Sweet Spots
Ideas and messages from Len Sweet.
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Be prepared to tell the story! –preaching tip for 11 September 2016
Be prepared! Don’t try to prepare your sermon just before the church service when your parishioners are trying to see you. Don’t try to review it during the church service, when you need to be present (the rest of the service is important too!) Don’t try to come up with…
Pastor’s Prayer for 11 September 2016
O merciful God,
whatever You may deny me,
do not deny me this love.
Save me from the idolatry of loving the world,
or any of the things of the world.
Let me never love any creature
but for Your sake and in subordination to Your love.
Take full possession of my heart;
raise there Your throne
and command there as You do in heaven.
Being created by You, let me live to You;
being created for You,
let me ever act for Your glory;
being redeemed by You,
let me render to You what is Yours
and let my spirit ever cleave to You alone.
– John Wesley
The Wright Brothers
The Wright Brothers
by David McCullough
Among the many intriguing stories and historical notes in the New York Times Best Seller The Wright Brothers (Simon & Schuster, 2015), by David McCullough, there is this bit of information: Even though the motto of the state of North Carolina is “First In Flight,” the Wright brothers were not natives or even long-time residents of North Carolina. For Wilbur, (April 16, 1867–May 30, 1912) and Orville (August 19, 1871–January 30, 1948) Wright, Dayton, Ohio, was home. Dayton is also where they designed and built their historically important airplane, the Wright Flyer. The ordinary Midwestern town of Dayton figures more prominently in the Wright brothers’ lives, and in McCullough’s book, than any other city in which the Wright’s made flight-history — and there were many such cities, both in the US and in Europe. read more…
Back to School
What Religion Would Jesus Belong To?
Trend Hunters and Futurist Have Their Own Conventions to ‘keep their ear to the ground.’
What do you do to stay connected with the ideas and trends (zeitgeist) of those you serve? read more…
An Activated Faith
Here’s the idea for a second sermon that seeks to help our people understand the theological differences between the three stages of faith: justification, sanctification, and glorification. I am thinking of these three referents for each one of the “tions”: Activate—-Animate—-Liberate. In other words, faith activation (justification) requires faith animation…
When Abraham Left Haran
God gave Abram a calling to leave Haran, step into the unknown, and “father” a people. At age 99, God called Abram to the higher calling of becoming Abraham, to be a “high father,” the father of many generations who would “bless all peoples of the earth” (Gen12:2-3). Each of…
Fertilize a Metaphor
The last long weekend of summer (until Thanksgiving) is almost upon us. It seems as if everyone is asking, “What are you doing for Labor Day?” The grocery stores are stocking up for the final BBQ extravaganza – the weekend where we gather with friends and sit by whatever water we can find, to share food and stories and laughter.
While Labor Day is ostensibly a holiday to celebrate the labor movement and the advancement of worker’s achievements, it most often reminds me of the importance of the “micro” view of the world. Looking at it from the perspective of the small, component parts of the modern world, I see the value that each of us bring, a day at a time, to the symbiotic relationships of life. Our individual effort, offered with joy and intention, makes a difference – a big difference – in the unfolding of our work and our relationships and our ministry. We can each be a part, do our part, and celebrate a part of our here-and-now life. read more…
Apples, Onions, and Cheese
Apples, Onions, and Cheese Story Lectionary 4 September 2016 The Story of Dinah and Schechem (Genesis 34) The Story of the Saving of Moses by Batya (Bithiah), Daughter of Pharaoh (Exodus 1 and 2) The Story of Samson and Delilah (Judges 16) The Story of Ruth Psalm 37: The Salvation…
You’re Not Home Yet
You’re Not Home Yet Lectionary 4 September 2016 16th Sunday After Pentecost Jeremiah 18:1-11 Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18 Philemon 1-21 Luke 14:25-33 Text to Life [Here’s an idea for Labor Day Sunday: Send out on social media an invitation for the people of your church to bring to church images of…
No Pats, No Bashes –Preaching Tip for 4 September 2016
When you preach, you don’t want to pat your congregation on the head and tell them everything they do is ok and good. Jesus was clear that there is a difference between right and wrong, sin and not. Jesus forgave sins, but also bade people to sin no more thereafter. …