Ack! It's only 8:30am here, and I'm already running severely behind schedule. Apologies for this somewhat delayed Preacher Party. Now, if only I had two other members of myself to get some of this done...but I guess that (among other reasons) is why I'm not God.
Yes, today's Trinity Sunday. I'm beginning my sermon with the line, "If you want to see a room full of confused people, just ask them about the Trinity." I don't have much beyond that at this point, and I have a classis meeting beginning - yikes - before I'm likely to be able to get there.
But since this is a virtual party, things can happen that would not be physically possible were you in my actual home. So, I'm going to invoke the much-neglected Holy Spirit to fill this virtual table with good things of all kinds, and an endless urn of really good coffee. Me? I'm going to have to settle for coffee of the gas station variety for now, but I'll see you all later!
Party down, preaching pals!
Blessings Stacy, I hope your day gets or at least feels a little less hectic from here on out.
ReplyDeleteAs usual I have overbooked my Sunday morning. We have our choir celebration, it is their last Sunday, and newcomer welcome, all while I have no idea what, if anything, to say about the Trinity. Looking forward to reading the rest of you.
On the positive side the kids slept in an extra half hour and are playing well (read quietly) for now, I have a cup of good Sumatra coffee in my mug, and waffles I made when my brother visited last week in the freezer. Anyone like to share?
I'm here - and I have a feeling y'all are going to be seeing a lot of me today. Because that's what I do when I'm in a bit of a crisis sermon-wise. I procrastinate!
ReplyDeleteI'm going with John, with Romans mixed in, title - Things We Cannot Bear (focusing on first 2 verses of the John text). I have random ideas floating around in my head, but nothing you could really call "direction" or "focus."
I've got coffee and birthday cake to share (my boys turned 3 two days ago, and my birthday is two days from now - so we are all about the goodies right now)! Let's party!
woohoo!
ReplyDeleteI'm supplying a new pulpit tomorrow, and intended to knock this off yesterday, but I have the most obnoxious summer cold. The only way I feel human is hopped up on drugs. And then what I write is rather incomprehensible. I'm doing Psalm 8, and one of my cold medicine induced attempts included a 3 paragraph riff on subway systems. I have no idea where I was going with that.
I may have to venture out in search of sustenance later. No diet coke in the house: sacrilege.
Stacey, I hope you get through day in one piece :-). PPB I hope you feel better. I know a few others with this summer cold - and it's been a doozy.
ReplyDeleteMe. Well. My sermon is written. As usual in rough draft form ready for a day of editing and tweeking. I am using Romans (suffering that produces endurance, endurance which produces character, character produces hope, and hope is all about God's love being poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit). Building off my example a few Sundays back of Rob Bell's Velvet Elvis, and the idea that Christian faith is art in progress, I think I am going to use Picasso's cubism (founded after the Spanish Civil War to reflect a world without God) and Icons (Rublev's Trinity, which hangs in our narthex) which through prayer lead us into God...all as examples of how we struggle to know God in our lives as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit...
I'm going with Proverbs 8 on Wisdom as we are celebrating two college grads who will "help" bring the message with a word or two about their future plans, and what the most important thing they've learned thus far is...
ReplyDeleteI am mainlining coffee right now and finishing the bulletin, children's time, coffee hour food prep. Instant oatmeal is my contribution to our breakfast gathering ;)
peace out, QP
We're singing Trinity hymns but kind of leaving it in the spoken content. we are using Proverbs, talking about Wisdom as the foundation of reality/creation/the world. SP said he would draw on the part of 1 Corinthians that says that the cross (suffering love) is God's wisdom, so therefore God's suffering love is the foundation of reality.
ReplyDeleteAccording to the worship planning team, I am supposed to come up with a children's time based on the three little pigs. how?
I'm running to the local donut joint to pick up donuts for our car wash...I'll drop some here on my way to the car wash location! enjoy...see you in the afternoon. ta!
