So, one time I pulled an all-nighter...
Don't laugh.
Okay, go ahead and laugh, if you are so inclined. Although this photo is an old one, it is none the less reflective of how I feel. Wiped out. It's like I was in a marathon that began last August and ended with Easter. Yup. I'm done.
Well, except like all of you I still need to craft a sermon for Sunday.
And, can I just say...these readings are not exactly inspiring me.
Maybe, though YOU are inspired.
I sure hope so, please, share the inspiration! I mean, are you inspired by Peter addressing the people? Or, maybe by the Psalmist pleading for God to answer? Perhaps you are pondering 1 John and the love of God? Maybe the peace of Christ from the Gospel of Luke calls to you?
And, what about a children's message? Please share with us your creative inspiration for our kids!...or if you are stymied, ask for help - there is bound to be someone here who has an idea that will launch your next spirit filled reflection.
Well, anyway. It's still Friday night, here, as I write this. But I know that it is already well into Saturday for some of you. So, even as I am heading to bed, I hope those of you who are working hard will get the party started! I have tea, jelly beans, and ice cream for the late nighters...and in the morning I'll have fresh brewed coffee...and, something else to eat - we'll see what inspires me!
yes, I need help. trying to get a much done tonight as possible. totally totally stumped about a children's message.
ReplyDeleteI have a challenge of leaving first thing Monday morning to go to General Conference (United Methodist), Sunday is Confirmation Sunday and the youth chose the scriptures. There is a chapter of Deuteronomy and two passages of John that they want included. I'm hoping the Holy Spirit or the sermon fairy comes soon...
ReplyDeleteI'm leaving Monday for GenConf, too! It's wonderful to know that there will be RevGalBlogPals there :-)
Delete(but having to get the April 29th and May 6th bulletins done before I go is another challenge!)
Fortunately for confirmation, the liturgy speaks louder than the sermon :-) I'm not sure the youth here would be able to find Deuteronomy or John, even after three months of confirmation, so you must be doing something good!
They found the ten commandments, the baptism of Jesus and Jesus stilling the storm which actually can work nicely into a confirmation sermon. They were a wild bunch but all 8 chose to join the church! Hurray. I'll be a page at GC. Are you a delegate? Maybe we can meet up for lunch some day.
DeleteI am one more UMC who will be at GC- leaving on Monday. I will be a monitor in one of the legislative committees. I also have bulletins to prepare yet!
DeleteLike "O Pastor!" I am also a monitor (I am now wondering who you are!!).
DeleteMegan, my dad will be a page. We definitely will need to meet up one day!
My dad & mother (who is a delegate) & I will be blogging at
umcfamily.wordpress.com
(although my own contributions will be necessarily limited as a monitor)
Hi Diane! I've waiting for an opportunity to read to the kids "Stone Soup"...and it seems to me the season of Easter and the readings from Acts (with the community effort to build the church) is a good time for this book. Alas, we don't have a children's time...but I think I may read it on Pentecost when we will have an infant baptism. Do you know this story? If not you'll have to Google the author, and if you have a Kindle maybe you download it. As I recall it tells the story of group of strangers who teach a town how to get along and work together through the process of making "stone" soup. (yes, rocks are involved)...
ReplyDeleteIt's also in one of the volumes of Anthony de Mello's "Prayer of the Frog".
DeleteMegan, can you preach on confirmation, what it means today? Perhaps drawing from a confirmation that holds particular meaning for you? Or some aspect of confirmation that is particularly meaningful? and then just include a nod to one of the readings?
ReplyDeleteI have a full, fun day planned tomorrow with family. Going to see Wicked! Can't wait. Just finished my sermon on 1st John a few minutes ago. My body and brain are so tired that I'll have to wait until tomorrow's re-read to see if it will hold water. I'm particularly thankful that the children's sermon is usually done by a lay leader. That has to be the hardest part of any worship service for me!
ReplyDeleteHave a fantabulous time at Wicked!
DeleteI was thinking of teaching the camp song based on the 1 John reading for the children's message ("Behold what manner of love the Father has given unto us..."). But I also really like the seeds idea over at On the Chancel Steps.
ReplyDeleteMe? I think I'm working with Luke, but focused on other things today, so it'll have to wait until tomorrow.
