Mindful Leader

Narrative Lectionary -- New Testament Week Three -- 1st Sunday of Christmas - Simeon and Anna

A little riff here on the idea of "New Year's Resolutions" and play with that.  This is Luke 2: 21-36 (or so).  Simeon and Anna -- their resolve.  

Narrative Lectionary -- Old Testament Week Six -- David and Nathan

David is going to build a house and Nathan says sure.  Then God shows up.  

Narrative Lectionary -- Old Testament Week Two -- Genesis 15

Genesis 15 but more than that really.  This is really the introduction to Abraham and that faith tradition.  The reflection plays with the idea of promise as a commitment but also promise as worthy of recognition now because of future potential.  

Narrative Lectionary -- Old Testament Week One -- Genesis 1

We start the Narrative Lectionary for 2016 to 2017.  Genesis 1.  Emily Flemming preaching on creation and creativity.  

Forgotten Women of the Bible -- Esther

My fourth look at Forgotten Women of the Bible -- and I focused in this series on OT women.  This one is Esther.  Here I got into the tyranny of the now versus the urgency of the now, and to some extent this was a reflection on how we got to where we were in September with having a Pastor Emily here.  

Youth Mission Report Sunday

Noah Haight is reading the Scripture.  Short excerpt of the Summer Singers.  Melissa Doloff introducing the speakers.  Lindsay Blanchett, Jaimie Olson, Isaac Reese, and then moi.  Youth went to Mescalero, New Mexico.  Scripture is from Sermon on the Mount and not putting our lights under a basket.  

Creeds -- Week 2

The Sunday after the shootings in Louisiana, Minnesota, and Dallas.  Deuteronomy 6: 4-9 (read by liturgist) and 1 Corinthians 8: 1-6.  Yes, I revised the sermon after the events of last week.  

We are speaking to the Nicene Creed -- and this is the passage on God.  

Creeds -- Week 1

A first look at creeds.  This will be a fie week series on Creeds.  There will be a focus on both the Apostles Creed and the Nicene Creed.  This week is focused on why they are of import to us.  It clearly uses July 4th as an illustration for why creeds are of value.  

The main function of this week is to set the stage for the following four weeks.  

Year End Report

Setting a bit of the stage for Mark but this is more of a year end report.  This particular sermon is at the 9:00 AM service.  

Who Picked This Scripture ? God Did!

Thanksgiving week and the Narrative Lectionary gave me Isaiah 5: 1-7 and Isaiah 11: 1-9.  I think the key to this reflection is the Henri Nouwen in the middle.  It is the bridge ... but it is also the fact that this is week 52 of the church year (as it relates to the calendar).  This is Christ the King Sunday.  

The title comes from how I open the sermon -- a scene of death and brokenness and devastation and then we have to preach on Thanksgiving?  Huh?  

But to return to the Nouwen ... we are who we are as a result of the lives we have lived.  We need to get away from this idea of selecting this and rejecting that.  All of it is makes us who we are ...