For those of us who love good "character" narratives this week is full of gems. Simon Peter gets a chance to redeem his denials. He also does a reverse skinny dip. If someone is addressing this naked fishing piece, PLEASE post it in the comments. Many of us are dying to know your take.
What about a comparison of Paul and Ananias? Paul's sudden conversion next to Ananias' steady faith and response. Here's a shot of one of my favorite sites from my Middle East trip (not my photo, though) - the chapel located at the traditional site of Ananias' house in Damascus.The praise and poetry of the Psalm and Revelation reading are beautiful for preaching or praying. I know I used much of them in my liturgy, but look forward to seeing how others are inspired for preaching them.
Not sure about the rest of you, but our weather should be gorgeous later today. The morning is cool enough that I'm trying to find some legitimate excuses to keep away from the church clean-up day, but the rest of the day will compete with my attention for sure. Writing will be hard to accomplish, but as always, it will happen somehow!
Let us know what's going on with you today. What do you need from the community? We may be a little smaller today because of the Big Event, but the Spirit is with us as well as them. We'll share what we can!
See you in the comments!
I'm glad to see this up "early" since I'm up late :)
ReplyDeleteI'm preaching from Acts and headed toward the point that most of us know we are not Saul/Paul but fail to realize that many of us may very well be Ananias. Saul could have brought death to Ananias but instead Ananias brought life to Saul because Ananias dared to believe that not only was God speaking to Ananias but that God was calling Ananias to be the vessel through whom God worked. Ananias had to cooperate with God in order for the message to be delivered and become effective. Are we willing to accept the invitation to participate in God's works of salvation and transformation even if it means meeting "death" face to face?
Oh, hi - i'm up late too, but headed to bed soon.
ReplyDeleteso far, I have a piece of paper called "sermon notes" on which I've cut and pasted that quote from Tuesday about fishermen and statistics which is so great. but that's all. I. got.
My dad will be in the audience, er, congregation on Sunday. Did I mention he is also a pastor? So this might be one of those Sundays where I make everything harder than it needs to be.
Trusting things will look better in the morning - as they usually do.....
See you then, gals. And I'll have some cakes left over from the all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast when I get back.
I'm off to an early modern [16th century] music and poetry concert in Culross Abbey this afternoon - the sound-track for my thesis. Knowing this was the reward if I got sermon done early... sermon was written on Thursday. About the only thing left from my thoughts from Tuesday's comments is the 'follow me' bit. Hmmm! You'll find the draft here.
ReplyDeletePot of tea is on the go here and also in a pancake mode - help yourselves and happy sermoning folks :)
A conversation at lunch Wednesday and a shower revelation Thursday morning got the sermon starter written early for me, too. It won't go exactly like this but the general idea is there.
ReplyDeleteAfter working almost all of my day off yesterday, I will be lazing away in the comfy chair today. A friend is taking me out for an early birthday dinner since I'll be at a preaching conference on the actual day.
As for breakfast, I'm afraid all I can offer is English Breakfast tea and honey nut Cheerios. Pancakes sound good but I'll not make them for just the one of me. Can I share yours,Juniper and Nik?
I'm not preaching this week, though I do need to prepare a homily for a funeral Monday.
ReplyDeleteIn the meantime, I'm in the Alternate Universe Town of Marathon where winter reigns supreme. It's very, very cold here. I'm here for a workshop on small church ministry. The key speaker is Marilyn Johns from Virginia Theological Seminary and apparently she knows a lot about the topic. I'm looking forward to it.
When I get back after tonight's session, I'll work on the funeral homily. Vicar - you have already planted a seed with your comment, so thank you!!!
In the meantime, have a good day preachers!!
Welcome Vicar, Juniper, and Nik! Or I guess you are welcoming me.
ReplyDeleteI'm going a similar direction, Vicar, via a sermon from this cycle 6 years ago. It was a confirmation sermon in that church, so I need to change the end of it to go with an invitation for the congregation to participate in the final stage of our ministry planning/discernment process. I run with the words said to Ananias "Get up and go" and talk about his willingness to participate in the ministry opportunit God has set before him, his commitment to following God's call and being involved.
