In my denomination, it's Peace and Justice Sunday. I'm not sure if other denominations have this or not, but for me, it's a lovely excuse to preach about things that have been on my heart lately as I've watched the struggle for justice in Burma/Myanmar. Monks and nuns in Myanmar have been quite persistent in calling for justice in their nation. Where is the persistent Christian voice - the widow's voice if we're looking at Luke 18 - for justice in this world? What are we asking? What are we doing?
That's where my sermon is going this week - toward the ways that we seek peace and justice, against all odds and sometimes at great personal risk. What are you thinking as Sunday draws closer? Where are your questions and roadblocks? How will you bring good news to your people? And for goodness sake, does anyone have a great children's sermon?
I'm also officiating a friend's wedding today, so I'll be in and out for that, but the coffee is set to brew early, and I've set out an apple crisp that has enough oatmeal in the topping that it's surely acceptable as a breakfast food. It's that time again, so let's get to the task of finishing up those sermons, with the comfort of knowing that we're not alone.
How can I possibly be blogging when it's Saturday morning,I haven't a word of my sermon,and I'm off to see Hattie Gandhi at uni in about an hour, not home till tonight?
ReplyDeleteCould it be because I am no longer a procrastinator, but have become procrastination in person??
Hugger Steward made some brownies for his sister - I'll see if I can squirrel a few away for the party. Happy writing, friends. Catch you later xxx
Aaargh. It gets worse. Just realised that the passage for tomorrow evening from John 16 finishes at verse 11 - and all the thoughts and plans I've had (which were looking quite promising) revolve around verse 12!!! Moral = don't do your lectionary prep while dopey with lemsips and unable to breathe. It impacts mental processes. Now what?
ReplyDeleteToday holds a funeral for a local woman and then writing a sermon for tomorrow. The coffee is going here as well -- cinnamon today. I must remember to get more fair trade at chuurch tomorrow! I'll leave you some cereal and milk while I go make copies next door.
ReplyDeleteKathryn, one of my favorite lines is something like this, "This week I am exercising the Preacher's Porogative. the reading that is listed in your bulletin will not be XYZ, but ABC." Then I read it and we go on. You can't do it too often, but every once in a while it is OK. If you have been workign with verse 12, simply include it in your reading, if you are able to.
agreeing with knittin preacher here Kathyrn... bring in verse twelve, and have a great day :-)
ReplyDeleteI am not preaching this weekend but I do have 6 hefty chapters to wade through before class on Monday!
ReplyDeleteI'm slowly coming awake and realizing I don't have much other than a title and a general idea. Yikes! Maybe after coffee I'll know more.
ReplyDeleteJust getting up, well, out of bed. Babygirl and I were up all night with croup and hubbie is on a youth retreat. Sunday is pastor appreciation sunday, yet I have to preach? Not fair! Feeling sorry for myself this morning, I'll try not to whine too much! (unless the morning sickness kicks in and then all bets are off!) Going to read the lectionary now and hoping to be inspired! Blessings y'all!
ReplyDeleteI've been thinking this week about the title someone gave on Tuesday's Lectionary Leanings. (I can't remember who it was...and don't have time to look, so I apologize.) It was "Don't use the Bible...." It stuck with me. I'm thinking about talking about ways we use and misuse scriptures....
ReplyDeleteI've never used a movie clip before, but there's a clip from the Movie "Saved" where a girl throws a bible at another girl and yells, "I'm filled with Christ's love." The other girls hands the bible back to her and says, "this is not a weapon."
I'm off to a cleaning day at the church. We're cleaning out the basement and doing some minor repair work. I'll be there till 2 and then I guess I'll get some sermon work done.
I have brownies that have spinach and carrots in them....i think that since they have vegetables in them they can count as a breakfast food! ;-)
Blessings on your day.
You guys have a hard job. I just added an addendum to Friday Five
ReplyDeleteI have some cherry cheesecake pie I can throw in for the party. I'm taking it easy today. I had a pastoral care crisis this week which was exhausting BUT the good news is that it was inspiration for Sunday's sermon. So, that's done. I think I'll do some much needed housecleaning today, drink coffee, and take naps when the caffeine buzz wears off!
