Glory! Life begun! Sing hallelujah! The grave has given birth, the tomb has revealed life, the tears have watered joy. Glory! Life eternal! Sing hallelujah! Heaven is unwavering, wonder is imperishable, love is not weary. Glory! Life temporal! Sing hallelujah! Every breath is new, the dust is a miracle, our stories continue. Glory! Life resurrected!… Read More
RCL: Grace in the Wilderness, A Poem for Easter 2020
This was first posted at Write Out of Left Field. Easter is a challenge for preaching this year, even with these very familiar texts. I wrote the following poem as I struggle to pull sermon thoughts together. You are welcome to use it in your worship with attribution. Please share any thoughts you have on… Read More
Narrative Lectionary: Look Towards Resurrection (Mark 16:1-8)
This Sunday’s text can be found at Mark 16:1-8, and the commentary from WorkingPreacher here. On the day Jesus died, the state-run newspaper ran the headline “Fringe Group Leader Executed.” The Religious Daily News posted “Temple Cloths Torn by Invisible Hand.” The local radical weekly posted “Disciples Denied while Doyen Crucified.” Over the weekend, the… Read More
RCL: From Death to Life
This was originally posted at Write Out of Left Field Those little purple faces poking up next to the sidewalk on my way out of church on Sunday were nearly my undoing. Not exactly the color purple in a field, but I noticed. I saw them innocently reaching for the sun, the first of spring… Read More
11th Hour Preacher Party: still more resurrection
The weekend is upon us! For some, it’s well advanced and Sunday morning is nearer than we’d like, for others we still have a few hours to procrastinate brainstorm… What are you up to this week? The RCL commentary for this week is here, and the NL is here. I admit to preaching this week’s… Read More
Friday Festival: For now and for later
It’s Friday in the post-Easter lull, which doesn’t mean the week wasn’t busy but only that we pastors may be living lull-ishly regardless. Some of the blog posts I’ll share are current and perhaps pertinent for this Sunday, while the others speak to last week and ideas we may want to bookmark for next year.… Read More
Thursday Prayer: Rejoice!
The heavens write large their rejoicing! The clouds are jubilant! The earth sings out gladness and beauty, joy and delight! Alleluia! Christ is risen! Risen indeed! Inspired by Isaiah 49:13 and Taize’s Jubilate Coeli. Jemma Allen is a priest in the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia. She works as a counsellor… Read More
RCL: Must be Thomas
It’s the first Sunday after Easter, so it must be time for Thomas. Of course, there are other options if Thomas doesn’t have appeal for you. There’s Peter defending his right, and the rights of the other apostles to preach Jesus. There are the Psalms full of praise and thanksgiving. There’s the Alpha and Omega… Read More
Easter Sunday Prayer
Let us do what is right, with prayer and praise: We rejoice in your renewal, O Creator — alleluia, amen — and we celebrate the labor to which we are called. We rejoice that we are not surrendered to death — alleluia, amen — and we celebrate your name on this day. We preach the women’s… Read More
Revised Common Lectionary: I have seen the Lord!
Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! But not quite yet. For church professionals, we first have to endure the hard and holy week leading up to Easter. We live out the mental, emotional, and spiritual drama in real time. On Maundy Thursday, we may wash feet or share Communion, or both (hopefully with some… Read More
