This week’s assigned Gospel reading is complicated. Will you tackle Jesus’ teaching about the sinfulness of divorce, or talk about welcoming children? It’s seems much easier to focus on entering the kingdom of God as a child, but if you read the first half of the Gospel in worship, for the sake of any divorced people in your congregation, it would be complicated to avoid the topic altogether. WorkingPreacher.org has some good commentary this week that might give you some ideas.

Are you using another lesson from the Revised Common Lectionary? Genesis 2 gives the basis for Jesus’ teaching on divorce in Mark, but also gives a totally different context for those words. The Hebrews reading glorifies Jesus, and then has Jesus praising God’s children. Job becomes a pawn in a spitting contest between God and Satan, which could bring up some fascinating conversations around evil, illness, or disaster in our world. Sermons on the Psalms can be difficult, but maybe you’re giving it a stab for Psalm 8 or 26.

Perhaps you’re on Narrative Lectionary and hearing the story of Moses. There has been a big gap in the story since last week’s reading, so you could spend most of the sermon just telling the history of the Hebrew people. Or you could pick up on the theme of holy ground – maybe you are bold enough to lead worship barefoot? Or focus on the powerful women who made the work of Moses possible – his sister and mother, the midwives Shiphrah and Puah, the daughter of Pharaoh.

If you’re in a church that celebrates feast days, maybe you’re doing something with St Francis today. Are you leading a blessing of the animals? If so, good luck!

Whatever your focus, whether you’re just reading the text for the first time or putting the finishing touches on a final draft, welcome to the party! I have been vacationing the past week with a friend who lives in Bavaria, so I will bring some beer and giant pretzels to share, and black forest cake. (If it’s morning in your time zone, don’t worry, I have it on good authority that these are appropriate refreshments for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or any time in between.) Pull up a chair, grab some snacks, and happy writing!

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77 thoughts on “11th Hour Preacher Party: St. Francis Edition”

  1. black forest cake, YUM! the bible readings for this week? not so Yum.
    a warm 32 C afternoon, a bit warm for spring, and daylight savings starts here tonight, so i need to be in bed an hour earlier than usual,

    reading just the first 4 verses of Hebrews, and the Mark reading in worship tomorrow.
    Hebrews – God speaks in many ways, and Jesus is the exact imprint of God.
    Mark – is it lawful? why ask? i will include some socio-cultural background on divorce.
    how do we treat people – children kept away from Jesus, divorce treated women as expendable.

    now to make that into a sermon that leads into communion.

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    1. Sounds like you’ve got a good direction already. Nice connection between the different groups of people and how we treat them. I wonder if you could connect with how we simply dismiss crazy street preachers (like Jesus), and lead into Communion that way? Good luck!

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  2. Pingback: » 11th Hour Preacher Party: St. Francis Edition

  3. We have our Harvest Thanksgiving service tomorrow with the dedication of the Girls’ and Boys’ Brigades so it will be a busy family service and I decided that (unusually for me) I will leave the lectionary readings alone and go with the beginning of Psalm 105. It is a busy (frantic?) service tomorrow with a lot to fit in but it should be fun.
    And not to rub it in but I think all the prep is finished (at 9am!) and apart from meeting the youth leaders to decorate the church I am able to take it easier for the rest of the day. I am enjoying the novelty of that.
    I hope the rest of you find that things fall into place and don’t take all day too.
    I’ll pop back later when I have been grocery shopping and have goodies to share.

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    1. Great job getting done early this week! Sounds like it will be a full and fulfilling worship at your place tomorrow.

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  4. Despite looking at at scripture and writing my prayers, choosing readings and hymns and perparing the order of service earlier in the week [thanks to Cyndi Knox for her Tuesday thread!]; it is now 10.30am on Saturday morning and I have nothing written in the sermon slot. gah.

    I have a newly brewed pot of coffee, a bag of choc-chip brioche and a fruit bowl for anyone wanting a ‘second breakfast’ with me as I wrestle with the notes I made on Tuesday and try to get them into something resembling an sermon. We are using Psalm 8 and Hebrews and looking at what it means to be Brothers and Sisters, all equal around God’s table in a worldwide church [to tie into both Feast of St Francis and World Communion Sunday].

