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Saturday, August 24, 2013

11th Hour Preacher Party: Stand up straight edition



A walk on the beach
On this side of the pond, our schools have started back and many families are establishing some kind of routine again after the long summer break. To keep things simple in church, though, we continue with shorter, earlier summer services until the end of the month. That means that it is September before we get back to "normal" and our adult and youth programmes get going again.
This summer I've simply journeyed with the Lectionary gospel readings, offering brief reflections each week. This will be my last Sunday of that and I'm pleased at the gospel that I get to finish up on. The story of the woman bent over to whom Jesus brings healing, encouraging her to stand up straight on the sabbath.
Tuesdays Lectionary Leanings provide a good starter for this weeks readings - from Isaiah, Jeremiah, Hebrews or Luke.
I'm looking forward to getting back to the old schedule of later worship and longer ramblings. Sometimes its harder to preach for a shorter time - or maybe its because I don't spend as much time preparing as I should in the summer.
Where are you? Still in that space between summer worship and getting back on schedule? Or do you maintain momentum all the year round? And how are you fixed for preaching this week? Are you bent over with the burden of the task or standing up straight, lightened by the gift of words to preach? Come and party with us as we share what we have and ask for what we need so that, together, we can "walk those dogs proud".

99 comments:

  1. On week five of the Lord's Prayer - "Lead Us not into Temptation; deliver us from evil" Still pondering the work in to the Gospel lesson, but it's too late tonite and too loud with the eight 15 year old guys in the living room for a birthday slumber party. So I'm off to bed - will check back in the morning when it will be much quieter around my house.

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  2. Oh, Amy, I hope you get some sleep! At least it will be a quiet morning household. Hope you have plenty to feed them when they surface!

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  3. I'm up and at it - at least I'm doing all those things you do when there's a sermon to write - face booking, reading blogs and huff post.... It's prep, right?
    Going to take breakfast outside and then get back to it. Berries and hot tea for anyone?

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  4. Drizzly wet day, here. (Makes it easier to sit inside and write sermons on a Bank Holiday weekend!) I am mainly going with Isaiah, with a little Gospel thrown in. "if you remove the pointing finger, the speaking of evil" pretty pertinent to just about any church... linking that with the synagogue leaders, shooting down good, and healing because it broke the rules.. but mostly, I think my emphasis will on the relationship between feeding others and being fed by God ourselves. That is how I am starting.. but who knows what the Holy Spirit may have up his sleeve?
    I'm not a coffee drinker, but I think this drear, damp sleepy morning is calling for it.. I'll make a pot, with frothy milk.

    Ruth

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    1. Ruth, glad the weather is cooperating (I think). Nurturing and being nurtured sounds a timely word in among all the finger pointing.
      Coffee sounds good thanks.

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  5. Good morning! I am sitting in my car at the chilly Little Compton RI beach where I came to watch the sun rise and was greeted by a bank of clouds to the easy. It is of course clear in the other three directions. Hope you all have a great day of preparation!

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  6. Sorry about the sunrise Robin. It went ahead without you seeing! Hope there's a good breakfast in your near future.

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  7. Up and at it this morning in an attempt to get the sermon to the finish line (or at least preachable) before we leave to pick up The Boy at camp. School starts on Monday and I think most of us (maybe even him) are ready to return to the rhythm of the school year.

    Hitting Jeremiah tomorrow morning and maybe connecting it with Blessing of the Backpacks... 'cause why not?

    Grabbing some coffee - peaches, raspberries and blackberries on the table!

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    1. Good morning, Kathryn. I'm sure, once you pick up The Boy, there will be no space for anything other than his stories. It's always good to hear about the blessings of the backpacks - acknowledging all those transitions in the lives of our young people.

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  8. Thanks to all the sharing here, back pack blessings also happen here in Scotland. I've never quite found a way to make it fit - our young folk don't get back to church until schools already back so I'd love to hear how others make it work.