ReplyDeleteGood luck all!
ReplyDeleteOff to fall fair at our church, with raffle, flea market, cafe, bakery, children's games, and enough used books for sale to fill the sanctuary. Am not preaching tomorrow, but will think about you...I've got granola, berries, and greek yogurt...
Here I am ready to work on the sermon and trying to moderate caffeine intake so I don't get tweaked...I'm going with the Jeremiah, but trying to stay on the OT side of Jesus. I want to finish by the time THE GAME starts at 3:30 p.m. I am also on call through tomorrow night at the hospital--hope things stay calm there.
ReplyDeleteIt's rainy here and humid--ack.
I will take some of the apple crisp--thanks Stacey. I'll put out the snacks when the football games start. Chips and dip, hummus and veggies and cheese. Also, of course, scarlet and gray M&M's
Hi,
ReplyDeleteGetting ready to write my sermon but I have an enourmous headache. I am going to muddle through. I was all excited on Monday about my sermon topic, however my energy petered out through the week. I want to be prophetic but I am afraid of offending. My sermon this week will have a strong social justice element to it. I hope the congregation will hear me.
I am bringing some hazelnut coffee and coffee cake.
Working on papers today, not a sermon. I am doing the children's sermon tomorrow -- should I encourage te kidlings to whine until Mommy gives in? no? better work on that a bit more.
ReplyDeleteI have frenchtoast sticks made with no wheat, gluten, milk, or egg. I'll offer them up, but I'm not sure what really IS in them...
I'm preaching on Jacob from Genesis 32 -- though of course I like the social justice aspect of the widow story. However, she was advocating for justice for herself. and I think that's part of this issue. We often think of justice as advocating for others because we don't think we are connected with each other.
ReplyDeleteanyway, I'm a little stuck halfway through the Jacob sermon. like both stories because i think both Jacob and the widow are tenacious -- holding on for dear life
but I need to preach this at 5:00 p.m. this evening, so I better get unstuck quickly!
put the coffee on! blueberry pancakes, anyone?
and how about some fresh squeezed orange juice?
thanks for the granola and yogurt, karlajean!
kathryn, our rubrics about scripture allow us to make the reading on Sunday longer, at our discretion. But never shorter...(LOL)
ReplyDeletealthea, that's is funny...
I'm not preaching tomorrow, the last in our series of sermons by parishioners on "Why I Come to Small Church." Aside from the fact that half the cogregation has been out of town or on vacation all of Oct. the sermon series has been good. Good to hear these life stories and inspiring -the way they have connected their stories and lives to the Gospel of the day...
Well I have loads of tea, all varieties. And coffee. and coffee cake.
Today is Ryan's last day home before he returns to Afghanistan to finish his tour. (home on a two week leave). So, it will be a bittersweet day in my house.
diane, I love the Jacob story and would preach on that myself, if I were preaching. I love how, at the end of the struggle he comes out with a new identity, a new self. Isn't that the way it is? We move through this awful difficulty, we persevere, and in the end, the grace of God, we are someone new, transformed. Jacob fights for himself and then becomes the leader of all. No longer just one for himself, but one for all.
ReplyDeleteKarlajean I'll take some yogurt and oatmeal also!
ReplyDeleteWell, I have lots of notes and ideas and actually a chunk of the sermon written and posted on another blog, Lavender Chronicle . But that's not all of it, and like others of us, I'm a bit nervous about what I'm feeling called to say tomorrow.
So now to put those random paragraphs and thoughts and notes into a coherent form, and make sure my asbestos alb is clean for tomorrow...
I'll be baking brownies later today for a potluck this evening--I'll make a double batch and bring some for you-all.
I have to leave for a meeting in half an hour (and need to do silly things like get dreessed first) and will be in meetings until 2.
ReplyDeleteI'll be back this afternoon to see what wisdom y'all have. I want to get a stewardship message out of the widow, the judge, and JEremiah's heart-writing....
Kathryn, no no, be more kinder to yourself, start with 11 and point to 12. And if you have been sick you are not procrastination in person, you have been sick.
ReplyDeleteHi all, here I am trying to wake up after being driven to the sofa in the middle of the night from a snoring, coughing, sneezing sick husband. Now where is the justice in that? LOL. Prayers for you all as you prep.