Tweaking is a welcome change for me this week after the creative nightmare that was my writing process last week. I think the baby is getting big enough to suck all the creative juice from me. I've got 4 sermons (include this tweak up) before maternity leave and I feel like I'm barely hanging on in that department.
I guess I haven't been so attentive, Juniper. I didn't know your dad was a pastor. I would definitely over analyze in that situation. I already do a little when I have my parents in the audience (I'll claim that term when it comes to them!) because of the opposite issue. They aren't church-goers or really "people of faith" so I think they're listening extra hard to every word or claim I'm making.
Congrats on the early finish, Nik. The concert sounds lovely.
Oh - - and does anyone want an almost 5 year old and almost 3 year old today? These two have been up since about 4:00 a.m. and are NUTTY. What in the world is going on??
Welcome to you, too, Margaret and Sue! You showed up while I was writing!!
ReplyDeleteCongrats with the early finish, Margaret. Enjoy a real day off.
ReplyDeleteHope the conference goes well, Sue. Yea for seeds planted!
Off to church clean-up day. Will be back by lunch time to see how things are going!
ReplyDeleteI've got a title 'Clear as Mud', for the Acts passage. I'll not get to sermon writing until later this afternoon. Perhaps some clarity will ensue by that time.
ReplyDeleteI am suffering from simultaneous caffeine and carb withdrawal, here at Day 5 of the South Beach Diet, so I've been a little cranky and unable to concentrate on the texts a lot. Good ideas here so far, though...thank you for some things to think about as I finally sit down and attempt to tackle my sermon.
ReplyDeleteHow 'bout some yummy hummus on celery sticks? Or some dry roasted almonds? Or some V8? Yes, it's like that at our house.
Good morning all! Still waiting for my next preaching assignment, as we have rector candidates coming in soon. So my goal is to finish drafting the proposal for my medieval theology textbook--exciting and scary alike! I have an editor who is very interested and has agreed to critique the draft before I submit it formally and the review committee evaluates it.
ReplyDeleteJust took my 13 yr old son for our traditional Sat morning breakfast and, praise be, round two of "the talk" went well (I was unbelievably awkward on round one a month or two ago, and he didn't even respond verbally, but I think it paved the way). He asked "Why are you telling me this?"--which I was certainly happy to hear--so I explained that many parents don't till it is too late! Huge relief.
LuthrenChick, stay with it. South Beach worked wonders for me several years ago. You can do it!
ReplyDeleteThat said, I'm camped out at a local bakery for most of the day, finishing up my sermon - can I buy anyone anything?
I'm in the town of my seminary education, taking in the Festival of Faith & Writing. Three days of soul-healing lectures, ideas, insights, etc. This comes HIGHLY recommended.
Purple - - a title is a start! Like you said, hopefully having the day to let it brew in your mind will be helpful.
ReplyDeleteLutheranChik - - I'll take the dry roasted almonds!
Sophia - - Praise God for good talks. Your writing sounds interesting and exciting for sure. What a task!
Meg - - Enjoy the conversations and inspiration. I love a good conference!
As for me, we're back from church clean-up day. I stuck to weeding outside more than anything. That and chasing my kids around who were way better there than they were at home this morning, which is much of why we went. I was frustrated at the snack break when the lady across from me was studying my face and then busted out with, "Yeah - - you are pregnant. You've got the pregnancy mask on the skin all over your face." Awesome. Just what I wanted to hear. It did wonders for my self-esteem. I guess that's what I get for not wearing make-up to church clean-up day, a day for which it seemed beyond silly to get dolled up. People.
Oh, SheRev, how maddening. I never understand why people feel free to comment like that when we're pregnant.
ReplyDeleteafter an exhausting week I finally have a sermon, no nude refs, but a fresh look at the love thing! Fishing: sermon blogging; here...
ReplyDeleteok, cant believe how much I have to do today, and how little time I have to do it - ack. better get down to business.