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  9. Going with the Gospel lesson and wondering, still, if I'm preaching too close to the cuff. I've got a favorite congregant who is bent over and facing surgery. Her first surgery and year long treatment failed so she is miserable. I hear Jesus' compassion for the woman in the text. I see he identifies the "back breaker" as Satan. He treats the Pharisees as if they are angry background noise because he is focused on the woman. Just thinking. Words on paper but I'm not satisfied. Thanks for being here...

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    1. Praying for you and the words...

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    2. That's a tough one Sally-Lodge. FWIW I couldn't imagine you ever being less than gracious in your words and the way you share those words. Praying that the Holy Spirit mediates that blessing right where it's needed.

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  10. I have chickened out of preaching the gospel lesson, because there are several bent over ladies in the congregation, and as a very part-time sabbatical pastor, I don't know their stories well. So I am taking advantage of the fact that we have been off-lectionary with guest speakers addressing the church's Sesquicentennial for the past two weeks and bringing forward the passage we missed last week. I'll be asking what we're on fire for and how we discover it and where it may take us.
    I'm on the camp pick-up timeline and scurrying, mentally. Back to work!

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    1. Not chick ending out, Martha,,just being sensitive to the needs of your congregants.
      Enjoy the re-union!

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  11. Good Morning

    I am focusing on the gospel but only have the children's time figured out - where I am going to collect some smallish rocks and write words on them with the things that 'bend' us overand weigh us down - words like - envy,greed, sorrow, grief, jealousy, intolerance, fear, anxiety...

    I thought I would give a child the rocks - carefully of course -and talk about what weighs us down and then how Jesus calls us to release them.

    On to the sermon!!!

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    1. Heather,metalling it to children is a good place to start. Hope the rest takes some shape soon.

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    2. I saw a really interesting children's sermon once where the pastor asked a child to whisper a bad thing they had done in her ear. She wrote it on a rock, then gave it to the child to 'wash' in the baptismal font. The writing came off. She then explained to the children that baptism does that for us. Washes us clean. But it is up to us to put the rocks down and not haul them around.
      My youngest was about 10 and still at 17 occasionally makes mentions of putting the rocks down. And this is my non-believer....

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  12. It's been an extremely hectic week for me, attending a Jesuit Winter Theology School (brilliant!) and entertaining a house guest at the same time. Add to that a quiet morning this morning for the confirmation candidates and it adds up to me not having given too much thought to the sermon for tomorrow!

    It's the last week of our month of compassion so I thought I might briefly talk about how Jesus reaches out to a woman despite disapproving men (Jeffrey John has an excellent chapter on this in his book, The Meaning in the Miracles) but my main focus will be on compassion and refer to Isaiah for this.

    All musings which need to be set to paper very soon!

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    1. Pat, even the title, Jesuit Winter Theology school sounds wonderful! The readings are great this week to finish off a series on Compassion. Praying that the work you've done will pay off.

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  13. Thinking about Sabbath and freedom from the gospel text. Stumbled upon the following article if it's useful food for thought.
    http://www.newstatesman.com/2013/08/learning-how-live

    Had planned to divide the sermon for the first service into three separate parts - and now done TBTG - moving from pov of 'him' [the official in the synagogue], to 'her' [unnamed healed woman], to 'us'... pondering the Sabbath as a celebration of liberation and wondering what stops us from being 'free' and what obstacles might we place in front of others to hinder their freedom. This is all built upon several weeks exploring faith. In my own mind, I'm calling the whole a 'Sabbath triptych', cos I'm kinda pretentious that way. :)

    Pffft, on to the second sermon for the afternoon service!

    I have - happily! - croissants, cheese, cured meats and tomatoes to offer, along with a strong pot of coffee. Help yourselves

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    1. Nikki, I love your pretentiousness! And so, I'm sure will your listeners.
      I'll happily share your croissants while you work on sermon number 2!

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  14. Last time I preached on this passage I spoke of the things the woman would now be able to see as she looked up. Tis time, around, I'm drawn to the beauty that she might have discovered even in her cast down gaze - because she's just that kind of woman.
    We'll see where that goes.
    I'm also exploring the rules to which we adhere to keep folk in their bondage.
    Now I need to somehow link these notions!