I actually am about half-way done, since I started on Thursday. Now I have to go re-visit what I wrote then to see if I hate it or not.
ReplyDeleteAnother Psalm 8 'try-er out-er'.
Sermon? I knew there was something else I was supposed to be thinking about this week. All I really want to do today is play with the brand new iBook I got yesterday. :-)
ReplyDeleteBusy day today. The Worship Team is meeting for breakfast at 10:30, then I'm spending part of the afternoon with a dear friend who recently lost her husband before taking her to the airport to spend a month with another widow.
I'm going with Proverbs and all those wonderful trinitarian images found there. Hope Mother Laura was able to find the hymn I was talking about Tuesday - Holy Wisdom. Goes so well with the passage. Now to make a sermon happen. Luckily it's only 7 am here. :-)
I don't even have the coffee made yet, but I do have lots of banuelos to share - tortillas fried with cinnamon and sugar - yum.
Mmmm... Rev Maria, I'd LOVE a banuelo!
ReplyDeleteI have written and rewritten the same first few lines multiple times now, and here is what I've learned: when you don't know what you're trying to say, there's just no good way to try to start saying it!
Argh. Now I understand the wisdom of the "avoid Trinity" preachers on Tuesday. On paper, I got nada. In my head, I have a nice theology lecture. Boring, and so what?
ReplyDeleteAlso, I'd love some children's sermon ideas. But, Teri--the 3 little pigs? No idea on that one.
I've got some chicken salad to share whenever it's lunchtime in your time zone.
OK, I have coffee. I've protected the various cables to the new computer from the bunny rabbit. Why exactly do bunnies like chewing on electrical cables so much? I'll be thinking clearly any time now.
ReplyDeleteBTW, anyone in So California know a church musician/choir director looking for work? Mine's moving to Hawaii!
Hi friends, I am so sorry I can't join you in the preacher party. I am still at the North Alabama Conference. We are electing now the jurisdictional delegates. I am very dissapointed but not surprised by the voting for the general conference. One clergywoman was elected, one.
ReplyDeleteBlessings on you all who are preparing for Trinity Sunday. I doo would not know what to say. I will be getting back home this afternoon for my daughter's dance recital. Somewhere in all this I will finish up my sermon. Have fun yall. I am leaving brownies for yall to get your choclate fix later!
Morning, Preachers! Not preaching nor partying today, just stopping by to say hi.
ReplyDeleteThe kids and I are making hot cereal and then we're heading to San Diego. I am dropping them off at Sea World with Matt while I attend a deacon ordination in my friend Janine's jurisdiction....was thinking of it as a way to build friendship and good relations but have realized it will also behoove me to take bishop notes!
Good luck with the first person incomprehensible, second person incomprehensible, third person incomprehensible, the whole d**** thing incomprehensible ! (Gotta love that Athanasian creed, minus the anathemas of course).
Good morning all -- I do not envy you all preaching this Trinity Sunday -- so I offer you this diversion to get firmly grounded on the facts.. Semfem chose State Capitals as one of her category choices so come join us in the RGBP Trivia Challenge!
ReplyDeleteMother Laura, How I agree with you, tempting for the whole sermon to be 'God is a mystery and beyond our knowing.
ReplyDeleteAbi, what do you mean for later? Pass those brownies down please, I never diet while writing sermons, I end up too bitter.
In all seriousness, I seem to be headed for a sermon about not putting God in a box, our temptation to define God like us and create rules, rather than actively go after the Trinity as doctrine (since when are sermons on doctrines? Aren't those lectures?). What do you all think?
Stacy, sounds liek a beer might do you some good, but it isn't noon here. It is 5 o'clock somewhere though!
ReplyDeletePPB, drink some tea. Subway soudns intersting. Give everyone the same medicne and they will be with you.
My allergies are bad due to smoke drift from GA and FLA.
ReM, your bunny likes the cable just like my kitty enjoys the camera USB. He looks at me and then bites into it.
