Me, neither.
It's practically the middle of June and Sunday is one of the major church festivals, although, in my humble opinion (and for lots of reasons) Pentecost never seems to get its due. There are more than enough lessons to choose from on Sunday, from Numbers and 1 Corinthians, a couple of Gospel choices from John, and, of course, the basic story from Acts, with all of its strange and dramatic elements: wind, fire, tongues, and many languages spoken (at the same time). You can prime your sermon-writing pump with some great ideas here. (By the way, the picture is a banner commissioned for my church -- love in many languages. It seemed, somehow, appropriate.)so, what are you going to do? do you have any Pentecost whooping-it-up planned?
I have pre-Pentecost blueberry pancakes (can you smell them?) and turkey sausage cooking, and fair trade coffee brewing. I have plenty of room at the table. I have a few good Pentecost stories to share. I don't have a children's message. anyone?
I hope you'll join us.
I'm super excited this year. There'll be flags and streamers and processing into and out of the church waving them. At the end of the service these will be woven into the church fence to show the spirit in the community.
ReplyDeleteAnd the sermon; it came to me about a month ago. We rehearsed it last night. I'm talking about the breath of inspiration and the ways we can experience the spirit in and outside church, each of us differently. then I'm inviting four of the young people (11,13,14,18) to share their experiences of the spirit in their lives. This has blown my mind, these young people are so connected to the spirit, it's inspirational.
Oh and to top it off we have two of us in the congregation for the lords prayer. One of us praying the words, the other responding as God. It'll be quite something if it works. This is the risky element.
So that's us. I can't wait.
It's still late Friday here, and I am recovering from my younger son's 6th grade graduation party, and his graduation earlier today at the school where I am chaplain. It was wonderful, but I'm drained, and I sure could use some of that Spirit energy to get me going again.
ReplyDeleteEldad and Medad...do we dare step outside the "approved" boundaries to follow the prompting of the Spirit? I find that story fascinating as a window on humanity.
Morning all - just parachuting in to share sommat I found in the interwebz the other day. It might get your Pentecostal sermon juices flowing, or its utter over-the-top dramatic earnestness might make you spit your cornflakes over your screen. Anyhoo...enjoy!! :)
ReplyDeleteJust prepping pancakes - help yourselves!
Emma, sounds great.
ReplyDeleteManaged to get Dragon to work today, so I am able to dictate rather than type my sermon. lots of ideas this week, thanks Revgals, and I am looking at risk, and what we do to aviod the spirit. somethign I read this week asked "what would I do if I weren't afraid?"
hopefully not too long and I will have a sermon.
well, it's the first time I have preached in months, (long story) and to top it off there will be some special guests. I have a beginning of a draft, but nothing that knocks my socks off.
ReplyDeleteam off the Boston Pride Parade, so I guess nothing will happen until this afternoon. Maybe the spirit of the parade will be inspirational in a sermonic kind of way?
Diane, you always have The. Best. Saturday. breakfasts?
Welcome, Emma, Nik,Betsy, peal and RevKarla!
ReplyDeleteEmma, wow, what great and inspired ideas! You will have to let us know how they come out!
Thanks for the link, Nik!
Betsy, I have always been intrigued, but not preached on Eldad and Medad....
pearl, that is a good question. Mine is, "what what you do for love?" My take on pentecost is that the love of God for the world got into the disciples, and it had to come out. that's what happened at Pentecost.
And RevKarla -- have a pancake before you got to the parade? and hope to see you back later for further sustenance!
I've got some great coffee brewing this morning and am hoping to finish up the sermon pretty soon. We have our summer kick-off picnic this afternoon, and I'd like to have some goofing off time at home before that starts.
ReplyDeleteChilly Fingers -- welcome! thanks for making more coffee!
ReplyDelete"summer kick off picnic" sounds great! I would like some goof off time as well.
anyone else?
Pass the pancakes and sausage over here.
ReplyDeleteI am super excited because tomorrow is confirmation Sunday. I am so proud of the confirmation class, they worked so hard. So tomorrow's sermon will be short reflection followed by the student's statements of faith.
