This week I plan to introduce the summer curriculum from A Sanctified Art “Faces of Our Faith.” I’ve included the Faces of Our Faith Genesis reading on the creation story (bone of my bone) along with the reading from Acts and the Gospel for Pentecost in the RCL readings. We’re going to write the names of people… Read More
11th Hour Preacher Party
This has been a rough week of bad weather and power outages for the church and house I live in. I have a lot of catching up to do and only now read the lessons for this Sunday. I’ll continue preaching in the extemporaneous process that I started on Ash Wednesday – praying and thinking… Read More
11th Hour Preacher’s Party: Prayer
In the Episcopal Church one is invited to observe a Holy Lent by self-examination and repentance through prayer, fasting, self denial, and meditating on God’s holy Word. Each time I’ve preached I have focused on one of the above: fasting, self-examination, self-denial, and this Sunday, prayer. There has always been a connection to readings for… Read More
11th Hour Preacher Party: Observing a Holy Lent, the covenant edition
Photo by Terri C. Pilarski What does it mean to observe a Holy Lent? Does one give something up or take something on? I’m thinking about giving something up. Or, maybe it’s taking something on? Which ever, it began on Ash Wednesday when I threw out the sermon I wrote and preached from my heart,… Read More
11th Hour Preacher Party: Sink, Swim, or Follow
My sermon for Sunday is in solid draft form because I will be spending a good portion of Saturday in a budget meeting. I’m continuing to ponder the idea from last week, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” along with the questions “Where is God?” “Are we following God?” and, “Can anything good… Read More
11th Hour Preacher Party: Seeds of Sorrow, Fruit of Joy
This fall has been a busy season for me. I’ve been grateful for the Sundays I’ve had a guest preacher or have found sustainable sermons to lean into. I can’t remember the last time I “created” a sermon completely from scratch. But as it turns out Advent 3B is one of those years when I… Read More
11th Hour Preacher Party: Habits of Perception
As one who uses the RCL I am thick into the stories of the Exodus, of Jesus defining himself as the fulfillment of all the law (see Exodus) and prophets, and of Paul writing to the church in Philippi. In the intense times we live in, filled with violence and the threat of violence and… Read More
11th Hour Preacher Party: Forgive
When I work with congregations experiencing conflict the Matthew 18 reading is one of the primary lessons we reflect on. Everyone acknowledges both the importance of forgiveness and the challenges of forgiving. One of the key aspects of forgiveness that needs to be upheld is accountability. It is one thing to love as God asks… Read More
11th Hour Preacher Party: Late Breaking New(s) Edition
So much on my mind these days. So very much. If one lives in the USA, one is probably overwhelmed by the constant “BREAKING NEWS” – always on the brink of disaster and in a heightened state of anxiety. It takes everything I have to stay focused, to aim for calm, thoughtful, leadership. Our… Read More
11th Hour Preacher Party: Choices, choices, choices
The other night I invited some friends over for dinner. I planned a menu that included several dishes that I was just making up in my own head, no recipes. But because we all like different things, some like shrimp for example, and some don’t, I made a variety. We each had a little of… Read More