I jsut got out of graduation, yes, first crowd graduated at 8AM. But one of my youth gave me one of his tickets, so I was honored and got up early, early, to go.
Terri- are the 3 Little Pigs in the childrens sermon suppossed to represent the Trinity? You will have to telu s where the worship team went with that one.
Lots of Proverbs folks ths tiem around and Psalter goers.
REv Abi- congrats on the one woman being elected, sorry there wer no more.
The SP is preachign tomorrow sicne he had a whole week to sermonize whiel i was in N-ville.
Good luck to all preacher pals. You got Big Daddy, Junior and the Spook this go around. This refrences an old joke and I did nto make it up!
Dropping in for a moment from graduation festivities to see how things are going for you all.
ReplyDeleteBlessings on all preachers, readers and church folks in general!
I've brought some leftover cake and some crab salad from the crabs we enjoyed last night.
Enjoy!
Page 2 and still don't know what I'm saying/doing. Am spending far too much time online researching philosophical concepts such as "unknowable truth," the "knowability thesis," and Fitch's "paradox of knowability." A philosopher I am not, but once I started really considering Jesus' statement about truth that we cannot know and cannot bear yet, that's where I ended up.
ReplyDeleteBut for something completely different: go here for a fun Lark article about one man's relationship with the Holy Spirit. [this is my first attempt at linking within a blog comment; fingers crossed that it works and forgive me if I just mucked up this comment....]
Earthchick, the link works and the story is too cute. Wonder if I can fit it in to what I'm trying to do? Wonder if I can figure out what I'm trying to do?
ReplyDeleteI'm still rolling around in the subway system....stepped out to go to a department store to pick up an item that was supposed to be on sale, and then they were out and then they called another store to see if they had it and they didn't and then they gave me a raincheck and by then, I'd killed an hour and a half. I wish there was a sermon story in there, but I'm thinking not so much. At least I stopped at Mickey D's for a huge old diet coke. I'm fully caffienated, and hope to get out of the subway system soon.
ReplyDeleteLast night, I saw in an ad for a Tom Long preaching conf. in the CC. A phrase caught my eye, "proclamation not explanation" (both of those words may be missing an "i", don't know-can't spell check here). Anyway...
ReplyDeleteproclaim rather than explain the Trinity, I'm thinking...
Back later..
LOL at Mother Laura, and nodding appreciatively at St. Cass!
ReplyDeleteAs for me, I have a title. I had an outline, but didn't save it...ACK!
Heading out for a haircut, a hospital visit, a welcome-home party for a little boy whose mom just regained custody (YAY) and a meeting. What to do?
Also have to preach 3 times at prison tomorrow, as Ken is preaching elsewhere at a Reformed church....why oh why did I agree to do that?
Pass the coffee!
If it's any comfort to the lectionary ladies, those of us who preach series get stuck too. Topic tomorrow? Choices. Deut 30. Tying Moses to Jesus to Erwin McManus' book Chasing Daylight to us. Communion bread in oven; open house to go to. Hoo boy.
ReplyDeleteNot preaching tomorrow, which is a miracle seeing as how I'm the intern and it's Trinity Sunday.
ReplyDeletePrayers for all who labor today. Seven layer bars baked fresh last night are on the counter for any who need some sustanence.
What would I do without the Preacher Party?!
ReplyDeleteI'm still pondering this idea of perichoresis and dancing and Trinity. I might actually dance in the pulpit (or out of it)! Hmm! All swirly unformed thoughts though, at this point. I did have a good conversation with a parishioner recently about how nobody knows how to dance anymore. Maybe there's something there.
I actually have a really, really cool dancing story at a funeral I went to...but I've used it before, so it's out for me. If anyone is going the dance route and would like the story, let me know.
Also need to mow the front lawn, cook a good dinner (no more junk!), wash dishes, and pack for synod assembly which starts Sunday afternoon. Got derailed by the alarm going off at the church. Now: back at it.
What exactly was I thinking when I commited to Psalm 8?
