12/18/2019
We just celebrated the third week of Advent which indicates that Christmas is very near. As it draws closer, sometimes the sense of urgency increases which seems to further shove the reason for the season aside.
I saw this picture of a wreath on a facebook post from a friend. I had never seen it before and think it is very profound. Christmas is the season but Jesus is the reason. It made me stop to ponder…
-With all of the Christmas preparations we seem to impose upon ourselves, do we always remember the truth behind all the trappings? Even as a pastoral staff, this season brings to us additional work and stress in addition to the busy-ness of the season with our own lives. We too are challenged to look beyond all of the deadlines for what is to be accomplished to the real truth and meaning of the season.
-The wreath is divided in half. I had to ask myself, out of everything that I seem to be busy with at this time of the year, does the correct reason get at least ½ of my heart and attention? Or is it getting less than ½?
As we draw nearer to Christmas Day, may we draw nearer to Jesus. May we remember that Jesus is the reason for the season.
Rev. Patti Napier
Archived Posts
What just missed the cut for Sunday’s Sermon
Naaman’s servants may actually become one of the hidden gems of the sermon. They say, essentially: “If the prophet had told you to do something difficult, you would have done it.”
One of the Longest Benedictions I Ran Out of Time to Share
Maybe you know the story of how Joseph and Mary accidentally left Jesus at the gas station on their way home from Jerusalem. Well, not the gas station bathroom in Jesus’ case. Joe and Mary are far down the road before they realize Jesus isn’t with them...
So many quips and quotes...
So little time to preach
I wonder what Mary and Martha’s phones might look like:
* Martha = the open browser with 27 tabs
* Mary = the single window that matters
* Psalm 46 = God saying, “Close the tabs.”
Quotable Outtakes That Didn’t Make the Sermon This Week
“When you try to control everything, you don’t just exhaust yourself—you quietly replace trust in God with trust in you.” & more
There is a challenge when it comes to preaching the Word of God.
Preachers are called to open up and interpret the word—inspired and written down thousands of years ago—and make it relevant to a very different world. On top of that there’s a degree of persuasion that goes along with the process.
What Jessica Really Meant to Say in Her Sermon…
When Jessica or Rick or a guest preacher takes the pulpit it’s hard for me to write a One More Thing Blog. I can’t share with you what didn’t make it into the sermon because I have no idea, not having written or delivered it.
Jesus Keeps On Ruining Funerals!
I didn’t have anything this last week that didn’t end up in the sermon. No catchy illustrations that didn’t make the cut. No theological insights that slowed down the main point. No one can ruin a funeral like Jesus. Told as I saw it and that was it. So I did some quick research and I thought I’d share just a reminder of what Easter is all about.