In the mist languishing
over a lake,
in the shadows crawling
across the lawn;
in the boistrous teenagers
cannon-balling into the pool,
in the sweet breath of a baby
cooling our cheeks;
in the elegiac stories of grandparents
around the dinner table,
in the giggling of children
sharing a secret;
in our rising to new life
each morning,
in the comforting arms
of sleep;
in the healing taste
of Christ's brokenness,
in the Cup's tart tang
of grace;
in all these, and so many more,
we are blessed with the richness
of your glory in our lives,
and offer our thanks to you,
God in Community, Holy in One,
even as we pray as you teach us,
Our Father . . .
over a lake,
in the shadows crawling
across the lawn;
in the boistrous teenagers
cannon-balling into the pool,
in the sweet breath of a baby
cooling our cheeks;
in the elegiac stories of grandparents
around the dinner table,
in the giggling of children
sharing a secret;
in our rising to new life
each morning,
in the comforting arms
of sleep;
in the healing taste
of Christ's brokenness,
in the Cup's tart tang
of grace;
in all these, and so many more,
we are blessed with the richness
of your glory in our lives,
and offer our thanks to you,
God in Community, Holy in One,
even as we pray as you teach us,
Our Father . . .
And welcome to another week! This Sunday takes us to Proper 12B, the 9th After Pentecost. The RCL passages for the week can be found here.
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| maybe just show the movie? |
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| feeding the multitudes |
Or you could avoid both and go with Paul's blessing to the Ephesian church.
Unless of course you are on your own sermon series track.
Whatever your sermonic thoughts may be, feel free to share them in the comments.
I don't think I can resist David and Bathsheba. Gives a whole new twist to "love your neighbor"! What I want to say about it, though, is that David is about as much of a scumbag as we can imagine and God still uses him, and his story is in the Bible, which it turns out is not just a collection of sweet pious bits about God, but instead real people who mess up in real and big ways. I find that tremendously reassuring news, and I hope they will too.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I can resist David and Bathsheba. Gives a whole new twist to "love your neighbor"! What I want to say about it, though, is that David is about as much of a scumbag as we can imagine and God still uses him, and his story is in the Bible, which it turns out is not just a collection of sweet pious bits about God, but instead real people who mess up in real and big ways. I find that tremendously reassuring news, and I hope they will too.
ReplyDeleteI am going with God's prodigal generosity, I think. So Elisha it will be. Though I must admit David and Bathsheba are tempting! (But as I haven't been following Samuel I don't think it would be such a good idea.) I have an Ordinand from Mirfield College in Yorkshire staying with me for 6 weeks so we will work out some sort of general programme for all these bread of life passages. I look forward to a bit of a break from preaching every other week!
ReplyDeleteNot preaching this week, but back when the DSK affair was all over the media I thought that the David/Bathsheba episode would have made an excellent sermon. (I didn't get to preach it, our pastor preached that week on something about integrity from Proverbs.)
ReplyDeleteI know that I'm doing something with the feeding of the 5,000 and the "boy with the lunch", although I'm also trying to think about a Stewardship conference, wedding and funeral this week. And, relatives coming in out of town.
ReplyDeleteBut, the boy with the lunch: 5 crummy loaves and two fish. Might have a lunch bag with me, and see what's in it. Also going to check a big box of Bread for the World info I got last Lent.
I'm doing pulpit supply this week for a congregation I've never visited....in other words, David and Bathsheba felt out! I'm digging into John, contemplating if this might be a miracle of receiving, shifting attention away from just what Jesus might have done to how the crowd initially responds and accepts his gifts, perpetually replenished for all. When they shift into desiring he be their king, it is like our own temptation to take the eternal gifts of God and fit them into temporal forms we can understand.....but only in receiving the mystery can we welcome the full gift. I look forward to reading other thoughts!
DeleteI'm off lectionary. Created a set of propers for Tisha B'Av, the 9th of Av commemorating the destruction of the temple.
ReplyDeleteThere's so much this week. Think I may focus on Elisha, First Fruits and more than enough. But I'm also drawn to rooted and grounded in love. Hard to think about a sermon when I'm gazing out to the Berkeley Marina, the Bay and the fog-enshrouded city beyond.
ReplyDeleteAlso think I have to look at the Aurora shootings though don't know where the people are on that.
David and Bathsheba seemed like a good idea...but I'm really struggling to find good news in there, without excusing evil by making it an opportunity for God's forgiveness. That was a convoluted sentence, sorry. Anyway, hoping to find some wisdom here, there, or somewhere before Sunday morning!
ReplyDeleteEsperanza,
ReplyDeleteYou said exactly what I was thinking about my sermon. So, of course, it is not convulted at all
I had to turn in my sermon title already- Sin, Sinner, Sinnest- based on the lectionary choices available to me (2 Sam and John). I'm thinking about writing the sermon as a long prayer, leaning heavily on Jesus' words "Do not be afraid." He does not quiet the storm, but offers peace in the midst of the storm. And, boy, aren't we stormy these days? I feel compelled to mention the Aurora shootings since I didn't do it last week.
ReplyDeleteI have put myself in a strait jacket that I won't be able to get out of?
ooh, I really like that sermon-as-long-prayer idea. That might just do the trick. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteSin, Sinner, Sinnest! Awesome. I'm terrible at naming sermons, maybe I'll just use this for my catch all one from now on.
ReplyDeleteThought I posted earlier, but it was from my phone, so I guess it didnt take.
So impressed with you all and your courage re the whole D and B situation. I am too squeamish. But then, I'm preaching on ephesians as part of my sermon on "peace in an election year" so maybe I am sorta brave after all....
am watching the last episode of God In America for research. Great show!
After Bible study last night on the gospel text, that's where I'm heading. Don't know how I'll get there, but I like the idea of God's lavish grace--that the hungry got more than enough.
ReplyDelete