Exodus 3 -- Moses is called, and he balks.  I treated this as "Good News, Bad News" but being called by God is actually good news, because God will be with us on this journey.  

From minute 1 to minute 6 is a Ministry Moment on how we are going to do Stewardship this Fall.  Heart talk!  

Two readings, 1 Kings 19 where Elijah is given a demonstration of God, and Genesis 11/12 with the Call of Abraham.  

Abraham is called to be a blessing.  Important.  Elijah has the advantage of history and knowledge of what God has done, but Abraham is starting out cold.  

We are like Abraham, called to be a blessing.  Often however we are like Elijah, the testimony of the "small, still voice" or "the sound of silence" is insufficent to move us from our own self-focus.  We need to keep remembering, God will Provide!  

This a mix of Genesis 1 and Psalm 8.  Both the choir and the praise band focused on the themes of creation and who are we?  My idea was to focus on the idea of through remembering, we are saying we believe.  I then moved to several "Continuity of God" ideas that connected our remembrance with anticipation ... 

First Sunday back after nine weeks gone.  The sermon was from 1 Corinthians 11: 24-27 or so and focused on the "big idea" of communion itself.  Take, bless, break, give.  This is also the Sunday where Eugene Peterson (of The Message) meets Ned Flanders (of The Simpsons).  Little longer than I meant for it to be -- was shooting for more like ten to twelve minutes, but ... it takes a while to get the pace and feel back, right?  At least that is the story and I am sticking to it!