Mindful Leader

Season of Pentecost -- James -- Our Words

Pentecost 16:  18.09.16

Sunday Three of Five Straight RCL Sundays on James

As I indicate in the reflection, the passage was selected in April or May and then the week consumed me with how words had been misused.  It just seemed appropriate to take the events of the week and move them into the reflection.  My purpose was not to be mean, but to educate and learn.  Please try and listen w/o attaching names to the people.  An adventure in missing the point.  

James 3:1-12

¹ Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. ² For all of us make many mistakes. Anyone who makes no mistakes in speaking is perfect, able to keep the whole body in check with a bridle. ³ If we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we guide their whole bodies. ⁴ Or look at ships: though they are so large that it takes strong winds to drive them, yet they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. ⁵ So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great exploits. How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! ⁶ And the tongue is a fire. The tongue is placed among our members as a world of iniquity; it stains the whole body, sets on fire the cycle of nature, and is itself set on fire by hell. ⁷ For every species of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species, ⁸ but no one can tame the tongue—a restless evil, full of deadly poison. ⁹ With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God. ¹⁰ From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so. ¹¹ Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and brackish water? ¹² Can a fig tree, my brothers and sisters, yield olives, or a grapevine figs? No more can salt water yield fresh.

What is the Church ... really?

 

Our District Superintendent preaching on Kick Off Sunday.  Great Sermon.  Great!  Looks at what the church really is supposed to be and then ends with an enormous question.  The silence in the podcast was the silence that morning.  

Season of Pentecost: Ephesians First Rule of Church Leadership

Ephesians 1: 3-14 

Sermon one of seven from Ephesians.  Will introduce a "rule" per week.  

This week:  "Love your congregation where they are."  

 

Season of Pentecost -- If you can't get out of it, Get into it!

The 10:30 version of June 17th Sermon.  The title of "If you can't get out of it, get into it" comes from a Parker Palmer reflection I quote.  Use a couple of mountain climbing illustrations but the big idea is staying anchored in Jesus come good times or more challenging times. The other readings for this Sunday focused on horaculture themes of grafting and I used them a little.   

Season of Pentecost -- You Are the Light of the World!

 

Elder Mary Kavila preached on my behalf this June 10th last.  Her scripture was Matthew 5: 14-16.  As is usual when Mary preaches she brings both gentle understanding and a challenge to the application of the scripture.  

Season of Pentecost -- Graduate Recognition Sunday

 

The Scripture this week was from Old Testament Proverbs, Chapter 7, but the focus was more on the broader topic of faith, family, friends.  Played with idea of those three important words.  The setting was a borderline baccalureate service for Hilltop graduating students and chose to try and focus on how those hearing the words could use them to help be mentors and coaches.  

This Side of Easter: Making a Choice (May 13, 2018)

 

Ephesians 1 -- this is Mother's Day and we look at being a parent as a church.

This Side of Easter: Resurrection Remembered -- April 15, 2018

 

Acts 3 -- Mario looks at Peter (and John) who focus on remembering Jesus as resurrected.  What does it mean indeed to live on this side of Easter?  Part of it of course is to remember "he is risen, he is risen indeed."  Mario relies on N. T. Wright for part of his settling down points.  Tom Wright has made a visit or three to Hilltop ... great source for helping us frame our conversations.  

I also like how he used Acts 3 to be a place to talk to 1 Corinthians and Paul.  I like illustrations from the scripture!   

"All of my eggs are in that basket!"  

Stewardship Reflection #2

 

Stewardship Message #2 -- focus on the transformative elements of the Building ... Curtis Crichton is our Senior Trustee

Narrative Lectionary -- Called with Blessing in Mind!

 

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!