ReplyDelete{hugs} ppb. FWIW, here is a sermon brief I wrote on Psalm 8 for The Christian Century a few years back. It was linked in a previous Text This Week but not this go-round.
ReplyDeleteAnd Rev Maria, I bet you can find a way to work that article into what you're doing! As far as actually figuring out what you're doing goes, well, I can't be as encouraging on that count, seeing as how I am still struggling my way in to my sermon....
No real progress here...chicken salad was nice, I'll take some of those brownies too. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteOnly upside is that tomorrow is communion Sunday, so the sermon can be shorter than usual.
cars have been washed.
ReplyDeletedonuts have been provided--there are jelly filled and powdered sugar ones left. enjoy!
now it's out to get supplies for tomorrow's church picnic with a friend/fellowship team member.
RE the 3 Little Pigs...I think it has something to do with what seems like good building material (wood or whatever) somehow relating to the world's wisdom, but the much more costly material (bricks) look foolish at first but turn out to be the better foundation--God's wisdom. (the tie-in with Proverbs being the "God's foolishness is wiser than our wisdom" thing from 1 Cor.)
Or something.
Can I turn the 3 little pigs into a trinity story without making it sound like two of the person of the trinity are either stupid or in a wolf's tummy?
I'll check in later with new snacks, praying for new children's time ideas!!
earthchick, that's a lovely article. sort of depressing compared to what is on my paper....but i now can guess that you might know some people that I know.....a classmate is your lutheran counterpart, at the place where you are....and i have many friends in your denominational camp...
ReplyDeletesee....the internet, she is a temptress. get behind me, google.
Uh, Teri, I am still skeptical about the Trinitarian nature of the three little pigs. What makes them one? Their house-building obsession? I do get the world's wisdom/foolishness thing. Not so useful for my Trinity sermon, but it makes sense. At least to me, in this sermon-writing stupor.
ReplyDeleteNo preaching for me but just got in out of the sun and managed to hose most of the horse smell off.
ReplyDeleteToo hot for coffee here but I've got a big cold pitcher of lemonade, a couple things to add some kick to it ;) and brownies! Help yourselves ladies!
Preaching parties kind of suck. There's no string, no greenies, and all the humans are looking at those boxes of evil. I thought the human was going to play with ME this weekend.
ReplyDeleteI come bearing lattes and that "I just woke up from a nap" fresh feeling! Also, frustration that my "love the earth because God has given you not only dominion but God's love - Psalm 8 and Romans 5" sermon isn't just flowing... I need about another page. And better flow.
ReplyDeletesemfem I hope you start a dance party! Not preaching the Trinity myself, but if I were, I'd be a dancing fool/queen!
Ter - oh geez. 3 little pigs? Yeah, forget any Trinity hope there and go with the wisdom/foolishness bit. Seriously, 3 little pigs?
I'm not preaching tomorrow either .. do get to serve communion. I can offer you all some chips and dip to snack on, and some good reading for your break.
ReplyDeleteI just finished reading and posting about 4-day Interfaith Creation Festival happening here in Seattle click here to read more.
ppb, hmmm, now I'm quite curious who we might know in common. And I agree that the internet is quite the temptress! (which makes me wonder how on earth I would procrastinate if I didn't have the internet)
ReplyDeleteI actually think I'm finally getting somewhere with my sermon....
Littlemankitty -
ReplyDeleteYou can come over here. I put Greenies out and both cats ignored them because they are not TUNA flavored... the nerve.
I had a meeting all morning, am helping with a friend's ordination this evening and play in the worship band tomorrow. AND I have a Greek work study due by midnight tomorrow. Thank heavens for Logos software!!!! :)
d
Oh, for those of you who don't want greenies, the Reedy Girl made chocolate bread in the bread machine and says I can share it.
ReplyDelete:)
d
earthchick: she's a lutheran and is a solo pastor/campus minister at the university that is NOT my alma mater.
