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Saturday, September 18, 2010

11th Hour Preacher's Party: the "Really?"..."Seriously"...edition...



(from flickrfotos)

For a YouTube of the season 6 finale, in case you've missed it

This week some television shows are launching their new season while others are offering reruns of the season finale from last May. It seems to me that most of the shows I usually watch, like Grays Anatomy, ended last season on a note of extreme drama and violence. I remember watching and having to close my eyes and turn away.

We live in a world that is filled with so much sorrow, violence, and injustice, that often we too shut down and turn away. There is only so much a person can take what with economic collapse. weather disasters, famine, war, violence, immigration issues, and so on....yes, it's enough to make anyone want to put on blinders, cover ears, and repeat lalalalallalalallalalalala......

So it is with our scripture readings this week. How many of our congregational members will sit in church, listening with no reaction, while these readings are offered in a matter-of-fact voice? How many of us will not grasp, whether in the proclaiming of these, or in the hearing of them, that these are scary texts. I mean, seriously, what is Jesus saying?

There are lots of ideas of what scholars think. But sometimes it might just be best if we acknowledge that we don't know exactly what Jesus meant. Or at least what he meant beyond shaking us up, waking us up, and hoping that we are paying attention to the reality that God is right here with us in the muck and confusion.

Well. So much for my rant on the texts...what about you? Where are you with these readings this week? Are you "on lectionary" or blessedly "off lectionary"? Are you going with Jeremiah or Amos (I mean really, is there difference other than one being a Prophet while the other is so called"minor" prophet?)....

I think we are going to need a lot of substance to get us through this day so I am loaded up with coffee, tea, toast, muffins (carrot/raisin), eggs, bacon, pancakes...and that's just to get us started! Pull up a chair and grab a mug. We're here to help with your questions, concerns, the places you are stuck, ideas for children's time/sermons, and even feedback on your sermon. It's a party of support and love.

95 comments:

  1. Thanks MomPriest for the great spread!I'm loading up on that breakfast, for sure.

    I'm hanging out with the dishonest/shrewd manager/prudent treasurer - whatever. Hoping to get to a place of energizing folks to be shrewd for Jesus, might even list some new economy investment ideas like oikocredit.org and kiva.org

    I was also randomly assigned the children's sermon - which I guess is good, but also needs to be remembered!

    Working until 12 when The Boy comes home, hoping to have at least 2/3rds written so the night doesn't get too late.

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  2. hey! great to be here. for the first time in a long time, I'm getting a preaching break. the next three weeks. I'm not sure i'll know what to do with myself, beyond getting some rest.

    I've often been fascinated by the dishonest manager story, partly because we are such moralists, and its clear that whatever else Jesus was teaching, faith is not simply moralism.

    kathrynzj, be shrewd for Jesus -- I like that!

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  3. Because my dog is ill, and earlier in the week it wasn't clear how the week would play out, I made the (very unusual for me) decision to preach one from the file. For our Homecoming Sunday tomorrow, what could be better than following up the Lost Sheep with the Prodigal Son? I'm here with you, though, working on some preaching plans for the rest of Ordinary Time, because I don't know when the next week will come that I really don't feel up to original thoughts, and I need to build a framework to support me, so I can care for Sam Dog.

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  4. I was planning on looking at Timothy, and I do - praying for peace and dignity isn't about quiet words with God when our eyes are closed, it is about living our [spoken]prayers as we shop, talk with people, vote, etc etc. ;
    One of the Bible Study groups told me this week they are keen to see what I make of the Luke story, so an idea from Juniper from Tuesday's RevGalBlog, and another from LT Johnson will hopefully give some food for thought.

    10.00pm here, time for camomile tea if anyone would like a cup.
    veri word is dissestr - hopefully not an oman about my sermon.

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  5. Morning folks,

    I'm going to be preaching on Luke. Quite a text very much a challenge.

    I have fair trade coffee to share.

