I am really feel a very dynamic Holy Spirit this week. She's like a divine tour guide throughout the lectionary readings. OK, so the Acts passage doesn't mention the Holy Spirit by NAME, but I'm reading her there big time. The Spirit calls Paul to Philippi, leads him to Lydia, who is already worshiping with women before she is baptized. Jesus promises the Spirit in John. The Spirit is the divine tour guide in Revelation. All in all, I'm feeling a lot of movement in this week's offerings, sending I guess it is.
The Mothering Spirit is another possible direction. I have been nudged quite a bit to work on a "real" Mother's Day sermon this year, but I am still resisting. I don't know what that means or how to do it well. I haven't ever heard one that I thought worked well, so it's just not speaking to me. However, maybe working with the Holy Spirit in any or all of these texts would lead us that direction - - the Mother Spirit the prods, calls, nudges (maybe even nags?) us to go where we are needed, the Mother Spirit who brings peace, comforts, and advocates for those in her care, the Mother Spirit who shows us what is possible, speaks the truth of the future that we just can't quite see yet from where we are.
Where are you being sent in your sermon? Where will the Spirit take you as you lead the people in hearing God's work and experience God's Spirit? The Holy Spirit is alive and well this Sunday, and I know she'll be with us as we're making our preparations, too. (I know I need her!)
Also, what do you need - - prayers, children's messages, stories, or just support? Join us in the comments and we'll wee what we've got! Welcome and pull up a seat at the table of preparation (and fair trade coffee)!
Woo hoo...this is up in time for a west-coaster to get in early :-)
ReplyDeleteI've finally settled on the alternate RCL gospel, John 5, for the family service; now if I only could decide how to approach it. Not, I think, as a straightforward healing/miracle story. For the moment, I'm leaning toward talking about what it feels like to be excluded, how Jesus includes us all, and how we are called to follow in his path by including those who have been left on the sidelines. But how to go about that in a way that makes sense for preschoolers and adults??
I have some yummy sugar snap peas in the garden and would be glad to pick them for anyone who would like a healthy snack (okay, yeah, maybe a little odd for breakfast) and plenty of tea.
I just finished the preparations for a graveside service for tomorrow and thought "I wonder if the Preacher Party has started yet?"
ReplyDeleteAt some point after that graveside service, I'll be back to engage Acts, Paul, Lydia, traipsing around and "come and stay at my home."
Meanwhile, I'm praying the beginning of our Psalm "May God be gracious to us and bless us ..."
Betsy I am using John 5 next week, just worked out that way. There is an Iona resource Dandelions and Thistles, which has 4 monologues from the perspective of four people who met Jesus, one is the man healed at the pool of Siloam. May not be suitable for a family service, but might give you an idea. One point it makes is that Jesus asked if the man wanted to get better – a disturbing question. Let me know if you’d like to see it. I am in Australia, so our times will be out. I will be checking for a few more hours, 4 or 5 hours probably, then tomorrow morning my time.
ReplyDeleteI was thinking of them from the perspective of speaking about the difference Jesus makes in our lives, and speaking about that – but they are all healing stories in some way – forgiveness, inclusion. Tomorrow is the woman with the hemorrhage –not preaching about Mothers Day. The response to these monologues [spoken by people in the congregation] has been great, and it means no preaching for me, which I find rather difficult as I love to preach. But it does free up the week, and I have been able to start thinking about Pentecost service.
We just returned two weeks ago from a trip to Virginia. One of the first things I did was order a waffle maker online. It arrived this week and we've just enjoyed breakfast of waffles, bacon and maple syrup mmmmm. Not much left to share I'm afraid.
ReplyDeleteSpending most of today visiting family who live about an hours drive away. Hoping that most of tomorrow's sermon is covered by a Christian Aid video but need to put the finishing touched to linking that hope of a better future with the Revelation passage. I'll be bacl later to do that.
everything sounds yummy! I have been trying (without much success) to get done with my sermons before Saturday. (we have a Saturday evening service).
ReplyDeleteDue to the fact that tomorrow is Mother's Day, and the fact that we have a sermon series "the Gift of Easter is Love", I am preaching on "Love in our families." I extended the John text back a few verses, so that it begins with "I will not leave you orphaned."
I got a good beginning yesterday.
we'll see, after breakfast.
which is oatmeal.
Happy sermon writing RevGals, time for bed on this side of the Pacific.
