[This post is adapted from a sermon on Matthew 28:1-10] A rather interesting discussion emerged on my Facebook page this week about Easter sermons. Many were lamenting how difficult they are; a couple were suggesting that there is no need to even preach on Easter–that the story speaks for itself. And then my college chaplain…
*Below is the last part of my Easter sermon from this past Sunday (Luke 24:1-12). You can find the entire sermon here. I know that Easter sermons usually focus on the women–their faithfulness, their witness. Or maybe on the men and their disbelief. Or, if we preachers just want to go for the obvious, we…
This is a prayer we prayed at the memorial service for Lola Lohrentz last week. Some of this imagery comes from Psalm 46, which she chose to have read at her service. Lola is deeply loved and deeply missed. I could tell you many wonderful things about her, but she most definitely told me that…
Reading the Bible and writing poetry in a quiet house. Life is good today. Thank you for your words for my sestina. The poem I wrote is below. If you’ve written one, I’d love to see it! You can send it to me via the “Contact” page–and let me know if I am allowed to…
I love to play with words–their sounds, their flexibility, their clarity and their ability to obscure. I suppose this playfulness can get irritating in a preacher. So I’m going to channel some of that energy into poetry. Yesterday I re-read and slightly revised a sestina that I wrote during our Lenten Creative Arts Retreat. Sestinas…
I love to plan worship services. I love to arrange for the participants, select the hymns, write the prayers, choose the readings . . . I love every part. And I want it all to be perfect. I had this problem even before I was a pastor. My wedding, for example. I didn’t spend much…
I do not have our Sunday worship service completely planned yet, though I’m getting close. I offer some worship pieces below that may or may not be used at Peace Mennonite Church this coming Sunday. I pray you are each having a blessed Holy Week. Call to Worship Christ is Risen! Christ is Risen Indeed!…