    Peace,

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  6. Good morning kathrynjz, shrew for Jesus works for me! Hope you get as much done as you'd like.

    Martha, prayers continue for you and Sam and your family. Wise of you to plan ahead and shore yourself up. We'll do what we can on this end to support you.

    Diane, I hope you enjoy this time to rest and renew, and maybe hear some good sermons preached too?

    PRL, tempting to go with Timothy, really. I hope yours pulls together in all the ways you need.

    GG, thanks for bringing in the fair trade - that is very Gospel-like of you, especially for this text.

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  7. I am finishing the trilogy of parables in Luke 15...with the prodigal. Last week the focus was on rejoicing. This week...how we can be elder brothers...and be "to good".

    Cold front came through...I am sitting on the couch with a blanket (and a cat) on my lap.

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  8. Purple, what a lovely way to start a day....sounds like you have a good theme going for your Sunday mornings

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  9. I've been struggling with, and reading conflicting commentaries on Luke all week, and not getting anywhere. So I think I am going with Amos, and his call for economic justice and perhaps pull at bit from Luke in at the end. My one coherent (or semi-coherent) thought about Luke was that the manager ended up doing the right thing (reducing burdensome debt) for the wrong reasons, but I'm not sure that will play out

    Martha, I am so sorry about Sam's illness--many hugs and prayers for both of you, and your family.

    Was up very late last week and would like to finish up on a better schedule this week; come Holy Spirit, come!

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  10. Someone asked on Twitter about an idea for a children's message on the gospel, and here's a starting thought.

    If I were doing a children's sermon on this gospel lesson, here's where I would be heading.

    I would talk about how when a teacher tells us something we don't understand, it's really important to ask that person to explain better. That's true in school, and it's true in church, too. Sometimes even grown-ups aren't sure what Jesus meant, and since we can't ask him talk to him in person, we talk to each other instead about what he might have meant. Sometimes he talked about farms, and we can read books or search on our computers to find out more about the crop or the plant in his story, and sometimes that gives us a clue about what he meant. But other times we just scratch our heads.

    Even grown-ups.

    So we try to remember the important things we know about Jesus, and things he taught us about loving God and each other, and about taking special care of people who really needed it.

    And sometimes if we still don't understand, we ask Jesus, in a prayer, to help us, because that's the way we can still talk to him.

    (Amen.)

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  11. RevDrMom- I am going in that directon with Luke, I'll post my sermon soon, maybe you can let me know IF it works...I worry about it as it is...sigh....but that said - welcome to the party!! I had a priest once who said that Amos was his favorite prophet, not sure I remember why he thought that....???

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  12. Martha, I like that direction for a children's message. It fits well...

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  13. Martha, loving you for that children's sermon - thank you!

    Here is an illustration that might help folks depending on the trajectory they are taking:

    One of the commentaries listed "Prudent Treasurer" among the titles of Dishonest Manager and Shrewd Manager. I just witnessed - without him knowing it - our own Treasurer welcoming in the daughter of a member of the congregation who due to addictions and mental illness has a hard time keeping herself off of the streets. This woman comes in once in awhile to give us her 'tithe' - usually a rolled up wad of singles with maybe a five or ten dollar bill included. I watched as he treated her the same way he treats the man who comes in monthly with a large check for our endowment, and after she left he placed the cash in an envelope marked with her name in his top drawer.

    It is this envelope that the ministers use when she comes back in asking us for money for groceries.

    I have worked with a harsh treasurer in the past whose ill will towards me and others has meant a practical shunning for her as her family is now in their own financial predicament. And now I work with this man, who if anything should happen would have the entire congregation and community at his side immediately, asking if there is anything they can do.

    Not sure if I will preach all of that, but there it is if it is helpful to you.

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  14. kathrynjz, that's a very tender story, really. speaks deeply into this reading. I hope someone can use it.

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  15. Wow, Kathryn, that's a beautiful story.