ReplyDeleteMy sermon needs a conclusion. This is honestly not all that good, but not all that bad. It's just eh. I'm hoping to be able to hit print soon, so that I can drive down to the chapel and pick up my robe and whatnot for tomorrow. I should have taken it the last time I led worship, but oh well....
My worries today are:
a) sermon not having an ending
b) having no voice due to crazy summer cold.
c) driving 45 miles each way in a car with a "check engine" light on. The mechanic can't get me in until Monday, and said so long as it's not flashing not to worry. How bad would it be if my stupid car broke down and I couldn't get there?
Next week, these folks are getting a sermon from the vault of PPB's greatest hits. After the mileage, I'm making about 10 cents on this adventure. I wish I had known earlier that they were not lectionary based.
Terrific thunderstorm here, the kids are loving it, but not conducive to work. Good thing I have a preacher's party to make not working still feel like it has a semblance of usefulness.
ReplyDeleteRight now I have Trader Joe's corn puffs available for any takers.
Been obsessing about the 3 pigs most of the day and think I have something. Though to quote Winnie the Pooh, 'sometimes a thing that seems awfully thinkish when you think it turns out not to be at all thinkish when you share it.'
here goes - One salesperson has three different materials, even dispenses advice on how to use them. Straw is useful for feed but not for houses, Sticks are needed to make a fire, bricks better for houses. Trinity as creator, redeemer, sanctifier gives us all gifts we need, but are needed for different things.
Not quite there, but it at least brushes Trinity.
Sorry all, that last post was me - forgot to sign it.
ReplyDeletegreenies? where? where? I want some!
ReplyDeleteBack home, hair looks cute and short and kinda spikey at the crown. I reconstructed my outline. Now...on to filling it in. And looking for the sermon I already preached at my church, but want to use at prison, and cannot find. But things are looking up.
ReplyDeleteI wish I could remember whose idea this three little pigs thing was. I have a sinking feeling that it might have been something I mentioned (as a joke) that got turned into an idea which was then "strongly suggested" by the worship team. And this week we are starting a new worship schedule, including a new (re-vamped?) alternative service. If it's not good, and if the people who came to worship planning don't see their ideas being used, there could be bad attitudes. And since some of those people already have bad attitudes, I don't want to make it worse. But how do I make it intelligible to 5 year olds? I like the salesman idea, but I don't know how it will tie with the sermon...oy oy oy!
ReplyDeleteoh yeah, came back from church picnic shopping with ice cream from the freeze! dipped cones for everyone!
earthchick: it looks like you and I share a birthday. June 4? Happy birthday.
ReplyDeleteMy 'baby boy' has a birthday in a couple of weeks, too. And by 'baby boy' I mean he will turn 20!! How did that happen?
I read your article,and it was lovely.
I am finished with the sermon. I may tweak later, but finished for now.
Party on, y'all.
Hi, all!
ReplyDeleteIt's Children's Sunday for us tomorrow, and I had no sermon to prepare, although I did write the service, including a play based on the Parable of the Lost Sheep. I still have a Call to Worship to prepare, based on Psalm 23, but otherwise I am finished. Okay, we have to make a sign that says "BAAAA!!!!BAAAA!!!!" for the audience participation portion, but that's really all that is left to do. I think.
Littleman, we bought Zuke's today. Have you had those? They're upscale greenies. Sam had a carrot Zuke and Molly had a green one. Yum!
Hey cheesehead, Happy Birthday backatcha!! You, me, Angelina Jolie, Noah Wyle, and Dr. Ruth. [and thanks for the kind words about my article]
ReplyDelete*sigh* I'm so jealous of you done people. I keep sloggin' and sloggin' and just getting almost nowhere. Still waiting for the Spirit to guide me into all truth....
So, when I said I'd see you later, I didn't mean THIS much later. After the meeting, I had a message that a young boy in my congregation had gone into the ER, and thus went the day. The good news is that he's okay. The other good news is that I got a big chunk of my sermon written during the meeting. The bad news is that my brain is utterly fried, and a significant piece remains to be written.