I don't know about you, but writing a 5 minute reflection seems to be harder work than writing a 15-20 minute sermon.
G_G - Welcome!
ReplyDeleteand yes, the 5 minute meditation often carries a lot of weight.
The Holy Spirit is working int he lives of those young people. so exciting.
In the interest of procrastination I have just posted pictures of my garden.
ReplyDeleteI invite all of you to enjoy my garden whilst we write our sermons.
I am just back from a provincial meeting that turned out to be more interesting than I thought (for instance, did you know that all of the arguments being made against immigration now are exactly the ones made in the late 19th/early 20th century to keep out the Irish and Italians?).
ReplyDeleteNo sermon tomorrow as it is the deacon's Sunday to preach. But we do have a wedding and a picnic so I'll be busy anyway. Today is our regular Salvation Army Saturday so I'm off to make pork loin, mashed potatoes and broccoli in an hour. Meanwhile, I can offer PG Tipps tea for those who don't want coffee.
Done. I ended up typing most of it, rather than dictating.
ReplyDeleteBeing Pentecost People
Chamomile tea and home-made fruitcake for supper.
Children's time I am talking about the Spirit being God's breath. Just as a tin whistle, or a balloon, or a kite need wind or breath to be fully what they are, so we need God's Sprit to be able to live as God's people. We have lots of Balloons left form Messy Church last week, and a kite and paper plane or two still in the church.
thanks, pearl! will go ahead and read.
ReplyDeleteWelcome, Margaret!
I really like the whole "deacons sunday to preach" thing.
always glad to have you, and your insights.
So many of you are on a roll already -- and it's not even 9am my time! Congrats, ladies. May the Spirit not wait until tomorrow to breathe her breath upon us all!
ReplyDeleteJust in the office to edit sermon and prepare other sundries for tomorrow morning. Then I'm off to get my piano! (A gift from the family of a dear saint in our congregation who passed away this winter. They wondered if I might want his old piano.) I'll be back this afternoon to work up some things for Sunday night.
Until then, I have tea. Plenty of English breakfast tea.
meg
Welcome, Meg! ummm, tea.
ReplyDeleteOh, for a piano! hope you enjoy!
Until then, we are all waiting and hoping for the spirit.
I have a basic outline, but am thinking that I might let the spirit lead a little tomorrow.
I have a baptism tomorrow following on the heels of a busy week as we celebrated my installation as rector. We had a grand service of welcome with fabulous music. It left me tired, in a good way. Today a baptismal rehearsal for tomorrow's baptism and a bunch of errands.
ReplyDeleteI intend to preach without a text tomorrow, telling a story of baptism, (mine, but told in third person), a bit about baptism historically, our various gifts of ministry (tapping a bit into the installation and celebration of ministries the other night), and then the baby we will baptize. I haven't preached without a text in about five years....but I've prea he'd variations of this homily many times...should be ok. Think I'll write an outline, just to keep me on track.
Well, off I go. Will be thinking of you preparing for tomorrow. May the Spirit be with you and bless you!
May the Spirit bless you too, Terri! blessings on your day, your installation! May the Spirit come down!
ReplyDeleteGood morning, y'all! Looks like things are really shaking around here!
ReplyDeleteAs for me, I am in perpetual freak-out mode over here, over all that I'm supposed to be doing and supposed to have gotten done already. I have had almost no time to really put my mind on my sermon, and I am simultaneously preparing for a renewal of vows tonight and a wedding tomorrow night (with a rehearsal dinner tonight). I hate to have commitments on sermon prep Saturdays, but today I have two. UGH.
I looked back at what I did with this text five years ago and I really liked it. So some sustainable thoughts might blow their spirited way into my sermon for tomorrow. We'll see!
I won a cake at a Cake Walk at our school's Ice Cream Social last night. There's plenty to share!