    I'm preaching Luke and am sort of looking forward to it. It's nice to preach something that people don't have too many preconceived notions about. My title is "The Crooked Gospel" and I'm taking a tack similar to Robert Farrar Capon and Sarah Dylan Brauer (in her blog entry on this text from 2004), looking at the fact that the manager forgave debts and the radical notion of being prodigal with God's grace.

    Right now I'm all uptight because I'm still trying to restore files from when my hard drive crashed over the summer. Part of what I'm trying to restore is Microsoft Office. But it's not back yet, so I guess I'll be composing in Google Docs again for now.

    Pass the coffee!

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  16. Ok. So....I don't know if this works but I've posted my sermon, "It Matters How?" and I would love some feedback....especially if I have to throw it out and start again...LOL

    Ok. now, I really do need another cup of coffee, you?

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  17. Oh, earthchick, I had to do that last spring. It's just awful...the restoration process and what restores and what doesn't. ick...prayers for you. and here, a cup of coffee. Oh, and I like the direction you are going in, Dylan's blog influenced me too...

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  18. Oh no! My word verification is "worse"! I almost refreshed just for a better vibe!

    Well, I am very excitedly NOT preaching this week. I have a good friend and seminary classmate guest preaching for us this weekend since Pearl is being baptized by her. I'm thrilled. I'll do the opening welcome stuff and the prayers of the people, but the lay reader and the guest will do the rest. I'll just get to be "mom" for the most part. We're also Skyping the service to my mom in FL and friend in England. Kinda cool!

    I do need to run over to the church this morning to inform the worship band/team folks of a special reading I want them to help with. First I need to write that reading. It's a tweak of a responsive reading from the Season of Creation website.

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  19. Well I spent the day studying yesterday, I spent the morning studying as well, hoping for a different take on the Lukan text. Instead I kept coming back to a sermon I wrote three years ago. So I decided to rewrite it a bit to suit my current congregation. Please feel free to stop by here and comment.

    I wonder why I feel guilty when I use old sermons.

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  20. SheRev - awesome! I love the idea of skyping the service for your mom and friend. I hope technology is kind to you.

    GG - I'll be over soon..and, really, if you said it well once why try to say it differently?

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  21. For those looking for a children's sermon, Dylan Breuer preached one a few years ago,and there's a link to it posted on her blog.

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  22. I am going somewhere with the concept that how we act says things about us, using both the Amos and the Luke text. I will have to name that the parable makes no sense I guess, but maybe can move it into an illustration on the main point.

    And I should probably give a bit of a report from Presbytery last weekend.

    BUt Children's Story?????????? Maybe something about learning names since this is the first time I have done Children's Time since SS began?

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  23. Good Morning Gord, and welcome. Sounds like you have a workable perspective on the texts! and good luck with the children's time - some good ideas have already been shared here....

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  24. Good day everyone. I'm going with a theme similar to Mompriest. The text makes little sense, but in every parable there is a gem of learning to be found.

    The illustration I'm using (found it in "Awaken") is about the artist Al Hirschfeld (1903-2003) who hid his daughter's name in all of his work. True fans of his work made a game out of finding the word 'Nina' in portraits and other paintings by Hirschfeld. This parable is a bit like that. We have to search, and keep searching until we glean some good news nestled within its confusion.

    So far, what I've found is that we're meant to put our skills and gifts to use. The unjust servant did the wrong thing for personal gain (or did he? How do we know that he didn't need the money to help a friend or feed a large family?) - but at least he did *something*.

    So maybe Jesus was impressed with his ingenuity and with the fact that the servant was creative and active - as opposed to sitting on the sidelines like a spectator to the world.

    Martha - still praying for Sam and for all of you. And many thanks for a great children's story!

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  25. Good Morning, Sue, welcome! I like the illustration you are considering, the artist who hid his daughters name...and how that helps unpack the text...

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  26. Time for lunch here in eastern standard time. The Boy should be returning home soon as well.

