a great day
I have never been so conscious about anything before in my life before as my preaching the past month. It is as though I have not hit on any cylinders with my congregations. I realize that part of the issue is a cross-cultural difference. One of my favorite words (along with others) is the word solidarity. My wife told me two weeks ago that I probably shouldn't use the word because it was not in the vocabulary here...now i know I could do a sermon about that alone but that is not my point.
Praying, sweating, all that stuff has accompanied me. I admit that part of the problem is that I often don't have a lot of deep thoughts and am pretty much an introvert but there has to be a middle ground for me.
Well I got sick of all of this and decided to take a chance on Sunday. I decided to tell 25% of the book of Genesis in 20 minutes. The OT reading of course was about Joseph and his band of brothers. I decided to start at Genesis 37 and go all the way to 50 telling Joseph's complete story without any notes or the like. AND...for the first time being here I received more than one comment about the sermon. The HUGE void ended and I realized that the story is important in this setting. Especially about a family where all there is around here are families! It is a great feeling to be telling a story while two kids are screaming (in a very small church) and you still have all the adults attention.
OK, so don't get me wrong I am still very humbled by all this job calls me to, but it is nice to start a week on the uphill with some energy. Go team open-country parish...
But what happened to my other team?????
Here's to a fresh breath...even if it isn't from a Rocky Mountain High!
Paz
posted by Chad K @ 9/12/2005 09:24:00 PM
4 comments
4 Comments:
no comment on the packers...
as far as preaching goes, i believe it is important to connect with your congregation when preaching but i think you need to be true to yourself as well. part of the excitement for me about parish ministry is figuring out just who these people are. i believe you will connect on some level the first time you preach, the rest of the connection takes a lifetime. learning their lingo and their experiences can help a boatload when trying to figure out how to bridge the gap between the two of you and the rest of the congregation.
here is to experiencing rocky mountain highs wherever you are!
yay! glad to know that you have a chance to breathe a bit easier. there's nothing worse than standing up front and feeling like no one can hear you or if they can, they're not listening.
i think you're exactly right about story. there's something huge about that for all people, and especially rural people. it makes you more real, and helps them connect with you. once they trust you, you can take them almost anywhere, but story invites them into the conversation because it's the way they talk about themselves and one another.
kudos for trying something new, both with the preaching and with the call. both of you are very brave.
packers suck. better hop on a better band wagon. just don't tell my parishioners i suggested it.
peace
chad, remind me if you will who denver beat in the superbowl in January of 1998. i can't remember who it was- i just know it was their first superbowl win- and it was a team from the midwest that they beat. thanks
i am so delighted for you as your call is playing out in wonderful ways. thanks for your thoughfulness in what you post- i enjoy reading it very much.
go broncos
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