The sermon fairy came to me in reading Working Preacher with the 5 E's - encounter, explanation, eating, enlightenment and exit. This will be the framework for my sermon. Outlining it in Emmaus (which hopefully they know without my reading it!) and the set reading. How it still works for us, especially as we come to the Eucharist. We should be changed by it as the disciples were (ref to Acts reading) and the responsibility to witness in the action of our lives (1 John reading). All pretty basic but then so is my congregation who are "economically disadvantaged" and not all that well educated.
ReplyDeleteI somehow doubt if I will have time today to write it out, so will probably be speaking from points. I don't often have the courage to do that!
I have some nice chocolate coated crunchie biscuits and loads of freshly ground coffee . . . all takers welcome.
Good morning, everyone, and thanks, Terri, for hosting the party!
ReplyDeleteYour picture looks comforting to me, and very appealing. Do we get time for that?
We postponed "Holy Humor Sunday" for a week due to our Conference's annual meeting. It feels anti-climactic to do that at this point. I'm trying to remember that Easter is a *season* and not just a day.
Meanwhile, we scheduled a kid/youth hike today along the rail trail from my house to the assistant pastor's house. It hasn't rained in weeks here, and today is the day that the rain will come! So, we are going to do fun and games here, and then drive over there for hot dogs and more fun and games. I am working up some indoor fun -- cheap and easy -- like making paper airplanes and racing them. I also have assorted art supplies and a big table. Any other ideas for relatively calm indoor fun with kids (ages 8-13, mostly) on a rainy day?
Pass the biscuits and coffee, please!
The knock knock jokes for kids time got the entire congregation involved last week! They loved them. Also, we once played "To Tell the Truth " with the kids in youth group, 3 (grown ups) tell the same brief story about themselves and the kids guess who is telling the truth. The kids couldn't believe things that had happened to us!
DeleteHoly Humor will be great whenever it happens! What an awesome opportunity to remind people that Easter extends for 50 days.
DeleteWhen I got here, I discovered that the churches knew precisely three Easter hymns, so we are learning a new Easter hymn for each Sunday of Easter, and we are shouting "Christ is risen (indeed)!" as often as possible. Fun times for all.
Good Morning! It is chilly, dreary rainy, here....perfect for coffee and sermon writing. I hope Diane and Megan found inspiration. Looks as if SemFem, Pat, and Jan are inspired! Whoohoo! Sharon, I've never done a Holy Humor Sunday....but seems as though it is a good idea - even a wekk later.
ReplyDeleteI have a fresh pot of hot coffee - let's have some, and see what inspiration comes our way!
another full Saturday far enough from home I'm using my phone to post. sermon is done but needs tinkering on "have you anythingto eat?" what feeds us & who we share our table with
ReplyDeleteI'm doing something with Earth Day here...I have 8 short (1-2 verse) texts about creation, care for creation, God's love for creation, creation's love for God, etc.
ReplyDeleteBut first I have to go with our youth group and confirmation class to do an Earth Day mission project--we're participating in the Community Clean Up Day sponsored by the park district and chamber of commerce--so I'll be back later. I'll only have about 2 hours to write with when I get back, due to other late afternoon/evening commitments (sigh), so....yeah. I'll be hopefully a fast writer today!!
Can't wait to be with you all in a few hours!
In the meantime, there's a spinach quiche with a potato "crust" in the fridge--help yourselves!
I have "freegan" fruit salad for y'all-- we get culled produce from an upscale grocer for our farm animals, and yesterday they put a huge amount of perfectly good fruit in our box! Absolute providence, as our food budget doesn't allow for splurges like out-of-season fruit!
ReplyDeleteSo, fueled with all this yummy fruit, I'm preaching on 1 John and the Luke passage, working with themes of embodiment, witness, and possibility. Since it's also Earth Day, I'm talking about local church efforts towards environmental stewardship and what happens when faith is "rooted" or "grounded" in earthy/earthly practice--exploring what can happen when the seeds of Resurrection are cultivated in community.
(Also doing a bit of witnesses about my own faith story, because Sunday after next will be my Ecclesiastical Council, at which I'll read my ordination paper and they'll vote on whether or not to approve me for ordination! Wheeeee!)
MaineCelt - wow, just a little going on for you right now - but I think you have a solid approach to all of it, and great metaphors in the abundance of fruit - not to mention a delight to enjoy eating. Will pray for you as you prepare for this big day coming up!
DeleteGood Morning Vicar! Food for thought, on the feeding portion - which it seems that Teri may have in abundance with her focus on Earth Day - a mission project and a delicious quiche - yum.