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    1. Brothers and sisters around God’s table – sounds like a great start! Hope everything comes together for you soon.
      Thanks for the breakfast goodies – yum 🙂

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      1. I got there.

        It took an almost direct ‘cut and paste’ from Feasting on the Word [Thank God for those with gifts of exegesis who are able to bless me when I can’t find the words]. Over the space of a couple of hours I was able to take the idea of Hebrews being a sermon and a ‘eucharistic’ sermon at that, re write that wonderful exegesis from FOTW in my own way, and weave that through my addled notes on how we gather around the table to be fed on the Word and by the Word. phew!!

        Has everyone else made it through to morning with a sermon or at least a starter for ten?
        Leaving now for our cafe style breakfast church and will be praying for you all. thanks for the company and the food yesterday xx

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  5. I have a sermon about Jesus calling us brothers and sisters that I pretty much don’t like. I might borrow some of Diane Roth’s latest post about relationships (Diane, are you out there?), since what I was trying to do was encourage them to be brothers and sisters to one another in these last weeks together before we close. I don’t know if the sermon is as bad as I think, or if I am too discouraged by two weeks of blundering and miscommunication between the church and other realms of decision-making to tell.

    We have a congregational conversation over potluck after church, facilitated by the consultant of whom we think so highly, to start to process the loss, and I am hoping that anger won’t get the best of people.

    And the next week we are graciously invited to visit a sister church but, as one member described it, it feels like being widowed and then pushed to go on a date the next week.

    As I write this, I am reminded that my primary task for the next seven weeks is to tend to the grieving, and to let the Presbytery take care of the Presbytery. I see why, after a death, people run around and DO things, rather than sit down to listen and accompany. The former is so much easier than the latter.

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    1. Your attentiveness to the grief of your community is impressive, Robin – I’m sure you’re doing a fine job leading your people through this difficult transition. The image of brothers and sisters at the time of a loss is really great. It makes me think of siblings gathered around a dying parent’s hospital bed, making difficult decisions about what to do next, what the parent’s wishes were, how to move forward and keep relationships with one another when the person who connected them is no longer there. It’s difficult and complicated work, but the brothers and sisters are the only ones who can do it, so here’s hoping they learn to do it well. I think you’re doing a great job of playing chaplain to the siblings at the bedside of their dying parent church. Blessings to you.

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      1. Well, I have re-written the sermon and am much happier about it, thanks to the novel All The Light We Cannot See, which has consumed me for weeks. Also, on my blog this week, I have written about my mother and brother, who were killed in a car accident 55 years ago Monday — also a consuming topic for me. Now, to ponder a prayer about gun violence, so that it stays a prayer and does not somehow transform itself into another sermon.

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        1. Blessings and prayers to you on that difficult anniversary, Robin. You’ve got a lot going on, I hope everything goes smoothly and with the time needed for reflection.

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    1. Way to tackle the difficult passage, Pearl! I especially like your last line, if Jesus is the best picture we have of God, what do we learn about God. Great food for thought before inviting your people to the table for food of life. Sleep well and blessings in the morning!

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  7. Struggling big time. Lots of ideas, but nothing concrete written down. Hoping the kids cooperate so I’m not writing at 2am! Cartoons on TV and hopes that it clears up enough so that hubby can take them to the county fair this afternoon. In the meantime, some tea and blueberry bagels…

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    1. I have so much admiration for you who do this holy work while tending to children as well. Here’s praying for the Holy Spirit to show up for all of us.

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      1. We got through it. Kids did ok, despite another very rainy day and husband helped keep everyone occupied. I’m at the “I would really like to throw it away, but don’t have time to write another one so we’ll just have to go with it” stage I go through every time 🙂 Hopefully it will be what it needs to be tomorrow. For now, sleep!

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    2. You’re living out the command to welcome the children! Here’s hoping your live-in examples are cooperative today. Blessings on your writing!

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  8. Good morning! I am at Panera Bread waiting on my daughter who is taking a SAT Subject test. I am preaching from the Exodus passage on Moses and the burning bush. I am focusing on Holy Ground and Holy Communion. But before the sermon is finished, a homecoming dress must be bought for my daughter! Oh this duplicitous life! Blessings to all.

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  9. Good morning all! For the first time in my preaching career (about 10 years now), I opted out of the RCL. I just can’t preach on divorce and the gender binary and that text about marriage that has been used to beat up us queer folks in my MCC internship congregation. So I chose the text that some folks use for St. Francis: Matthew 6:25-33, the “lilies of the field.”

    There’s a lot to struggle with in this text too, though. Are we telling people that they are doing something wrong if God doesn’t provide? How do I avoid offering simplistic, naive notions about God taking care of everything in a congregation where so many people are struggling materially?

    And I’d really like to weave in something about the real, dirty, crazy radical St. Francis and his love for animals and their love for us. So my job today is to whittle away at this superabundance of ideas until the Holy Spirit inspires something. Since it’s rainy and cold here, it’s a good day to curl up with bibles, paper, pencil, computer, and coffee and get to work. Prayers for all the preachers!

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    1. I love that passage from Matthew, though you’re right, it sometimes can be difficult to apply in real life. Blessings to you in your preparation and filtering through ideas about a radical saint and an earthy savior, both of whom give examples that are compelling but tough to apply to our own lives.

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  10. I have a solid draft of a sermon written, but not sure it really says what I want, and unable to devote the kind of time to it that I need to get at that deeper level. (sigh) My husband is home today, which means lots of distractions for me…(not bad, but he has a way of being very present)…and, we have our first interment of pet ashes in our pet memorial garden and my sister in law is in town for an extended family member’s wedding (not our side of the family, so at least I don’t have to go to that) – but we are meeting her for a late breakfast after the interment, which means driving into downtown Detroit….then my husband wants to do some winter coat shopping….and I want to look for some new yarn to knit a hat and scarf for the new winter coat….in other words, lots of distractions today. Still, I have that draft, tbtg!

    Thanks for hosting canoeistpastor!

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    2. Ooo, pick up some yarn for me too! And maybe some knitting needles… I just had a pair confiscated by airport security. Seriously, don’t they know that the most dangerous thing I’m likely to do with those is knit them a hat?

      Glad to hear that you have a draft, hoping that the thoughts come together in the background of all the other activity of the day, so that when you go back to reread later, it will turn into exactly what you want! Blessings on your busy day.

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  11. Good Morning – I am slow to get going this morning, all sorts of little distracting tasks – plus a few errands that need to happen as well. I will be using the Mark passage – and heading it towards communion – I am inspired by David Lose this week who shifts the emphasis of the text towards healthy communal relationship instead of focusing on individual divorce; and from this divorced preacher’s perspective I appreciate not being beaten up by the text. I have some fresh brewed green tea and blueberry/apple oatmeal to share….

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    1. I’ll take some oatmeal, thanks! I’m glad that you can find a life-giving way to interpret the Mark passage, and I’m guessing that your folks will really appreciate hearing a divorced pastor give her interpretation of this text. Thanks for being bold enough to tackle it! Happy writing.

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  12. Nothing written yet but my thoughts are gelling …..
    I’m focusing on the children aspect in a way that for me is new. What if we all approach the Divine like children; with a million questions one after another, raising our hands and jumping out of our seat to help “pick me-pick me!!”, approach with a lack of guile or prejudice, trusting that holding someone’s hand somehow makes us feel safe, and being willing to share our milk and cookies.
    Using the Mark passage and Robert Fulghum’s essay ‘All I need to know I learned in kindergarten’ as the readings.
    Second prong of message- Jesus was opening his arms to those on the edge of society, children and their caregivers- mostly women; people with no real voice. How do we marginalize and what can we do on this World Communon Sunday to share our milk and cookies with the least of these.

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    1. Wonderful thoughts, thanks for sharing! The eagerness and trusting nature of children, the way we prioritize people and issues we think are important… maybe we miss seeing that kid in the back, jumping up and down with her hand raised, eager to help, but it is her who we are supposed to invite to the table. Great message! Happy writing.