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    1. hmmm, thinking of different ways of seeing - not able to see folk face to face, she in turn becomes invisible to others as they basically ignore her...but given her sight perspective, what are all the things *she* sees, that others don't see as they get on about their lives and where they have *their* focus? Like it Liz, could certainly riff on that some.
      I've just realised that I've unintentionally gone into an almost rhyme/ rhythmic thing with the pov of the woman in mini-sermon 2. Cheese much? El grando cheese!

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  15. Good morning, everyone!

    Thanks for hosting, Liz!

    I am preaching my last summer "favorites" sermon tomorrow: Favorite Things: Babies! Since I decided that, I found out that my youngest is carrying my second grandchild. Also, until Wed., all three of my grown children (plus youngest's DH and 3 year old son) are in Baton Rouge for a family gathering with our other relatives there. I don't anticipate them coming to New Orleans for worship tomorrow, and I am splitting my time between BR and NOLA.

    I am combining Jeremiah and gospel with something about how we are "commissioned" (Jeremiah) when we are young and idealistic -- and perhaps, also reluctant because of being "too young," or not invited to stand up. What prevents us from standing up? I am hoping to relate it to the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington, which we will commemorate. I also plan to use as an illustration how Antoinette Tuff stood up, in love, when she was in danger.

    Not sure how all of that fits together. I am in NOLA to offer some help and gifts from our congregation to a congregation that leases some of our space. Today is the funeral for the pastor's younger brother was murdered last week. A road rage driver "stood up" to him with a gunshot wound to the chest when he attempted to invite him to church, according to the passenger in his car. Too too sad.

    Meanwhile, there is that 3 year old grandson in Baton Rouge. When I get back there, if he wants to play any of his imaginative games with me, I'm all in for that!

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    1. Sharon, too sad indeed. Your gifts there will be so welcome. But I'm glad to hear you have your 3 year old grandson to get back to - a timely distraction.
      Love what you're thinking of doing with the gospel too.

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  16. morning all! I get to party all the live-long day today, due to a 2 week break between sessions of drumming class. I'm running out to the farmer's market and a couple other quick errands (we are running out of cat food!!!!), and then I'll be back to try to put together a sermon on Proverbs 3 and the stilling of the storm in Mark 4. I think I was going somewhere about trusting Jesus, but last week was also sort of about that (well, kind of)....hmm. This is the 2nd-to-last in the series of favorite hymns, so this week's hymns are Holy Holy Holy, How Can I Keep From Singing, Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus, and Leaning On The Everlasting Arms.

    In other words, the theme may not have been immediately clear when I stuck all those hymns together, so I somehow ended up with proverbs. Proverbs. srsly.

    Maybe there'll be inspiration hiding among the tomatoes and kale...

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    1. Teri, hope your errands are fruitful.
      I hate it when I feel I'm preaching the same message over and over again - but then, maybe that's what it takes?
      Leaning.... Has been changed for me by singing it with the RevGals :)

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  17. Good morning, gals. I'm preaching the Gospel text and finding myself on overload this morning from all that I've read and thought about it. I am under some pressure to make quick work of it, as we have a wedding of two church members this afternoon followed by what promises to be a lengthy reception. I will confess I feel a bit bowed down by the burden of it all. Am hoping to find some strength and freedom - and soon!

    I hope to pop in again later. In the meantime, I have some fat, juicy, fresh tomatoes to share!

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    1. I hate it that weddings and all that accompanies them tend to cause us more stress than joy. Occupational hazard? May a completed sermon be one less thing to worry about as you endure the reception EarthChick!

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  18. Another illustration that I may use:
    (Disclaimer: I've tried to find out if this is actual fact or an urban legend or a parable. I haven't found anything that says it's not true.)


    An African tribe does the most beautiful thing.

    When someone does something hurtful and wrong, they take the person to the center of town, and the entire tribe comes and surrounds him.

    For two days they'll tell the man every good thing he has ever done.

    The tribe believes that every human being comes into the world as Good, each of us desiring safety, love, peace, happiness.

    But sometimes in the pursuit of those things people make mistakes. The community sees misdeeds as a cry for help.

