr
July 5, 2026 - Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30 One of the hardest lessons I've had to learn as a priest is that I cannot manufacture what only God can do. I can prepare sermons. I can visit the sick. I can organize ministries. I can pray. But I cannot make someone believe. I cannot heal a broken heart. I cannot make a church grow spiritually. Those things belong to God. This can be very frustrating. I like to “see” measurable results. I like to know if attendance is growing, if the budget is healthy, or if a ministry is thriving – it’s evidence that we are doing a good job. But over time, I’ve realized that while those things are important, they are not the measure of faithfulness. Some of the most faithful days in ministry don't look successful at all. They're spent sitting beside a hospital bed. Listening to someone whose heart is breaking. Praying with a family. Visiting someone who may never remember that I came. No one applauds those moments. They don't show up on an...