Are you writing, huddled in your house, like the disciples in the Revised Common Lectionary (Discussion Here)? Are you waiting to see what happens next as Jesus ascends in the Narrative lectionary (Discussion Here)? Are you using a series or other passages to see you through these different times? Are you preparing technology for a Sunday livestream or uploading pre-recorded videos?
However you are preparing to worship with your people this week, come and share. What are you preaching? How are you providing other parts of the service? What questions do you have? How can we help?
My kids have been baking their way through quarantine, so I offer cake my son made. Please help us eat it.
The artwork is from JESUS MAFA. Jesus appears to Thomas, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=48302 [retrieved April 17, 2020]. Original source: http://www.librairie-emmanuel.fr (contact page: https://www.librairie-emmanuel.fr/contact).
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. She occasionally blogs at Bookgirl.
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Rough thoughts: Disciples are still staying indoors. Thomas must have an essential job. Jesus breathes on them, which is life-giving. The name God gives in response to Moses’ request sounds like breath without the vowels. Covid19 takes breath, and life, but God gives them.
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Sounds relevant and lovely. I keep noticing that Jesus does not (social) distance himself from Thomas. He gives him his hands. It seems somehow important right now. –Wendy
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Oh! Yes! Jesus is the one who comes close even when we’re apart from one another. Through him, we are still together. Of course, last week I pointed out that he told Mary to keep her distance. . .
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It feels so strange to be “done” by Saturday lunchtime, but we’re filming at 3pm so its just as well.
I picked up on the Thomas text happening behind closed doors and suggested that we can be alert to Jesus presence with us in our confinement (rules are strict here). I also picked up on the breathing thing ! Obviously only Jesus is allowed to breath on people at the moment ! And on the blessing for those who believe without seeing – which is all of us.
I should have hot cross buns to share by the time most folk read this – right now the dough is still rising. There may be a metaphore in there somewhere !
Eastertide blessings to all.
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Such a relevant texts. (And I’d love a hot cross bun.) –Wendy
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I realized Wednesday the adrenaline surge was gone. We started staying home and worship online March 12th and all that came with doing every aspect of ministry different. I am simply sharing that fact, on Sunday, and being upfront about using resources I have not written. I will supply some commentary. Easter I preached Mark ending at the “original” ending. This Sunday I am simply using the the shorter ending for the text.
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That is kind of how I’ve felt this week. There are so many good resources. It’s helpful to be able to use someone else’s inspiration. –Wendy
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Elaine, it was good to see you on the BTS Zoom yesterday!
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I wrote about how deflated we felt at my house this week, tied in with thoughts about the RCL texts for tomorrow, here: https://marthaspong.com/2020/04/17/hunkered-down/
I baked whole wheat bread yesterday, and banana bread is coming soon (given that our banana deliveries have not lined up with our capacity to consume said fruit).
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It seems to have been a low week for a lot of folks. Enjoy the bread !
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We are videoing in the sanctuary on Thursday afternoons (Thursdays to give me time to get the videos processed and online, and afternoon to accommodate the pianist’s schedule). So we are done and it’s up on Vimeo. And I have my weekends “free” now, such as they are. I picked up a snippet from my sermon of three years ago and did a “Thomas” monologue for part of it. I picture him as sort of a New York-New Jersey attitude type, highly miffed at being called “doubting.” In John’s gospel, he’s the one who tells the frightened disciples who don’t want Jesus to go to Bethany to raise Lazarus from the dead, because it’s too close to Jerusalem and the Roman soldiers, “Let’s go and die with him!” He’s also the one who asks Jesus at the Last Supper, “How do we know the way to follow you when we don’t know where you’re going?” And Jesus answers, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” So Thomas has a solid track record with Jesus. My sermon idea is that he has gotten a bad rap.
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I appreciate redemption for Thomas. We’ve been recording on Tuesdays to accommodate all the things, and I’m finding that rhythm really difficult.
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