    They band together for the sake of their fellow man to hold him up, to reconnect him with his true Nature, to remind him who he really is, until he fully remembers the truth from which he'd temporarily been disconnected:

    “I AM GOOD.”

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    1. Thanks, Sharon - isn't that so counter cultural to what we'd experience in many church setting?

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  19. This will be a different kind of sermon for me. Have written a monologue from the point of view of the bent over woman. I'm imagining that part of her healing is a return of a bigger perspective. Instead of only being able to look down, now she can look up and around. A bigger perspective, a kingdom perspective.

    Love that story, Sharon.

    Blessings on your sermon prep!

    My big news is that tonight is my first ever public exhibition of belly dance. Have been taking classes since March, so I'm very much a novice, but our studio is putting on a show tonight. Prayers much appreciated. (As is your silence if you know large crowds of people in Boise!)

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    1. Wow, Marci! Excited about your belly dancing - what fun. That's certainly a distraction from late night sermon writing.
      I love the sound of your monologue too.
      Hope both endeavours go across well!!!

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    2. I love your sermon, Marci. I hope the show is fun too!

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  20. I know that over-loaded feeling earthchick! On many fronts, but like you this morning, from having read too much and thought too hard.
    Mine is now done. But it was a struggle.

    I stayed with the Isaiah, started with my own version of the Heaven/Hell long handled spoon story - emphasising the point of the direct relationship between feeding others and getting fed ourselves. Linked the centrality of food and sharing to worship & the eucharist..Jesus, at supper with his friends..

    I linked the "remove the yoke from among you" translated by me to "set each other free to grow" .. getting rid of the pointing finger so that healing can happen and people can stand tall in love and grace.
    I guess Feeding on Grace/ Giving away Grace was my theme, essentially.

    I rounded it up with the verse about repairing walls. "Using the old rubble of past lives to build anew" (Message) Sometimes our spiritual building needs mending. Needs re-building to stand tall again.. building with grace. It links in to our mission plans for the autumn, which will start with a re-examination of ourselves against the Marks of a Healthy Church (Robert Warren Healthy Churches' Handbook) so was a gift too apposite not to include.

    I hope it all hangs together.. somehow!

    Now my dogs need a long walk (in the rain) ..

    Prayers for those of you still wrestling with the Word & the words.

    Ruth x

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    1. Ruth, glad your struggle has produced something you can use. I love the threads you are picking up and weaving together and I'm sure your people will too. May the dog walking still your soul.

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  21. I also found this version very helpful. It is a new one to me.

    Isaiah 58:9-14
    The Voice (VOICE)
    9 Then when you do call out, “My God, Where are You?”
    The Eternal One will answer, “I am here, I am here.”
    If you remove the yoke of oppression from the downtrodden among you,
    stop accusing others, and do away with mean and inflammatory speech,
    10 If you make sure that the hungry and oppressed have all that they need,
    then your light will shine in the darkness,
    And even your bleakest moments will be bright as a clear day.
    11 The Eternal One will never leave you;
    He will lead you in the way that you should go.
    When you feel dried up and worthless,
    God will nourish you and give you strength.
    And you will grow like a garden lovingly tended;
    you will be like a spring whose water never runs out.
    12 You will discover there are people among your own
    who can rebuild this broken-down city out of the ancient ruins;
    You will firm up its ancient foundations.
    And all around, others will call you
    “Repairer of Broken Down Walls” and “Rebuilder of Livable Streets.”
    13 Eternal One: If because of the Sabbath you set aside your own pursuits and pleasure,
    and you honor the Sabbath and sanctify that day by leaving it to and for the Eternal—
    If you speak of Sabbath-delight but avoid speaking idle words,
    and refuse to get caught up and busy with your interestsand concerns—
    14 Then you will discover joy such as only the Eternal can give.
    And I will raise you high and make your reach as wide as the earth,
    And you will live on all that I promised to Jacob,
    your ancestor, the heart of Israel.
    The Eternal One said these very things.

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    1. beautiful, but it loses the "strong bones" image in v 11, which is a good tie in to the Luke passage.

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    2. ah, good point, Marci. I used about 3/4 versions, as I often do, to freshen up my ears to the whisper of the Spirit.