ReplyDeletehi good morning (she says, bleary--eyed). I can't believe I left a message last night. I did work until about 11:30, which I can't believe either. I mostly have a sermon, but it needs some ironing out. I don't have a children's sermon/message, but I'll be thinking about Stone Soup.
ReplyDeleteI like all of the EArth Day ideas! I totally forgot it was Earth Day.
And, on Monday I have a funeral for a retired pastor who I dearly loved.
Just back from a craft market/food fair where I bought the most amazing pecan nut chocolate brownies. Anyone for one? About to brew coffee too.
ReplyDeleteWe did Holy Humour last week. This is a first here -- no one in South Africa seems to have heard of it. It was great fun and I shall certainly repeat it wherever I am next year.
Now back to focusing on the sermon and liturgy for tomorrow. I hope it's going well with you all, especially those who are just waking up. Mid afternoon here for us.
Yum! yes, please...
DeleteGood morning! I've got strong coffee to share. We solicited favorite or troubling passages from the congregation during Eastertide. I'm preaching on 2 timothy 2:8-15. Verse 15 was the 80+ year old's favorite verse. I'm talkiing about how we remember Jesus by leaning into grace lest we get caught up in performance anxiety like Timothy did. I have 3/4 of a draft. I'll be re-working it between breakfast with a friend and then house hunting this afternoon with our realtor.
ReplyDeleteLike all of you though, I'm zapped. Did a memorial service yesterday, and I feel like all my good writing energy went to that. I've got so little left over for this. Sigh.
Grace and peace to all of you as you write!
Hi Pals,
ReplyDeleteScratching my head wondering what direction to take. I was going to riff off the embodiment of Jesus being of flesh and bones and eating food, but the inspiration seems to have fizzled.
I was thinking of what it means to be a witness to these things. Perhaps talking about the Cleopas and his unnamed companion whom I believe was a woman telling the story to the disciples and then Jesus appears. How it would seem that death had won, but than Jesus comes to show that God had won over the power of death.
I so relate to the picture on the top of the post - that's exactly how I feel. And the texts this week aren't exactly inspiring me. For some strange reason I have a linear hang-up about the Luke text - it seems strange to preach Thomas last week and then go back and preach Easter evening. It's really weird - usually I can navigate lectionary 'flashbacks.'
ReplyDeleteSo I'm sitting here with less than nada. I need to start writing, but I don't even have a glimmer of an idea to start with. Plus, I'm feeling pressure because we were going to go to the City today, and I can't leave until I have something somewhat preachable.
Next year, I'm scheduling a hymn sing for this Sunday!
Ramona that is exactly where I am at. I was tempted to title my sermon "Yet another resurrection appearance..."
DeleteDiane, Oh, that will be a difficult funeral, you will be in my prayers. Suz - love that idea - soliciting favorite or challenging scripture readings to reflect on, inspiring! God_Gurrll, hopefull inspiration will find its way to you. Ramona, I totally agree - I had to check and recheck the Luke text, it seems out of context...oh well...I think a hymn sing is a good idea. Next year I hope to take time off after Easter!
ReplyDeleteMy sermon is mostly done. It is nothing inspirational - I've decided to do a four part series on our worship service, why we do what we do - loosely anchored into the Book of Acts as a story that describes the formation of the early church - but so far not making any reference at all to the readings...our organist and Music Director is participating so it will be a sermon in two parts. We'll see....anyway. that's about all I have for this day.
Last week it was Jesus appearing to the disciples in the locked room with the title "Practice Resurrection: Day 8". Tomorrow the story continues with Thomas "Practice Resurrection: Day 15", with a sub-title of "Despite many questions I trust..."
ReplyDeleteI am going to keep the sermon title motif of the Great 50 days of Easter going until Pentecost. Some Sunday's have a subtitle...some don't.
Earth Day will get a nod and an invitation to more fully explore it next Sunday with the Emmaus text. Did you notice there is an "us" in that? I just did.
Good morning, sister preachers! It's a beautiful morning in the high desert. I think I'll pamper myself this morning and suffer with the late in the day preachers later. I do think Bruce Epperley has some helpful points at Process Theology.
