In the gospel reading for this Sunday, John 15:1-8, we are reminded that vines sometimes need to be pruned, as do many plants in our gardens. For some, deadheading after flowers bloom helps the plants continue to bloom. In other cases, the plant needs to be pruned so it can continue to grow and even spread.
Likewise, we may need pruning. We may be holding on to outdated beliefs or beliefs that create obstacles in our spiritual lives. Our places of worship may need to consider these things as well. What do we need to keep and what needs to go? What pruning does the plant we call (whatever the name of your worshipping community), or the Christian church as whole, need in order to sustain itself and grow?