ReplyDeleteback after a walk with dog. it plunged back to almost-winter here last night. will only get into the forties today and tomorrow.
ReplyDeletewill be back a little later this morning. hope a little inspiration strikes over Bible study breakfast.
Glad you got here early, Betsy, to get us started. I didn't even include John 5, but it's a good story, too! I think your exclusion/inclusion is a great idea for all ages.
ReplyDeleteAhhhh...Vicar - - are you going to be the late night party for two nights? Hope to see you here!
Hope it all goes well for you, PRL. Those monologues sounds great. I might have to find that book this summer and see if I can use them this fall when I'm back from my leave, but not quite yet into my preaching rhythm yet.
liz - The kids and I are making waffles right now while my husband is at the men's breakfast at church. We'll share what's left on your behalf, too!
I like the connection you're making, Diane. So where was that snow everyone was freaking out about? (I refused to believe it.)
As for me, it is breakfast time here. (I'm probably burning one waffle as I type.) After that we have my daughter's 5th birthday party at an indoor playground. It felt kind of silly booking that a while ago when we had unexpected spring starting in March, but with the temperature at 39 right now I'm feeling a bit relieved that we don't have kids coming over to play outside at our house!
Welcome to all! Will see you soon!
morning, all -- not preaching this weekend, but away here shortly in the bright sunshine (temps just below freezing) to pick up doughnuts and join the Compost Crew at St. Curious. We filled 200 bags last night, each 40 litres and those suckers are HEAVY.
ReplyDeleteMeditating on Jesus' awareness that sometimes to get the things you love to grow, you have to "lay the good stuff on them..."
Oatmeal and fair grade coffee on the menu here!
Happy homilizing, gals!
I have been working and working on this sermon and it is slowly coming together, but sometimes it is hard to knit all the elements together. I am headed over to the church for the UMW Mother's day tea and fashion show. I got the kids, that is the only fashion show I'll be watching. And no the preacher is not modeling.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, the picture reminds me of my trips to china seeing all those tour guides in their outfits and carrying their flags.
I'll be back. Ya'll have fun in the meantime.
PRL (if you have a chance to see this again) or anyone else who might have the "Dandelions and Thistles" resource...I'd be very interested in seeing the monologue of the man healed at Siloam.
ReplyDeleteCrimson Rambler...Compost Crew? That sounds interesting!
She Rev, glad the party plans worked out for the best;the last thing you need right now is to stand outside in the cold supervising 5 year olds.
My ideas are slowly crystalizing; it really helped to type out the kernel of the idea here last night. For diversion, I think I'm going to take my goddaughter to the movies today, and I really should head outside to do some yardwork before I take a shower.
Echoing Vicar's and the psalmist's sentiments: May God be gracious to us all today!
Hi all,
ReplyDeleteTrying to finish my sermon early this morning so I can play in the afternoon. I've decided to go a bit off lectionary this morning and re do a sermon I preached several years ago on Lynn Redgrave. She died a week ago and my heart is heavy because we lost such an angel in our midst.
At general synod in 2007 she shared with us her faith story and how she found comfort at a UCC church in Connecticut. In honor of her life, I am going to share her story with my congregation this week.
I've got a rough draft up here. Please stop by and let me know what you think.
Crimson - - Sounds like a good, albeit cold, morning. Blessings!
ReplyDeleteCome on, revabi. We want to see you up there modeling, too! The picture reminded me of all the tour guides that used to lead masses of people around Disney World. You don't see that anymore, or at least I haven't seen it the last two times I went. Back in the day there were Brazilian groups more than any others. I may have found my own "way in" in that picture.
Betsy - Glad things are moving for you!
ReplyDeleteG_G - that sounds like a lovely idea. I will read this afternoon when I have a little more quiet in the house. Two fired up kids here make that an impossibility right now!
Hi, All.
ReplyDeleteI am finally preaching again after a couple of weeks off. I am still in TX and am flying back this evening so I am not working on my sermon until I am on the plane. Iam going to take advantage of the TX sun and sit by the pool for a while before we have to leave for the airport.
Still can't find a home for us to move to. Need some rental house prayers, please.
Had icecream last night with the Vicar of Hogsmead and she suggested "Come home with me"---J and I almost took her up on it until we realized it was her sermon title! Ahh well.
Liz, glad you had maple syrup!