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    3. Thanks so much for this translation. Hope it charges my tired brain cells late this Saturday afternoon.

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  22. and, just so you know, if you google images of 'bent over woman', you'll see a lot of women bending over, but not in ways that are appropriate for a sermon illustration.

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    1. Oops! Thanks for the warning, Marci.

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    2. There is a beautiful and moving photograph of a bent-over woman on the streets in Paris that we included in a Lectionary Leanings three years ago. We also got threatened with copyright infringement (!!!) so do not use it on your blog if you should find it.

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  23. Hubby has taken the girls for the morning, so I can get a sermon written. Morning is not my best time of day, but here I sit (as Liz said, facebooking, reading important articles on the history of Fisher Price Little People, etc).

    I'm preaching on the Luke passage at two different supply congregations. I find it hard to write for two contexts at the same time (though similar demographics, very different ethoses...ethosi...?...feeling in each congregation).

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  24. Am I the only crazy one out there preaching on Hebrews? Realized I almost never preach the epistle so promised I would this time. Last week: no problem. This week? Oh my. Focusing on how we understand God, but anyone else preaching on Hebrews--throw me a life ring, will ya?

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    1. Rebecca, I'm sure the slog will be worth it - even if only to save you having to visit the Epistle for a long time!

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    2. Haha! Thanks Liz. True enough!!

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    3. I touch on the Hebrews, or rather, give it a nod by mentioning how the consuming fire is not destructive, but burns away that which keeps us from being the person we were intended in creation--more fully ourselves (and in a "flaming" liberal kind of way...as in, be most fully the person you are, God made you holy and good)

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  25. I am going with Jeremiah and exposing a pattern of life that God speaks, the tearing down and the building up. Having just sent our youngest to college, I am in the midst of reorganizing my own internal and external life. In our congregation, there are new ministries that are displacing older less active ministries, the shift is a difficult one for the older leaders in the church. In addition, we launched a new improved website, and much of the old website went to archives. A difficult loss for some and an exciting future for others.

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    1. Janetsalbert - hope preaching change in the midst of all that upheaval helps you to sort through a few things.

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  26. Good morning friends! Waving at liz- thanks for hosting!
    I have a vague idea about the law of love - how the law- rightly used and understood -is supposed to uphold and support human dignity not crush it. Antoinette Tuff could have responded with judgment but had the grace and courage to respond with love. In my brain this is riffing off to the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. I need to do something short as this is a Communion Sunday for us. And we are hosting our first party at our new home tomorrow. 70 people have RSVP'd! That is a Presbyterian miracle! We just expect you know we are coming and show up. We have a nice sized backyard so it is doable. Amazing husband is cleaning and getting ready as I write so I don't want to be doing this all day. Back at it.

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    1. You've having a party at your home on a Sunday?? With 70 people?? Wow. I'm in awe.

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    2. Don't be in too much awe - pot luck with catered BBQ. This is part of our summer long "meet the new pastor" events so my fabulous Transition Team is helping set up and run things. We just have to have the house presentable ;) trust me- that was enough to take on!

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    3. Backatcha Celeste. Great that so many people are keen to come and meet their new pastor. And glad that you have help to set things up!

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    4. yikes! 70, even if I "only" have to have the house presentable seems horrific (I like my space!). Kudos for your hospitality and I'm glad that folks are turning out!

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  27. After writing and trashing a whole bunch of words, I just had a weird connection. Does this make sense to anyone but me:
    bent woman = prodigal son (both captives, though admittedly in very different ways)
    synagogue leader = older son (captive to law/the way things "should" be)
    Jesus = Father

    Going to work on this for a while and see what happens.

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    1. How interesting, Esperanza. I can see how those themes might present themselves...

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  28. I am just sitting down here in the San Francisco Bay Area to put down some notes. Irish Breakfast tea and an eggwich (egg, bacon on an english muffin) to share. I've just come from my rowing practice, forty amazing women who go out at O Dark Thirty every day to put their backs to an oar. Truly a supportive community like this one.