We are using an idea that was born in a twitter conversation before migrating over to LiturgyLink's brainstorming section on Pentecost. At the end of the announcements, the choir will line the walls of the sanctuary (since we don't have a choir loft, they can't process..but that was how the idea was originally presented), the organist will play the first phrase of "O For A Thousand Tongues to Sing" and every choir member will immediately begin singing a different hymn. One person will be singing O For A Thousand Tongues. The choir will then move toward the front, then down the center aisle toward the back (they sing from the back in our space), and as they pass by the one person who's singing the main hymn, they'll switch to what she's singing. Eventually the hymn comes out of the chaos, the organist plays a little transition-intro, and the whole congregation begins singing.
ReplyDeleteIt's going to be awesome.
Children's-time-wise, I have six people who are going to help me with this. I'll be talking with the kids about the Holy Spirit. The six people (5 of whom speak other languages, one who will read in English) will begin reading the lectionary psalm in their language, proclaiming God's mighty deeds of power so we can all hear. Then I'll talk about how the Spirit helped people speak and helped people hear--we all have the power to tell about how great God is, we all have the power to do what God asks of us, we all have the power to be a part of God's kingdom.
And, of course, there may be balloons. :-)
The worship enhancement team has outdone themselves again--I'll get some photos on my blog tomorrow afternoon. awesome!
Teri! That is such a cool idea!! We are singing O for a Thousand Tongues, but not like that. Now I sure wish we were!!!
ReplyDeleteThe pastor is gone this week, so I'll be supplying the pulpit.
ReplyDeleteI found out on Thursday afternoon that I would preaching at a Conference-wide gathering on Friday morning. Yes, you read correctly, less than 24 hours to prepare a 5 minute sermon. I agree, G_G, 5 minute sermons are WAY harder than 12-15 minute ones.
Now, when I found out that I would be preaching, I thought, "Good! I can just edit this sermon to fit back home in the congregation." No such luck. The conference event used the Numbers text. I had already submitted Corinthians and Acts to the secretary and lectors. We'll see how this goes!
Add in rhubarb muffins as my contribution, holy women and men.
(PS: Is it just me or does it seem strange to host the Conference's Annual Meeting on Pentecost? All of the ordained folks are naturally going to be at Annual Meeting and not in their parishes on such a terrific festival of the church. Oh well, lets not-yet-ordained punks like me have some fun! )
hi, went out on an oil change appointment. then over to the bookstore and travel agency. We're trying to get away to Mesa VErde this summer, something I've wanted to do for a long time, but never had a chance.
ReplyDeleteanyway, I'm back.
It's almost lunch time here. I'm getting a little nervous. (remember, I have an 'early editon' at 5:00 tonight.)
I'm thinking about a children's message with with a fan and streamers. sorta like that.
Here's our Pentecost ideas:
one service tomorrow instead of two. We open with Spirit of God, Descend upon my Heart, accompanied by organ, and then segue into "Ev'ry Time I Feel the Spirit". During the Acts reading, there will be a pause after the verse "God's mighty works of power." Six people are going to read John 3:16 in different languages. Then reader will resume. At children's message time (still working on this) I think I have a fan and streamers and talking about not seeing the Spirit but feeling..... Then the children will go out and do a craft, and make streamers, which they will bring back in later in the service.
At the End, we're going to sing 'Marching in the Light of God', and the children will march around the church with their streams.
Afterwards, we have a potluck for world hunger.
I like Teri's idea.
forgot to ask: anyone need lunch?
ReplyDeletepizza? burgers? chips?
fresh fruit? lemonade?
This is also graduation open house season here, so there's a lot of that kind of food floating around.
Cody my virtual son! (Long story but if any bartender asks, I am his mother)
ReplyDeleteLittle sermon done. Please stop by and leave comments. I want to make sure that my confirmands get the message.
okay!
ReplyDeleteI am with you Diane. Pentecost gets jipped every year (just about). Although I get the Xian Calendar thing, our US holiday calendar gets in the way.
ReplyDeletePentecost sometimes falls on Memorial Day WKND or it gets into June and people are on vacation since school is out.