ReplyDeleteBAck from errands, on which I spent 136$$ and forgot the one thing I really wanted (that hair dye you put on your roots between visits, so i dont look like a raccoon at the wedding, so I ahve to go BACK OUT again!) but I'm waiting a little until I see if I forgot anything else. In the meantime, a sermon must be written - at least a good enuf rough draft to finish in the hour I'll have tomorrow - in the next hour or so. So better get to it.
Glad you all are here and writing, too. Blessings on all your days.
Three pages written and it's kind of fun, but my brain is starting to fry. Time for a break to walk in the lovely spring scenery with my sweetie.
ReplyDeleteHey, if anyone wants a crazy fish story, here's oen about a guy who went to jail for2 weeks for adding a weight to his fish in a fishing contest.
ReplyDeleteAnd, 991 words. Loving that big long quote.
but, wait! I forgot to ask! who has a childrens time you like on the beach breakfast? anyone?
ReplyDeleteMight just ask them to help me retell the story. Tehy like to do that, and there's enuf going on that it would be fun, I think.
Hello everyone! It's good to be back after a Sunday off last week. Well, not really...but if I have to be done with vacation, at least I can come to the preacher party. Checking in from a Starbucks.
ReplyDeleteI was going to preach on breakfast on the beach, but now I'm leaning towards preaching on Paul and Ananias. I'm definitely pondering Vicar's first comment here from last night.
Unfortunately, the events of this week did not permit any work to be done before now on my sermon...so I'm just now picking it up. Let's hope something comes together soon...
Ok, that's it. 1400 not-to-bad words that I can refine tomorrow morning and a plan for kids time (to tell the story) and I am outta here. Have a great rest of the day, yall! Blessings on the preaching and proclaiming. :)
ReplyDeletei know nuthin'. i have nuthin'.
ReplyDeleteJuniper that crazy fish story is truly crazy.
ReplyDelete((((1-4 Grace))) and prayers.
I think I'm leaving the Starbucks and heading home at least for a while. I'm definitely preaching on Acts though, and am now pondering the whole "conversion" aspect of the story...Saul/Paul tends to get all the attention...but Ananias' quieter conversion is even more miraculous, that he would actually heal the guy who had it in for his whole community!
ReplyDeleteAt least the creative juices are flowing now, and I'm hoping I'll be able to ponder it more during the drive back (40 mins).
Hey, y'all!
ReplyDeleteI'm getting ready to leave for the BE Three tomorrow, but I have to be at church in the morning and provide a children's message. My colleague is preaching on Saul. I'm thinking of talking about the way a bright light changes the way we see things. What think you?
Welcome and congrats on being finished, Sally!
ReplyDeleteGood to see you, semfem! I fear this is going to be me in a couple of weeks. Preaching May 2 after being gone all week before. We'll be around to hear you as you work it through!
Awesome for you, Juniper! Enjoy your day!
Something will come, 1-4!
Hey there Songbird! Silly me. I thought you BE IIIers were already gone! Welcome
So, I'm about off to a bowling fundraiser in the world's nastiest smelling bowling alley. It's for an organization close to our church's heart (and former renter in our building at a "mission" price), so I guess I just have to put up with that part. Definitely putting on make-up for this second "public" appearance today. Don't need any more comments like this morning. (And I don't even see what the lady was talking about - extra zits? Sure, but mask? Heck no.)
Nope, still here! I'll have next Sunday off. I leave in the late afternoon tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteChecking in here after a presbytery meeting. Since I knew I would be working some yesterday and most of the day today, I took all of Thursday off and enjoyed the sun and 70s while they lasted (it's now lightly snowing).
ReplyDeleteBut now - arrgh! - i've got nothing. Going with the rich Peter story, though loving all the ideas about the Saul/Paul conversion.
Lovely walk, and came back to write some more. Five pages total so far, and Matt says they're good, but I am getting a little brain fried again. It's surprisingly harder to boil down Gertrud, whom I know so very well, into a few pages, than Mechthild, whom I am just getting to know!
ReplyDeleteI need a short nap before I can do much of anything else...let's hope it's short...
ReplyDeleteLindor extra dark truffles here to share--they restored my brain function and I am almost done. HockeyBoy is also starting some oven barbecued ribs that are sure to be fantastic when people are ready for dinner.
ReplyDeleteWonderful, wonderful time at our new bishop's consecration today; our Presiding Bishop was there, Desmond Tutu preached, music was outstanding, saw many old friends and some new ones. But now I am SO tired, and the sermon I tried to write yesterday is really barely started! Hoping for inspiration; I'm too old for all-nighters!
ReplyDeleteWorking on Peter; I love this passage, but I'm not sure it makes sermonizing on it any easier today!
Awesome, RevDrMom--I was wondering what the FB pictures were. Good luck.
ReplyDeleteI am done with my sample textbook section: seven pages on my Helfta ladies. More than I have written in one day in quite a while, but it feels good. Praise God/dess! And thanks for the good company.
Best wishes to those still writing....don't forget to have some chocolate.
PS if anyone is my FB friend and feels like critiquing the pages for college student accessibility I am going to try and post them in a note.
ReplyDeleteSherev, I am 6 hours ahead of most, being in the UK! I'm off to bed now. Happy sermoning folks, prayers for a wonderful Sunday's preaching. I'll be dome before many of you get up! I love revgals!
ReplyDelete"Great presbytery meeting?" that doesn't get said a lot! Good for you, Dancing!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great day, Rev Dr Mom, but I totally understand how exhausting those great days can be.
Sleep good and preach with the Spirit, Sally!
We just realized that next Sunday, a rare Sunday off when I will be in town, my husband has to be at church because the bell choir is playing. HOW FRUSTRATING!!! We've wanted to do an in-town "staycation," just a night in a fun hotel with waterslides for the kids, for a long time. Plan on hold AGAIN. SO annoying.
hey! sorry to be so late to the party. I'm not preaching, but have a baptism tomorrow. and lots of stuff to keep my head spinning.
ReplyDeletestepson returned from the town to the North, and then left again for New Job Training, leaving a lot of stuff in our house, and in our garage.
the music minister is leaving end of may to go to graduate school.
the Sr. Pastor is retiring at the end of May. His wife, who is the parish secretary, will retire as well.
sooooo.....
Sherev - I don't think I said it was a great presbytery meeting, though it really was! Liturgical dance during worship, 2 good candidates progressing through the ordination process advanced to the next step, and a dear friend got approved for a new call!
ReplyDeleteHope you get that staycation, waterslide night soon!
Unfortunately I spent many hours this week re-writing last week's sermon (I was responsible for putting together a camp service for the district and so they needed the sermon text as well). SO I have little more than I did on Tuesday.
ReplyDeleteI am going with turnng around, how experiencing the Easter reality makes us go the opposite way we were headed. Peter's 3 affirmations replacing the 3 denials and Saul/Paul's conversion are my touchstones.
Also, tomorrow in Bibile Study we are talking about Prayer. I once knew an acronym for the types of prayer but am having trouble remembering it....help!
Gord: are you thinking of ACTS? adoration, confession, thanksgiving, supplication?
ReplyDeleteBack from my nap, which was longer than intended, and I'm hoping to wrap this one up soon with a minimum of energy expended...because I don't have much left in the tank!
semfem thankyou!
ReplyDeleteI kept thinking there was a P in there (praise?)
I suppose it could be PACTS! But I think adoration would be praise.
ReplyDeleteHi, I've missed y'all today. I was at a preaching continuing ed event that was truly awesome. It was about preaching beyond the local congregation and I have been asked to preach at our annual conference this summer. Nerve-wracking.
ReplyDeleteSo knowing today would be like this, I re-wrote a sermon on Road to Emmaus - off lectionary but it fits.
I'm planning to tell the story without notes using the words of the NRSV as best I can memorize them! Which for my aging mind is a challenge. Haven't looked at what I re-wrote since Thursday night so I've got some edit and work to do. Glad to have company tonight! Sounds like many of you have had quite a day already!
Whoa -- Dancing, I have no idea where the hallucination came from, but I could have SWORN you said it. I'm nutty!!!
ReplyDeleteEnjoy the baptism, Diane, and rest up. Sounds like lots of transition coming quicker than it may seem!
Welcome, Gord. I'm with semfem on ACTS. It's the only one I know - adoration=praise, but PCTS doesn't spell anything.
