Frederick Buechner Sermon Illustration: Feed My Sheep
In our blog post every Monday we select a reading from the Revised Common Lectionary for the upcoming Sunday, and pair it with a Frederick Buechner reading on the same topic. Next Sunday we will celebrate the Fourth Sunday of Easter. Here are this week’s readings from the book of Psalms and the gospel of John...
John Calvin and Science—So Many Surprises
Calvin, the 16th century Protestant Reformer, not only asserted that we can discover truth in a variety of places, but that if we don’t accept the truth we find, we actually disgrace our God. At the time, he was thinking of secular philosophies. Still, since one of those philosophers, Lucretius, pondered “the nature of things,” or “natural philosophy” (the name for science until the 1830s), it’s really not a stretch to say that Calvin believed we needed to engage true scientific insights no matter the source.
Frederick Buechner Sermon Illustration: Messiah
In our blog post every Monday we select a reading from the Revised Common Lectionary for the upcoming Sunday, and pair it with a Frederick Buechner reading on the same topic. Next Sunday we will celebrate the Third Sunday of Easter. Here is this week’s reading from the book of Acts...
Ed Rosado: Peace be With You: How the Science of Peace Can Make a Difference in Our Lives
As we look towards the second Sunday of Easter, we are reminded of God’s ultimate desire for peace. Yet, it remains an elusive ideal. In my lifetime, I have witnessed wars, genocide, civil unrest, xenophobia, misogyny, and myriad other social injustices. All these elements work together to make peace something almost impossible to attain. And even when we wish to stem the inexorable proliferation of these societal evils by returning to some utopic era, the truth is that humankind has experienced these problems, probably since the beginning of time.
Make a Plan, Even a Bad One
I came across a book on my shelf recently: Wishcraft: How to Get What You Really Want, by Barbara Sher. It brought back a flood of memories. Early in my ministry, I faced a crisis in my call. I couldn’t find a position as a pastor. No one wanted a woman pastor--it was the 80s. Over many months, the only interview I had wasn’t a serious one. I seriously thought about pursuing another line of work. Then, my brother gave me a copy of Wishcraft. The book was transformative. It helped me step back from my
Hope for Easter
My eldest is a high school senior, the class of ’24, that endured an entirely remote freshman year. We were looking forward to her last round of exams, the decision of which college to attend, prom, graduation, and a lot what my daughter’s circle of friends has dubbed the senior sillies. Her friends are an amazing group—the kind that gives all who know them hope for the future—and their laughter delights us whenever they gather. However, nearly two weeks ago, the ground under their feet shifted and...
Frederick Buechner Sermon Illustration: The Truth of Stories
In our blog post every Monday we select a reading from the Revised Common Lectionary for the upcoming Sunday, and pair it with a Frederick Buechner reading on the same topic. Next Sunday we will celebrate Palm Sunday. Here is this week’s reading from the gospel of Mark 15:2-5:
Preaching that Connects Creation Care to Climate Change
...only 4 percent of evangelical Protestants who attend religious services regularly remember hearing “a great deal” of sermons discussing climate change, while 20 percent said some of the time. About 13 percent of mainline Protestants and Black Protestants said they heard sermons on climate change quite a bit. What’s more, congregants say they talk about climate change with other churchgoers even less than they heard messages about it from the pulpit...
Frederick Buechner Sermon Illustration: Salvation
In our blog post every Monday we select a reading from the Revised Common Lectionary for the upcoming Sunday, and pair it with a Frederick Buechner reading on the same topic. Next Sunday, we will celebrate the Fifth Sunday in Lent. Here is this week’s reading from the gospel of John 12:24-25:
How Do You Know What to Say Yes To and What to Say No To?
Life in ministry can feel like a barrage of requests and needs. Everyone wants a piece of you. And as you look around, you see so much that needs to be done. You’ve got to get to the hospital to visit someone. There’s a board meeting on Tuesday. And people are saying, “We should be doing (fill-in-the-blank).” Or, “We used to do (fill-in-the-blank), and we should start that up again.” Or, “you should visit (fill-in-the-blank).” Not to mention the denominational commitments and requests.
Frederick Buechner Sermon Illustration: Grace
In our blog post every Monday we will select a reading from the Revised Common Lectionary for the upcoming Sunday, and pair it with a Frederick Buechner reading on the same topic. Next Sunday we will celebrate The Fourth Sunday in Lent. Here is this week’s reading from the book of Ephesians 2:1-9:
Making 100 TikToks as Ministry
I’m by no means an expert on TikTok. God knows I watched a bunch of videos from people who say they are. Like many of you, I’m just doing ministry and learning every day. But by taking this journey, I’ve grown as a leader and I’ve grown my community. On average, I reach 10x more people per post (TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube combined) than I do in person. After making 100 TikToks as part of my ministry, here’s what I’ve learned...
Frederick Buechner Sermon Illustration: Foolishness
In our blog post every Monday we select a reading from the Revised Common Lectionary for the upcoming Sunday, and pair it with a Frederick Buechner reading on the same topic. Next Sunday, we will celebrate the Third Sunday in Lent. Here is this week’s reading from the book of 1 Corinthians 1:18-25:
The Playfulness of God
Play is how we first made sense of the world into which we were born. It was how we explored ourselves and our worlds, our divine outer and our divine inner realms. Unless we change and become like children, right? Then perhaps we will find our hands cupped and overflowing with the kingdom of God. Above this mycelium, Above the vast and rich traditions of playfulness that buoy and connect our cultures is what is visible on the forest floor of our existence.
Frederick Buechner Sermon Illustration: Abraham, Sarah, and Laughter
In our blog post every Monday we select a reading from the Revised Common Lectionary for the upcoming Sunday, and pair it with a Frederick Buechner reading on the same topic. Next Sunday, we will celebrate the Second Sunday in Lent. Here is this week’s reading from the book of Genesis 17:1-7, 15-17
The Father God who is no God-Father
In the course of a family household, there are characteristically two most demanding, most rewarding relationships: the relationship of marital partners and the relationship of parent and child. In Fences, the groundbreaking and oft-adapted play by August Wilson, Troy is the main character. He is a steady, reliable Black garbage collector who does his work every day, loves his family, and seeks out chances for small gains. In the play, Troy has a tangle with both of these primary relationships...
Frederick Buechner Sermon Illustration: Noah
In our blog post every Monday we select a reading from the Revised Common Lectionary for the upcoming Sunday, and pair it with a Frederick Buechner reading on the same topic. Next Sunday, we will celebrate the First Sunday in Lent. Here is this week’s reading from the book of Genesis 9:8-17
Frederick Buechner Sermon Illustration: Denouncer of Piety
For special days in the Christian calendar, we post an additional reading from the Revised Common Lectionary and pair it with a Frederick Buechner reading on the same topic. Today we mark Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent with a reading from the gospel of Matthew 6:1-5
The Hidden Secret of Winter Trees
The day I walked out to look up at the trees was dim and dreary. The trees, leafless and bare, formed an almost lace-like pattern against the gray winter sky. To a brief passerby, they probably appeared lifeless, dead even. I think we all know how that feels. Sometimes everything in life can feel and look bare and brittle, lifeless, even dead. However, there is way more going on under the surface than we realize...
Frederick Buechner Sermon Illustration: Transfiguration
In our blog post every Monday we will select a reading from the Revised Common Lectionary for the upcoming Sunday, and pair it with a Frederick Buechner reading on the same topic. This coming Sunday we will celebrate Transfiguration Sunday. Here is this week’s reading from the Gospel of Mark 9:2-9: