Hello, fellow imperfect preachers. Last week’s sermon was a mess? This week’s isn’t looking much better? It’s always possible to find at least *one* thing you could have said more clearly or delivered more energetically? Then, you’ve come to the right place! It’s the RevGalBlogPals 11th Hour Preacher Party!
Bring your questions, ideas, beginnings of a glimmer of an idea, pleas for help, and more. If you’re preaching on the Revised Common Lectionary, you’ll find a helpful post at this link. And if you’re following the Narrative Lectionary, here is your helpful post.
Monica Thompson Smith is a Presbyterian Church (USA) minister, serving as stated supply pastor of First Presbyterian Church, Luling, TX. She is a contributor to There’s a Woman in the Pulpit.
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Morning all!
In light of total weariness and lack of enthusiasm I looked back through my archive to six years ago…. and refreshed my rich young man sermon.
The lack of pressure this morning, knowing I have a sustainable service, ready to go is wonderful.
It’s not something I do often, but today I am thankful.
I will post it to my blog shortly (it didn’t make it there six years ago!)
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sustainable sermons are the best!
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There are some weeks that call for a sustainable sermon. I’m glad you had one in the files.
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https://julie-acountrygirl.blogspot.com/2018/10/sermon-14-october-what-must-i-do.html
here it is… tweaked quite a bit, but the bulk is there
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i have written and intro to the reading that skips through Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy and Joshua. i preached on this reading 4 years ago in a different Parish, so reusing some of that, which means only a few hindered words to write tonight, which is good, seeing as it is 9.30 pm on Saturday. thinking about how this is putting into practice one of the commandments – do not have any idols.
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calling it done, though i admit to not feeling excited about this one. not sure why, i don’t think it is bad, just not very interesting. But after a long week, with extra meetings and wider church work, it is what it is. Fortunately i had a previous sermon i used part of. Who will you serve? only one week and i have a week’s annual leave.
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You never know what the Spirit can do when the preacher is “not excited”…Enjoy the anticipation for annual leave.
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I am just back to work today after a glorious nearly-2-weeks break. I can’t seem to get my head in the game despite being up early and spending time in prayer – so tomorrow is a cobbled-together mash up of pre-prepared ‘Challenge Poverty Sunday’ prayers with a reflection from an old Spill The Beans [issue 5] that I have adapted and reworked. The prayers are beautifully written and work well and the STB bible notes have given a good framework to the ideas mulling in my mind about ‘Does Jesus mean to glorify poverty?’…Does God want us to have poverty in the world or is this about something else indeed?
I have sweeties from my holiday…there are sticks of Blackpool rock [hard candy] to share and some Lake District fudge too – help yourself and as I ‘let go and share that which makes me rich’ I pray that I will gain more from giving away and sharing than hoarding to myself [if nothing else my waistband will thank you!].
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I am always willing to take fudge off someone’s hands! Thank you!
It is hard to get back in the routine! For me, even one Sunday away really throws me off.
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I haven’t preached since July. I had hoped to wake up early and sermonize before the house got up, but I slept in and woke up to my 11-year-old excited because it’s RAINING! (So Cal, first good rain of the season.) So we spent an hour+ outside relaxing on the porch with coffee while the kids played in the rain. Now I want to sip tea and make soup, but must needs sermonize. Trying to wrap my head around the rich man. Our congregation is made up of mostly highly educated, white collar folks in the midst of a city of poverty. We do plenty to help, but as benefactors, and we all live pretty comfortably. (We give away food bags on Saturday morning and go to the symphony on Saturday night.) I’m trying to find my way into Father Greg Boyle’s idea of Kinship, that nothing will change until we stop leaning to down to help and start standing in the margins together. When Jesus says sell all you have and give it to the poor and come follow me, he is inviting the man into the kingdom (or kindom) where we all follow together. It sounds like a reach now, but I think I can get there.
–Wendy
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Sounds like it will preach to me! I love the “kinship” thought.
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Preaching from Psalm 22 as a guest preacher for “Hispanic” (not a term I use) Heritage Month. I was asked to share about Puerto Rico. My title is “Puerto Rico: La Isla del Encanto and a People Despised.” My thoughts and emotions are all over the place and nothing has made it down on paper…yet… (yikes!)
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Praying that the congregation will be receptive to your message. And we’ll be here all day and into the night, accompanying your writing process.
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We have worship tonight, so I’m grateful the sermon showed up.
I’m preaching Joshua 24 in the Narrative. I was hoping it was going to be a nice easy sermon about choosing God. Instead, it turned into a reflection on God as conquerer instead of liberator, with a side of anti-Columbus Day sentiment.
I’m getting weary of the way the lectionary is kicking my butt. And I’m sure the congregation will be having similar thoughts. Will post it here later tonight, once the blog goes live.
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I may need to quote you on the “kicking my butt” part…I think that’s the gist of my Hebrews sermon (“word of God is living and active, sharper than any two edged sword…”
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https://marciglass.com/2018/10/13/choose-the-complicated-story/
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I have felt that way since I started using the NL. Oy.
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I had hoped to rework a previous sermon on Psalm 22, entitled “A Blob of Melted Wax” a month ago. It’s more appropriate to write it now, given the current political climate and the devastation wrought by Hurricane Florence and Hurricane Michael, however, so I’m revamping this evening in preparation for pulpit supply tomorrow.
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Yes, unfortunately there is plenty of recent material for lament.
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