I am not preaching it is Laity Sunday. I am praying for the one preaching though. I am off to our yard sale as soon as I do wake up.
Stacey thanks for a lovely setting.
I'm not quite at the 11th hour because I have the bulk of my sermon done.. but it is finished and I'm not quite sure what else to write.
ReplyDeleteMorning all - I am not preaching but I do think of all you procrastinating types here - thought I don't think of Saturday morning as procrastinating. Maybe late Saturday evening though...
ReplyDeleteIt's a beautiful day here after 2 days of slow/fast beautiful and needed rain. Off this morning for some morning coffee and then light lunch with a friend.
For breakfast I had some sugar free cinnamon roll flavored oatmeal with stewed pears right off the tree - local fruit!
My best friend from seminary is here to preach to my congregation (it's the only way we could justify her trip from middle states to west coast), so SHE's busy writing her sermon at my kitchen counter. She just heard of Revgals at a clergy retreat last week and plans to become part of our happy group as soon as she gets home again.
ReplyDeleteI have a regional gathering to show up for later today, then I have to go put my office back in order. I was on my way to the store to get a few things yesterday when I stopped to drop off some stuff at my office and discovered a Flood of Biblical Proportions in the building! You could swim in Fellowship Hall, and 2 of my bookcases were destroyed (saved the books, though!) The carpet has been torn up and put back and is drying now but everything is all over the place. Ugh. Had to spend 1/2 of my day off dealing with plumbers and carpet dryers. :-( Not the way I want to spend my friend's time visiting with me!
Finally made it to the market this morning and got lots of fresh fruit and healthy cereals to supplement the ever present pot of coffee. Help yourselves.
Not writing a sermon, but am running off to church this morning for some last minute organ practice. Why oh why did I turn that postlude in?!? Ugh. And then back this afternoon to work on a questionnaire for my project that was supposed to be done yesterday. If I were a preacher, I'm sure I'd be right here with you guys waiting until late on Saturday to get the sermon written.
ReplyDeleteNothing interesting to offer other than some Cherrios and milk. enjoy.
Revmaria, oh so sorry. yuck yuck yuck...I hope the visit is wonderful despite the flood...
ReplyDeleteoooh... revmaria... what a treat! enjoy the blessing of worshipping as your friend preaches and of having her presence with you!
ReplyDeleteand kathryn... um... yes... totally.. use vs. 12. not an issue. at all. (my e-mail bounced back btw- someone doesn't want us to connect!)
i'm off lectionary preaching on Psalm 112, one of the 10 best stewardship texts according to a lecture I heard Walter Brueggemann (sp?) give a couple years ago. I have used all my favorite texts from this list and I'm the dregs... but... there's good stuff in this Psalm. There is.
i have a hunch i need to do some straight talk about our churches finances in this sermon. i usually preach stewardship sermons that make folks say "wow. that was great. and it didn't even feel like a stewardship sermon." i'm not sure they'll feel that way this week.
i have not a word written. and no food to offer, but stacy... apple crisp? yes, please.
sipping on water and starting writing any minute... really... i swear...
whoops, rev maria- my skimming bounced over the flood, yuck! that is not delightful. at least you have a beloved friend with you this weekend though...
ReplyDeleteo.k. i really am going to write my sermon, i just wanted to tell "pastor to be" that i have been there- finished, but not finished- it can be a frustrating feeling. do you have any friends or colleagues who could listen to your sermon and help you discern it's resolution or ending?
ReplyDeleteblessings...
kathryn. Read verse 12 and go with your first ideas. Lectionary is only an outline
ReplyDeleteI have been working on Timothy's
ReplyDeletetheme about scripture and am speaking on biblical authority or not. Last week I challenged my congregation to read a book of the bible before Christmas--a whole book. No Philemon! Some of them actually told me which book they were going to read. One fellow said JOB!
I have challenged them to take back the Bible from fundamentalists. In other words to feel confident enough of their Biblical literacy that they don't take only one interpretation of it. I want to add to that thread this week by talking about biblical scholarship.
Nothing like biting off more than I can chew. But it will set the tone of what I want to offer this parish in our time together.
