A pastor friend of mine jokingly (I think) refers to Trinity Sunday as "the best Sunday for a pastor's vacation." But if visions of glazed-eye parishoners intoning the Athanasian Creed, or object lessons involving apples, eggs or water, are making you long for the lake or the links this weekend, don't despair -- we have some wonderful texts for Sunday describing the Dance of God in action, with particular attention to the Holy Spirit: Lady Wisdom's discourse in Proverbs; Paul discussing the transformative work of God in our lives; Jesus' further description of the Advocate who would guide, comfort and instruct the Church in his physical absence.What are your thoughts as you sit down to plan, pray and preach this coming week? As always, please share your insights, ideas and conundrums here.
my thought is that I have next Sunday OFF, w00t! I mean, altogether OFF! So I think I will choose to attend Another Parish Altogether, and thereby be able to beam at a brand-new PK being baptized...such a treat!
ReplyDeleteRemember last Trinity Sunday, which was uniquely fraught with accommodating members of three police forces, two armies, and one royal family...sigh...glory days!!
Gosh, I actually have a preaching gig this Sunday and one next week too. I haven't preached since sometime in March....so a little rusty here. But I am looking at the texts and thinking about either Proverbs - the idea of wisdom from the beginning, calling out to us and delighting in us? Or Romans - using Joan Chittisters idea of the 9 gifts of suffering which aligns with this reading...not sure yet.and not sure where I'd take either of these.
ReplyDeleteThis is my last Sunday preaching at the church I've served for almost 5 years. The following week is the Congregational Anniversary, and then we take off for Illinois. I'm just going to try to get through whatever I preach without getting totally weepy!!
ReplyDeleteI won't be preaching this week ... but I am going to be ordained! I'm not a rev gal but I do lurk and I know I'll be around much more in a few weeks! Good vibes to all those writing sermons. I love the image used here; my "go to" image for the trinity is the Rubelev icon. Yesterday the preacher for the ordination, the other woman getting ordained and I were discussing the trinity, and the key theme was relationship. The other woman brought up Augustine's image of lover, beloved, and love: I think that's where I would start if I were preaching!
ReplyDeleteI'm preaching about the trinity.
ReplyDeleteLast year I read from The Shack when Mac first met each person of the Trinity.
This year I am focusing on relationship and the dance of God - the dance of God in creation in psalm 8 and the dance of God in our lives in romans 5.
As for what to do for the children's moment - NO CLUE.
Dancing With God... WOWSERS. What a GREAT idea!! I read the book last year, and this is a great way in... thanks!
ReplyDeleteThis Sunday the new Ministry Candidate is preaching for the Congregation. My interim is almost over.
ReplyDeleteHe is not preaching on Trinity. And it's memorial Day weekend..
God abide
Bobbie
Katherine You can do this! And a few tears are expected.
ReplyDeleteOur human-ness is a gift to the people.
Bobbie
preparing to do the same in three weeks.... the good-by thing after interim.
I'm going with Romans 5 -- couldn't you just preach the grace of that text for a month of Sundays? I'm titling the sermon "A Team Effort" -- about how God works salvation in us, through us and all around us through the persons of the Trinity. I also toyed with using something from The Shack to get the ball rolling.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to focus on rejoicing and celebration. We've just presented a vision for the church and now we get to celebrate the work we have done and will do. I love thinking about the dance of God! So it's Ps. 8 and Romans 5 for me.
ReplyDeleteHello parodie! Blessings, congratulations, mazel tov and much love on your ordination!
ReplyDeleteDo mostly Proverbs here. Dancing, thanks for that great idea. I had totally forgotten about "The Shack". Maybe it will find a way into the sermon. Time will tell.
ReplyDeleteMy title is Cosmic! I'll use Psalm 8 and the John passage, and I'll throw in the first few verses of Gen 1 because all parts of the Trinity are present there. Not really sure what I'm doing with all that.
ReplyDeleteStill a seminarian here, but this will be my second week (of 13) covering for our pastor's sabbatical, and all I have to say is: "this is fun!" (and I'm getting paid for it too! ;-)
ReplyDeleteI'm focusing on Proverbs and have Job 28:12 floating in my head: "Where can Wisdom be found?"....Love the idea of putting a face to the Holy Spirit by naming all the places where we find her in action - in the soup kitchen serving up meals, on the street corner marching for peace, in the classroom teaching the children, on the Arizona/Mexico border serving Communion through the fence...you get the idea.
I feel a need to move away from the wispy, whispering image we have of the Spirit and present sister Sophia as acting loud and proud in the world. We'll see how it goes...
Welcome, MoCat! I love a loud, proud Holy Spirit, myself!
ReplyDeleteSo all the jokes about the assistant having to preach on Trinity--not so much in my case;I preached every year on Pentecost and NEVER on Trinity. So here I am, for the first time having to tackle the Trinity. At a church called "Trinity" so I can't avoid the subject.
ReplyDeleteBecause it is our "patronal" feast--sort of--we're have a "recognition" day for some of those who contribute to the life of the parish, and giving a scholarship to a graduating hs senior who will read her essay, I can keep it short. For which I'm grateful.
I had about two hours to begin study yesterday and I think I'll come down to the images of God in the readings. At the same time, I have a bad feeling I've already preached that sermon on Trinity Sunday. Hmmm....
ReplyDeleteCome HOly Spirit! And bring a sermon with you.
Parodie,
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your ordination. ENJOY EVERY minute of it, take it all in, and when they pray over you, know that those prayers last a long, long time!
My interim is closing in on final days. Sadly, I get the feeling the committee has made a snap decision on a candidate. The chair's main points were that the candidate dressed nice for the webcam interview and really seemed interested in the church.
Their is a mixed review of the committee, but the chair has told some folks that he/she is ready for it to be over. Sad for THAT attitude.
I could rant on, but it won't do any good. I am trying to find some temp employment for time being. No call in the works for me at present. However, I am looking to be gone in about a month(maybe a little more).
And, yes, Trinity Sunday. Not a fav of mine. Ready to shamelessly borrow someone elses.
Might even look to the egg, apples, water idea in despiration.
Wishing I had something else up my sleeve. Cats are all wore out. My folks visited tonight and thus they stayed active longer. Maybe they will let me sleep in (ie after 7AM)tomorrow?
Katherine and parodie - I'll be thinking and praying about both of your special Sunday's this week. Welcome MoCat!
ReplyDeleteRe: children's time - one that I've used before is a true crowd pleaser....A tub of Neopolitan Ice Cream with strawberry, chocolate and vanilla. All three are in one container, all are ice cream, and yet each is slightly different than the next. I usually talk about how, when I was a child, I used to love letting it melt a bit in the bowl so I could mush them all together and you couldn't really tell one flavour from the others.
Sue...fantastic idea. Thanks. I'll be doing a little ice cream demo this Sunday.
ReplyDelete