Dear preacher friends, how is your sermon? Are you in the Narrative Lectionary, sitting on a hill with Jonah, railing against God for having the audacity to be merciful? Are you in the Revised Common Lectionary with Jesus, questioning our readiness for God’s coming? If you’re in the US, are you trying to find a word of unity in the wake of, or perhaps still in the middle of, a highly contested election?
Here is a place to come with your thoughts, your questions, your half-formed ideas that may or may not be leading anywhere. Here is a forum where we can struggle together, encourage one another, and be inspired by each other’s ideas.
If you’re in need of virtual food for this work, about the best I can offer is leftover Halloween candy. But perhaps that’s entirely appropriate for such a time as this.
Barbara Bruneau is a retired Lutheran pastor, living in southeastern Minnesota. She is a knitter, a weaver, and a very occasional blogger at An Explosion of Texture and Color. Photo from pixabay.com.
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My Internet crashed as I was typing a comment. Now, here’s what I wanted to say: I am going with the RCL OT from Joshua 24, “Choose this day whom you will serve.” AFTER the U.S. elections, it may still be a timely message!
BTW next week’s RCL passages are awful, truly awful. The Judges passage doesn’t even make sense. I think in years past I preached the stewardship scriptures on this Sunday. We have no stewardship campaign this year, but I just might preach an old one anyway.
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The Joshua text could be really interesting this weak. Please let us know how it evolves as you continue writing.
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As far as next week’s texts, I just attended a text study group where there was an interesting discussion about the gospel. I’m not preaching then, but two different participants in our group chose to interpret the parable without naming God as the demanding master. One person speculated that the talents represent the kingdom of God which is entrusted to us. We can grow it or hide it depending on our actions. I’m not sure if that’s helpful to you, but if I were preaching, I might spend a little time playing with that idea.
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I’ve actually started writing my sermon! I’m in the NL – Jonah. Starting with why Jonah would be so upset and the significance of him traveling east – farther from Ninevah and further from God. I’m hoping to talk about ways that we avoid God’s call especially in this time of heightened awareness of racial issues – what are the things we do in order to procrastinate real action. For me some of this is read more, learn more, talk with those that share my views, rather than speaking out publicly, getting to know people of color, and teaching others about racism.
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