This week the solstice occurs. Whether you are moving into Summer or Winter, what does the change in seasons mean 
this year? In the Liturgical calendar we have moved into the long green season of Ordinary Time (12th Ordinary, Proper 7, 3rd Sunday after Pentecost). As we continue to record services in my Southern California Presbyterian congregation, we are living into the Season after Pentecost, for awhile anyway. We will put up our Green paraments eventually, but I’ve always liked the early part of this season to think about what it means to be church and what the Holy Spirit is up to.
So… How are things going this week as you sermonize? Will you be recording or live-streaming? Are you beginning to open back up on Sundays? If so, are you meeting inside or outside? However you are meeting, people seem to expect a sermon. What are you working on? How can we help?
Are you using the Lectionary this summer? The Revised Common Lectionary discussion poses many possibilities this week. In the US it’s Father’s Day. Do discussions of God and fathers and metaphors underlie any of your thinking? Are you doing a summer series? Are you preaching on matters of race and privilege? (It’s amazing how much of Scripture lends itself to these topics.) Are you preparing for a vacation? A change of call? As you plan, you might check in with the Worship Words offering for this week.
How is your weekly rhythm going? Comment here on what you are working on. Ask questions and we’ll try to help. I’ll be keeping up with the post today and tomorrow and will continue to check in through the rest of the week.
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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Wendy, I looked at that Genesis passage for Father’s Day and said, “Are.You.Kidding.Me.” I punted and went with the story of the Prodigal Son, which is a lectionary passage but certainly not this week’s, or even this year’s. The sermon’s done. We video on Thursday afternoon. Sermon title: “Welcome Home.” A bit of a look at faith journeys, going away and coming home, and how being isolated at home may change our views about what is important and what’s not. Where is church in our musings?
Our church reopened May 17 because a determined small group of the faithful wanted to be back together. God bless them. So we are doing a video service for those still at home and a live service on Sunday for those who want to be in community. We had 20 in worship last week in a sanctuary that seats 350. Social distancing, no problem. Masks. We are developing a plan to do live communion on July 5 with socially distanced bread cubes on toothpicks and socially distanced cups in trays (one wine, one grape juice) and people coming forward, also socially distanced, to partake. Because there are so few of us, it’s doable. FYI, we are PC(USA).
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Yeah. Tough Father’s Day passage. The Prodigal Son story has so much to teach us. It seems like a good go-to any time. I like “Welcome Home.”
I’m appreciating your creative communion. My friend’s church has also opened up because they are so small and they are in the mountain area with very few cases. We had been recording together until this month.
It sounds like you are recording on Thursday and worshiping on Sunday. That’s a tough schedule.I’m glad your sermon is ready.
Peace to you.
–Wendy
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WEll at least Father’s Day isn’t NEXT week when the RCL offers the Binding of Isaac…
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Gord – I had that SAME thought!
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Preaching Day this afternoon. Recording both the Time For the Young At Heart, where I will talk about Indian Residential Schools, and the Sermon where I will be linking the casting out of HAgar and Ishmael with the way Settler culture has dealt with Indigenous folk in Canada. In that equation we are the descendants of Sarah — and that is not a good thing.
AS I work out what the sermon might sound like I am wondering, if GOd is going to affirm that Ishmael and Hagar have value why does God wait so blasted long??? Is GOd hoping that Abraham will come to his senses?
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It’s a good question. God does seem to give us many chances to come to our senses. Peace to you as you discuss difficult subjects. (Yes. We are Sarah’s descendants. My colleague and I have been talking about how in Exodus we like to think of ourselves like the Israelites when really were are more like the Egyptians.) –Wendy
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Here is how it ended up:
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Thank you. –Wendy
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I also punted, to preach on Acts 12 (the servant girl Rhoda), which we touched on in Bible Study, and I found intriguing. That’s about as far as I’ve gotten, but we are live on zoom on Sunday mornings, so I have some time to ponder yet.
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That’s such an interesting story. I hope you find what you are hoping to say in the next few days.
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Bookgirl, I knew there was something familiar in the pastoral tone of this post. It’s because the author is my dear dear friend Wendy. ❤ I'm preaching on the Matthew passage and how truly understanding and living into God's care for us means understanding that God has the kind of all-inclusive care for ALL of creation. So we are sent out, with care and the admonition not to be afraid, to "be" God in the world – marching, protesting, proclaiming the truth where it needs to be heard. The world in its systems of injustice may try to shush us, but we will say, "BLACK LIVES MATTER."
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Sarah!! Welcome.
I appreciate the idea that we are “sent out to ‘be’ God in the world” but not without “care and admonition to not be afraid.” This seems like a good time to remember both of those things. Sounds like a great sermon. –Wendy
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Genesis here. We do facebook live, so I have until tomorrow morning to get it totally done. So I’m in conversation Sarah and Hagar and grateful for the amazing Wil Gafney….
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Yes! Grateful for Dr. Gafney. Blessings as you prepare. –Wendy
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