    As for sermon, I have 2 pages too much which is always far better than 2 pages too little... I hope.

    I'll be back after The Boy's bedtime. Blessings upon you all.

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  27. With a 24 wk baby born this week, significant thoughts on any sermon has taken a back seat. A search through my computerized sermon files reveals that there is exactly one digital sermon from which to pull for this week's texts and it's on I Tim.

    However, I completely love kathrynzj's story and think it puts the right grace filled note to what it means to be "shrewd," "dishonest," or "prudent" especially with the comparison.

    We'll see what happens through the day for which text becomes the focus. I'm seriously re-considering my dismissal of Luke for this week.

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  28. Vicar, been praying for that baby and family. Welcome to the party and find here a balm to soothe you in the midst of the work of love you've been doing.

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  29. Mompriest - I can't even tell you how much it has meant to have all of the prayers for her, her family, and her pastor.

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  30. Vicar - amen! the power of prayer, like a mantle around our shoulders.

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  31. I think it's time for lunch...how about grilled cheese and chips with a diet coke? I even tomato soup if you'd like...

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  32. It's gone by lunchtime here, and I will probably sound like a broken record for saying I had a tomato sandwich, but I made one change this week: it was a yellow tomato!
    Sam and I are going to a Walk for Chiari. A member of my new congregation has this malformation, which I knew nothing about before. We'll check in at the beginning and show our support, and see y'all a little later.

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  33. hello all It has been a busy week and a good one for me. I met with a PNC and have a new call in November. This week I am preaching for a friend who had surgery and as others wrestling with Luke for a blessing. I do love the story about the Prudent Treasurer. I've had all kinds of treasurers.
    Praying for us all as we walk into sacred space to be used by God to share the Good News.
    God abide. (I'm having leftovers from yesterday evening for lunch but i can stretch them if ya'll come over.)

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  34. Martha, blessings on that walk and the benefits it raises.

    Bobbie, welcome and congrats on the new call.

    I had a fabulous grilled cheese and tomato on TJ's multi-grain bread...yum.

    now. where was I?

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  35. not preaching this week, but I need to chime in and add my prayers for the 24 week baby. I'm mama to a 29 weeker, so I know how much all those prayers help. Please pass them along, Vicar.

    And prayers for all of you struggling with the texts this week.

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  36. esperanza, thank you for those words of support...I'm sure they'll mean a lot to the family.

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  37. I just happened upon this quote from Martin Luther King Jr which fits nicely in with my sermon (well it will in the end anyway)
    True compassion is more than flinging a coin to a beggar. It comes to see that an edifice which produces beggars needs restructuring

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  38. Did anybody else turn to FOTW for guidance this week? I am particularly struck by the pastoral perspective on Luke written by Helen Montgomery Debevoise. She talks about losing our vision. I like what she has to say about the Pharisees, too. Here's a pithy quote: "The parable warns that teh children have lost that eternal poerspective of who God is and who we are in relationsihp to God."

    Now it might be that this resonates with me because I have been preaching it for about five months. I did have a homiletics professor who said we all have just one sermon in us, maybe two if we are exceptional. I'm feeling really wed to the Summary of the Law and how it does/does not inform our ministry.

    So I think this is the way I'm going to go tomorrow. I am going to check out my saved sermons to see if there is anything to glean from the past but I think Ms. Debevoise has got me going where the HS wants me to go.

    We had a wonderful week with the African Children's Choir. They are heading to KY, IN, OH, PA, southern IL, IA, OK, TX and WY in the next four months. If you can host a concernt, I highly recommend that experience. If they are already scheduled nearby, get your congregation to go see/hear them. And look for Bob on the drums. He's my favorite!