    The bent-double woman is my hero. I appreciate the comments about women truly bent double in the congregation, of which we also have quite a few. But I am going to plow ahead, putting together the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington with the community (Jesus and the woman) which allowed the woman to stand up straight again, regain her dignity and respect.

    As I said earlier in the week, Pope Francis recently preached on this Gospel and commented that the woman's bent-over status was as a result of her own narcissism. Of course I completely disagree, choosing instead to understand her bent-over-ness as a result of the cultural and patriarchal biases of the time. Will try and weave in some comments about examining our own biases as well.

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    1. Good morning, Stacey. I love how we party through all the different time zones at this preachers party!
      I'd want to ditch what Pope Francis says about the woman too.

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    2. Liz, I love our time zone dimension too. And I love the reflection on your blog, Stooping God. I have printed it out as my companion towards preaching tomorrow morning. Thank you!

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  29. I am helping with a huge party tonight, so I've finished up early - it's a beautiful day here in eastern NC. Anyway, I am preaching from Luke and talking about the power of love that sets us free. Someone sent this youtube video to me, and I think it's a great example of seeing a person as a child of God versus a diagnosis. Well worth a watch.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrZXz10FcVM

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    1. I once saw this video used in dementia awareness workshop - powerful and moving.

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  30. I finished the sermon. Or finished until another edit or messing with it occurs!
    Thanks to all of you for being there. I lurk here most of the time enjoying the comments of people I know and hope to know.

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  31. It's a little after five and I'm just getting started with Isaiah and repairers of the breach. Have thought a lot about standing in the breach and am seeing all those who stood in Washington D.C. fifty years ago as people standing in the breach. But repairing the breach takes more work. Am remembering King's Letter From a Birmingham Jail and also all the little acts that go a long way to repairing the breaches in an ordinary life. Wish I had a start. Then I would see the finish line.

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    1. RevAlli - it takes a lot of folk working together to repair some breaches. But they all need someone to get things started. Hope it all came together for you.

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  32. Ooh, preachers jailed for politicking and Jesus breaking Sabbath laws...catchy! I had coffee and a peanut butter sandwich, nothing too glamorous here, put the baby down for a nap, and am taking a short sabbathy-nap before writing again. Daddy took the kids to the potluck/movie night at a neighboring church, so I think I have time to do both...

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  33. Am talking about what we are supposed to do on the Sabbath...be re-created, re-newed, re-juvenated (to feel young again, at root)...to walk, light candles and dine together with good china; even to spend time in the bedroom with our beloved...all are permissible on the sabbath.

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    1. Le Anne - we sometimes joke that its OK to do all these things on a Sunday - as long as we don't enjoy them! ( being Presbyterians) I like the direction you're headed.

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  34. I somehow managed to write myself into a corner only 1/4 of the way in to the sermon, so I decided to eat dinner and read a bit. Now it's 8:30 and I'm trying to pick back up, deleting a little and seeing if I can take it someplace...

    I forgot to share my amazing picked-this-morning corn on the cob. I still have some, and it's so sweet it's practically dessert...enjoy!

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  35. My name is Ed. I read your comments each week as I prepare my sermon and troll for ideas, inspiration and stories. I have never shared before despite the fact that I have looked at this blog for several years. I thought some might find this story useful for the Gospel text. Sorry it is so late on Saturday when I am sharing it. I just realized I had it at home.

    Once upon a time a fabulously wealthy king had a son whom he adored. The boy was bright and handsome -- perfect in every way -- except one. He had a severely hunched back. This saddened the king no end. So he proclaimed that a huge reward would go to the person who figured out how to heal the boy's back. Months and months past without a solution. Wise men and women with good ideas traveled to the palace from all over the region. But no one knew what to do.

    The, one day a famous healer and teacher happened into the kingdom and heard about the problem. "I don't want your reward," said the tiny woman, who was herself all scrunched over with age and wrinkled up like a prune. "But I do have your answer."

    This was her advice to the king: "In the center of your courtyard, you must construct a sculpture -- and exact replica of your dear son, with one exception. It's back must be straight and lovely in appearance. That is all. Trust God for the healing."