Mother's Day is very much a theme at our little church, and I've been asked to fill in again this year. Decided to focus on the importance of nurturing relationships in our faith... Paul honors Timothy's family and church, even as he mentors directly. That sort of thing. Star Wars is creeping in (the generations of mentors and diverse council members), but I need some good examples of women mentoring women...
ReplyDeleteG-G - what a great tribute to a fine, classy woman.
ReplyDeleteI'm preaching Revelation, though a bit off the designated lectionary. Sermon is done. It is not my best stuff, but it will be fine. I've managed to keep the whole Mother's Day stuff out of it, though I've included that in the prayers. Also, we traditionally have an all male choir on Mothering Sunday. They sounded great at practice. It's an opportunity for the guys who can't be in the choir through the year because of hockey coaching, curling etc. They love it, and it's always fun.
I also have baptism for two young children (8 & 6). I've adapted the liturgy a bit so that they can respond in a really basic way that says they know what is happening and look forward to learning and growing in faith as they move toward confirmation.
My theme in Revelation is from chapter 3:1 which says, "See, the home of God is among mortals." From that I take off into what baptism means for our denomination and how we keep our baptism promises etc. - always knowing we are not alone, we are not an isolated remnant of the church of Jesus Church, we have it within us to expect great things from our church and from ourselves - because we are not alone. God is with us. Thanks be to God. blah blah blah...
That's all I got.............
Sorry, that should read the text as chapter 21, verse 3.
ReplyDeleteI am preaching on the Acts passage tomorrow, and leaning toward the varied roles of women. I don't like conventional Mother's Day sermons, and neither does my senior pastor. So I'll be talking about how Lydia (as a Gentile, and a spiritual leader) contravenes so many of the expectations of women in Jewish culture. She's well to do, a business owner, and the leader of a house church. The challenge is not to go too far towards women in ministry and use that to move toward a broader view of what it means to mother. I will never give birth to a child and don't expect to be the primary caregiver for one. And I had a great mom--but I can think of several women who also "mothered" me from time to time. I want to include all women in Mother's Day if I can, being sensitive to those who will be remembering loss of a mother or a child, those who will never be a mother, those who have had difficult relationships with their mothers and/or children...we'll see how it goes. Fresh mozzarella and gigante olives for my snack here...I could share!
ReplyDeleteI was checking email before the final prep for the graveside and realized that somehow that email comment box didn't get checked. gah!
ReplyDeleteShe Rev, either I get lucky and the sermon is finished before 3 or I'm back for a late night. wonder which it will be???
Hello All!
ReplyDeleteI'm off lectionary again this week for a series "Where Faith and Culture Meet." Serendipitously (providentially!) this week's topic is "Invest" so I'll be starting with Deut. 6 but landing heavily on II Timothy, which I have memorized about 1/2 of this year. It works for Mother's Day but isn't exclusively Mother's Day themed.
A congregant is working on a video for our congregational prayer -- that combines beautiful music and Half the Sky information about women and children's difficulties in the 2/3 world. Again, it works for Mother's Day but does not add this holiday to the liturgical season.
I find this dicey. . .anyone else with me on that?
Loving the Tour Guide option, SR!
ReplyDeleteVery nice. THAT should have been my sermon title. Gee, where were you on Thursday AM?
I am cleaning and cooking today. Horror of all horrors, the dryer is dead at the manse. So, I am air drying most everything, but before I knew the dryer was out, I washed all table linens, towels, and the table runner and little dolies.
And i am the hostess for Mother's Day in our family. Opps.
Just talked to the property guy and he will get someone out here on Monday. So, I air dry most everything and find a church member who will let me use their dryer today.
Oh, and I am suppossed to be preaching now too. Sermon on Acts with a focus on Lydia.
Anyone got info on selling purple cloth, was she wealthy, just getting by, or poor?
Was she a good additon for the church money wise? Tacky question, but jsut what I am thinking of
Loving the Tour Guide option, SR!
ReplyDeleteVery nice. THAT should have been my sermon title. Gee, where were you on Thursday AM?
I am cleaning and cooking today. Horror of all horrors, the dryer is dead at the manse. So, I am air drying most everything, but before I knew the dryer was out, I washed all table linens, towels, and the table runner and little dolies.
And i am the hostess for Mother's Day in our family. Opps.
Just talked to the property guy and he will get someone out here on Monday. So, I air dry most everything and find a church member who will let me use their dryer today.
Oh, and I am suppossed to be preaching now too. Sermon on Acts with a focus on Lydia.