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    2. Oooh, I decided not to have a ‘children’s’ talk this week, but I do love that Fulghum story, so maybe I will just add it back in. Thanks danibeth

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  13. A rainy, dreary, cold morning here…but warmth in the Treehouse, as boys’ grandparents who live about 2 hours away showed up while we were still sleeping and helped me to get the boys up and dressed and then grandpa made pancakes for everyone while I made pitcher of smoothie. They are going to take the boys for haircuts and help with picking up the groceries later today (Can I just say how happy I am to have the extra help–and quiet?) I wrote three Sabbath letters this morning… and listened to Mozart.

    I am doing the Job-among-the-ashes passage and a sermon, God-willing, on integrity and may make a tie-in to the Esther passage that we did last week. It’s hard to think about Job among the ashes when I just came from a dance last night– which was a big deal since it was the first time dancing since surgery in a safe space with the LB community. And the twist– I did the twist! Woot-woot– and did not “pay” for it this morning. At our table, there were 3 widows and a divorcee and lament that there wasn’t a support group for L/B widows in the area… And then we made up some crazy lyrics to “All about that Bass”– except all about that grace– song. Too funny and I laughed so hard and realize that bible phrase about “your mourning will turn to laughter and joy and dancing” — not the exact words but still echoing thru the 3 precious hours of dancing and socializing.

    So– I am not really in the frame of mind to write a sermon on Job sitting in the ashes and his wife telling him to curse God.

    The sermon title is “Hold on”– and that is all I have…and good memories/connections with the dance last night.

    Some of us decided last night that I should don the clergy collar and do a Youtube video of a song “All about that Grace…No troubles!” instead of “all about that bass” We think it might be a hit, if I were brave enough to gather the ladies and actually do this. 🙂 What I learned is that dancing feeds creativity, but I am still stuck with Job among the ashes…

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    1. Shoot– there’s a version–parody on the Megan Trainor song–already. But maybe I can do a progressive theology one–since this one seems altogether too conservative for my community…

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        1. Oh– that would be awesome! I actually think that my people would love it… I don’t like the one above because it talks about being depraved– I have had enough of depravity…so that lyric has to go.

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        2. Smiling! May I borrow lyrics with attribution for a future service???? My musicians who are very talented could help with singing this at worship sometime, I think.

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    2. Having trouble writing a sermon on Job because you’re having such a great weekend – much prefer that you have this problem than the reverse! Hoping that your reflections and sermon writing don’t kill your upbeat mood. Part of the point of Job is that you have to let whatever emotion is present just be there for as long as necessary – so Job’s friends cheering him up didn’t work, couldn’t work, until he was done mourning. Maybe the same is true for your gratitude and grace and joy!

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  14. I am preaching Mark tomorrow and am going to focus on Jesus using scripture in conversation with scripture to point to the difference between the kingdom of God and difficult situations we must address in the reality of our broken world. And reminding ourselves that like the children, God’s love for us does not depend on the law, but God’s grace. Now to read the draft I wrote last night….

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    1. Oh, great angle on the Mark passage! I recently had a meeting with a confirmation student, and she asked me if there are parts of the Bible that are more important than others, and so we discussed how scripture interprets scripture, and sometimes it conflicts with itself, and what guidelines we can use for understanding it. What a gift to your folks to hear that commentary from the pulpit tomorrow. Hope it comes together!

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  15. Does anyone out there have some ideas about how to weave in the recent massacre at Umqua in Oregon? I watched (finally) the President’s comments and was struck at how authentic they were…but am at a loss as to how to address this in prayer or sermon without diminishing or making routine. I am just so so very tired of mourning something that feels like we have given up on… And what the President said about it becoming “routine” resonates…so I would like to find a creative way to give people space to lift up the families and pray for some kind of courage to press lawmakers to make changes…but it feels so, so routine. And it isn’t– or shouldn’t be.

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    2. Then you have ol’ Jeb! responding to the shooting with, “Stuff happens.” Trouble is, I am afraid there are an awful lot of folks in that boat; it really does feel like we’ve given up.