    With that, the healer disappeared and the king's artisans set to work. In due time a beautiful marble sculpture stood in the center of the courtyard. Everyday as the little boy played, he studied the figure admiringly. One day he realized, "Hey, that's me! That looks exactly like me!"

    Everyday the prince gazed lovingly at the sculpture. He began to identify with it.

    Bit by bit, the boy's back straightened. One day, as he watched his son running around, the King realized that the child's back was totally healed.

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    1. Welcome Ed - that is a beautiful story! I am so glad you joined in today; I have priest friends who are male who lurk but do not join in. I hope this will encourage them also.

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    2. Welcome Ed - and thanks for sharing!

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  36. Managed to link the "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil" with Satan mentioned in the Gospel - and talk about the notion of evil (happy thanks to NT Wright). Brought it around to institutional evils - such as racism - and encouraged us all to listen carefully to all of the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington: to be inspired to act in our own time and place to combat evil and not be tempted to be complacent.
    Whew - 1st one preached, two to go tomorrow.

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    1. Amy, lots of practical tie ups there. Praying for strength in your preaching marathon.

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  37. I've got a sermon! And even though it's on last week's gospel lesson, I share it here because it talks a bit about my new work with RevGalBlogPals. Here it is: This Girl is On Fire.

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    1. I love it Martha. Blessings on the preaching and the hearing!

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  38. Hello everyone...despite knowing all week pretty much what I've wanted to say in tomorrow's sermon, I have nothing on paper and have procrastinated all day (in some very helpful and productive ways, I should add).

    I'm going the Sabbath route tomorrow and preaching on the RCL gospel, contrasting it with the work/vocation theme I am planning on taking up in September. I just need to bite the bullet and get started. Like I do every week!

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  39. Semfem, I'm glad to have company in the late-night leg of this party. Still struggling with Isaiah. Don't quite understand why it's so hard. I love that passage.

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  40. I'm very late to the party. I've had printer drama all day. My printer died on Thursday and of course, there were pressing items that needed printed and of course, I can't just run out and get a replacement since I'm 2 hours from everywhere.

    I stopped and picked up a printer on the way home from helping my son's girlfriend move into to college on yesterday. Today when we try to set up the printer, it's defective. So it's 2 hours to exchange it (making sure this one works BEFORE we leave the store) and 2 hours home and then set up time and trying to figure out how to make it print and all the bells and whistles.....can you feel my pain?

    Anyway, I have the wedding sermon and bulletin done for tomorrow afternoon and everything for tomorrow morning but the sermon (and a bulletin insert I have just decided that I will not be including).

    Fortunately, I wrote an outline yesterday morning while driving to the college. So at least there's a starting point.

    My mojo is mo-gone. I just want to go to bed!

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    Replies
    1. Ramona - why do printer issues always get much worse on a Saturday?

      Delete
  41. I'm still here too...now contemplating whether to try to work in the March on Washington or if that would get me into another corner I can't figure a way out of....

    have some ice cream. mint chocolate chip with dark chocolate fudge sauce!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. And I decided to go with some concrete practices instead. The march on washington will have to go to the prayers of the people....

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    2. Eating that ice cream and fudge sauce sounds WAY better than hacking away at my sermon! NOM!

      Delete
  42. Stick a fork in me - I'm done! Off to join everyone else already in bed.

    I'll be the one walking the dog proudly in the morning.

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  43. Ready for another Sunday here. Toast and coffee are on. Hope you all have what you need for this day. Going o worship with thoughts of other RevGals greeting, preaching, presiding and hanging out all over the world - it's a great canvas to carry with me. And - the Holy Spirit has our backs.
    Be blessed!

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  44. Closing in on 3 AM here...but I almost have a sermon! Just need to find the ending.

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    Replies
    1. Almost there. Praying for that sprint to the finish.

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    2. Found it! And a kids' sermon on Jeremiah! Polished and printed, not a moment too soon. Off now to get a few hours of sleep.

      Blessings on everyone today!

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  45. Thanks, Joy. I love that you share your experience of the children's hospital in preaching this gospel. A well deserved beer!

    ReplyDelete

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