And we miss all the fun of wearing red, having a parade, doing all sorts of cool things in worship, and singing the best hymns. Yup. it is a jipped holiday for sure
Not preaching, but leading the kids in with their paper doves and taking in dove cookies for Sunday School!
Hey all, looks like things are perking along. My family is visiting Songbird and her family (dogs included) so we get to hear her preach in the AM. Can't wait!
ReplyDeletePraying the Holy Spirit continues to move among all of you.
Argghh. Wrote a long comment then lost it. Here's the short version:
ReplyDeleteChildren's time: Make a pinwheel. Like the wind, we can't see the Holy Spirit, but we can see its effects.
Sermon:
I'm taking a track similar to A Pearl Down Under, focusing on fearlessness born of the Holy Spirit. One line is Max Lucado's book says, "Envision a day, just one day absent the fear of failure, rejection, and calamity." Our Pentecost story paints a picture of such a day. This is part of a "not all in a row" series on fear and fearlessness as related to our mission and vision for our church.
The cupboard is bare. I'll be driving through for lunch on my way to the monthly ministry with adults with special needs I'm working this afternoon. Let me know if you need anything as I'm buy groceries on my way home, then finishing this half finished sermon.
Hi everyone!
ReplyDeleteI have been in sermon prep avoidance mode all week and even today. I went to the bank, the farmers' market, the grocery store and then came home and ate some chocolate Chex and skim milk for lunch. There's plenty left for anyone who is in the mood for cereal and milk. A nap would feel good right now! But ... I will knuckle down and get to writing. Promise!
Thanks for being here, friends! Thanks for hosting, Diane!
kathrynzj's visit is the reason I worked on my sermon ahead of time. I hope I still like it when I pull it out for review later! As a deliberate Saturday writer, I learned a lot this week about how much time I spend getting ready to write compared to time spent writing, and why it's more efficient to do it all on the same day, and also that I don't have that kind of time on a weekday. But all worth it, for the sake of having fun today!
ReplyDeleteSongbird, we're all jealous of you and Kathrynzj! Hope you're having a good time together!
ReplyDeleteIn the meantime, I "kind of" finished my sermon yesterday, and have been afraid to look at it. I need to rectify that sometime before 5:00.
I should probably make a salad for the pot luck tomorrow.
I've been invited to a graduation party today, but they live out in the country, and can't do it until after church tonight. not sure if it'll work....
Good grief, I have a draft! I went back and drew a lot from a sustainable sermon but made it new in some ways that were exciting to me, so yay! And mid-life rookie - thank you SO MUCH for the Max Lucado quote. It was just what I needed in a particular place.
ReplyDeleteAnd also thanks to Gord for the great Cake or Death cartoon on Tuesday - I used it, too! Perfect.
I am feeling so relieved to have a draft. Now I can get slogging through some of the other stuff I need to work on.
So jealous of kjz and Songbird!!
I too like the Max Lucado quote.
ReplyDeleteNow I have to look at my draft and see if I still like it.
if not, oh well...
I have baked cupcakes, had a nap, and am now trying to decide what to wear to the picnic. Am leaning towards my new Drew University t-shirt!
ReplyDeleteooh! Sounds good!
ReplyDeleteI tried to post earlier but it didn't quite make it for some reason...oh well. After a bunch of errands, I am at church reading and thinking a lot about Eldad and Medad and God's abundance and generosity. My installation is tomorrow evening, so I'm leaving Acts and 1 Corinthians for that preacher and taking up the alternate reading, which I kind of love.
ReplyDelete(Also reading BBT's Pentecost sermon in Home By Another Way...if anybody really needs some help, she does Pentecost beautifully.)
I miss sermonating from home...it just doesn't flow the same way in the office. Even if that's where the books and the AC are.
Diane, I love your music choices, and now I am humming them...Siyahamba (sp?), especially! And I'll gladly nosh on some of that picnic/party fare.
ReplyDeleteSemfem, Eldad, Medad and I are having a good time here; I just keep thinking about the normal human longing for control and order, and how the Spirit bursts forth no matter what restraints we think we've set up.