I have to get my office fixed up so that it is ready for guests next week for the installation. Then pork dinner at church this evening. Lots of fun.
Meanwhile I sip my Frappachino and dream of the food we talked about yesterday!
Wow, you guys have been busy around here! I'm not preaching tomorrow, which is good since I'm volunteering at our Moms of Multiples sale (have to pay a babysitter in order to make it possible). Actually got to sleep in till 8:00 this morning - can't remember the last time that happened - thanks to no sermon prep to do and two boys who decided to stay in bed somewhat longer than usual.
ReplyDeleteBlessings on all who prepare. Happy partying!
Is anyone else doing the Children's Defense Fund National Observance of Children's Sabbath? I'm guest preaching at a church this weekend, and they are participating
ReplyDeleteKathryn, like many of the other suggestions here, if it were me, I'd just read v. 12 and go with the ideas you have. I really don't think anyone is going to be irate about the addition of one verse of Scripture. And if they are, well, they're stupid. (Clearly I am in my most mature of moods this morning.)
ReplyDeleteMy sermon is done, so now I'm just reviewing things for this evening's wedding.
cpclergymama, what is this clergy appreciation Sunday thing? I think I could use one of those.
God_guurrlll, I'm going pretty strongly down the social justice road this week. Trying to be not too heavy-handed, but direct enough to be challenging.
Rev. Maria, EEEK! to your flood, but I hope you have fun with your friend!
muthah+, I exhorted my congregation to read the Bible so they can be more literate and better understand things like context last week, using the Timothy text. If any of my ideas can help, even tho it's a slightly different text, it's posted here
ReplyDeleterev maria- So sorry to hear about your flood:( glad you saved the books! :)
ReplyDeletestacey- this appreciation thing sounds great, and I'm sure it will be fine, but with evaluation around the corner and the very real chance that hubbie and co-pastor will not be back in time for the potluck after service I'm not looking forward to it!
Just put babygirl down for a nap so I'm diggin in to Luke, maybe I'll find some treasure.
I'm very late to the party this week, but I've been up and out for the CROP walk this morning, and Spouse has a concert tonight, so now is the time for me to dig deep and finish what I started on Thursday--yup, you read that right!
ReplyDeleteI'm doing Genesis 32, along with Diane.
muthah+ -- I love what you are telling your congregation!!!
ReplyDeleteWell, I'm 2/3s done with my Jacob sermon. Calling it "body prayer" -- prayer as if our lives depended on it...and then God using our whole lives... changing our lives (as he did Jacob's name)
we're having a craft sale here at church today, which is very distracting!
If I finish, I can shop for Christmas presents!
also, eating sloppy joes for lunch anyone join me?
i have a draft that i'm pretty sure sucks.
ReplyDeletebut... i've been criticized in the past for not participating in church work days so i'm going to go be busy in cleaning and organizing over at church for awhile- i've been meaning to get to that anyways.
i have a draft though. boy was it a matter of pulling teeth to get this far.
my stomach is grumbling. i'll have some of those sloppy joes, diane.
christmas presents, diane? you shame me. i don't even have thanksgiving plans yet!
What they said Kathryn - keep reading through verse 12.
ReplyDeleteRevMaria - I'm sorry about the flood. Our building is hurting right now too in terms of water over the past few days, but we did not actually flood.
Mompriest - prayers for your son and for your whole family as he returns overseas. My niece is there too, in Khandahar.
I'm preaching Luke and talking (after some deconstruction of ancient interpretations of the text) about how God persists in holding on to us and nudging us toward peace and justice. I'm also using the situation in Burma/Myanmar as an example by seeing this text as an invitation to dig deep and find the same courage that these monks and nuns have found in such despairing times.
Sounds like y'all have been doing some great work!
ReplyDeleteOkay I have a draft here which I'm not sure that I like, but I'm going to let it rest. I think I'll try to get some crackers to stay down and maybe a nap while babygirl finishes hers. I'll check back in later!
Wow, you all are so productive in here. I've been stewing without progress over my children's sermon for the last couple of hours. Blah. Perhaps more apple crisp will help...