ReplyDeleteYesterday, I fiddled with "children of God" in 1 John. Here it is for what it is worth
But the dog walk took me in a different direction. Think the community I serve needs to focus on growing in Christ in all sorts of ways. I know I'll use some Paul from 1 Corinthians and maybe the successive sightings of Jesus and a little 1 John and, of course, the baptism. All a bit jumbled right now. A long swim and some shopping should clear my head.
I do like the Process blog, and often find inspiration from Bruce Epperly
Deletehey RevAlli - welcome. Oh, a long swim sounds divine. I had a pool when I lived in the SW USA, but was never warm enough to swim until about June (the water that is)...enjoy! I'm going to do some yoga...
ReplyDeleteI bet the yoga will feel great. I swim indoors--no worry about bugs, leaves or sunburn. Your rainy day sounds lovely to this drought-weary one.
DeleteYes. I seriously missed rain when I lived in the desert. My eyes grew fatigued from constant sunlight, they yearned for a more gentle light, I do love rainy days. So, I understand!
DeleteI'm wondering if I can fit the old eagles song into my sermon "when we're hungry love will keep us alive"
ReplyDeleteVicar, I love that idea, I hope so....
DeleteLove the connection! Have you read Michael Coffey's blog "Jesus, crucified, died, risen, hungry"? Here's the link if you haven't read it: http://mccoffey.blogspot.com/2012/04/jesus-crucified-died-risen-hungry.html#!/2012/04/jesus-crucified-died-risen-hungry.html
DeleteThe Holy Spirit really DOES live in my shower! I entered the shower with no inspiration, zilch, zip, nothing and came out with a workable idea for a sermon - which is mostly done. I'm working with Jesus'"Peace be with you" and talking about how shalom is much more than what we think peace is, how shalom is really an image of the kingdom of God, and how Easter proves that the kingdom of God is here. I even tied it into all the times we say or pray 'peace' in our worship, especially to the sharing of the peace and the dismissal to 'go in peace.' It's still really rough, but it's posted here.
ReplyDeleteWell the biblical scholar who scolds about people looking for Jesus under every rock and shrub in the Hebrew Bible is going to preach about Jesus' and Luke's claim that the scriptures in every part of the bible (Torah, Prophets and Psalms/Writings speak of him. And I didn't know I was preaching until Wednesday and I like to have my sermon down by Wednesday, Thursday at the latest. This is really the eleventh hour for me!
ReplyDeleteI have returned from picking up trash from a local park (and its creek!) with the youth group. I even took them out for ice cream afterward...and now I really really want a nap, but I have two hours to write a sermon. Something earthy. so....yeah. maybe I can nap for half an hour and wake up with such a great idea that it will write itself in an hour, and I'll still have half an hour for editing. that could work, right?
ReplyDeleteSo, wondering what happened? Did you get a little nap and find some inspiration? I hope so!
DeleteWoo hoo...The strife is o'er, the battle won...the first draft of my sermon is finally done! Alleluia!!!!!
ReplyDeleteCome on over and read it. I share some personal experiences with being on the receiving end of witnessing, I am hoping the message will make sense to the congregation.
We are Witnesses
I had this idea that's sounding too far-fetched, the more I think about it. Working on the Luke passage--that Jesus and the disciples had worship--there was a meal, scripture, explanation, and a statement of belief. And connecting that to our worship and Jesus's presence in our worship. Eh. Need to get moving quickly--we have company this weekend.
ReplyDeleteRamona - excellent! It sounds wonderful.
ReplyDeleteWil - welcome, even if you are here under a bit ot 11th hour duress
GG - YAY!
Esperanza - I hope that idea unfolds for you!
I have done a ton of errands and other stuff to get ready for church tomorow. Now I need to get home and finish my sermon...yeesh!
I'm doing my last teaching parish sermon tomorrow and had intended to write it Tuesday or Wednesday but other things got in the way--I was thinking and reading about it though... My thoughts on Thursday are a bit scattered but I did write something down. I liked the "Feasting on the Word" Homoletical Perspective b/c "This is not about you!" resonates with me right now.
ReplyDeleteFor the children's sermon I'm taking a risk in asking questions--might even ask them to say "peace be with you" to the congregation...I know it's iffy.
Angela, it's always worth engaging the children in the conversation because they have things to teach us about faith. I hope they surprise you tomorrow.
Deleteok, so a 30 minute nap turned into pushing back the next activity and taking a 90 minute nap instead. now I have one hour to write like the wind. except that I have basically no idea what I'm going to say, so there's that.