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  39. wow, so much already going on here. I just got back from our "Shred for Cereal" event at church. (Shred truck donates time to non-profits and we use it to get donations for local food bank.) AND a sweet invite to a local french restaurant for lunch. Uhmmmm good!
    Now, for the sermon? Seriously! I love "Shrewd 4 Jesus" and wish I still had access to a button maker. I have a children's time but will file Martha's away for another day. Love Kathrynzj's treasurer story. Earthchick: My son uses something called Open Office, I think, which is a free download until you solve the restore issue. Been thinking about the 24-week baby and sending prayers this week.
    I'm preaching both Luke and 1Timothy, but "lightly" as my focus is on context and what's behind the text as much as the message. This will work for explaining why I don't often preach Tim, but I dunno where it will take me for Luke, yet.
    Back to the work, I have diet soda and dark M&M's to share. (what a combo)

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  40. prayers for the 24 week baby here, and for Martha and Sam.

    I love your children's message idea Martha.

    I was at a faith milestone with 3 year olds today, helping to teach them to pray. Tomorrow we do a blessing service for them instead of a children's message, and give them a little glow-in-the-dark cross for a gift. We call the parents and children up and talking about starting Sunday School, and have the parents lay their hands on and bless their children.

    I'm trying to lounge at home a little now. don't have the 5 o-clock service, but I have an outdoor wedding at 6:00. luckily, the weather cleared and it looks beautiful.

    We're also installing our interim sr. pastor tonight and tomorrow at services.

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  41. Gord, good quote (even though my bad eyes thought you wrote Martha LK...LOL)

    Margaret, welcome - and thanks for that quote!

    RevNancy, a button maker would be awesome! and thanks for the dark M&M's (yum)

    Diane, an interim get "installed?" huh, didn't know that. Love the childrens time and the glow in the dark cross!

    I'm doing laundry and about to have a cup of tea and some dark chocolate....

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  42. Hello everyone, I'm here briefly. Went to a bridal shower earlier this afternoon...as for the sermon, I have some notes typed out but no actual words yet. But! Let me tell you what opened up the text for me...the title of this pericope in the Social-Science Commentary on the Synoptic Gospels.

    It's called, "A Steward Discovers His Master Is Merciful." That'll preach.

    I think I got a good opening illustration at the shower, too, so maybe I can whack out some pages of the actual sermon in the next hour, before I need to leave for a dinner celebration. Trying to focus after receiving some very bad news earlier this week about a family member's health. blaaaaah.

    Sounds like the ideas are out there and the Spirit is moving!

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  43. P.S. I also love Kathryn's treasurer story, and send prayers for the preemie and for Diane's church and their new interim...

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  44. P.P.S. I second the suggestion of OpenOffice. Love. It. Plus it opens and creates Word documents. Free.

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  45. SEMFEM!!! welcome. Love the title.

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  46. sitting outside....trying to write a sermon on Luke....wishing I could be doing something else. It's hard to write a sermon when you don't know what the parable means. That may be where I'm going with this: that the Bible isn't just an instruction manual, but an invitation to be in relationship with God. Sometimes, a lot of times, that means thinking some hard thoughts. Hmmmm.....

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  47. SemFem, are you saying I need a shower for inspiration?
    Sorry you got some bad news. Hoping/praying for the best.

    I've got part I of sermon down, now for a work about Luke. And it had better be down to a few words or I'm going to run over! I got so used to preaching one of 2 messages this summer that the 10-15 min "homily" seems so much better than the 20 minutes sermon. Maybe THEY think so too?

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  48. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  49. Sorry about the double post, I removed it.

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  50. I have a draft finished, but I'm a little worried about it b/c my take on the gospel is really different from everything I've read or seen here. So I hope I haven't gone off the deep end.

    Basically I'm saying that when we let money/wealth become the center of our lives we are pulled away from how God calls us to live--in Amos' time, in Jesus' time and in the present. And dishonesty begets more dishonesty--the manager cheated to make up for cheating, and just shifted the debt owed to the master to being owed to him.

    All this tied together by "we cannot serve God and wealth."

    I think the ending weak, but I'm out of steam for now; I'll revisit it in a bit. Meanwhile all comments appreciated.

