Ordinary 9B-33B

well, it’s that time again…the time when we look forward to another bulletin, another round of pondering the strangeness of the lectionary, another liturgy-writing extravaganza! Because really, how many liturgies do you know of that help us explore David’s prayer of lament over Saul and Jonathan at their death? Or “Paul’s” discussion of the match between “your present abundance and their need”?

Of course, there are wonderful possibilities with the psalm this week, and it’s move from crying out of the depths to trusting in the depths. And with the great story of Jesus and the two least important people in his society…the dying girl and the bleeding woman. Perhaps some of us will even be connecting those to current news stories.

So–where are you heading this week? What creative ideas do you have? Drop your phrases, images, or even just a word or vague idea into the comments, and let’s create together!

Have you ever noticed that even when you’re out of town, Sunday still comes? Or that even in summer there are still only 168 hours in a week? Yeah…

So, in the few remaining hours before Sunday, what are you contemplating?

Are you looking at that David and Goliath story and wondering if you can pull off a reader’s theater complete with audience participation, as we did last week at the Montreat Youth Conference? (half the auditorium were Philistines, the other half Israelites…we taunted each other in between various sections of the reading…)

Are you wondering if you can preach about the comfort of your own pillow in the midst of the storm?

Perhaps you’re pondering yet another of Paul’s lists and exhortations.

Are you doing a summer series? What’s the theme? (Ours is “people’s choice”–we asked for suggestions, so this week I’ll be preaching on the who-what-where-when-why-how of prayer…)

Drop in and share your ideas, your seeds of ideas, your germs of seeds…who knows, the conversation may spark something new and fabulous that we can all use!