ReplyDeleteHappy birthdays, cheesehead and earthchick! Let's have some cake. And some coffee to go with it.
Welcome back, Stacey--I was wondering what had happened to you.
ReplyDeleteI'm done. I guess. With the big people's sermon, that is. I still have nothing for the children's time...the Trinity is way too abstract. Sigh. Yes, pass the birthday cake, please.
Mmmm, yes, I'll take some cake!
ReplyDeleteStacey, sorry about your day! It always stresses me out so much to have an unexpected hospital visit land on a Saturday.
I was not planning on preaching on the Trinity per se, but lo and behold, five pages in and it just reared its head(s). I thought I was finishing up, and now I seem to be maybe on a different path. Ack! And looking back over my sermon, it just seems like one whole mess of abstraction. I'm all focused on the issue of truth we cannot yet bear, and truth that is yet to be revealed, blahblahblah, without ever actually getting specific about what that truth is or may be.
But then again, how the heck should I know? It hasn't yet been revealed....
Survived the Confirmation retreat, and tomorrow is the big day. Since it is communion, hot as you know what and we have no A/C in the church, the sermon will be short and to the point. 5 minutes max, but those can be the hardest.
ReplyDeleteI really really was going to be done on Friday, but life got in the way. But most of it is in my head, I think.
Who has somehting cool to drink?
I think I slightly envy those of you who have "Communion Sundays" Since we do that every Sunday I don't have a short sermon week to look forward to.
ReplyDeleteBack from the Worship Team meeting and trip to the airport. And now I've got the 3 little pigs on my mind. Hmm - don't know if I can come up with anything even vaguely helpful, Teri, but it sure will add to my powers of procrastination.
I'm grateful for the reminder to "proclaim not explain" :) Thanks St C
Semfem:
ReplyDeleteI would love that story..but I couldn't make the contact link at the site work... could you please share? Or email me at ayarnall@gmail.com?
Thanks!
Hit print, finally.
ReplyDeleteNow where is the nyquil?
Anyone doing Proverbs--and what do you do with this on Trinity (I'm going with Wisdom being the childlike delight of God and asking the question of how we love God (because God loves and delights in us). Oh sigh. Perhaps I'll preach on John...help. Gail
ReplyDeleteOk. I've spent the afternoon reading up on Picasso and Cubism and Icon's for my sermon. Have done nothing about the draft version I've written, which will need some serious rewriting...I am somehow hoping to connect, via Romans suffering leading to hope and hearts filled with the HS, the ways we know God's presence in the world...beginning with Picasso's impact on Cubism as a way of expressing humanity without God, to the Icon of the Trinity that hangs in our narthex - coming to know God through prayer, which icons invite us into and ending with the simple picture given to me by the Rwandan refugee family who lived in our church for 6 days. The picture, wood with multi-colored pieces of wheat glued onto a simple container, was clearly something important to this family. When they gave it to me, on the day they moved to their new home, I was so touched. An offering of gratitude and thanksgiving from a family who HAS NOTHING. We come to know God, in all the various ways God expresses God's self through our relationships with others. Our ministry with refugees is one that not only provides us a way to be the face of Christ but to experience God's love in return.
ReplyDeleteSecond installment. thanks "earthchick" for great article (I love the ones in Christian Century)..on Psalm 8, it's a great help..may use some of your ideas....(Is that ok?) Gail in California (Lutheran, but used to be Baptist, does that count?
ReplyDeleteOf course, Gail!!
ReplyDeleteppb, hope you feel better soon. Nyquil is such a blessed thing....
ReplyDelete(from one who is on the tail-end of a chest cold - bleh)
Stacey,
ReplyDeletemy day too led to the hospital unexpectedly. A suicide attempy, or at least partial attempt by a terrific young woman with an extrememly fragile ego, over a boy who broke up with her, no less.
Thank God for the ministry of presence, because I certainly had no words that came close to adequact for her and her parents. Pray for all of us, please.
