I preach Christmas Eve. That's fine - I preached the same on internship. It's not the fact that a bunch of people will be there that has me wondering what to say - it's the old problem of how do I make this new? Most people come to church on Christmas Eve to sing songs, light candles and feel good about the world at least for a short time. I guess I see my challenge as breaking into that, a bit, to get people (or at least some of them) to be struck by scandal - God as a human, God as a baby, God in a humble stable, born on a trip. (BTW, if Joseph had family in Bethlehem, why weren't they mooching off of relatives for a place to sleep?)
Anyhoo...I wonder what to say. What will be the "there"? (do the hand gesture here, jprgmeck) I have a powerpoint of nativity images that I can run during or after my sermon...or both...but I'm not sure what the hook to the images will be. I'm thinking something about seeing the familiar in a new way (I have a variety of images from around the world and throughout time)...but I'm not sure.
I continue to ponder it in my heart.
About Me
- ktjhawk
- I grew up in North Dakota, lived in Kansas for 11 years spent 5-1/2 years in the San Francisco Bay area for seminary, and I am now an Associate Pastor in California, at Anonymous Lutheran Church (ALC).
1 comment:
Hand gestures are a go (I actually got a little crazy and smacked my pinkie finger against the keyboard...). So, good luck w/ Xmas Eve. Maybe it doesn't have to be a totally new thing you do w/ the texts and your message. If lots of people come to church to sing songs and light candles, they might also come for the comfort of hearing those familiar words. Like I say, good luck! I know you'll find something to say (well w/ a little help from the HS)
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