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  51. Ooh, semfem, that's an interesting take. I almost pulled that commentary down to look at it, but didn't. Now I wish I had.

    I'm feeling very close to an end but feel mostly fumbling at this point. I have gotten to my main point, got it said, and don't know what to do with it now. Bah!

    Feeling anxious to get this one wrapped on, so I can move on to prepping for my first Sunday School class of the new program year.

    mompriest, thanks for the sympathy re: hard drive failure. I had felt so grateful that I had a double back-up: had backed up via Time Machine onto my external drive and had also backed up online via Carbonite. For reasons unknown, the Time Capsule did not do a complete restore. I lost some third party apps (like Microsoft Office), some downloads, etc. After dragging my feet for weeks, I'm finally trying to restore everything via Carbonite, and it is taking all day (and probably then some). So tiresome.

    Am very glad, though, that I did a double backup!

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  52. Okay, I've got 799 words written, plus a few lines scribbled about what comes next. I'm off to tend to laundry and then heading to that dinner celebration. I'll be back later to finish up.

    Thanks for the kind words, Nancy Fitz. I can't really say more right now, we will know a prognosis on Tuesday and may share more after that.

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  53. I just got back from the hospital and errands. The baby is doing almost as well as possible. Thank you for your prayers.

    I think I might need a nap.

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  54. Lindsey, amen to that! I hope inspiration strikes and you find a way to make sense of it all...

    RevDrMom - I'll be over soon...

    Earthchick, same thing happened to us. Now the screen on my laptop (my primary computer) is wonky and needs repair but I am afraid of the geeks and what they might decide to do this time that I did not authorize....eekkk...

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  55. Vicar, glad for the baby update. Are they letting the mom hold the baby? I remember holding my newborn God-daughters (twins) born about 8 weeks early - so much further along than this little one, but still, somehow I think holding them is crucial.

    And, yes, I'd say a nap is in order.

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  56. Checking back in. Finished writing while also watching football. Hope I don't have any holding calls or interference.

    Life 101: aka Sibling Squabbles (I am preaching Luke 15: 11-32)

    If you have any spare time...preaching comments also welcome.

    Getting ready for make tacos. Anyone interested?

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  57. Amen Lindsay!!! I like that idea that the bible is not an instruction manual, but an invitation....that will definitely preach!

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  58. I'm not a blogger, and I've only commented a couple of times, but I just have to say that you folks offer such gifts, both of wisdom and compassion. Thank you!

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  59. Hi Everyone! My first time commenting on the preacher party! Met some of you at the last Be3 Cruise :).
    I am going in the direction of semfem- (still have to write it!) My husband, a PC(USA) pastor found an out-of-print book, Poet and Peasant and Through Peasant Eyes, by Kenneth Bailey and he interprets this from the view of Middle Eastern culture. This would be a humorous and obvious story to them. Here is the gist of it:
    1. The manager knows the Master is merciful up front b/c he doesn't immediately have the manager jailed/flogged and he should have.
    2. Everyone knows the manager is guilty by his silence.
    3. The Master says, "show me the books!" but no one else knows yet that the steward is guilty, that's why he says, "quickly" reduce your amount of debt (both the oil and wheat reduction are valued about 500 denari - an amount, not a percentage which would take longer to figure out).
    4. Everyone thinks the manager is enacting the Master's generosity (they have supposedly consulted) and would have started to celebrate and kill a fatted calf. The Master is the most generous landowner around!
    5. The Master cannot go back on these promises without looking bad, so he commends the Manager --not for being dishonest, but for knowing that the Master is merciful and for putting his complete survival and trust in this mercy. God is like the master - it is not a gamble if you know God has got your back.

    It parallels in many was the Prodigal son. It remains unfinished like that story. What happens to the manager? (to the older brother?) Children of the light should know from where their salvation comes and to take big risks knowing we serve a merciful master.