That Lucado quote may work well for me, too.
I have 3 way past ripe bananas around, so I think there will be banana muffins out in a while.
don't have Home by Another way but love all of BBT's stuff.
ReplyDeleteI'm asking the question, "What would you do for love?"
maybe it doesn't seem to go with Pentecost... but it does.
so my operative but simple idea is this: that at Pentecost the love of God got into the disciples, and it HAD to come out.
ReplyDeleteAnd what I mean by 'the love of God' -- the love that God has for the world -- that's the love that got into the disciples -- and it had to come out.
so, what would you do for love?
Starting with the Numbers text and then moving to the Acts text. Using more images of fire this year than breath or wind.
ReplyDeleteIt is communion Sunday as well. I've placed a large red pillar candle in front of the chancel area with short white candles.
During communion the congregation will come to the front of the chancel via the center aisle, light a short white candle from the red pillar and place it in a bed of play sand, to signify the lighting of the their spirit from the Spirit. We will have two communion stations on each side of the candle-lighting area for communion by intinction.
Purple, I love the candle idea. I may adapt for non-communion use.
ReplyDeleteI'm trucking along. Any online BBT Pentecost resources? I'd love to see them.
I also have old bananas around the house--more muffins will be arriving sometime in the evening (you'll be free to grab a few for tomorrow morning's breakfast-on-the-go-don't-spill-on-the-alb ritual.)
I like the candle idea too! however, every week is communion week for us.
ReplyDeletestill, might work to put a different twist on something.... hmmm.
Now, I'm preaching in a little more than a half an hour, I guess it's going to go.
then I have to decide if I'm going to drive 25 miles to a graduation party.
and about making a salad for the pot luck.
Wow, some great ideas here today! My sermon is written, even though I don't want to use the text when I preach tomorrow, I still wanted to write it down to organize my thoughts. Now I'm headed back to church for a youth Eucharist to send the J2A group off on their pilgrimage!
ReplyDeletemid-life rookie, great quote. shuffling the sermon now to include it.
ReplyDeleteI'll be back after worship.
Teri!
ReplyDeletei saw the idea on liturgy link, too...and my fab music director is all over it. we tweaked, too....
am back from Boston Pride parade, which was great, but soaking wet. I am now chilled and worried about my voice for tomorrow. (I SHOULD have not been chanting "UCC! UCC!)....
looking at your thoughts, and goihg to watch the Belmont. Pretty sure I will be part of the late group tonight!!!
What's for dinner?
Rev kjarla: will BBQ work? Anyone else?
ReplyDeleteI've made the red-velvet cupcakes for the children's time as well as the potluck...now to frost and sprinkle (no, not baptism) them.
Sermon is done...here. Not sure it flows as well as I had hoped...
I also included the text from Acts...which I took some "creative license" with.
ReplyDeleteI wish we had a choir to the awesome choir thing shared at Liturgy Link. Next year...maybe I'll work on something similar...just with voices.
Have been with youth church today and then our wonderful organist made dinner for us tonight.
ReplyDeleteTomorrow, we're having all age worship. everyone will get a piece of coloured paper as they arrive for church and, during the service will be invited to write a hope or dream on it and then stick it onto a huge piece of paper, making, hopefully a giant rainbow oh hopes and dreams for the Spirit to breathe life into - the rainbow will be a focal point for the next few weeks in worship. Hoping it all comes off. Lots o movement and participation and thinking on the spot called for tomorrow - writing a sermon is more straightforward on days like that!!!
Nothing really flowing here...except for my motivation, which is slip sliding away...a nap sounds lovely...ACK! can't let myself do that!
ReplyDeletePurple, yes. Although I am officially vegetarian-vegan, bbq sounds perfect as a pre-pentecost meal!!!lol!
ReplyDeletewould love to see the creative license with Acts....am working on that, too!
semfem, maybe a lil' nap?
Would love to, revkjarla, but my parents are fast approaching (their flight just landed) and I need to get something written before they arrive!