ReplyDeleteAlright, I'm off to get ready for the wedding. I'll bring you back some cake. Blessings on your writing, all.
ReplyDeleteOh RevMaria, I sympathise with your flood. We had one in our office last summer--came in through the ceiling, which collapsed all over my desk. I have been there and I really do feel your pain!
ReplyDeleteHave lots more notes and the beginnings of an outline. I have so much to say, I don't know where to start. So I'm going to just start putting stuff down and I'll organise it later.
It's the social justice issue--so many things to say about the world and the state of the church...I know, I know...concentrate on one or two and just mention the rest.
Still, not much done on the sermon here.
I have, however, made brownies, played Scrabulous, answered an email about weddings, and sent a birthday email to my sister. Do any of those count?
Scrabulous? Is that the diabolical time suck I fear?
ReplyDeleteKathryn, please read verse 12. Please.
And Rev Maria, so sorry about the flood!
I've been busy with home stuff all day: dogs, daughter, laundry. Only started on my sermon a little while ago, and promised myself I wouldn't post here until I had something. Which I sort of do.
I'm preaching on the persistent widow, asking that we look at it the instruction to pray and persist a charge to the community rather than simply as a personal charge, with a healthy reminder of the status of widows and a question about who the "widows" are today. Finally a reminder that wanting to change things is not enough, in our prayers we call on God, through whom all things are possible.
Something like that. Finishing up with one of my all-time favorite hymns, "How Firm a Foundation."
Meanwhile, I want a snack. What do we have around here?
Hi all. I have been bopping in and out, lurking and procrastinating. I have little to bring to the party by way of treats or sermon at this point....feeling a little bare in the larder on all fronts, so have been sampling from yours. Sorry to hear about the flood, revm! Diane, I think you may have inspired me with the "bodyprayer" idea as I am also preaching on Jacob...as soon as I can get something to paper. Wish I could shop at your fair...into distraction mode. So now am going to coffee with a friend, will bring back some of their excellent scones and chai, then tuck in for the long writing haul.
ReplyDeleteWell, I've had a lovely time with Hattie Gandhi, though it's hard to leave her and come home. Now LCM and Hugger Steward are watching the rugby world cup and I'm closetted in the study and grateful for all your encouragement...I think what I'll do is work as if v12 were not there, but bring it in to the final canter home. Spent a bit of time while HG and HS were playing guitars to each other writing some thoughts down...its going to be a "Yes, well..." sort of sermon, but to be honest in my current frame of mind that feels plenty good enough.
ReplyDeleteClearly a week for flooding...I still have the books from the loft spread all over the sitting room, as the builder hasn't been able to come and fix the roof yet. Praying for 2 more dry days...
Oh..and I DID save some brownies, though they were so good it was quite a battle. Enjoy :-)
all done, for now. gotta preach it at 5:00, although I'm not quite satisfied... doesn't feel quite concrete enough at the end. so it might be a little different in the a.m. we'll see.
ReplyDeletesee you after 5:00!
(we may be having some fettucini... anyone?)
Back from the "Yard sale". It was a really good one. The pancake breakfast went really well. The little girl with the lemonade/cookie stand did good. The purse sale went well too.
ReplyDeleteBad news though, I came home with more things than I had donated. People were giving things to my kids. I found some nice clothes for them.
Good news, had fun ministering to people, praying for people, listening to people, talking with our members and others. One of the members commented that she had been watching me meet and greet people, she was amazed.
Continuing to pray for those prepping for today and tomorrow.
revmarie...prayers for the flood.
Blogger ate my comment! Hrmph.
ReplyDeleteI don't have the heart to retype it all (nor do I remember it). Short version: I'm disgruntled with Luke 18, want to preach against it, wonder if Genesis is the way to do so. Oh, and floods suck.
Now I'm just grumpy in general. Let me take a chocolate chip cookie before I set the pan out for y'all to snack on and ruin your dinner.
(Oh, and anybody have a favorite TV schedule website to recommend? Yahoo changed theirs, it now appears to suck, and I can't tell if my Big Game [UO vs. UW] is on here.) Again. Grumpy.
It's so quiet here! Anyone hanging around hoping to pick up a hand of Bridge?
