Musings from an Accidental Preacher
In this documentary “A Will to Preach,” join me as I move through the process of preparing to preach at a church in Salisbury, NC. Included on that webpage is an interview I did in February at Buncombe United Methodist Church in Greenville, SC. Hope you enjoy!
It was good to be at the church being served by my former student, David Joyner, this Sunday, preaching on the Beatitudes at Rocky Mount, UMC.
It was wonderful to be back at St. Luke’s Episcopal on Sunday with my friend, Robert Black. St. Luke’s is doing some excellent work in the community, particularly in the area of race and the church.
“It’s easy to come up with reasons for displeasure with the state of the church. Low hanging fruit. Only Christ gives us the inspiration and chutzpa to stick with the beleaguered body of Christ.”
Take a minute to read and see why folks are staying in the UMC.I trust you’ll be encouraged for your own work in ministry to which God has called you.
https://www.ministrymatters.com/all/entry/11484/why-are-they-staying
Just before Christmas, Patrick White was murdered in his law office by a client. Molly Brock White, my student, teaching assistant, Methodist preacher and Patrick’s spouse asked me to preach at Patrick’s Service of Death and Resurrection that was held at Hays Barton UMC in Raleigh on The Epiphany. Molly offered a wonderful prayer and I preached. A number of you have asked to see the service.
Will
Ministry Matters published my sermon resource for the upcoming Christmas Sunday. In a world all-too-full of sad chidings, let us join the heavenly hosts in proclaiming good tidings: “Rejoice! For unto you is born this day in the City of David, a Savior—Christ the Lord.”
“The good news is that Jesus wants more than a “personal relationship” with you. He is Lord, satisfied with nothing less than being light for the whole darkened world. The good news we’ve heard in Jesus Christ this day is good news for all. Therefore, our gospel word to the world is not one of condemnation, judgement, or criticism. It’s a word that enables us to say to the whole, fallen, suffering, hurting, fearful world, ‘Rejoice!'”
It was a joy to preach at the Covenanting Service for Dr. Jason Byassee at Timothy Eaton Memorial Church in Toronto. After a distinguished career teaching at Vancouver School of Theology, Jason has come to this historic Canadian congregation to give them leadership into the future. Taking John 3 as my text, I reflected about some of the challenges the church faces in the future and how the Holy Spirit helps us to meet those challenge.
When Christianity Today selected some of the best Christmas sermons, I was humbled that one of mine was selected, a kind of anti-Christmas sermon of a sermon
https://www.preachingtoday.com/sermons/sermons/2005/august/2084.html
It was great to join Bishop Ken Carter on Crackers & Grape Juice this week. He’s got a new book out titled God Will Make a Way: Spiritual Life and Leadership in a Contested Season. I hope you’ll listen, enjoy, and pick up a copy of Ken’s book!
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/crackers-and-grape-juice/id1100507919?i=1000588548272
It was great to visit St. David’s Denton last week. You’ll find the sermon and a discussion of Listeners Dare: Hearing God in the Sermon below. I hope you’ll enjoy these!
Sermon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzX6VM9cd0k&t=82s
Discussion: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jwq5DncxtLY
I wrapped up a series of conversations on Don’t Look Back: Methodist Hope for What Comes Next with the folks at Crackers & Grape Juice a couple weeks ago. We talked through the major themes of the book, and ended with Q&A on how we Methodists might move forward through this moment of division in our corner of the Church. I hope these videos will be a resource for you and your congregation! – Will
Peculiar Prophet