ReplyDeleteAt least I have some words flowing now...the intro is lame, but I just needed something to get me started.
I'm back from Special Needs Ministry. It was a good afternoon. First start a load of laundry, then back to sermon. Hoping I can pick up the momentum again. Hubby is buying groceries, thank goodness. It's been a non stop week with Annual Conference and a parishoner with a broken hip and Mission and Vision Team meeting... you all know the drill.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad some of you found the Lucado quote helpful. It is found on page 6 along with these gems. "Imagine your life wholly untouched by angst. What if faith, not fear, was your default reaction to threats?"
revkjarla...I put it on my blog.
ReplyDeletehi! just checking in after the early edition. seemed to go ok.
ReplyDeletenow I'm regretting a little that we don't have church on the lawn in the morning, because it looks like it's going to be beautiful weather!
but, it will be nice to have just one service at 10:00 instead of 8:00 and 10:00.
how is everyone doing? I'm off again to a graduation open house, and then be back to keep everyone company tonight.
I hope you all have had a productive day. I've had a busy one, if nothing else! But now the baptismal rehearsal is complete, and the J2A kids and their families are blessed and fed, tomorrow we send them off the a final community prayer.
ReplyDeleteNow I have posted my little homily, which I hope to say without this text, but when I practiced it, well...it was even shorter...sigh..but here it 'tis, Infused with the Spirit
Finished. I think. I hope. For tonight anyway.
ReplyDeleteWishing I had planned ahead better for some of these worship ideas you all are using.
Karla, I hope it goes well tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteI really love all the ideas here and think I need to start a file for next year!
Purple....I am there!
ReplyDeleteInspired by Diane, I have vegan chili-tofupup and grilled onions for a late dinner. Anybody need a plate?
Terri, thank you. Would appreciate all prayers and light and spirit tomorrow--I will have "special" visitors tomorrow in my congregation specifically coming to check out the preacher..............
back to sermonizing!
xo
Terri, I wouldn't worry...do people ever complain about a sermon that is too short??? I suppose some might, but I've never met them!
ReplyDeleteI have 1226 words with a beginning, middle, and end...which is enough to enjoy dinner with the family, a luxury in itself. Still a few other things to pull together though, and some last-minute polishing to do, so I'll probably be back later.
Hi Karla, looks like the Red Sox avenged the Bruins this afternoon -- wow.
ReplyDeleteHoping that all goes well tomorrow, prayes ascending!
lol Crimson Rambler.....you are so dear and make me laugh. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThanks semfem..I think you are correct, no one mind if it is short, especially with a baptism and Eucharist.
ReplyDeleteKarla, will hold you in light and prayers for the special guests and you and the holy spirit, and yes, I'll have plate of you are having. My dinner was peanut butter on toast and dessert was a bowl of Quaker oat squares with skim milk....lol
So many fabulous ideas here...I keep thinking, "I have to remember that for another year!"
ReplyDeleteA battle with my older son seriously side-tracked me; I worked out some of my tears and angst by doing a whole lot of hedging (which he now gets to clean up). So the backyard looks a little better but the sermon, on which I was rolling, is stalled out.
Who am I kidding? It probably would've been anyway!
Dinner will be some homemade turkey soup from the freezer, along with those muffins, if I get them made. Cody, may our baking and our words rise :-)
Prayers ascending Revkjarla. I hope your special guests will see how special you are.
ReplyDeleteBack from our picnic which was well attended and all had a good time. Sermon is done and I am looking forward to celebrating Pentecost tomorrow...lots of red! Purple, love the candle idea.
ReplyDeleteHome from morning worship, it is a long weekend for Queens Birthday; Monday is a public holiday, so numbers down.
ReplyDeletePentecost on a grey, drizzling day, I found it a bit hard to get in the groove of Pentecost, some days are like that.
The fan and streamer bit worked well - thanks to?? . The only problem was I hadn't realised how hard it would be to tie on the streamers, one parent pulled the front of the fan to tie streamers to the grill.