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    3. I was out of the country when this happens so am still learning the details, and have only heard parts of the President’s comments. I plan to mention the shooting in the prayers tomorrow, and also look forward to any suggestion from this group of wise preachers! (And I am grateful for my colleague who is preaching tomorrow, and is never afraid of tackling difficult topics.)

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      1. Thinking of centering around this poem:
        The Place Where We Are Right
        by Yehuda Amichai

        From the place where we are right
        flowers will never grow
        in the Spring.

        The place where we are right
        is hard and trampled
        like a yard.

        But doubts and loves
        dig up the world
        like a mole, a plough.
        And a whisper will be heard in the place
        where the ruined
        house once stood.

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  16. I’ve been thinking about broken zippers…how we sometimes “put up” with broken zippers– never bothering to fix them or do what we need to do to help get them aligned again. I watched my son do something that I did as a child, which was to zip the zipper only part way, so that he wouldn’t have the hassle of actually learning how to zip the darn thing. Sometimes we keep broken zippers rather than just dealing with our stuff that is out of alignment. The President demonstrated sheer doggedness when he said that he will keep saying the same things about our laws needing to be changed/policy on the gun issue EVERY time another mass shooting occurs and he is called to express condolences to the families, community, etc. He wants us to look at the broken zipper and not find ingenious ways to skirt around it or cast it aside. And grief is also a broken zipper. You can skirt it, but you still have to deal with the #$% brokenness. And the Adversary in the Job passage feels like our inability to believe that we can actually do SOMETHING about the brokenness, rather than to become numb to it. And the Adversary seems to speak thru Job’s wife, encouraging her and him to curse God and die. Which sucks if you ask me.

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    1. The Adversary of the Broken Zipper. Very compelling. I like how you’re weaving everything together, and hope that it comes out in a way that your people can hear and understand.

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  17. Hello all–lots of good ideas percolating here! Love the 11th hour Party!
    I’m getting a late start, having been out late last night with a friend from high school who was in town for the night. Had a wonderful time with him and his partner and a couple local friends who I thought would hit it off with them (and they did; I left them having a good time when I finally came home!). I have only two things to do today, laundry and the sermon.
    I’m in the NL, looking at Moses, sacred ground, and names. I wish I had looked ahead a bit more, it would have been great to do more with the names…but I will do the condensed version in any case. I am focussing on names–they are our essence, they are how we are known–it is powerful to be called by name–and in the Bible, they often have meaning (like Jacob—>Israel). We are often named in memory of family members (as I am named after my grandmothers), or someone our parents revered *I have known several Methodist John Wesleys). When Moses asks for God’s name, he gets a very cryptic answer–God just is (or who God is becoming, or God will be what God will be…excellent example of the difficulty of translation). God further names Godself as the God of Moses’ ancestors–and calls them by name. There’s a lot of meat here, now to narrow it down.
    I have a fresh pot of coffee and some cinnamon coffee cake if you’re still in lunch/brunch mode.

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    1. Thanks for the cinnamon coffee cake, delicious! Great idea to focus on the names. My mom has told me many times how she hates her first name, though she likes her middle name. Once she became a mother, she immediately identified with “Mom” (well, probably Mama then Mommy, but you get the point). Our names can define us, and for her there are many ways in which she never felt at home in her own skin when she was only known by her first name. Lots of analogies for people changing their names, going by a middle name, choosing to change their last name or not when getting married, adopting the version of a name used in a different language (like my grandmother’s generation who were Josefina, Maria, Filipe, etc but became Josephine, Mary and Phil in the USA)… I guess I’m saying I like the path you’re walking down, and I’m sure there are many ways that folks will be able to relate!

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  18. I’m trying to deal with Moses. But all I’ve got right now is a little story I once heard about Sojourner Truth encountering a strange man once as she walked through a dark woods at night. The man may have been up to no good, but I don’t know for sure. He asked Sojourner who she was, and she straightened up to her full six feet of height and said, in what’s been described as an arresting, low-pitched voice, “I AM WHO I AM.” And the man ran off.

