Drafts 5 for Mac recently introduced the ability to do some basic scripting in JavaScript as an action in the application. Each time I prepare a sermon, the first step for me is to lookup the readings for the week on LectServe and then paste the readings into Drafts where I can start doing sermon preparation and, eventually, write my sermon. As soon as I saw actions and scripting introduced for Drafts, I knew I’d have to automate my sermon prep process.
Read more...Während der Adventszeit haben wir „O Komm, O Komm Immanuel“ gesungen. In die Weihnachten sangen wir von eine „Stille Nacht“ ob sich Christus geboren war. Am 6. Januar fingen wir mit der Epiphanie — oder die Erscheinung des Herrn — an. Ein Retter wird kommen. Ein Retter ist gekommen. Gekommen, aber nicht wie wir gedacht haben.
Wir stehen jetzt in die Mitte der Epiphaniezeit. Die drei Weisen aus dem Morgenland sind schon gekommen. Jesus war getauft und Vierzig Tage in Versuchung geführt. Letzte Woche, fand er normaler Fischer und sagte: „Kommt, folgt mir! Ich mache euch zu Menschenfischern.“
Read more...We started a pattern of family prayer back in Advent. Each night after dinner, I’d lead the family in prayer. Oliver (23 months) would listen(-ish) and join in the amens and Rosemary (~4) would chime in with the responses — “Hear our Prayer” — and lead the Lord’s Prayer. Having established a habit of prayer after dinner, I wanted to keep it moving forward even after the Advent calendars were empty and the wreath was put away.
Read more...“Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Matthew 4:19 (RSV)
In this room alone, how many sermons have we heard on this passage? Dozens? Maybe even hundreds? And, yet, these words are impactful each time. Why?
There are two main reasons, I think. The first is guilt. The second is hope.
For many people, their hearts sink at hearing this passage. They remember times they were called by Christ, but did not listen. They have guilt. They have anxiety. They worry they might again, maybe even in this moment, be confronted with another call. Again, they might have to decide to answer God’s call or to ignore it.
Read more...Back in October I launched a German-language worship service in Nashville, Tennessee. In the lead-up to launching St. Mang, I knew I’d need to focus on my German to get back to the point where I could write a sermon in German each month.
I immediately switched to German for my morning prayers using the 1984 Luther translation. Though there is a lot I like about Luther’s translation in German, it is not a great entry point into theological/ecclesial German. I found the language to be a barrier to getting back into German and especially towards my goal of writing simple sermons that native and non-native speakers of German could understand.
Read more...Jesus war geboren in Bethlehem zur Zeit des Königs Herodes. In Judäa gab es nur ein König. Aus der Sicht die jüdische Bevölkerung, Herodes war ein Verräter. Herodes hat - in Name des Römisches Reich - sein eigenes Volk erobert. Der war Vasallenkönig unter Kaiser. Als Vasallenkönig, verlangt Herodes Steuer für Rom auf die Leute. Verräter, Steuereinnehmer, Knecht unter Kaiser. Herodes war kein David. Er wusste es und sein Volk wussten es auch.
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