Now to try and write - and energy at a low ebb. I'm afraid that it is just Diet Pepsi to offer here, maybe some frozen chocolate chips later if I am really desperate.
Well, for the first time since January I can say, "I am not preaching this Sunday" - sounds like you all have got some great stuff brewing, even done. Good for you!
ReplyDeletePlease apply birthday greetings and get well wishes as you see fitting!
This concludes the will smama party crashing portion of the program.
I'm wading in kind of late because DH and I have been transforming the flowerbeds around our front porch into something beautiful yesterday and today ...
ReplyDeleteAnybody want some red wine? It does tend to make the Trinity a little more comprehensible in an "altered states" sort of way ...
Yes, red wine, please!
ReplyDeleteI just lopped a bunch of stuff out of my sermon; not sure if it helped or not. But it could be that I'm only a paragraph or two away from done. Problem is, I can't yet see how to close. I wanted to be finished before I went on a walk, but if I wait any later it'll be dark. So I'm going out now. Maybe the walking and the fresh air will help me find an ending?
Oh, fentonian, that's awful. Prayer for all of you.
ReplyDeleteHappy crashing, ws! Those breaks after months of preaching every week always feel so amazing.
Hmm. I've got less than a page to go, so sure, I'll have some red wine. I fear that my sermon sounds a bit more like a lecture than a sermon, but what do you do? And I get to quote the Belgic Confession, in case there are any other Reformed folks here to appreciate my geeky glee over that.
earthchick, I'm sure a walk will help!
ReplyDeleteSinging Owl, we need a picture of that haircut, soon.
To those who had difficult pastoral care days, you have my prayers tonight.
ReplyDeleteSo thankful to NOT be preaching tomorrow!
ReplyDeleteGot back from Montreat just in time to take a two hour (each way) road trip for a wedding rehearsal and then got to repeat the trip today for the wedding. Why is it I agreed to do this wedding again? Oh well. All's well that ends well.
Look forward to sitting in the pews of a sister church in the morning. Blessings on you all. (And feel better, PPB!)
Am seriously considering an actual glass of actual wine - something I never do till I'm done writing. But I keep thinking it might help my creativity! I am just really struggling this time. I need a conclusion to hold this thing together, but so far I have tried three different ones and ended up cutting them all. Right now the sermon feels a bit abstract, but everything I try to make it feel a little more concrete ends up feeling too flip, too light, and not fitting....
ReplyDeleteWaah waah waah. I'm trying to turn the Preacher Party into a Pity Party.
I don't know if it'll help, earthchick, but I'm ending at the table, talking about how God invites us into communion/the divine community. Working on that now...
ReplyDelete*passes the wine*
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteRev. Maria--I found the hymn! The ordination was at a Disciples church this morning, I got there early and fell upon the hymnal like a hawk. It rocks and I copied it down on offering envelopes....Thank you so much for the tip.
ReplyDeleteOk. Sermon is as done as it's going to be...at least until morning.
ReplyDeleteBlessings for all of you who have high level pastoral care to administer this day. I hope you find rest this night. (and words for sermons, as the case may be).
To all the preachers, may the Spirit fill your hearts and minds and breath life into your words tomorrow.
Last one up get the lights?
Thanks, Stacey, I did end up rounding the bend and ending up at the table. With so much of my imagery being about the Spirit being our Guide into unfamiliar terrain, I spoke of the table in terms of bread for our journey forward.
ReplyDeleteI finally found just the story I needed to make more accessible what I was really trying to say. Found it here (at the bottom of the page). (I'm a bit link-happy today, now that I've finally figured out the html for that!).
Oy. I'm putting this baby to bed, getting a shower, and then it's knitting time to finally unwind!
Best wishes to anyone out there who's still writing!!
Glad you found it Mother Laura. Isn't it great? How very providential that you should be in a Disciples church today.