    Maybe this will help next time around, since most are ahead of me and already done with your sermon!
    Here is the entire book on google if you are interested. Follow the link and then click the Contents link and go to page 86. (http://books.google.com/books?id=mmz1Wm3XlvcC&lpg=PP1&ots=AufbcBr7bH&dq=kenneth%20bailey%20poet%20and%20peasant&pg=PA110#v=onepage&q&f=).

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  60. Hi Anonymous, thanks, and welcome!

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  61. Linda, I heard that approach once before...not at all sure where, (john Shea?) but like it a lot.

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  62. Tucking the munchkin into bed with a few books then back to paring down 3.5 sermons into one. Linda, yours would make 5 so I'm sticking with what I've got!

    Anonymous, glad you checked in. What a blessing and another reminder that we are all in this together.

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  63. just finished a great dinner of pasta and pumpkin cheesecake...with leftovers to share! unlectionary over here, finishing up my sermon series...preaching on heart, soul, mind, strength.

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  64. revmommy...pumpkin cheesecake, yes pleeeze!

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  65. I'm about out of energy. I think I'm done. I don't know when I'll get around to posting it, or what I have left to do this evening. For now, it's find some leftovers (or get in on RevMommy's pasta and pumpkin cheesecake) and go relax.
    My best to all as you finish.

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  66. So... I have a sermon that is preachable, but I'm not sure it is understandable... or worse, worth listening to.

    I realize this is a repeated Saturday lament, but still I remain concerned.

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  67. lamenting the same saturday thing over here, too...i'm stuck.

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  68. warge...was my word verification...and i said it out loud in my pirate voice. maybe the cheesecake is going to my head and i need a break??

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  69. Friends, I have a sore throat encroaching. Blessings upon you this day and in the morrow...

    or something. :)

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  70. Hi, everyone. How's it going out there?
    Thanks for the good wishes about Sam and the Chiari Walk. It looked like a good turnout for the latter, and I got to meet some church members I hadn't seen yet. I'm going to bed soon and read over my sermon again, but since it's an old one, I feel pretty confident about the material.
    Remember, the Holy Spirit's got your back!

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  71. haahaaa pirate voices influenced by cheesecake, only at a preachers party...

    Martha glad all went well.

    Kathrynjz, scratchy throat? me too...is this party contagious? sigh...

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  72. Mompriest, thanks for your comments at my place. My congregation is solidly middle class, not wealthy. But we have a sizeable endowment and a complicated relationship with money. Stewardship is really poor, partly b/c there was no stewardship education under the last two rectors (so we're talking 30+ years) and partly (and relatedly) b/c with the endowment people have seen little need to dig deep for giving. I just sent out a letter this week launching our stewardship campaign and bringing up the dreaded T word. So while I didn't start out to write a stewardship sermon, it does sort of fit with where we are to talk about how we use our money.

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  73. I guess since both football games I'm watching are at halftime, I should see about adding words to a sermon.

    Really, I'm kinda brain dead but thanks to a dear friend and an old sermon from my own file I have a couple of options.

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  74. revdrmom - ahhh, the endowment dilemma...and as you say, so begins the education on stewardship. blessings on that one!

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  75. ok, vicar, and everyone else, I'm bringing out the homemade brownies and ice cream.

    See? I said came well stocked to keep us "nurished" on this challenging day of sermonizing...whose up for some?

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  76. Brownies!

    look there's a baseball game on, too!


    sermon, sermon, sermon ...


    proof that I actually am doing something about a sermon:
    If you are hitting the prayer part of I Tim, here's a story from several years ago.

    A woman I know tells a story about when she was a small girl. There was a family in the church who had a tragedy. The church gathered outside the house and prayed. Of course, being the church they also brought food and helped in other ways. But they gathered together on the lawn and prayed. My friend said, "Prayer wasn't all we could do, it was the best we could do."

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  77. Time for bed. Good night pals. Have fun night owls.

