Mindful Leader

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 -- Full Armor of God

This is August 19, 2018.
Ephesians 6 and Full Armor of God, but rather focused on remembrance.  That was the big idea of the day.  Remember.  

Season of Pentecost - Ephesians 5 - Do not be triflingly employed

 
Ephesians 5: 15-20
15 Be careful then how you live, not as unwise people but as wise, 16 making the most of the time, because the days are evil. 17 So do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit, 19 as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts, 20 giving thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Played with the "making the most of the time" and used an alternate translation of "redeem the fullness of time" in order to do the will of God.  Being drunk means drifting, but instead be filled by the spirit, from our hearts through our focus on the music we sing.  

Season of Pentecost - Ephesians -- New Creation

Ephesians 4: 25-5:2
We are a new creation. 
Through a clear understanding of being that new creation, are now part of the body of Christ. 
Being part of that body calls on us to grow in love, not staying static but instead growing, growing, growing. 
The key is we are a new creation, putting away what we were, and embracing what is new

Season of Pentecost -- Ephesians 4 -- Unity is not unanimity.

Ephesians 4: 1-16
The body of Christ needs to be in unity.  That doesn’t mean unanimous but at the same time, unity.  I am not sure of the classical distinction on unity versus unanimity, but ‘whole body’, ‘knit together’ ‘every ligament’ are comments I think about religion and what binds us together.
Bind us together Lord. 

Season of Pentecost -- Ephesians 3 and a third rule for Leadership!

 
The leadership principle is pretty simple:  There is a God and you are not it!  I play with that during the text in different ways, but the real thing is for us to be open the revelation of God in our hearts, but inviting God in. Can we just let God be God and we get out of the way of blocking entrance or even worse perhaps, inviting in, but then not encouraging God to live in all the rooms of the house.   
This is the 9:00 AM Service.  
Ephesians 3: 14-21.  Jan Woodmansee is the liturgist and does the reading.  
Thank you to the various commentaries in Feasting on the Word.  Wonderful resource.  

Season of Pentecost -- Ephesians 2 and a Second Rule of Church Leadership

 
Ephesians 2: 13-22.  The second rule is to be grateful and remember those who came before us.  We are going to have seven weeks of Ephesians when done.  
This was preached on July 1, 2018 right before the July 4th midweek break.  I obviously felt we could do both -- secular and sacred.  

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.