If you are part of a Western church that tries to live into the Church year, Protestant or Catholic, you know that in Advent there is a battle afoot. Our churches tell us to focus on Advent. Advent is the ramp-up to Christmas. This season is about waiting for Christ to come — remembering Christmas […]
Letters to a Young Pastor: The Children’s Sermon — Metaphors
Dear ______: Sorry I haven’t written for a while. I launched a new class, and that took my attention from most other things. But it sounds like in your field education position you are getting to continue your thinking about children’s sermons. As you wrote, My supervisor has a unique way of doing his children’s […]
Letters to a Young Pastor: The Children’s Sermon — Why Prepare?
Dear ______: Thanks for your note. Yes, I do often say things like When you are done preparing your children’s sermon, look at what you have written.” Actually I was wondering when you would notice. I’m not entirely surprised that you objected. Why should I write out my children’s sermon?” you ask. “The kids are […]
Monday Meditation: RCL Year B, 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time, John 6:35, 41-51
This week’s lectionary Gospel text (John 6:35, 41-51) starts with the same verse we ended with last week. Then, oddly, it skips four verses before continuing the story. It is the middle week of a five-week-long revel in John 6, as Jesus discusses, debates, and disputes about manna from heaven and himself as the “Bread […]
Letters to a Young Pastor: The Children’s Sermon — Is it THIS text?
Dear ______: You make a good observation when you say “Half the battle is done if the point you make to the kids is rooted in a biblical text.” But at the risk of mixing my metaphors, any preacher who stops because half the battle is done will preach a sermon that is only half-baked. […]
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