ReplyDeleteI'm starting a three part series - Responding the the Risen Christ: Head, Heart, Hand. I was out at a seminar last weekend, and the blessed retired District Superintendent who preached did so on the Emmaus story, so I'm in good shape for this week's Luke text. I'm focusing on the part where it says Jesus opened the disciple's minds and explained using scripture. I knew I wanted this sermon to be about not checking your brain at the door and began looking at apologetics and theology books. It just wasn't coming together. Then in the wee hours of this morning I picked up an old textbook - "How to Think Theologically" and hit the jackpot. Focused shifted from apologetics to thinking theologically - through the lens of faith - in all aspects of our lives. Then I spent most of the day doing community connecting at the youth garage sale, followed by some decompression time.
ReplyDeleteSo it is almost 5 pm and I have a very sketchy hen scratched outline from the wee hours of the morning that I now need to convert into a typed full scale outline that will preach. Trying to finish by 7, so I can have some time with hubby this evening. That means I should get off the internet and get busy.
For children's time we are going to talk about Affirmations of Faith, specifically, the Apostles Creed and how we are declaring what we believe. I'm moving to before the Creed, and having them stand tall and proud and even stomp their foot when we say, "I believe" as the congregation recites.
Blessings to all who are still writing and to all who are at rest.
Hey, Mid-Life! Welcome. You sound inspired indeed!
DeleteAngela, wow, they throw you into preaching your first year of seminary? I had to wait until year two...I hope it has been a good experience!
ReplyDeleteTeri - ack! I hope inspiration strikes fast!
My sermon is done and in preaching mode on my iPad. I'm not posting it because it is just a basic reflection on how we worship - a reflected Eucharist...so. Maybe I'll have to come up wth a prayer or something to post. Anyway, It's about dinner time here...who needs tea?
ReplyDeleteok, done! or, well, enough words to count. It'll probably get me in trouble with a few people, but oh well. My pacific northwest self had to come out sooner or later, right? (come on, people, picking up trash and recycling are just not hard things.)
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I'm about to post at my blog.
Only 15 minutes late, could be worse!
Yay, Teri! I'll be over later to read it. But I'm sure its all good!
ReplyDeleteanyone have some energy to spare? We had church work day today and I'm ready to curl up with a book or TV. Luckily, I planned our Earth Day and worked on my pieces already. Just a little more to do. I have a wonderful young man sharing the meditations with me so I hope we are good to go. It should be a great day to catch up with some of your sermons. thank you.
ReplyDeleteNancy! Welcome. How lovely you are sharing the meditation and can catch a little rest...
ReplyDeleteFinished just in time for great dinner prepared by hubby. It's waaayyy too long, but I will shorten it early in the morning.
ReplyDeleteMid-life enjoy your dinner.
ReplyDeleteI am trying to be smarter about not trying so hard to turn out a 15-20 minute preachable manuscript every week. This coming week I have meetings everynight. I try not to have more than 3 nights out but they all landed this week. (One may cancel...)
ReplyDeleteSo I've already pulled a sustainable sermon to re-work. That means I'll have had 3 weeks without writing a manuscript. NICE. self care I'd call it AND it keeps the worship interesting and diverse. Or so I hope.
Huzzah for self-care!
DeleteNice! Smart!
DeleteOkay, back from my Saturday job and back into the thick of sermon-crafting. The first part's done--the part where we all go underground with the baffled disciples and crypt-carving early Christians. Now I've got to get everybody back up into the light and air, ready to sow and nurture seeds of resurrection everywhere. Up, up, and awaaaaay... (jeezum, I sure wish I had a theme song.)
ReplyDeleteI'm back...later than I planned. Today was spent sleeping, lunching, meeting with a couple and the pastor doing their wedding at our church, and a few good phone conversations. Now it's time to get serious about writing (which I meant to do yesterday but did not, due to a headache). Tomorrow is unusually full with a premarital coaching session and colleague's retirement party in the afternoon and youth group in the evening.
ReplyDeleteBBT's sermon on this in "Home By Another Way" has me seriously pondering hands and feet in the Luke reading. (I know I should branch out and not rely on her so much...ack!) But after focusing on Thomas last week, focusing on hands and feet gives me a slightly different way in to this very similar text.
Also, like Pat, the 5 E's in Working Preacher are giving me some more food for thought. Hoping to put some words on paper soon...