Anyone got info on selling purple cloth, was she wealthy, just getting by, or poor?
Was she a good additon for the church money wise? Tacky question, but jsut what I am thinking of
GG,
ReplyDeleteVery sweet tribute to Lynn R. I always thought she was incredible actress and humanitarian
Like most Saturdays I walked around in the morning with great intentions of working during naptime. Like most Saturdays I find myself way more motivated to take a nap. The 5 year old's birthday party took it out of me.
ReplyDeleteMuthah - Rental house prayers have been offered. Enjoy the sun!
ellbee - - What about the women worshiping together in the Acts passage for today? Lydia and the rest and Lydia and her household?
Sue - - I love the all male choir for Mothering Sunday. Great idea.
RevAnne - I hear you about not taking the Lydia stuff too far. If it weren't coincidentally Mother's Day most of us wouldn't be tempted to do that, so I don't like the pressure of doing it just because it is Mother's Day. It wasn't (and I think it still isn't) in my plan for tomorrow.
Vicar - - See you later tonight! :)
Meg - I like the way you are working with the holiday and Half the Sky stuff. I will look that up since I don't have the prayers ready yet. I'm not hugely aware of it all, but one of my members is passionate about it. I would do well to include it if I can. Thanks!
1-4 - - Where was I on Thursday morning when I was moaning about sermon titles on FB? I didn't think of it myself until last night. Poop. I've always heard that Lydia was wealthy, a business owner, possibly a widow which made her independent.
So, the party is over and the kids are WIPED OUT. Now I'm going for my own nap!
Lots of leftover cheese and crackers, some fruit!
hey. I'm back. I have a sermon, although I'm not sure it's everything I ever hoped or dreamed. I may link to it in a bit.
ReplyDeleteI bought a pie for mother's day. (strawberry.) check.
We're taking my mother-in-law out. My brother is taking my mom out. Then we're meeting here for pie.
So, next up: preach at 5. Certain Areas of House.
I'll be back in a little bit.
Rev Anne -- I don't like traditional Mother's Day sermons either. I'm not sure I've ever heard one, though. I sure hope that's not what I have.
ReplyDelete"Love in our families" is a way to give the nod to the holiday, but of course "I will not leave you orphaned" has to do with the household of God.
I hear you about honoring all women and their roles.
Hello everyone! I'm coming here on a bit of an emotional high--we just tried a modern twist on the quilting circle and it went FABULOUSLY. We took sixty yards of different patterned fleece (paid for by special Lenten offerings), plus some other fleece donated by a woman in the congregation, and with nine volunteers, turned out sixty-one baby/child blankets in an hour and ten minutes. They are simple, but they are DONE--and incredibly cute. We'll give them to Head Start to give when they visit families with kids 0-5. I was really worried we'd be spending hours and hours on this, so I am thrilled!
ReplyDeleteNow down to a very different sort of work. Preaching on Lydia--who has always intrigued me--but I don't have a great deal to go on yet. I'm pondering the Sermon Brainwave comment on the Holy Spirit's GPS appearing to be a bit off. Also must come up with a prayer to dedicate the blankets before they get donated. That's our main nod to Mother's Day.
Glad to see things are coming along, slowly but surely...
ok, here it is
ReplyDeletemay change for tomorrow, anyway...
Dryer will either be fixed or replaced on Monday AM. So for today I am air drying and ironing the huge tablecloth. Ahhh.
ReplyDeleteI actually have my own washer and dryer on the carport. Really wished I had switched them out when I moved, but I did not want to be "difficult."
So, I have a fairly new W/D sitting here and I have used the older and less diserable ones in laundry room.
Live/learn
Still thinking on Lydia. We could use a wealty convert in our congregation now. Don't have many purple cloth dealers in our tiny town.
I have just arrived home from an all day Synod and am trying to get to grips with tomorrows services all planned and hymns chosen just need my head in grear!
ReplyDeletejust practiced and part of it is blech. but, I don't have time to change it before 5. so... tomorrow...
ReplyDeleteI'm not preaching tomorrow. I like what several of you are doing as a "nod" to Mother's Day. It is one day I really dread preaching - although that's not why I have tomorrow off.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was in infertility hell, Mother's Day was worse than a sharp stick in the eye. And our rector loved to do a whopping sappy tribute to all mothers everywhere. He never realized that some of the women in the congregation had never been mothers and were not past that point in life, that others of us were trying desperately to be mothers and it wasn't working and that there were women who weren't mothers and didn't want to be.
