Sweet Spots
Ideas and messages from Len Sweet.
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A Pastor’s Prayer
I am a pastor. Therefore, as I go through each new day Lord, hold me in your care, safe from harming and free from sin.
In my travels Lord, I will meet many people for a short time. Not all will see you in my eyes the way I hoped they would. Some may make me feel impatient, and some will find me irritating. Lord help me to be a blessing, to minister with love and with consideration of all whom I meet.
Please be my guide as I forge new roads; be my light when the way forward seems uncertain.
Bless my church, my home, and those I love. Watch between us when we are apart, and bring me back when journeying is done.
Jesus traveled many miles, often weary and in danger, always healing, teaching, pardoning people as he passed by.
Lord, make my life a journey of pilgrimage to you; as I go on my way, wherever that may be, cleanse me and make me a ‘pastor’ worthy of you.
Amen.
*Adapted from “A Pastoral Prayer Book” by Raymond Chapman
Honoring Howard Finster
Be a Metaphor Miner –6/14/15
Semiotic sermon builders are metaphor miners. When you read a text, underline the metaphors you see right away. As you mine those metaphors for meaning, chances are, others will emerge as well. Soon your metaphors will begin to form a web of interconnections illuminating scripture in ways you’ve never seen…
Learning for the Love of God: A Student’s Guide to Academic Faithfulness
Learning for the Love of God
A Student’s Guide to Academic Faithfulness
by Donald Opitz and Derek Melleby
June is a month that has a lot going for it: warm weather, flowers in bloom, long periods of daylight, and high school graduations. I love high school graduations. They are genuinely happy occasions for everyone involved. Graduations are about public acknowledgement for students, parents, and educators who have persevered through thick and thin to reach this meaningful goal. Graduations honor students’ past and present academic, athletic, and community achievements, and they turn our attention to the hopeful future these young people have ahead of them as they further their educations and embark on their vocations. Graduations are times of celebrating the past, present, and future, both as families and communities. Definitely a time to party! read more…
Are You Using Magic? Yes, It’s Called Technique
A loonie appears from behind the child’s ear. A sword goes right through the box, but the assistant comes out whole. And the classic –a rabbit pulled from an empty hat! We love to see magic tricks performed by the masters. We ooooh and aaaaah. We’re spell-bound!
Technique is the musician’s magic. The trumpeter’s triple tonguing. The violinist’s triple and quadruple stops. And the vocalist’s amazing high ‘C’. Feats of remarkable technique – just like magic. read more…
Story
Let the story work on you before you work on a story. Don’t theologize until you let the story put your soul through a work-out
Choice and Consequences: or, What is the Unpardonable Sin?
Choice and Consequences: or, What Is The Unpardonable Sin? 07 June 2015 Lectionary 1 Samuel 8:4-20 (11:14-15) Psalm 138 2 Corinthians 4:13-5:1 Mark 3:20-35 Text to Life (based on Mark 3:20-35) One of the biggest lies we learned as children was this one from a 19th century nursery rhyme: …
The Surrogate
The Surrogate Story Lectionary Genesis 38: The Story of Tamar Joshua 1-6: The Story of Rahab The Story of Ruth Numbers 9: All shall keep the Passover, one Passover for resident and native 2 Samuel 11-12: The Story of Bathsheba (the wife of Uriah) and King David Psalm 47…
Practice Makes Perfect?
This week we return to Victor Wooton’s book The Music Lesson. We have explored groove, notes, articulation and saying ‘thank you’. Today’s lesson is technique.
Technique is the skill or ability to carry out a particular task. It is the result of attention and practice. read more…
Pastor’s Prayer from Ephesians 6 — 6/8/15
“I am strong in the Lord, and in the strength of his power. I put on the whole armor of God, so that I may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil, for my struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore I take up the whole armor of God, so that I may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. I stand therefore, and I fasten the belt of truth around my waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness. As shoes for my feet, I will put on whatever will make me ready to proclaim a gospel of peace. With all of these, I take the shield of faith, with which I will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. I take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. I pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end, I keep alert and always persevere in supplication for the saints. I pray also for myself, that when I speak, a message may be given to me to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. I pray that I may declare it boldly, as I must speak.” Amen.
From Ephesians 6:10-20 paraphrased by Leonard Sweet