    May the Holy Spirit have our backs tomorrow and always

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  78. Well friends, thanks for the party. I'm going to get my book and cup of tea and crawl into bed. I have to be up at 4am. Yeah. to shower and get ready and then drive 90 minutes south and arrive by 7am for a 730 service. ahhh, supply work.

    you all however, party on! I'm leaving the brownies and tea for late night fortification...

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  79. I'm back, trying to gather my wits to finish this sucker off, and appreciating the brownies! Thanks Mompriest!

    Yes Linda, that is very much where Malina and Rohrbaugh take this as well, and I like it. It makes a lot more sense from a first-century Middle Eastern perspective than it does from a twenty-first century post-Victorian capitalistic and economically depressed perspective. We have our own issues and morals and ethics around money that are very different from what would have been understood then!

    Here we go...

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  80. Linda, thanks for the Bailey information. I haven't finished my sermon - it's usually done by the end of the second service - so this might well come in handy.
    Blessings on all the ways the HS has called us to proclaim the word tomorrow morning!

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  81. I really like the stuff shared about the luke passage but I like even better the revamped and finished sermon on I Tim! I guess that means the dismissal of Luke by me stands for this week.

    Everything is printed. I'm headed for bed at a time on Saturday evening usually reserved for writing the sermon.

    Blessings on your Sunday!

    RevNightOwls, I leave the party in your hands. Party on!

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  82. Hey there everyone.
    How's the party? I did not get a call for a preaching gig, but kind of nice to have an afternoon nad evening of football.
    So, did not get an early AM call to preach, instead got approached about the a solo pastorate call in a church I had recently dismissed. COme to find out some of the issues i had are actually not issues now. Hmmm, a little less money, but a lovely church with nice folks and really, I MEAN REALLY close to my fam.
    sigh....
    Hope all of your are okay.
    Cheese danish or chocol oatmeal cookies and some milk?
    Nose taps to Sam from the Kittehs

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  83. Hi 1-4 Grace, I think we are the only ones still at the party. I wish I'd been able to finish what I had going before when I was in the groove. Now I am hopelessly out of it and rapidly becoming too tired to finish.

    Those chocolate oatmeal cookies sound good though...

    Word verf is "bleas." Appropriate!

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  84. Finally done!

    Will let the manuscript rest while I take care of a few other quick things, then polish (quickly) and print.

    Lesson learned: Once I start writing, don't stop until I'm done!

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  87. AARRRGH!

    The link doesn't want to work!

    I am awake for no good reason. I came to check on the party. Then I realized its "talk like a pirate day."


    So, for those of you who will appreciate it, here's a link to a pdf of the Pirate Eucharist.

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  88. That link doesn't want to work either. Blogger keeps adding blogspot to the url.

    here's the unlinked pdf url www.sjmp.com/pirategloria.pdf

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  89. I wish I had time to check out the Pirate Eucharist! Sadly I just finished the sermon and have to jump in the shower and start getting ready.

    Blessings on all pondering, preaching, and proclamation this morning.

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  90. I just realized I never printed the bulletins this week. arrrrrrgh (and that was in pirate speak!)

    Finishing up some details. I'm going the route of Dylan Breuer and also Alice McKenzie

    "we need to take immediate, decisive, shrewd action to secure our future, which, in kingdom context, can’t be separated from the future of the whole community."

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  91. Vicar, I figured you were trying to get us to 100 comments!

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  92. Also, I'm afraid 9:30 is always going to feel early to me for a worship service. (Apologies to those who have more than one and start even earlier.)

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  93. OHHHHH!!!!! I'm editing really quickly... I just made this connection that the manager does the same turn around that the prodigal son does. He squanders, he wastes, and is unfaithful with what he has been give.... but then he realizes that his life is better as a servant to others, as someone who is indebted to the kindness of others, than it ever was when he was out there watching his own back! He realizes that in community we are saved. And in both cases - the steward and the son recieve more mercy and kindness than they ever could have imagined.

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