Somehow, Harry didn't get worked up about dads. Go figure. ;-)
So thanks to those of you using the story of Lydia and her companions to talk about women in general. I love the baby quilt project. What a wonderful gift and you don't have to be a "real" mother to be a part of it.
Prayers for those needing prayers and sending the sermon fairy to all of you.
Hi, head cold has worsened overnight, and now a sore throat and little voice - so good thing there is no 'sermon' . A lay preacher will lead this morning from my notes. And I will shortly return to bed.
ReplyDeletefor Betsy - here is the text - I don't have a blog and don't know how else to get this to you.
Dandelions and thistles, p 74.
The thing to know about me
is that I had no conception who he was.
I contracted polio when I was about six
and there was nothing that could be done.
So, when I was twelve,
my father took me to the pool.
Other boys got a bar mitzvah,
I got taken to a shrine…
well, not really a shrine…
there was this thing about the water moving
and first in afterwards got cured.
Listen, I’ve lain there for 38 years
and there were no cures,
just a lot of fantasizing.
I suppose you might say
I had got comfortable there.
I mean, I might have been a cripple,
but I could smile and talk.
I said hello to everybody by name
and it paid dividends…
people put money in my hat.
It wasn’t the best existence,
but there was worse.
And then up comes this total stranger.
Now when I said total, I mean total.
I never knew him, he never knew me.
He didn’t ask who I was or tell me his name.
He just said,
‘do you want to get better?
I felt like saying,
‘do you think I’ve been lying here on this stretcher
for forty years just to get a sun tan?’
But I didn’t.
I didn’t like his question.
It threatened me.
To get better would mean becoming responsible.
To get better would mean walking and working
and putting pennies in other people’s hats.
You know, I nearly said ’Leave me alone.’
But there was something in his directness,
something in the way he cut across
forty years of apathy…
so I said yes.
And ever since then,
I’ve been standing on my own feet…..
in more ways than one.
But I didn’t know him.
And when the intelligentsia began to ask questions
about who had cured me,
I couldn’t give them a name.
All I could say was,
‘The man who asks disturbing questions.’
Margaret, I too hated Mothers Day, especially during my IVF years. at seminary one of my field ed. ministers told me I could just not turn up, but I didn't want to have to just not be around every year - so we worked together on what might be possible. Some of the sappy stuff is not only pastorally insensitive, but theologically woeful. I can remember a minister saying in worship - that God couldn't be everywhere that is why he created mothers, as if I didn’t feel useless enough already – and it confirmed the idea that maybe God wasn’t all that involved in my life. . If I could have moved I would have walked out. It was during that time I nearly left the church - now I am ordained, and hopefully somewhat more sensitive.
ReplyDeleteBetsy, I just noticed the paragraph breaks are wrong, but the line breaks are in the right place – don’t know how to fix that, and my head is just not in the right place to sort it out. You can order the book direct form Iona over the web - took about to a week to get to Australia.
PRL-thanks so much for posting the monologue! I'm reusing a very old sermon on the John 5 text, and it needed "something". I think this is "it"!
ReplyDeleteHey semfem - The quilts sound fun. I liked that GPS comment, too, however I used a GPS theme a few weeks ago. Doh!
ReplyDeleteWelcome Sally! Hope you feel gathered soon!
Some people just don't get it, Margaret, do they? I'm glad folks have raised our sensitivity toward these kinds of things. I wonder if I would have blown through it without thinking if it hadn't been pointed out to me in seminary. (Hey, they did teach us something useful!)
Glad you found what you needed Eileen, and thanks PRL for sharing it with those of us who were wondering!
Semfem, how fabulous on the quilts! We have some ladies who make them from time to time and leave them in the church office for us to take to people who are going through a hard time; I'm also a school chaplain, and they are so treasured by the students I've taken them to in the hospital. Yours are well-blessed by your labors and love and will be an appreciated gift.
ReplyDeletePRL, thank you for typing out all of that! It is wonderful, very thought-provoking there at the ending especially. It takes a different twist than the one I'd had in mind, so I will have to ponder that. I've thought of the man as isolated by virtue of his disability ("What had he or his family done to deserve it?" might've been the common thinking) and this gives an alternative perspective. Hmmm...