    I’ve got avocadoes that need to be used up, so I’ll make some guacamole.

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    1. I much prefer the story of a strong woman speaking God’s name than the voice-over man of The Ten Commandments or other movies 🙂 Hmm, maybe a name can mean something different depending on who says it, or in what context. Hoping the sermon (and the guacamole) come together well!

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  19. Howdy all! I just got home from unloading a semi truck of pumpkins for our church patch. Not by myself mind you! I am beat.
    I have nothing written and am struggling with how to address world communion Sunday, blessing of the animals, the shooting in Oregon, the divided nature of the congregation, all the divorce talk(thanks Mark!) and God’s grace.
    Calgon take me away!!!!!
    Perhaps a nap will put things right. If I could only get the three littles to cooperate with that idea!

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    1. This weekend certainly does offer the preacher a full plate. Hoping that you find a direction soon, and that the kiddos are helpful to your process!

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  20. Took a break from the Preacher Party to buy milk and fruit and go through 10 days worth of mail. I am grateful for my vacation… and sometimes wish I had a housekeeper or personal assistant to do things like stock the fridge with fresh milk before I return home 🙂

    Sounds like there are a lot of great ideas brewing out there, incorporating difficult topics in the text and in current events, and responding to the very specific needs of communities. You all are inspiring! Many blessings for those still writing into the afternoon. Be sure to post links to your sermons if you share them online! You just might provide that extra spark of inspiration for the next preacher…

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  21. Great party! I’m not preaching tomorrow, by my own choice. It is our town’s big festival weekend, and I’m (a) taking the kids to see all the entertainment; and (b) working late tonight at my husband’s church food booths. We’ve seen the parade, eaten fair food, and ridden twirly rides at the carnival. We are now resting, and I’ll go back later to work. I brought some food home for the snack table, though! You’ll be able to see the cultural influences of our town by the food: burgers, roasted corn, fajita tacos, German sausage & sauerkraut on a bun, and some homemade desserts. Help yourselves!

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    2. Thanks for the culturally diverse snacks! Sounds like you’re having a great Saturday. Glad you get a Sunday out of the pulpit 🙂

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  22. Focusing on angst, vulnerability, that we are all lost and broken, and seeking relationship. Relationship with ourselves, the other, and with God. Law and gospel. And that we will come forward, kneel in our brokenness together, and receive the body and blood and that broken and shed for us … making us whole.

    I still have time to change … but that probably won’t happen until 8AM!

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    1. Relationship with ourselves, the other, and with God – a great topic any time, and I’m sure there are many connections you can make with this week’s readings. Preach it!

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  23. Okay– I *really* need to get to work and put down Marie Bello’s book, “Whatever: Love is Love.” The chapter on forgiveness about her dad is so good– but it isn’t going to help me with this sermon, except as soul food! I’ve read three chapters and finally needed to say that I could read more as a reward after dealing with Job. Some days…you have to bribe yourself to get crackin’ and if I don’t hurry the kiddos will be home soon!

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  24. I’m not preaching on the lectionary texts tomorrow – but on 2 Corinthians 6:1-13, as my husband opted to save the 2 Corinthians lectionary texts from the summer until now, and I’m guest preaching. Fortunately (and the reason I’m preaching), I wrote a devotional book on 2 Corinthians with my husband’s bishop, so I already did a deep dive into these texts, and though it was 6 months ago, it is like getting together with an old friend – you pick up the conversation where you left off. 2 Corinthians 6 has Paul (not for this first time in this letter) talking about open hearts. He is encouraging the Corinthians to reconcile with him after a disagreement, but also to take that spirit out into the world – they already have what they need, salvation (the time is at hand), forgiving and generous hearts (just reconciled with someone who had caused great pain in the community) and privilege and resources they could share with others less fortunate. This all fits nicely with both World Communion Sunday and the Blessing of the Animals we will also be doing during the service – we might learn something from the warm and open hearts of our pets, and we certainly need open hearts to come together across divides and differences. We need open hearts to listen with love instead of judgment and pre-judgment, learn from each other, imagine a new way together, instead of continuing down our separate and dead-end paths.