Hi SemFem, welcome back - sounds like you have some good inspiration! YAY!!
ReplyDeleteThese are hard to preach--or at least to write. Now I remember why I have always dodged this Sunday. Hope to have something sooner rather than later.
ReplyDeleteThink I'll focus on the baptism and the community. Still bleeding.
Last week I preached the first part of John 20 and so tomorrow following up with the Thomas story. I am using the format "Practice Resurrection" and then listing the day (following the 50 Great Days of Easter). Earth Day will be included in the prayers and with an invitation to worship on the 29th with more Earth Day emphasis. Sort of out of the schedule...but it works for my schedule.
ReplyDeleteSermon" Day 15
RevAlli, did I miss something? "Still bleeding?"
ReplyDeleteHello, friends~
ReplyDeleteI've been away from home all week, but fortunately had a sermon ready because I had been asked to write on Psalm 4 for Lectionary Homiletics. I resisted the urge to tweak and blogged it here: Pray Last.
I hope to see your sermons tomorrow, but after driving 500+ miles today, I have to hit the sack! Blessings to all still in the midst.
Martha, welcome...and sleep well...
ReplyDeleteJust showing up to the party and showing up reluctantly tonight. There were lots of meetings and other stuff this week so I have my general idea, but nothing really illustrative. On top of that I drove 4 hours round trip to a Presbyterian Women thingy at which I lead worship and preached, but did nothing else besides make them feel good about having someone under the age of 65 present. It was my last "required" PW event in the presbytery as their "spiritual advisor." Three years into the position and I finally figured out it just means "free worship planner and preacher." I grew more and more annoyed by it as time went by and now that I'm home and I'm done with the position I'm really annoyed by it. Not only do they not give me an honorarium for my participation, they don't pay my mileage, and I actually have to pay the registration fee for the event. It sounds so catty of me, but it bugs me. Oh well. The three years are over, and they've found someone else for now.
ReplyDeleteI'm doing Luke and LOVE LOVE LOVE the line about how they are in joy and disbelieving at the same time. In an officer training event a couple of weeks ago one elder spoke about how he had more questions than answers and appreciates being a part of a tradition that encourages thinking and exploring and wondering. His comments reiterated for me a tug I've been feeling about our ministry in our community. There are quite a few large fundamentalist churches in town and a few of us smaller middle of the road to left leaning congregations. We sort of let the big ones run any sort of religious discourse that takes place. It's been bugging me. I've wanted us to start claiming where we are and what we believe - - essentially that we've got questions, too, not all the answers tied up in a bow. There are a lot of unaffiliated folks in our community, too, who I get the sense are turned off by the over-assertive churches. I've been wanting for us to sort of "brand" ourselves somehow and get our welcome out in to the community.
In the spirit of the UCC "God's still speaking..." campaign, I've been thinking of something along the lines of "Got questions? We do, too." I think this Luke passage invites that.
The disciples don't just jump in with both feet. No, wait, actually, they do jump in with both feet, but they don't wait until they totally get it all, until all their questions are answered and they know and believe and trust in exactly what's going on. They jump in with their questions and doubts and disbelief, too, and apparently that's OK with Jesus. He came to where they were and welcomed them with all their joy AND their disbelief.
That's where I'm going. I just need to shake the chip off my shoulder from earlier today (and shake my obsession with this Australian teen TV show I found on Netflix - - Dance Academy. I've got two episodes left in the series to watch, so I may just do it and get it over with so I can focus>). And maybe find some "stuff" to go in my sermon to support where I'm headed.
Gee, and it's only 9:26 p.m. AND my laundry is already done. This isn't so bad after all!
Blech on the PW thing. I've been the token young one too, without honorarium (but only at one thingy, not three years--jeepers). Just yuck.
DeleteBut I love your sermon idea.
Nice, SheRev! I had some sort-of similar stuff in my sermon from three years ago about the movie "Doubt" and the disciples still having one foot in the Garden of Gethsemane and the other foot in the room with Jesus. Sounds like once you get going, it'll just pour out of you. (please Lord let that not be a jinx!)
DeleteI've visited all my usual procrastination websites, so I think it's about time to really do this thing, while I still have coffee and am mentally awake enough to write. Right?
Goodnes, SheRev!
DeleteI, too, think it will flow when I get to it. Now I've finished the last two episodes of my latest TV obsession so I can get to it. I'm ridiculous. I know.