Hope those still writing finish soon.
Hey gals. I'm back from the renewal of vows ceremony and a rehearsal dinner (for a rehearsal that was last night for a wedding that's tomorrow night). Here's something I'd like your opinion on. I RSVPd that we'd go to the wedding reception and I shouldn't have. I usually don't go to receptions or rehearsal dinners, but we are close to the groom's mother and I felt I should. However, the groom and his family are the *only* people we know. We have been drowning in work, deadlines, and special events lately and I'm leaving town in a few days. Tomorrow, in addition to regular church stuff, I am taking the youth bowling right after church, then I have a couple of hours to shift gears before doing the wedding. Staying for the reception (on a school night, too!) just seems like too much.
ReplyDeleteI know it's terribly poor form not to show up for a reception after having RSVPd yes (I had people do so at my own wedding, and I know the frustration of having to pay for people who said they'd show but don't). BUT. I'm seriously thinking we should bail for our own sanity. Can I get an Amen, or am I out in left field?
(I should add that this wedding, between rehearsal, rehearsal dinner, and wedding itself, has already claimed three consecutive nights anyway, but it would be nice not to be out so late tomorrow night)
ReplyDeleteAck! Had a hospital call not too long after I got settled down to write. Travel time, other complications at the hospital, followup phone calls with the spouse ... etc. It's been a Murphy's Law kind of afternoon and evening. It hardly every happens like that, thank heavens.
ReplyDeleteI did have some thinking time in the car. Let's hope it becomes a sermon, and soon! Hunger warning: I'm pigging out on all of the leftovers. Grab what you want while it lasts!
Late in the day for me--Albuquerque's Pride Parade took up half the day but well worth it. Our church (Episcopal) had a convertible in the parade--loved the looks of surprise and gratitude when folks "got" the sign. Mid-life, your quote is so fitting. Will use it as the anchor in the homily at the homeless shelter. Thanks
ReplyDeleteso.... it's been a week. company. loads of emergency type calls... death, dying... you know all the stuff we get paid the big bucks to deal with... a funeral today that wiped. me. out. the other funeral this week was of a colleague in town. *sigh*
ReplyDeleteso to the files... from 2005... a redo with a bit of tweaking and i'm calling good enough. i mean i did he funeral... wrote 3 paragraphs, took a 2 hour nap... and was still... still exhausted.
it's okay right to just say yeah i'm tired?
vacay is coming... 5 days. 5 little days...
okay, we have a flurry of activity. I'm back here -- those chili tofupups sound intriguging! I need to make a tuna salad for the pot luck tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteRevAlli -- we're hoping to be in the Albuquerque area in July sometime -- I love the southwest!
I'll be up for awhile. anyone want anything?
Earthchick, I can't give advice, but I feel your pain :( regarding this reception.
sometimes, you just hit the wall
I found this awesome video and got his permission to use it in worship. http://www.wherethehellismatt.com/ Click on the dancing -- so much fun! I decided I would start the video and tell the kids that the Holy Spirit is dancing through our world, just like Matt. and at some point, the world just can't ignore it any longer and it catches on. And when it catches on, we will all be changed. We're also going to have balloons and pass them out after the benediction. Then we'll all release them "in the sanctuary." (we didn't want to harm any birds). We figure the sexton won't be too happy with us, picking up balloons all week. But we also thought that seeing a few balloons hanging on through the week would be a testament to the Spirit's presence among us.
ReplyDeleteWell, I finally made it to the party. It's 9:48 and I don't have a word on paper yet and I hardly like the ideas I had mid-week. Thankfully a couple of comments around here got my juices flowing SLIGHTLY, and I have a jist that's OK.
ReplyDeleteWithout whole lot of direction I named the sermon (mid-week) "Stirring Up Trouble" partly because that's what I thought I might do. Here's my sort of thought tonight, but I don't have any kind of outline, illustrations, meat, or flesh. Might be a long night. How is it that I'm THIS uninspired on PENTECOST of all weeks?
