Preaching each week...3 1/2 years later

Dear Friends, (especially my Presbyterian brothers and sisters)

I tend to think that while it takes UM students longer to complete seminary, there are some advantages to serving as a student local pastor during seminary...

After 3 1/2 years at Apple River UMC I have been through the lectionary cycle as well as the liturgical calendar...I still struggle with some of the same preaching issues that you share...and yet God provides.

This is what I have learned...

Lent is much harder than Advent/Christmas. I think that its because it means much more to me than to the average parishoner...finding a way to make Lent meaningful is still a challenge.
(By the way, I really like to use some of the elements from Cloth From the Cradle for advent/Christmas - and this year I ordered the Iona Community Lent/Easter book...)

The lectionary is my friend - but so is preaching Lectio through a book during long stretches of ordinary time. 2 summers ago it was Genesis...complete with powerpoint pics of some of the great art of the world to emphasize some of the points... this year - inspired by our Acts reflections during Missional Church with Bonnie Sue - I preached through Acts. Get out those exegesis papers and notes from class and take them on a ride through a book of the Bible.

That being said, small group ministry is where it's at...because just a short while after the aforementioned Genesis series - I was leading an OT Disciple Bible Study short course - and more than one member of the class said "I have never heard this story in the Bible before" I wanted to die - I had preached what I thought was a pretty good sermon on that passage just 6 weeks earlier! argh!!!!

Be faithful in your preaching of God's Word, love them, be kind, challenge them, try to tell their stories - especially at funerals. Oh and - read for fun...and meet the other pastors in town...and in the town next door.

Scott, I don't know that I can expect to have friends like I have had friends in the past - and so I agree that is a great struggle. Personally I can't flip a switch and be pastor one minute and friend the next...have tried here - and it does not work. May be a female thing - we are a bit different about relationships...lol

I may be a bit cynical about traditional Sunday worship - perhaps because I am worn out by the ultra small church (40-50 in worship) and the lack of resources...I think the folks here are doing as well as they can...it is hard to be at peace with being good enough.

You are all missed very much - our numbers are dwindling as 5 more graduated in December. Honestly I am glad this is about over...my focus right now is on a call from my District Superintendant offering me a church somewhere in Iowa...

Blessings,
Deb

Greetings from the Land of Ice!

We are still buried under a bit of ice. We are all watching the powerlines in hopes that they will not fall down. Thankfully we have only had power flickers not an outage. God is good

When Jewett mentioned the theological attributes of a banana it made me realize how much I am missing having conversations and strectching my brain in the area of theological studies. I am learning a lot about about how theology is lived out in a small town but I don not feel as if I am being challenged as much as I was while we were all in class. Is any one else encountering this?

Finally, will any of you out there share how you manage to get your sermon done and delivered well each Sunday? I could use some help in that area.

I pray that all of you are enjoying the winter weather. Take care.