DeleteAnd thanks!
Blogger...is your tummy full? You have eaten two of my comments.
ReplyDeleteWon't repeat all the info but just link my sermon: Practice Resurrection: Day 15
Any one else having trouble with posting comments...mine keep disappearing.
ReplyDeleteBlogger, hope you get a tummy ache since you are eating every comment I make this evening.
ReplyDeletePurple, if you see this, I am getting notification emails for your comments but have no idea why they aren't showing up here. So sorry!
ReplyDeleteProblem solved. Apparently Blogger picked the week I was out of town and offline to tighten up the comment spam rules. Purple, you were not the only one with comments sent to Purgatory. My apologies to anyone else whose comments appeared to disappear. All should be published now.
ReplyDeleteYes! Having problems here too!
ReplyDeleteYeah...glad to be out of purgatory! Thanks Martha!
ReplyDeleteI just got home and all I want to do is fall into bed. But I have realized that this sermon is about 500 words too long. So I'll be editing before sleeping. I am glad to be cutting 500 instead of creating 500 though!
ReplyDeleteI'll take the 500 you throw out!
Deletepart of them were "starving children" that you really don't want. some of the others are Willimon's Sunday Dinner stuff. Do you really want those? I'll copy/paste if you do!
DeleteI'm too tired to wait for your answer :) Here's what I cut just in case you can use it
DeleteWill Willimon calls Sunday dinners some of his fondest childhood memories. "Sunday dinner took place at my grandfather's big, rambling house where we all gathered after church. Family meant more than mother, father, brothers and sisters. Family meant that entire army of cousins, aunts, uncles--including an occasional passerby whose relationship to the clan was less clear. Uncles gathered in the living room for cigars and arguments. Aunts assembled in the kitchen for the preparation of dinner and arguments. Cousins chased each other up and down my grandmother's big front porch, oblivious to our parents' periodic pleas to be careful with our Sunday clothes and our cousins' skulls..... No one had to tell me what it meant to be part of the family. ...No one had to explain to me that I belonged or that I was loved. I learned all that at the Sunday dinner table (Sunday dinner, William Willimon).
Well, it's about time for Sunday dinner. The family is together. The table is set. We are hungry in all the ways that humans can be hungry.
"Have you anything here to eat?” It’s not such an odd question after all, is it?
Love it. It fits in no way at all, but it "fed" me just reading it, so I'm glad you gave it anyway!
DeleteDone and off to bed... Blessings on those who are still writing. May stones be rolled away and good preachin' rise up in your midst!
ReplyDeleteFinished. Time for laundry and then to bed. Don't feel very good about this one, but it will have to do. Hope I don't end up blaming my mediocre effort on taking the morning off.
ReplyDeleteHere it is for what it's worth.
I've got a pretty good outline and plan, so as the clock turns to midnight, I've hit my bedtime. I'll be back early-early to finish. I'll see many of you as you're waking up! Peace!
ReplyDeleteWell, that took way longer to start than I thought. When will I learn to STOP READING and START WRITING when something sparks the Spirit??
ReplyDeleteAnyways, I ended up with a too-long sermon, which is now edited and ready to be printed. After which I will crash for three hours of sleep. Better than last week!
Blessings on all pondering, preaching, and proclamation in the coming hours.
Good morning preachers friends and pals! May the Spirit have our backs this day!
ReplyDeleteGood morning. I let myself sleep longer than usual and it felt good. I'm up and just knocked out the first half of my sermon which may end up needing to be just the first third. Editing to will come later, but not too much later!
ReplyDeleteBlessings on all as you lead in your churches today!
yay, I remembered the part I wanted to add to the sermon! I had it in my head as I drove to dinner last night, then forgot when I got there, then remembered something else I wanted to add, but not the main thing, and then finally this morning walking into the kitchen it came back. hallelujah. (It was about the words "to till and keep it" about the first humans' responsibility in the garden...the word translated as "keep" (or, in the translation we're reading, to "take care") is the same word as in the Aaronic blessing--"The Lord bless you and keep you." Quite a responsibility if we are to keep the creation the same way God keeps us...) I think I have a stronger sermon now. So, I'm going to figure out how to load it onto my Kindle since we're having paperless worship this morning. :-) Happy Earth Day!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the prayers. God was with me as I pray she was with you all. Fruit of our collaboration here: http://ltsp.edu/where-jesus-old-testament
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