Sweet Spots
Ideas and messages from Len Sweet.
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The Metaphor of Gifts –Preaching Tip for 6 January 2019
What better time to talk about the meaning of gift giving, offerings, and support of ministry and mission than Epiphany. The gifts given to the Christ child are an example of what it means to “gift” back to God what God has so abundantly blessed us with already! For the…
Pastor’s Prayer for 6 January 2019
“We adore you, Christ, Son of the living God. In triumph you rose from the grave and bore in your hands the keys of death and hell: we rejoice in your almighty power and glory. Raise us up with you above all earthly desires. Inspire us with thoughts of joy, hope and love. Enter within our hearts and say, ‘Peace be with you.’ Give us grace to see you with the eyes of understanding so that we may know you walking by our side on our earthly pilgrimage. Come to us and dwell within us; stay with us and make yourself known to us in the scriptures and in the breaking of bread. Teach us, as we sail our boat through the darkness of life, to see you standing on the everlasting shore of peace and let us come to you across the waters.”
–from Downside Abbey Prayerbook, by David Foster (2001).
Calling All Wide Receivers!
Calling All Wide Receivers! Story Lectionary 30 December 2018 The Birth of Our Lord Celebration The Birth of Sons and the Favor of Abel (Genesis 4) Joseph and His Multi-Colored Coat (Genesis 36 and 38) Moses and the Pleasure of the Lord (Exodus 33) The Favor of the Lord Upon…
Suit Up
Suit Up –Guest Sermon by Jesse Caldwell Lectionary 30 December 2018 1st Sunday After Christmas 1 Samuel 2:18-20, 26 Psalm 148 Colossians 3:12-17 Luke 2:41-52 Text to Life Props: Before you begin the sermon, pass out paper and pens or pencils. During the message, you will be asking them to…
Starlight –Preaching Tip for 30 December 1018
The metaphor of light is integral to understanding the gospel message. Looking at the metaphor of the “star” can help to connect people to the “Light coming into the world.” Use symbols of stars, visuals, light to make this experience totally awesome.
Pastor’s Prayer for 30 December 2018
Loving God, Help us remember the birth of Jesus,
that we may share in the song of the angels,
the gladness of the shepherds,
and worship of the wise men.
Close the door of hate
and open the door of love all over the world.
Let kindness come with every gift and good desires with every greeting.
Deliver us from evil by the blessing which Christ brings,
and teach us to be merry with clear hearts.
May the Christmas morning make us happy to be thy children,
and Christmas evening bring us to our beds with grateful thoughts,
forgiving and forgiven, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.
— Robert Louis Stevenson
The Star
The Star featuring the voices of Steven Yeun, Keegan-Michael Key, and Aidy Bryant; rated PG
–Review by Ashley Davis
Keeping with Len’s animal theme for this month, I watched The Star on Netflix. The Star follows Jesus’ birth story from the perspective of animals—Bo, a brave donkey; Dave, a spunky dove; Ruth, a lost sheep; and several other eccentric characters.
Voice casting was on point with the main trio of characters, as well as Gina Rodriguez as Mary (genius casting if you’ve seen Jane the Virgin), Oprah as Deborah the camel, and Christopher Plummer as Herod. You will also recognize voices of Tyler Perry, Tracy Morgan, Gabriel Iglesias, Kris Kristofferson, and many others. read more…
The Star
The Star featuring the voices of Steven Yeun, Keegan-Michael Key, and Aidy Bryant; rated PG
–Review by Ashley Davis
Keeping with Len’s animal theme for this month, I watched The Star on Netflix. The Star follows Jesus’ birth story from the perspective of animals—Bo, a brave donkey; Dave, a spunky dove; Ruth, a lost sheep; and several other eccentric characters.
Voice casting was on point with the main trio of characters, as well as Gina Rodriguez as Mary (genius casting if you’ve seen Jane the Virgin), Oprah as Deborah the camel, and Christopher Plummer as Herod. You will also recognize voices of Tyler Perry, Tracy Morgan, Gabriel Iglesias, Kris Kristofferson, and many others. read more…
Advent 4: Waiting for Light
In the weeks before Christmas – as the days get shorter and the nights get longer – there is chill to the air that makes it difficult to remember the feeling of the light. In northern regions, it’s dark when you go to work and dark when you go home. The smallest light can bring hope and delight. A few years ago, I filled my front window with tiny battery-powered tea lights at the beginning of Advent and kept them lit until Epiphany. Night and day, week after week, in the darkest days of the year, I held vigil with tiny lights. Those candles represented persistence to me; the insistence that light would not be overcome by any darkness. I looked forward to coming home and seeing them peeking at me from the window. A neighbor commented that she liked those lights better than the ones on the outside of the other houses because she had a feeling that the tea lights represented love, flickering out to the neighborhood. read more…
Make Christmas EPIC! -Preaching Tip for 23 December 2018
Sights, smells, visual treats, music –there’s no time like Christmas to practice making your services EPIC –experiential, participatory, image-rich, connective. Allow people to worship hands-on! This embodiment of the message will keep them thinking about Jesus all through the Christmas season!