    And, the 2 Corinthians 6 text ends with Paul saying he is speaking to them as to children, which fits the lectionary texts, too, so I feel like I’m on a parallel path with those preaching on those this week.

    So, I’m in a pretty good place, which is nice. I haven’t had a regular preaching gig in a while, and I struggled with Saturdays when I did have one. It’s nice to fall in love with this work again. And, of course, it’s all about diving deep into the text, letting it be absorbed into your ordinary moments, then see what happens. I’m sure I’ll face plenty of challenging preaching gigs, and tomorrow morning I’ll be freaking out no matter how prepared I am, but today is a good day with the sermon. Thank God.

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    1. Praise God indeed! Is your devotional book available online somewhere? Sounds like you’ve got a great handle on 2 Cor – please share a link if you have one, so that the rest of us can benefit from your research and thoughtfulness!

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    1. This is fabulous, Terri! I especially like the section that begins “I’ve come to believe that because my life has been filled with tremendous challenges, deep profound, life changing challenges, that I am a better person, more compassionate and self-aware.” This is a message that our people may have heard, and may even believe, but likely don’t realize how much it is at odds with the “American dream” that you describe, and the messages of mainline media. Thank you for being bold enough to address these issues with your folks in worship. Blessings to you!

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  26. It’s just past 6pm my time. Anyone still writing? I’ve enjoyed all the thoughtful and faithful interpretations of Scripture posted here today, while also being thankful that I don’t have to preach in the morning. Thanks to all for sharing your thoughts, and again, feel free to post links here to your sermons if you’re willing to share! I just harvested a bumper crop of green beans from the garden (what I believe and my husband sincerely hopes will be the last of the season). Help yourself!

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    1. still stalling…Gotta get writing ASAP! Narrative lectionary, following up the naming theme from last week with some thoughts on who and what God sees. Just have been running about all day today and need to jump start the creative work.

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  27. 8:30pm Central and I’m just getting here to get to work. Morning was taken up with Inquirer’s Class–7 new members! SEVEN! I can barely contain myself. Afternoon was taken up with long run–the longest (12 miles) before the half marathon in two weeks. Then early evening was taken up with recovery, because while I was out there the temperature dropped and it started raining, so by the time I finished I was freezing and wet. Hot bath for the win!

    Now I have a delicious pasta dish–with homemade tomato sauce and goat cheese melted in, like a sort of cheater-vodka sauce. mmmm. And there’s still peach bourbon ice cream (yes, again, lol) in the freezer–help yourselves! The salted caramel sauce is in the fridge and 15 seconds in the microwave should have you in business.

    Tomorrow is a CRAZY day in worship: It’s world communion Sunday….AND we have a baptism of a 1yr old…AND a baptism of an adult who is so excited to be beginning this journey of faith. And this truly is a beginning for him–he’s been reading the gospels and meeting with a pastor, and tomorrow he jumps in with both feet.

    Since the service is too full for me to do justice to the Burning Bush, and since we will have visitors/new people, I’ve decided to go the Instructed Eucharist route. Thankfully we did one a couple of years ago so I just need to tweak the script to match this scripture reading and to include baptism as well as communion. I did leave some space for a “reflection” on the text, so I could get in maybe 400 words or so. I just can’t let the whole “God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob” thing go by when the day is so much about how we encounter God and how we know God…in relationship at font and table. So I’ll have to do some very brief work on that.

    Cats are surrounding me, wind is blowing outside, water bottle is full and at the ready trying to help me recover from the afternoon….time to get to work. 🙂

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    1. Clearly peach bourbon ice cream is a necessary sermon preparation tool 🙂
      Sounds like you’ve got a solid start and a good direction for your sermon tomorrow. Blessings as you finish your preparations!

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  28. Thanks for partying with us today everyone! I’m off to bed. Best wishes to anyone still writing tonight – or doing worship prep or managing fussy kids or sick spouses or broken appliances or un-house-trained puppies or whatever. Peace and grace and gentleness to you in your ministry!

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