ReplyDeleteStill no sermon. What I'm really looking at is Lady wisdom (the word) present from the beginning of time, made incarnate in Jesus. I'm constantly battling "Jesus was physically present at the creation of the world - John says so" grrr. Hoping Lady Wisdom can help, along with HS, of course. :-)
I took a long detour this afternoon--not for pastoral care matters, though my heart goes out to all who had those to deal with today.
ReplyDeleteSomehow I managed to feel so good about my direction and my outline that I didn't actually write the darn thing yet. So I'm officially starting that now. I'm going with the dance theme and talking about how the Trinity gives us a framework for doing theology, just as dance steps give us a framework for movement--but in the end, you can't concentrate too much on the framework, you have to just GO!
At least I procrastinated by doing productive things: mowing the lawn, washing dishes, eating a healthy dinner. *tries to feel optimistic*
Amy--I just sent you e-mail.
I am off to bed. I decided to preach two sermons, each one 2 times. ;-) Confused? That means that I am preaching on the Holy Spirit, often overlooked third person of the Trinity, in church, and in prison chapel service number one. Then preaching something totally different (about Jesus and the 12) for prison service #2 and #3. Then leaving to go back with husband to evening service he is preaching at Refomed Church in the Boondocks.
ReplyDeleteMAN, will I be churchified after FIVE services. I hope I don't fall asleep during my husband's sermon. I'm saying a quick prayer for those still struggling. And I'll leaqve the remainder of the Neopolitan ice cream here for someone to finish up. I'm pooped!
Wow, semfem, just starting now? Blessings on that!
ReplyDeleteI'm finally done, and headed to bed. God be with you, friends.
Maybe I should take my own advice and stop concentrating on the framework and just GO, huh? :)
ReplyDeletewondering how the three little pigs turns out ...
ReplyDeleteoh and there's early morning pancakes for those who are doing an all niter
bye for now
Done! I took a tiny little nap, and I'm going to take one more tiny little nap, and then I'm off. Whew.
ReplyDeleteI'll take some of those pancakes...thanks Lorna... :)
Oh sem fem, wow.
ReplyDeleteI can't do all nighters any more. I get so giddy that I'm manic. Not a good thing in the pulpit, but hey more power to those who can!
I hope you can sense all members of the Trinity having your back today. Semfem, I don't know how you do it.
ReplyDeleteHave fun all!
Just finished final revision after the requisite 4 hours sleep (semfem - I think you are nuts). Quick can of Diet Pepsi while I open up and print.
ReplyDeleteThanks all for being here, it is huge to know there are others in my boat, and praying for me too.
Speaking of prayer, I've offered up one to that confusing Trinity for all those of you proclaiming today.
ooh, pancakes! Maybe this new earlier worship schedule isn't so bad after all.
ReplyDeleteHere's the three little pigs plan, in case anyone's desperate for a children's time this morning:
1. show kids straw/wood/brick and ask if each one is good for building. why/why not? 2. Have kids tell me story of three little pigs. 3. Some things might look good for building our lives on, some things look easier to use, but God says the best thing to build from is love (bricks). We can see how much God loves us when we look at Jesus. Jesus' love is a solid thing that not even the big bad wolf can blow down (I don't know if I'll add that or not!!) 4. Pray and get out quickly.
That should work, right?
Sounds great Teri - my prayers are with you. Next time tell the worship committee that if they like an idea so much they should give the kids sermon.
ReplyDeleteTeri, love the piggies! If I have any children today I'll borrow it. :-)
ReplyDeleteSermon done, Holy Wisdom hymn drawn in, article from Lark included. Thank you Sisters, without you all this would never have happened. And of course, all honor and credit to Spirit, Word and Creator.
Posted Holy Wisdom here.
ReplyDelete3 Little Pigs was a success! "God doesn't use flimsy things to build the world--God built the world with the love of Jesus. Will your brick house fall down? no...will your house built with the love of Jesus fall down? NOO!!!!!" It worked. Praise the Lord! :-)
ReplyDelete