Read more of our newsletter at Issue 16, April 1, 2016
Minister’s Musings…
At the end of the month I am faced with giving the administrators a list of sermon topics for the upcoming month. This always stresses me out a bit. What if by the end of the month, I don’t like my topic choice anymore? What if something happens in the world and I want to preach about that instead? A colleague of mine, Victoria Weinstein had similar struggles and wrote this about the topic.
“Last Sunday morning I picked up the phone in the office at the Unitarian Church of Baton Rouge, LA. After I said, “Good morning, Unitarian Church,” a woman’s voice said, “Good morning! Can you tell me what the topic is this morning?” I thought real fast and said, “The topic is, “COME TO CHURCH ANYWAY!” Come no matter what the topic is, because your church needs you and you need your church, and it doesn’t matter what the preachers going to say! I was the preacher that morning, and I knew it was true. The woman patiently waited while I finished my enthusiastic pitch, winding down by lamely adding, “Um, the topic is actually ‘On Resilience.’ ” “Thank you,” she said, and hung up. Sometimes I wish we could do away with advertising sermon topics in advance altogether and just say for every week, “Today’s sermon is called COME ANYWAY.” Sermons are living things. They are a response to our life together and may wind up taking a very different direction than what the preacher originally advertised. You never know. Come anyway. The church needs you.”
Her words are so true. I would also add that sometimes people ask me “who is preaching?” The truth is that worship services here are consistently amazing. The music and choir are fabulous, the lay leaders and worship associates are incredibly talented and competent. Social hour ALWAYS boasts tasty food, delicious coffee and interesting conversation. The kids are irresistible, the prayers are heartfelt and no matter who is preaching or what the topic is, you can expect to be moved, inspired, provoked, reduced to tears and maybe all of those, all at once. But the most important part of worship is what is created by the simple presence of all of us gathered together. The power of common belief, common values, shared vision, collective voices, and community is what makes worship miraculous. Your presence makes a difference. So no matter who is preaching or what topic might be advertised in the newsletter, come anyway. You never know what you might miss if you don’t come and I can guarantee if you are not there, you WILL be missed.
Blessings, Rev. Sue
Read more of our newsletter at Issue 16, April 1, 2016