ReplyDeletewell... i have to preach the sermon shortly. So I've posted it at my place.
ReplyDeleteKathryn, thank you for saving me a brownie. Mmm... hits the spot.
Blessings, Diane on your 5:00 preaching. I think that might be simultaneous with my 6:00 preaching!
May the Holy Spirit make the most of our offerings.
Songbird, Scrabulous is a delightful time suck as is free rice. Don't know how to play bridge, sorry.
semfem, it looks like no tv channel is carrying it, unless ESPN is showing it on another coast.
ReplyDeleteYou can follow it on the gamechannel on Yahoo, or MSN. If you have cable, often the cable provider has its own website that shows what it is carrying. MSN is pretty good too. sorry Yahoo was no help.
Hope this 6:00 preachings goes well.
and Semfem hope it gets better.
I have an outline I can preach from! And I actually feel good about it...pretty good.
ReplyDeleteSee I want to wake people up a bit, make them think...but it seems recently that the folks that are coming already agree with me (commonly called, "preaching to the choir," I believe).
So I may be convincing but then I'm talking to people who agree with me already.
Sigh.
Off to potluck and Celtic music! I may check back in depending on how far away the bodhrans carry me!
revabi - I had a similar experience at our Moms of Multiples Sale today. I came home with nearly as much stuff as I sold (plus half of the stuff I was trying to sale). Let's see, I sold about $90 worth of stuff. Bought about $81 worth. Spent $30 on a babysitter so I could volunteer today. Huh. Looks like I didn't break even after all. But I did come home with some great deals, and getting rid of clothes my boys no longer wear feels good too.
ReplyDeleteSongbird, How Firm a Foundation is one of my very favorites too! We sang it last week. (I also picked it as the closing hymn for my ordination). I love it so much that the organist and music director had to put it on a moratorium for awhile b/c I was choosing it too often! But it's such a GREAT HYMN.
Dare I even ask what Scrabulous is? (must not Google... must not Google...)
earthchick, mine, too!!
ReplyDeletePraise the Lord, I've done it
ReplyDeleteand it's not even 11.00 pm quite yet (3 minutes to go, in point of fact ;-))
Blessings on all of you still toiling away - and on tomorrow's preaching too. Sleep well when you get there xx
My ordination, that is. Will I ever learn to wait until I am finished to click "publish?"
ReplyDeleteI wish to let you all know that I have added a few of your members links on my blog, some of who I asked some I havent't. So if your blog is listed below and you do not want your link on my site please let me know, I will remove it.
ReplyDeleteYou've Really Got to Love Your People*
Yearning For God*
Tribal Church*
Sharing a Journey*
Seeking Authentic Voice*
Presbyterian Gal*
Possible Water*
Magdalene's Musings*
LadyBurg*
Inner Dorothy*
Going on to Perfection*
Faith in Community*
Cheesehead in Paradise*
revabi--thanks for checking out the game for me. It's probably good for the sermon that it's not on TV. I only get super, super basic cable--so there's no channel that tells me what's on. I'll have to check out gamechannel.
ReplyDeleteWell, I have a few kernels of ideas, and so far Chilly Fingers and cpclergymama have noted things in their sermons that have helped me in mine (thanks!). I think I'm going to be talking about the change that occurs in both Genesis and Luke, and what that tells us about prayer. (like I said...kernels.)
Still got chocolate chip bar cookies if anybody needs a bite of dessert or just some general fuel!
This is one Buckeye happy camper. Ohio State is still undefeated...
ReplyDeletethey barely squeaked by MSU...
--O--H anybody?!
I fear I'm coming down with something, but at least I have managed to come up with a sermon, and you may read it here.
ReplyDeleteI'm putting on some hot water for tea, anyone want a cup of herbal black cherry or green tea with orange?
Widow, judge, incessant cries for justice--and stewardship. WHere is teh link?
ReplyDeleteI think it is in asking how we respond to that cries/pleas for justice. STewardship is, in the end about choices and so is justice. How we choose to use our resources (money, time, energy, wordly good, political capital) says a whole lot about our committment to justice.
At least I think ther is a sermon in there...
Stewardship?
ReplyDeleteOh, shoot.