Just came back from seeing "How To Tame a Dragon"; I am sure there is good sermon fodder in there for another day! I went with my 6 y.o. goddaughter...another kind of mothering :-)
I'm wandering around somewhere on page four, trying to tie up loose ends around the Spirit and home and the disciples and us. I think I've hit the stage of "blah blah blah" that Sue referred to earlier. Hoping red beans and rice will help. Offering a plate to anyone that still needs supper...
ReplyDeleteRed beans and rice sounds DELICIOUS--I'll take a plate, please! In RL I am about to make some yummy potato cream-cheese soup, and anyone who would like some is more than welcome to a bowl or two.
ReplyDeleteHoping to get a rough outline put together, then make the soup, then settle down for an evening of fleshing out the outline.
Thanks for the props on the blankets everyone--it was so energizing to see so many people (women and men both) who enjoy using their hands working together for a project like that. Got to think more about what we can do in the future.
Also now pondering evangelism and how God opened Lydia's heart and ears, but someone had to be sharing the message too. Hmm...
Oooooh, Queen Mum, the blah blah blah stage is so discouraging! It's when I have too much invested to scrap it, but feel like if I'm bored, they'll definitely be bored. I've learned to just push through it to some sort of ending and then put it all away for a while. I usually discover that hours later (or in the morning) it wasn't as bad as I feared and/or the correct ending is much clearer to me than I thought. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteHello preaching friends,
ReplyDeleteI made it through my least favorite service of the year (I only lead worship and preach on Saturday nights most of the time). And then I read on FB that a church I am a "fan" of because their pastor (whom I like quite a bit) is in my lectionary group - is giving out "carnations to all the moms" tomorrow. And now I am almost in tears. You see, I had many miscarriages and a stillbirth before I had my precious three daughters. Would I have gotten a carnation when I went to church? Should I have stood up when they asked all the mothers to stand? In my home congregation here, she has all the great great grandmothers, then great grandmothers, then so on down the line stand up until all the women are standing. To me, that is still painful.
I don't know if I should make a comment to my FB friend or not. But I am sad. And I am sorry for a church that still doesn't get it. And I wonder how many other things we don't get, I don't get. And I grieve.
oh dear. I would never give out carnations to all the moms. That just invites hurt. Being a non-mom (well, a step-mom, but I've been told "it's not the same"), I would really not want to amplify people's feelings of loss and hurt in that way.
ReplyDeleteHello RGBpals, SheRev, your comment about endings is dead on and just what I needed to hear tonight. I've been sick with a cold all weekend but managed to get the sermon written yesterday. Today I mostly slept. I just edited what I wrote and I know its too long. (sigh) I promised occasional 'what we believe' sermons this year and tomorrow's is on Peace, following the mother's day intent. We also are using the Religious Institute Litany in solidarity with women around the world.
ReplyDeleteI tend to speak in terms of those who 'nurture' us, rather than specifically of mothers. I understand the woman doing the children's story is giving them a carnation, a bit different take, I guess.
So Peace it is for tomorrow, using the John text loosely. Mostly its a 'teaching sermon' on our beliefs. I hope my voice holds. Blessings to all of you.
Mumpastor, if you like this pastor and have a good relationship, I would consider sharing your own experience and reaction. I think that a lot of people, clergy included, never really think about how painful something like that can be until someone speaks up gently.
ReplyDeleteOur church hands out carnations to all women who are present in honor of their moms (men don't have mothters?), one color if your mom is alive and another if she has died. Not my favorite thing, but their are some folks who are absolutely set on it and we all have to pick our battles carefully. Even as a mom, I'm not keen on Mother's Day; it has so many landmines.
Shoot. Just remembered that I'm on for Adult Ed tomorrow. It's not a hard one - General Assembly "Hot Topics" preview - but still. Something else to think of. Kiddos are in bed, but still kind of loud. I'll get going here on something soon!
ReplyDeleteMumPastor - - I do think it's worth saying something, not publically on FB, but if you can in person, or on the phone, or in a private e-mail. I was sort of saying earlier that I would never have thought of the difficulties and insensitivity of doing all that on my own. I grew up in a congregation that did the oldest mother, mother with the most kids, all the generations kind of stuff, and as a kid it didn't occur to me what that was like for others. I am glad I had seminary professors that pointed this out to us. She'll never think to stop doing it on her own (or find a sensitive alternative if there is on). It will take someone sharing their experience to get a change.
Blessings on you, Rev Nancy!!!
