As I write this Preacher Party it is 8pm at night and storming outside, unusual this late in the year for me on the east coast of Australia.
And the power went out …… for a few hours.
Now it is a sunny new day, with clear blue skies.
Back to the Preacher Party.
I pray you all have an idea, at least, of where you are going this Sunday. In the last few weeks we have had a few special services, so I am looking at the whole of Galatians this Sunday, but we are not reading all 6 chapters 😊 I am weaving the letter through the service, starting with the opening as the Call to Worship and the beginning of chapter 6 as the Word of Mission/Benediction.
Maybe you are preaching witness or electing church leaders from the Revised Common Lectionary. See Alicia Hager’s post for lots of ideas
Those who follow the Narrative Lectionary, like me, will be navigating Galatians, here is Rev. Joanna Harader’s post from earlier in the week.
The Preacher party is how I came to know of RevGalBlogPals, and the reason I have a blog was so I could join. Sermons are 99% of my blogging. Over the years I have appreciated the ideas, prayers, and companionship as I wrote on Saturday evening, and revised on Sunday morning. Your ideas for sermons, prayers, and children’s talks are always welcome here, as are your questions.
Let the party begin!
Patty Lawrence is an ordained Minister in the Uniting Church in Australia in placement on the Central Coast of New South Wales, about an hour north of Sydney. Patty lives with her husband Ian in church provided housing, and they are renovating a house to move into in, in preparation for retirement in a few years.
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Due to a seminary assignment to preach an epistle, I get 4 verses on 1 John 5. I state a case for God’s testimony of love in Jesus and our witness of love for our neighbor lived out because of God’s love for us. I have to record worship tomorrow so it’s done, but man, was it a struggle. I’m working to trust the Spirit.
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Emily, love is always a great sermon. I hope the recording goes well tomorrow.
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For us, (Episcopal Church) it is Ascension Sunday. This year, I am trying to get past my previous sermons that tended to have make light of the sight of Jesus lifting off from earth and exploring what such a dramatic story might mean to the disciples who will soon be taking on the mantle of spreading the Good News to the ends of the earth. They don’t seem to be quite prepared yet–or don’t think they are. They don’t know yet what Jesus meant by the power of the Holy Spirit coming upon them. So, is this another transitional step/liminal time in the ministry of Jesus Christ rather than some kind of end point? How is it connected to the Incarnation?
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Gloria, I rarely think much about Ascencion but love this way of looking at it. So often I/we feel unprepared to respond to God’s call, not recognising God has this. Prayers for you and your congregation as you bring the Word to them.
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Well …. I *had* a plan. I even laid it out so nicely in a response to someone in the RGBP group who was struggling. Two paragraphs worth. But I was tugging and pulling (usually a sign I’m not going in the right direction), and THIS MORNING, I have a revelation that I need to go a completely different way. Ugh. God is so not funny! So now, after a client this morning and a fixing meals for 50 to be delivered to a homeless community tomorrow, I’m starting over. Deep sigh. Acts, still, but more along the lines of patience and discernment, waiting and listening for God to lead, making sure we don’t narrow the field of “qualified” nominations by eliminating the voices of those who need to be at the table, and trusting that even when we take things into our own hands, God can and does still work. (i.e. Paul.) Hoping that since the outline came together more quickly, the sermon will as well? Here we go!
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I hear the frustration, hoping it comes together quickly. It sounds like you have a good idea where you are going.
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I am doing 3 weeks on the Psalms and tomorrow is Psalm 1, those who follow the law of the Lord are like trees planted by streams of water. It also talks about the opposite, those who follow the advice of the wicked, the path of sinners or sit in the seat of scoffers and I am talking about scoffing – taking life in as a bystander because its safer instead of actually getting into it. Using Roosevelt’s ‘Man in the Arena’ speech (a la Brene Brown). Its rough and its coming slowly.
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Shannon, thank you for mentioning the Man in the Arena speech, I just googled it and I will watch the long version later, it is wonderful.
Blessings as you lead people in worship, I am one of those who is guilty at times of being a bystander thinking it is safer.
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