I really *must* be coming down with something...
just as long as you don't come across as the widow incessantly asking for money..... ;>
ReplyDeleteThanks wyldth1ng - i'm flattered!!
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone have anything brilliant for a children's story? My head is really bad tonight so I'm going to bed now, but will check here in the morning. Otherwise, I'll just wing it.
oh drats, songbird. coming down with something... i'm so sorry to hear it. may you sleep long and well tonight.
ReplyDeleteearthchick, don't google it if you don't want a new addiction.
wyld- i love that you link to me.
yay, kathryn on finishing before 11.
my sermon is actually WAY better than i thought. only one person in addition to k and I showed for worship tonight, but... the sermon worked. hallelujah! may it go as well or better tomorrow.
blessings on all still writing.
I've been at a family reunion most of the day... so I'm bringing some extra food to the party. I've got fried chicken, pecan pie (pee-can!), just picked apples, real tomatoes, some boiled peanuts, and some iced tea (sweet of course).
ReplyDeleteThe sermon is finished... and the SS lesson will get done tomorrow morning. I'm going to put my over-stuffed body in the recline position.
God's peace.
I just finished my sermon. I got called away on a pastoral emergency to a hospital an hour and a half away from my home. Made for some interesting reflection time on the drive back and forth to the hospital. I read my sermon to my partner and she thought it was prophetic yet not heavy handed. I hope my congregation will feel the same way tommorrow morning. The social justice issue that I address is poverty and homelessness in the sermon.
ReplyDeletepreached at 5:00, the part which isn't quite there is NOT the end, but near the end... but went ok despite it. More Cows, your prayers were answered.
ReplyDeleteWyldth1ng, I too am flattered.
I'm too tired to change a few words, but think I have to...(sigh) going to get to it in a few minutes...
Songbird,
ReplyDeleteI can't seem to leave a comment at your place but I want to say how much I appreciated your column on birth control. Amen and amen
Thanks, Gord. Typepad can't be any wonkier than the newspaper's comment function was today. Weird.
ReplyDeleteWord count: 723. It's coming along, bit by bit. Tom Long's sermon on textweek.com was helpful.
ReplyDeleteAnd thanks to revabi, I saw that my team (UO) just won its game! WOO!
Thanks to all who have posted their sermons. Many have been helpful and all have been great.
Back to work...
I posted my sermon here...It is 11pm and I just finished. I guess I'll finish the Bible study prep in the morning.
ReplyDeleteOy. Veh.
1036 words and I'm starting to falter a bit as I head towards the end. (Funny, that's where the outline kind of peters out too.)
ReplyDeleteI'm trying to resist refueling with more cookies. Really, I am. But maybe some tea. In a minute.
Anybody else out there still or am I working alone through the night again?
1741 words and I'm done. I think. It feels kind of squashed up at the end, but I suppose that's better than feeling like the end goes on and on forever (which sometimes I do; I want to tell myself in the pulpit, "yadda yadda yadda, they get it already!").
ReplyDeleteOff to eat that last cookie, shower, and do a quick readthrough. At least I'll get to sleep some tonight!
Blessings on all preaching, proclamation, and listening tomorrow.
HI. Just thougth i'd check in and see who was still up.
ReplyDeleteI can't sleep. I made a late evenign run to Sonic for a milkshake and the sugar is still kickin'.
Sue- I have tried to think on a children's sermon with the Luke passage. I am trying to avoid the obvious examples of kids bugging the crap out of their folks until the give in and buy the new game, toy, iphone, etc.
I guess I have trouble with this one b/c I don't think of God just deciding to give in to whatever we want, but a God who only desires what is best for God's children.
But, we are to pray without ceasing nad we are to be patient in our prayers.
Any example of something a child might really want (but within reason) that he/ she jsut had to wait until t he right time for maybe?????
Sorry i could nto be of help, since i am up anyhow.
Good morning, preachers! Blessings on you this day, and may a Holy Nap follow!!
ReplyDeleteRemember the wise words of our dear, vacationing will smama:
*Remember, the Holy Spirit's got your back!
*And, if you've got a dog, walk it proud!
Blessings y'all! Praying that God gets you, and me, through the morning and that the Holy Spirit fills in any gaps!
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