Still sermonating. Did a late afternoon garden tour and some quick shooping. Also had lovely dinner with my family.
ReplyDeleteNow to finish this baby up and put her to bed.
Anybody want a cookie from Fuddruckers? They are the best, well except homemade!
Thinking of blindfolding a child (volunteer) to act out Saul/paul conversion....
Any thoughts?
I've got 1/3 of something, but I'm not sure it's worth saying! Long meeting all day and now it's almost dinner time.
ReplyDeleteRev Dr Mom, hooray for a wonderful consecration! However, your comments about understandable exhaustion make me think I ought to check the preaching schedule for 4 weeks from now when the same rolls around for us!
Meg, are you still at that bakery? I would love some good pastry ;-)
I'm talking about the ordinariness of Jesus being on the beach cooking breakfast, and how we so often are looking for him in road-to-Damascus moments and can miss his presence in the daily stuff. Or something like that!
Lasagna, anyone?
I don't know what that lady meant, She Rev, but what I see in the faces of the pregnant is an inner glow that lights up the face. I'm sure you are glowing, and beautiful...
ReplyDeleteSo many ideas I can't seem to settle on what to say tomorrow. Keep jumping back and forth from Acts to John, but haven't yet found a way to really tie them together!
If you are a more tactile than verbal person, there's also the 5 finger prayer...it's not so much about different ways of praying but rather different people for whom to pray (for example, forefinger=those who point the way, like teachers, emergency responders, etc.). I pull out each of those approaches every year or two in school chapel and kids and adults alike respond well.
ReplyDeleteI'm up to 715 words, but do I have a point? Argh...
ReplyDeleteIf I simply leave my sermon half written on my computer, is there any chance I'll come back later and find it done??
ReplyDelete...didn't think so. I have the ideas, probably enough for a whole sermon; I simply don't feel like writing it. Not.one.bit.
RevDrMom, how about tying your new bishop's story into Peter's. As I recall, Ian has done some serious travelling in order to follow Jesus. Certainly his career has been more varied than most of us will ever manage. Maybe it is time to ditch the lectionary and talk about the feelings and experience on the consecration.
ReplyDeleteAnd the diocese played/plays a key role in how he follows Jesus. As he follows, how will you all hear your own call to follow?
You all are blessed indeed!
I have been taken out to dinner for an early birthday present, am thinking more on my sermon posted earlier and getting ready to re-read a favorite author. I have managed to time my re-reading of the entire Dona Leon series so that I'll be done when the new book is mailed to me in two weeks. I don't think I've planned anything that well in a long time!
Good luck with the mostly memorizing, Nancy. It's a long story, but a good one and, I think, highly possible to memorize. My hint when I do memorizing/story-telling: type up the scripture in two columns a page, but don't do it in straight paragraph format. I like to line up my verbs to help me remember the flow better by the action of the story. Or if there are repetitious parts (phrases that begin several sentences or something like that) get those lined up. I put these key words in bold, too, so I can visualize them on the page when I'm telling the story.
ReplyDeleteI'll take a cookie, 1-4! It should go great with my cherry fudge chunk ice cream!
I like the idea, Betsy. I've been a little sad that I decided to go with Acts this Easter because of this story. It'll be here in 3 years, though! And I'm not at all sad about the fact that I'm doing a sermon recycle tonight!
Thanks, Rev Jude! I appreciate it! I do like the tie together Betsy just mentioned - - more of a comparison/contrast of the ways Jesus makes his appearance in our lives - - sometimes in light blinding conversions, sometimes (often?) in the everyday. I may link them, but it's more in my theme and particular context. We're kicking of a time of commitments to new and continuing ministries. I'm using Ananias as an example of someone who got up and got involved. I'm using the breakfast and "feed my sheep" stuff at the end to just reiterate one of the goals our leadership set - - commit to 3 ministries - one that feeds you, one that feeds the church community, one that feeds the world beyond the church walls.
My husband and I are going to watch a movie. I haven't done my tweaking of my sermon yet, but truthfully I wouldn't do it right now if I weren't going to watch a movie, so my choice is watch crap TV and FB then sermon, or watch a good movie then sermon. I'm choosing the movie.
