As summer turns to fall in the northern hemisphere, our best offering in my desert home may be the cooler evenings and sunsets. In the Southern Hemisphere, Spring is coming! What will you preach this last day of summer or winter?
RCL preachers have scheming managers, famous quotes about “no balm in Gilead” (will anyone sing the hymn this week?) and wildly different Psalm moods. The Revised Common Lectionary Discussion is here.
Narrative Lectionary preachers get to wrestle with Jacob as they wrestle with their sermons. Find that  discussion here.
The calendar tells me that Saturday is the International Day of Peace if anyone is leaning into that in some way. At my place we are doing a series and wondering about Legion and mental illness, though I will be taking the children for a study on the Lord’s Prayer.
What are you preaching? What are you wondering? Do you need a children’s time or an illustration suggestion? Do you have end-of-summer treats to share with the group? Comment below and we’ll see what we can do together. I will offer coffee and bagels and cream cheese for the morning, though I am west of many of you so it may be brunch, lunch, or dinner for you.
Wendy Lamb works as a commissioned pastor in a Presbyterian Church (USA) in Southern California and teaches college English classes at a local community college. Once upon a time she blogged at Bookgirl and hopes to return to it soon. She is a first time host at the Preacher Party, but reads it faithfully each week, commenting when preaching and praying for others when not.
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Yes, we are singing “There Is a Balm in Gilead”! I am tackling Jeremiah and what it’s like to show up for worship in a “happy talk” church when your heart is full of grief. At least, that’s as far as I’ve gotten. Kate Bowler’s book Everything Happens for a Reason and Other Lies I’ve Loved may make an appearance.
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That sounds like an important place to go. I hope it comes together. I found Kate Bowler’s book compelling. –Wendy
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Starting off with an illustration about how doing favors for others can benefit you in the end (based on the RCL Gospel and I book I just read). Beyond that, not sure where to go! I’m doing half-time CPE at the moment, and am on call call day Saturday, so I’m likely to be a late-night partier tomorrow đŸ™‚
Thanks for hosting your first Preacher Party, Wendy!
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I’m happy to be here.
I hope you can get a good start before a long day begins tomorrow. I like your idea of favors coming around in a good way. –Wendy
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I am also stuck on “Is there no balm in Gilead. Is there no physician for my people.” Comparing to the sins of Judah against the poor and the many poor uninsured in the USA. Still not sure exactly how I am going to get there.
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We (culture, society) do seem to continue in some of the same paths. May you find the way to get to your word for your people. –Wendy
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I am wrestling with Jacob and remembering how much background i need to give in these early OT passages in the NL. will probably focus on what keeps us awake at night.
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calling it done for the night, this is the last Sunday preaching for me until December. a retired Pastor preaching next Sunday, then eight weeks of Long leave and annual leave. I feel like my preaching mojo is already on holidays. Preaching on Genesis 32.
Wrestling with the God who renames us
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Blessings on your 8 week of rest and renewal. I’m am just starting to put words down about the Jacob text and appreciated you take on the naming.
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What keeps you awake? What a universal question that is! I enjoyed reading your sermon. You do well with all the history, too. –Wendy
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For anyone in the NL, ideas for the children’s time which is about name changing. We talked about names with the creation story a couple of weeks ago.
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Too late now, unless you have it on your shelf, but I once talked about names with kids using Sandy Sasso’s wonderful book In God’s Name.
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The gospel is the bad manager who forgives a bunch of debts to ensure his future. My very first Sunday preaching in my new spot. Going to touch on relationships over money, then swing into a small spiel about where I’ve come from. I’m a deacon in a church that hasn’t had a deacon in a while.