The Spirit stirs up trouble, makes them do things they never even dreamed they could do.
Makes them do things everyone else mistakes as drunken - - uninhibited - - behavior
What trouble could we get into? What inhibitions to do we need to let go of, even just a little, but probably a whole lot, so that all of God’s people can participate?
back, briefly.
ReplyDeletecome on, party! Come on, Holy Spirit!
HotCup, praying for you. for rest.
can't wait until my own vacation.
SheRev -- stirring up trouble sounds good. Have you seen David Lose' article on Working Preaching?
He says that the Holy Spirit comes not to solve our problems, but to create problems.
thought that might go with where you're headed.
I decided to get up real early and cook.
I'm making a tuna pasta thing with a pesto base. not so hard.
ReplyDeleteShe Rev, I want to be there for you.
let me know how it's coming along
okay, well, I wanted to get that comment count up a little, but I'm going to go to bed.
ReplyDeleteI'll check on you in the a.m., and put the coffee pot on, too...
SheRev, I see you know that quote.
Personally, I see the trouble stirred up as the trouble caused by love. Because as much as we want/need love, love does make our lives more complicated.
Sermon...done.
ReplyDeleteScripture copied and pasted...done.
Liturgy written....
Vestments laid out...done (white alb, red/multi-colored scapular, btw.)
I need to print (will wait for the Sunday prayer to be posted here) and we'll be set for the morning.
Banana muffins didn't get made. Tomorrow after my nap. I took Monday off. We're golden. Good night, gals!
Your Loving Pal,
C
Awww...thanks, Diane! It'll come together here soon. I'm working toward my midnight bedtime and I'll have something by then.
ReplyDeleteHi, SheRev, glad to see you've joined the late party! I am doing absolutely everything except the last paragraph of my sermon. Why do I do this to myself?
ReplyDeleteWe were invited to go to a friend's brothers tomorrow afternoon; it will be lots of fun. We are supposed to bring an appetizer. Brother is a fabulous and creative cook, and I feel like anything I bring will be dull by comparison. I need to get over that, pick a recipe, and just have fun!
Hi Betsy!
ReplyDeleteSometimes when I know the other cook is going to carry the show, I go ahead and just bring something very simple and very "old school." Deviled eggs (OK, maybe not VERY simple since they're sort of time consuming, but not too bad), dip in a bread bowl... nothing else is coming to me right now because my mind and stomach are stuck on the deviled eggs. Anyway, I figure I'll just let the other cook shine, and the classics are always appreciated!
I've got a start. I think it was Pearl's sermon that reminded me I was going to use Susan's "cancelled Pentecost" experience from last week. It works as my way in beautifully. The apostles may have wanted to cancel Pentecost, too, if they had known all the trouble that would be stirred up. Bam! Let's write this baby - - - after I sleep a couple of hours.
Heading to bed in about 10 minutes. I'll be back for the early morning party at around 4:30 a.m. (CST)
Yup, I worked the cancelled Pentecost in too! Thanks, Susan :-)
ReplyDeleteGood thinking about trusting in an old standby; I have a rotel tomato, corn, and black bean dip that's delicious and easy, yummy with tortilla chips.
Anyone else still up?
Hello fellow night owls...I am finally finished and heading to bed. It's not as grand or as glorious as I would have liked, but it will do, I think. And it's done, so I can sleep.
ReplyDeleteI had a great time seeing family and going out on Saturday night--two things I hardly ever get to do! Now to bed for tomorrow.
Think water balloons will work like regular ones for the children's sermon?
Blessings on all pondering, preaching, and proclamation this day.
Back to finish. I hit snooze a time or two because I sort of forgot it was Sunday when the alarm went off. Oops. Oh well. Here I go to finish up.
ReplyDelete935 words. It's coming along and almost there. Thank God.
ReplyDeletehi! I have the coffee brewing!
ReplyDeleteand now:
Come, Holy Spirit, Come!
1529 and just a wrap up left to go. Off to feed some children then I'll be back to finish.
ReplyDelete