Will be back in a couple of hours to see what exactly I need to do and see how the rest of you are doing!
She Rev, I love that 3 ministries idea, and that one of them is something that feeds oneself, a piece of ministry we all far too often forget.
ReplyDeleteSophia, those truffles should be just the right thing to top off a dinner of ribs!
Thanks She-Rev, great idea, I've almost got the passage down but will I still have it in the morning?
ReplyDeleteBetsy, I had ribs too which my husband had cooked when I got home from the day-long conference.
Sweetness! (he is) Dark chocolate m&m's anyone, for some final sermonizing?
Here's what I've got. It's printed and I'm going to head to bed. My best and some bedtime prayers for you all as you finish the night.
I'm dropping in for a moment. My sermon consists of a copy/paste of what I put here earlier and this additional question: Who would've written Romans if Ananias had refused to go?
ReplyDeleteHow are our St Louis area preachers doing? I see you still have a ballgame on. OMG. If only Francouer were still playing or the bravos and that is who was playing...
ReplyDeleteAnyhow, I am just slow tonight. I will get there. I think the trouble is I have too much to say and too many directions to go.
Must.narrow.it.down.
Vicar: or quite a few other epistles, for that matter? Love that approach too.
ReplyDeleteBeen procrastinating, surfing around, but now's the time to actually buckle down and write. Well, several hours ago was probably the time. It's just been difficult to get going today (and for others apparently the same thing!).
I'm with you, Semfem. My focus is like all off. I need some ADHD drugs or soemthing.
ReplyDeleteTurned to local news. They are still showing reports of nearby "tea parties."
Honestly, the folks need a better argument than we want things to be the way they were when our forefathers founded this nation.
Okay, don't get me started.
Anyow, thinking, thinking...trying to write some stuff
hi, I'm back again for a little while. we went out to eat for my birthday. I had a bunch of gift cards and got a Nook as a birthday present. I'm trying to get adjusted to it...
ReplyDeletenow, I have to soak my dog's foot (long story), and go to bed...
yes, She Rev -- transition is going to come way too quickly...
I need a nap but I don't dare go to sleep until the sermon is done.
ReplyDeleteI have 279 words. Can that be long enough if I use wide margins, a large font, and triple space?
ReplyDeleteVicar, add in there speaking very slowly, with thoughtful pauses for people to consider the weight of your words...sure, that'll preach ;-)
ReplyDeleteI feel like solitaire on my computer is like Tom Riddle/the basilisk calling to Harry Potter from the chamber of secrets, drawing me in with no reasonable hope of escape (can you tell what younger son and I have been listening to on CD?). Computer games aren't evil, but they sure can mess me up when I need to work!
Day before yesterday, they found 108 cases of Candy Cane Joe-Joe's in the warehouse at Trader Joe's, and they were selling them for $.99 each (they are a Christmas-time only food there). I bought a full case, so help yourselves!
Anybody on SNL????
ReplyDeleteI am only at 411, Vicar. Not too far ahead of you
ReplyDelete536 words, finally started!
ReplyDeleteI just realized that Admin Asst day is on Wednesday. I'll be out of the office that day ... as a matter of fact, I'll be out of the country that day. So I'm working on online solutions for that problem ... aka procrastination to the nth degree.
ReplyDeleteI'll probably jinx myself this way for sure, but I'm at 831 words and finally things are flowing.
ReplyDeleteVicar, time to order flowers?
Thanks, Betsy. I have to say it was the ONLY idea I got from my only US-based internship during seminary. The rest of that summer consisted of lessons of what NOT to do! I should say that the other part of that same goal is that worship doesn't "count" as the ministry that feeds oneself. The goal really says that people will worship "regularly" AND do this 3 ministry piece. It's my way of trying to drive home the idea that worship is not all about what we GET from it, but it's what we're giving to God. So the commitment we're hoping for is a worshiping community of faith that is committed to living faith in those 3 ways.
