I honestly cannot believe it’s almost Sunday already. It feels like it was just Sunday a few minutes ago….which is what happens when one loses time to jet lag. But whatever time zone you happen to be in, Sunday is coming!
And this week, it’s all about Jesus extending his reach by commissioning disciples, giving us power that feels a little beyond us….whether you’re in the RCL pondering what it means to be salt and light, or in the NL looking at the sending of the 12 (or the other three pericopes in the reading!)…or in the midst of a series, or celebrating a sacrament…or anything else! We are here are for you. Let’s get sermonising!
Teri Peterson is a Church of Scotland minister, whose view is normally amazing but currently can’t be seen due to the fog and rain and clouds. She is mom to a cat called Andrew, minister to an amazing parish, a board member of RevGalBlogPals, and a contributor to There’s a Woman in the Pulpit (which you can order in the sidebar!).
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I’m desperately in need of some of that power. I came down with (probably) a norovirus Monday evening, stomach emptied by 8 a.m. Tuesday, fever and headache Tuesday and Wednesday, all-day meeting (I only managed the second half) Thursday, had to lie down after breakfast today, and haven’t done one thing toward a sermon. I haven’t been able to summon any energy at all–physical, spiritual, mental. It may be a day to try a true conversational sermon: When have you been able to be light and salt for someone else lately? How can this tiny, tired congregation be light and salt? Because God hasn’t given up on us!
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Maybe time for a supply preacher or a non-sermon Sunday.
hppe you feel better soon
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It seriously was Sunday a few minutes ago. It’s been a week here.
I’m focusing on the last tidbit of the Matthew RCL reading, skipping salt and light, in favor of the “jots and tittles” and Jesus fulfilling the law, not abolishing it. I’m not sure what I’m saying about that, but I’ve at least narrowed it down that much.
Tomorrow (Saturday), I have an all-day meeting with a significant drive there and back. But! It’s at the beach! I’m leaving home a little early, so I can at least see the ocean.
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Preaching on Mark 6 from the NL, the introduction is 660 words long, i usually only write 1000 words – it will soon be time to finish, but will i have said anything substantial?
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1500 words and still typing – AARRGHH
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OK, 11.00 pm on Saturday night and calling it done. i cut out a few sentences but it is still much longer than usual. i will see how i feel about it in the morning. What a story!
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Ok, I have treats yo share at the table…a new version of Oreo cookies with an amazing amount of filling!! Hoping they help as I tackle the Isaiah text. This returning community has to sort out what’s essential, what’s adiaphora, and what can be left behind to rebuild the returning community. Wondering if we can do the same here in the US.
Will a little extra sugar jolt help? Remains to be seen…
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I am back from study leave and did a bit of sermon work while at the conference. The #1 priority for this congregation (from our mission survey) is growth of young families and youth. No surprise. I am proposing a different way of looking at it on Sunday. It always seems to me that increasing numbers is a slippery slope and usually the reason is for survival of the particular church. Hopefully I will plant some seeds that survival of this particular church is not the end game. Using the seed and sower parable seemed “too familiar” so I am using Ecclesiastes 11: 1-6. I’ve got at least a couple of hours of work on it today.
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You have me wondering: Is “rebuilding” a better way to frame what we need to do? Better than “growth” or (death sentence) “survival”? I’m thinking of ‘let go of what isn’t necessary for life’–>’call on the Lord’–> ‘learn to be salt and light where we are’ (small and elderly) –> “we will be like a watered garden’
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We had worship tonight. Here’s my sermon.
Blessings on those of you who have had a week. Hope some rest is around the corner.
https://marciglass.com/2020/02/08/its-not-always-about-you-and-that-is-good-news/
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