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Congratulations on preaching in this place. I’m sure your congregation is grateful to have a deacon now (even if you have to help them understand the role and how you will fill it). –Wendy
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I’ve reworked an older sermon on the Luke passage. I was grateful for Brian McLaren’s take on the Pharisees’ problem being one of misplaced value, and how, in God’s economy, God values each of us. Here’s my sermon: https://wp.me/p2U45T-vT and now I’m heading out to a fundraising event for the evening. I offer fresh peppers to the virtual snack table, because our garden doesn’t seem to know that summer is done. if you need mint, sage, lavender, thyme, or parsley, there’s plenty of that, too.
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I’d take some of those herbs, and I hope the fundraising event is good. I like what you’ve offered in the sermon, especially as you wonder about what it really means to trust, and to live into God’s Kingdom. –Wendy
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I combined McLaren’s take on how the steward changes sides with thoughts from a blog on how the critical thinking of the steward when faced with a crisis, leads to forgiveness of loans. In a society that holds grudges how do we value each other and make forgiveness a priority. It’s a jumble right now but coming along.
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It sounds really resonant to me. I hope you were able to sort the jumble.
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I’m trying to focus on the difference between God’s economy and ours. We value status and stuff/wealth. God values us. McLaren says the Pharisees’ problem was misplaced values. I think misplaced puts it mildly!
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I’m back for the late-night partying! So far I just have an intro. Trying to figure out how the kind of transactional faith that the manager displays can be good news for us, without promoting the heresy that God will give us whatever we want if we just do enough to earn it. Wish me luck đŸ™‚
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Good luck! Sometimes it’s a fine line between good news and heresy. I hope the rest of the sermon is coming along well. –Wendy
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I was going to stay a mile away from the gospel text, but three things came over Facebook that seem to be perfect illustrations of one way to interpret this parable and Jesus’ commentary. There’s a story of a plumber who quit his job for a big plumbing company and founded a non-profit maintenance company. He did some work for a 91-year-old cancer patient and sent a bill for $0. Then there’s “Mattress Mac” of Houston, who opened his giant store (and cafeteria) to people fleeing flooding. Finally, the animated short of an elderly man on a train who’s given a seat by a young woman, even though she has a ticket for a seat (for her 5-hour trip) and he does not. The conductor realizes what she’s done and takes her to a vacant seat in the next car, whereupon she takes her crutches down from the overhead rack. These all seem to be situations where someone gave up something they actually needed in order to help someone else in need. That’s where I’m going with the parable.
Also, tomorrow is our local observance of International Day of Prayer for Peace, for which I was asked to provide a Christian litany. I compiled prayers for peace from sources of seven Christian traditions, feeling greatly honored. And for that event my husband is making fruit pizzas, which I’m sure we can share! They smell yummy.
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What a neat prayer idea.
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I was supposed to be doing a baptism this Sunday, but sadly the person is in the hospital. I am working on keeping everything almost as is and turning it into a “remember your baptism” service. I think I know what I’m doing but we shall see đŸ™‚ I’ve been searching through the FB group for cute baptism stories and any other “remember your baptism” ideas, but if anyone is still awake and has ideas feel free to share!
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Not sure if you’re still working, but a couple of baptism ideas…
When my first godson (baptized as an infant) was old enough to understand something about what it meant, his parents threw him a baptism party on the anniversary of his baptism (All Saints Day). We looked at photos from the baptism and shared stories. The children played at baptizing baby dolls, learning what the words meant. I brought some of those little things that look like colorful medicine tablets, and we put them in hot water, and the kids were surprised to see that they turned into sponge animals! We talked about how water can really change something, and that’s what happens to us at baptism.
Not sure if any of that is helpful or useful in your context, but I figured it couldn’t hurt to share đŸ™‚ Great memories of that baptism party!
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I almost bought some of those changing “pills” at Dollar Tree but wasn’t sure how to use them. I might have time in the morning. I definitely can use the idea of talking about the power of water to change. Thanks!
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I was driving several hours home, and the party got hopping. Thanks for commenting on one another’s posts and covering for me. Blessings to all of you who are preaching. The Holy Spirit’s got your back! –Wendy
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