ReplyDeleteVicar, I think your tricks would only work if you just handed your sermon out instead of preached it. Sorry. :)
I'm back from watching a movie and have plugged in my jump drive. I plan to look at the old sermon now and figure out what needs to go. Then I'll head to bed and trade out my new stuff in the morning.
I've got SNL on, 1-4, but just turned it on. I should be in time for Weekend Update, my favorite part anyway.
Jeepers, semfem, your words flowed fast!
ReplyDeleteI'm at 718 and wondering if a particularly short sermon would be just fine since we'll all be back at church later in the day for another sermon and to celebrate the institution of our new rector.
I'm stopping in to say hello.... I'm halfway done, I think. I'm preaching on the Saul/Ananias story from Acts as well. I'm stealing a BBC headline I saw this week in reference to the Iceland volcano.... "Stories of Disruption". I became really aware that everyone in our really small congregation is going through major transition (or disruptions) in life right now. Of course, as an interim I'm not surprised that this also speaks to the larger view of our congregation... we're in transition too. I'm trying to speak to all of this... And, trying to figure out how/when tomorrow to tell the congregation that I'm pregnant. My husband and I think it's time. Anyone have any helpful tips? SheRev?
ReplyDeleteAnd now I'm at 1048...apparently waiting to write was good? Because it dammed up the flow of words and now it's spilling out? Or something like that.
ReplyDeleteA volcano in Long Island???
ReplyDeleteLMAO!
1303 and I'm done?!? Well, not DONE done, because it will need editing I'm sure, but I have typed the ending "Amen."
ReplyDeleteCould I have really written that in half an hour?!?! Maybe I'm coming down with something.
leann, congratulations! Your good news would certainly fit your theme, if you feel the time is right to tell them. There's no generic appropriate moment, just when you are ready (though preferably before they guess by looking at you). I think that was about the end of the first trimester for me with both my boys. Whenever you decide, I hope your news will be received with joy and excitement :-)
ReplyDeletesemfem, could I borrow some of that mojo?
ReplyDeleteHappy News Leann.
ReplyDeleteHow about right before the benediciton? That way you want have people "disrupted" and not listening to your sermon.
CONGRATS to Leanne and your husband! I have a friend from seminary who told her congregation in a humorous way...check it out:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jwo9Rhx16F4
Vicar, I should just send you the whole thing, since your very first comment was what got me thinking along these lines in the first place!
ReplyDeleteHmmmm...the pregnancy announcement. First of all - -Congrats!!!!
ReplyDeleteNext - - Does anyone know yet? I did tell my Personnel Committee first, then the session/board/council, then I wrote it in the newsletter and announced on the Sunday that newsletter went out. I did it during our sharing of joys and concerns (before the prayers of the people at the end of the service) so it wasn't in the way of the whole worship service and the only thing people thought about the whole morning. (It also helped wipe their memories of what I thought was a really crappy sermon!) I kept it pretty simple, said we were expecting, gave the general due date, said everything was checking out fine, and let them know the Personnel Committee and I were already beginning to discuss my leave and how it would be covered. I put a little more (politely, but strongly) in the newsletter about how we won't find out the gender and we don't tell names which I'm really glad I did now. I haven't had too many nosy questions at all. Just excited people (for the most part).
By the time the congregation knew I was about 14 weeks, maybe 15. We wanted to tell our families first and in person, and the church didn't have a maternity policy yet until about 13 weeks.
OK. I'm ready to start writing. I think. Or tweaking. Whatever.
Geez - -all of a sudden as I'm re-reading this sermon to repreach, I'm having this fear that I've re-preached it in this congregation before. I can't remember when that would have been, but it just seems way too familiar to have been a sermon from 6 years ago - - except the intro. That didn't ring much of a bell. I don't remember tweaking that, and I would have had to tweak that if I preached it at this church since it speaks directly to something we shared in the life of the old church. Maybe I'm just getting paranoid.
ReplyDeleteShe Rev, if you can't remember for sure, chances are they won't either
ReplyDeletesemfem, send it!
Geez - - the ending does seem familiar.
ReplyDeleteWait! Maybe I used this at presbytery PW thing last October! I bet that's it!!!!
None of my folks were there so I should be good to go!