Mumpastor, I have spoken to Ministers, particularly when was in seminary and moving churches for field ed, and some had never thought about the issue. Mothers day was done in certain ways, because it always had been. Speaking up, even though difficult, can give Ministers the opportunity to think about how Mothers Day is celebrated.
ReplyDeleteI agree with SheRev, I'd raise it privately, possibly in a letter - that way I could ask a friend to look over it before I posted it.
I'm only just starting to write now - although I've been thinking about this sermon all week. Focusing in on Lydia -with the "woman of faith" theme - her openness to Paul (a stranger), her opening her home. LInking open hearts with hospitality. Also toying with our tendency to let fear guide us rather than the spirit. Urging toward trust and faith for ourselves, our young people... Wanting to lift up women of faith including mothers but not limited to... we'll see how it all shakes out.
ReplyDeleteMumPastor: I would definitely say something. We all need some gentle eye opening, and not everyone clues in to the silent struggles of many women. In one of my past churches they always celebrated Mother's Day as "Women of Faith Sunday" and gave carnations to every women, not because they *had* mothers, but because each women is a guide or teacher of the faith. I thought it was touching, and a way to be more inclusive - maybe others feel different? It might be a solution for your friend...
Anyways - prayers for all. Sipping Echinacea tea for my sore throat and cookies - lots to share with you all...
Here to join the late night preacher party. I wrote 2/3 of a sermon yesterday afternoon on God making his home with us,and oh I wish I had finished it then. I took today off because my daughters and grandchildren are here, and a lovely day it was, too, playing with the two year old, holding the baby, taking a ling walk in nearby Ivy City, Ivy City style pizza for dinner and playing banana-grams after the babies went to bed. Now I need to read what I wrote, hope it sounds reasonable, and write a conclusion so I can go to bed at a decent hour.
ReplyDeleteThe wind is blowing a gale here. Hope the power doesn't go out!
Btw, not doing anything for MOther's day other than a mention in the prayers of the people and a nice coffee hour. For all the reasons mentioned already.
ReplyDeleteI have a feeling it's gonna be a long night ... all my sermon page has is a blinking cursor. Too bad I don't use powerpoint, I could change the background and think I was making progress.
ReplyDeleteOK - I've wasted as much time as I can reading FB, updating my blog with sermons that somehow never got posted, and all sorts of other random stuff.
ReplyDeleteIt's time for me to get down to business with this sermon. I am borrowing (hopefully not too heavily) from a sermon I read elsewhere. It's that kind of week/month/etc.
I really want to be mostly done in the next hour or so. I'd like to watch Betty White on SNL happily from my bed with no writing in front of me. We'll see if that happens.
We can do it, Vicar! We can do it!
ReplyDeleteGood night friends. I too am not drawing attention to mothers day in my sermon. However I found a wonderful mothers day prayer that includes all women especially those who've struggled with their mothers and those who have struggled in trying to become a mother.
ReplyDeleteWell I've got something finished. Will pray that, as I indicate in the sermon, the Spirit does show up. Now if I could only find my prayer that I know I used to have, where we pray for those who are like a mother to us...it has disappeared from my computer.....
ReplyDeleteHere is the video link...
ReplyDeletetypical. This is why I have other people make videos. Here is the link written out:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dz3hZ_4sk0g
27 minutes to SNL. Things are moving here. I think I might make it!
ReplyDeleteGo SheRev! I decided to go ahead and work on the prayers so I'd feel like I was accomplishing something. The sermon ... nothing
ReplyDeleteShe Rev, I was hoping I'd be done before SNL as well...I don't usually watch it, but of course with Betty White on, it's a draw...unfortunately all I have is my outline (still)! It's a good outline, but not good enough to preach from.
ReplyDeleteBut you can do it! Vicar and I, we'll be up later I think...
Oh, I don't mean to imply that I am done. I'll be back for my early morning set. I think I'll just take my Sunday School materials to bed to watch SNL and work on the sermon in the wee hours. Don't have TOO much faith in me. :)
ReplyDeleteJust printed out the sermon from three years ago when the same lectionary landed on mother's day - will wake up early tomorrow to memorize and internalize it again. Thanks be to God that I have one - otherwise I would be up too late!
ReplyDeleteVicar, semfem and She Rev - prayers for y'all!!
OK - weird to be logged in as one of last weekend's guests!! The last comment was mine - not Sara's - good night!