Read it. It requires very little tweaking. I'm going to add the sentence or two that I need, and then hit the hay. Woo hoo!
(That's the other thing I was thinking, Vicar!)
ReplyDelete(That's Presbyterian Women)
ReplyDelete925 words...short, but it says what it needs to say, so that is it.
ReplyDeleteBlessings on those still writing and praying!
Betsy, nobody ever complained that a sermon was too short! (Well, I suppose I shouldn't underestimate people's ability to complain, but it's a complaint I've never heard.)
ReplyDeleteVicar, I have 1296 words after editing and am glad to share it with you if it will help. Will search for your e-mail...
She Rev, thank goodness you sorted that out!
Great job, Betsy! Blessings!
ReplyDeleteI'm off to bed. Will be back in the morning, later than usual, but enough time to change out my one section about specific ministries. Need to replace stuff from the old community with stuff in the new community!
I once served a church that complained about everything ... including sermons that were too short. But they were the longest sermons I ever preached!
ReplyDeleteAfter writing and discarding three endings, I gave up and resurrected a sermon from three years ago, tweaked it some and printed. There are some things I still like from the first one, but I just couldn't pull it together. Ugh. Must learn to write before Saturday.
ReplyDeleteMargaret I liked your idea of just talking about the consecration, and if I were a more off the cuff kind of preacher I'd do it; just couldn't pull it together tonight.
Look, I've almost been "here" for 24 hours
ReplyDelete1375. Might tweak the ending in the morning or might not. Hmmm.
ReplyDeleteAnyhow, I am all involved in an old epi of Criminal Minds now. 13 minutes nd I got to hit teh hay
1-4, I've got the most recent Criminal Minds on courtesy of the dvr.
ReplyDeleteis that great minds?
Vicar, I don't see your e-mail on your blog, or I'd send you what I've got.
ReplyDeleteI'm heading upstairs to print and then to get to bed...if you post it in the next few minutes, I can send it your way.
Blessings on all pondering, preaching, and proclamation tomorrow!
semfem, no worries, I just finished. It's short but it's done.
ReplyDeleteIs there not an email link on the profile page? hmmm
YAY as long as you are done, that's the important thing. Well, and that it proclaims the gospel.
ReplyDeleteG'night preachers!
semfem, you are right. There used to be a link that didn't have the actual email displayed. I guess I missed that change. But I don't want my email to show there, otherwise, what's the point of an anonymous blog?
ReplyDeletesemfem, I was going to put it on your blog in the comments but you have comments turned off!
ReplyDeleteI think that is funny ... hehehehe
And your email isn't in your profile either ... hehehehe
ReplyDeletenow I have the giggles. I've got to go to bed
Blessings on your Sunday
100?!
ReplyDeleteHahaha Vicar! I actually need to shut those blogs down, I haven't used them in forever, so I probably wouldn't have ever seen your comment. No biggie--I'm just glad you got what you needed, and thanks for your help earlier.
ReplyDeleteNOW I am really going to bed.
I'm baaaaaa-ack! Of course, I was awake in bed about an hour before my alarm was set to go off as I wondered if I have preached this sermon here before. For the love of Pete. There's no way for me to get a restful night's sleep if I go to sleep with a finished sermon. For real.
ReplyDeleteWell, I'm glad the party continued after my departure (I got a little lonely shutting it down last week). I'll put coffee on for those who need it. I'm not much of a coffee drinker myself.
Sherev,
ReplyDeleteDo you want a coke or diet coke?
I have Dole Juice Blend here too.
I think i have a sermon, but i am not certain. I not a sermon, something that resembles a sermon.
Cats are wild this morning. They were up early and full of themselves.
Blessings to all this day
Thanks for the helpful comments. I'm 12 weeks and we just told friends & family. We are a very small congregation so I'll just tell everyone at once (& I'm finishing up in two months at the church so I won't have to worry about a maternity policy). I'm back to finish up-- got too tired to see the words on the page last night. Blessings on preaching today all!!
ReplyDeleteI hope it all went well, Leann. You definitely have less to mess with in terms of your announcement. I hope it was blessing to you and them!
ReplyDelete