ReplyDeleteGreat for you ElastiGirl! I'll admit I'm more than a TAD jealous!
ReplyDeleteOpen hearts, open minds, open spirits for us all as we worship, preach, and/or lead tomorrow!
ReplyDeleteHi night-owls...prayers for A., one of our young clergy who is in labour tonight with her first??? Hoping that she will manage without C section...and without undue delay!
ReplyDeleteMy word count is now 437.
ReplyDeleteLord, have mercy,
Come Holy Spirit
I am still here, still struggling to find an ending for what I wrote yesterday, and not at all sure any of it makes any sense. Argh...
ReplyDeleteRev Dr Mom, I hear you
ReplyDeletehi, all.
ReplyDeleteI did some minor alterations and am preaching tomorrow.
it's way past my bedtime so I'm going to bed.
and praying for charisma tomorrow.
the special spark that only some preachers have (according to someone)
but I don't.
Diane, Some of those preachers have teleprompters and no hospital calls, too. Listen to the Holy Spirit louder than you listen to the detractors.
ReplyDeleteSNL over, so time for the rest of my Lydia sermon.
ReplyDeleteStill not there, but trying to get it all down.
Early AM breakfast at church tomorrow. I don't care for what they serve(not that early). I lvoe b-fast foods, but hate to eat a big b-fast.
So, I will do the fruit and yogurt thing and then just work the room with my coffee in hand.
Ack...my printer won't work, so I'm about to save to a memory stick so I can print in the morning (I can't even email it to myself b/c the internet in my office isn't working!) Now I really need to get to be.
ReplyDeleteVicar, 1-4, and whoever else is still writing...may the Holy Spirit be with you.
G'night all.
Adding my prayers for A! I just might get to post something similar here in the coming weeks. Although, I guess I should hope it isn't during a Preacher Party since that means I'll be leaving BEFORE my scheduled leave. However, at this point I'm caring less and less when it is!
ReplyDeleteA few are wrapping up, a few are still going strong. I'm going to sleep, but will be up in 4 hours or so to do my writing. Blessings on all the rest!!!!
Yup 1-4, that's why I'm back to writing too. Except I have 0 words! At least I did write the blanket dedication prayer.
ReplyDeleteOn to the sermon...let's hope the good feeling about the outline flows into the sermon as well...
I forgot to add that I'm also praying for A and baby!
ReplyDeleteJust for the record, I have 1217 words and I think I like 4 of them. But I think I'll preach 1200+ of them.
Final count is 1282 & I like it better than I did a minute ago. That could be due to fatigue
ReplyDeleteEither way, I'm trusting that the Holy Spirit has my back.
Everything is printed. I'm off to bed.
Blessings on your Sunday
Awww Vicar!
ReplyDeleteYour peeps are gonna like you better than my peeps like me tomorrrow.
My word count is 1560. Y'all go home earlier than we do. It is mother's day and I am doing a little shout out to important foremothers in our church: the PWs.
I found where someone had done that for the women's leadership in the UCC>
It works well as this is the PW Bday month and so that tied in great with Lydia. Could have been like 1480, but I did it.
Oh, the stuff I mentioned was kate Huey's Sermon Seeds "Disciples Together."
ReplyDeleteIt is actually fascinaitng to note that such ground breaking work was done(about the same time) bu women in different denominaitons.
I know stories from UCC, Pres, UMC and Southern Baptist(grew up here)
All have had some fab mission and minsitry done in early eyars(200+) that was significant\
Okay, nite-nite
Well, crap. Another Saturday night where I fall asleep in the chair and wake up with an hour of writing time left to write the whole thing. Let's see if it can be done...
ReplyDeleteOf course it can be done, semfem! I'm up and back to it. We'll do it together!
ReplyDelete1034 words and I should probably get to my Big Point soon...
ReplyDeleteThanks She Rev!
Ugh. 1445 words, and I am finished, so that's good...but 1445 is too long! Can I squeeze in some editing time here?
ReplyDeleteNice job! Edit what you can and pray faster in the rest of the service. You've got it done!
ReplyDeleteI'm down to 1383 words and it's past time to go shower. I'm off! Thanks for the encouragement!
ReplyDeleteBlessings on all pondering, preaching, and proclamation this day.
So, I never even really did touch Lydia after all that. Oh well. I like where it went.
ReplyDeleteOff to throw my clothes in the dryer so that I have something to wear here in a little while.