Category: Ministry

Posted in Ministry

Jesus laughing

Posted on by William Douthwaite

Today’s Advent candle was pink. On this Sunday the theme of joy resonated through the lessons. So I wondered out loud today, is joy a common response to God’s presence with us?

David danced for joy when the ark came back to Jerusalem. Unborn John the Baptist jumped for joy when the unborn Son of God showed up at his mom’s house. The magi rejoiced with exceeding joy when they saw the star. When God shows up to save, joy follows.

Even God rejoices. He rejoices to be with his people, to be reconciled to them, to see their lives restored. I wonder how many people picture God as a happy, joyful God rather than a stern, angry God.

We have a picture of a laughing Jesus in our house. I brought it for the children’s sermon today and asked, “Why do you think Jesus is so happy?” One young man, probably about five, said, “I think Jesus is laughing because someone just told a joke.” I really liked that answer. I like to think of God as someone with a sense of humor. If the Son of God can experience grief, why not joy?

In John15 Jesus wants his disciples to have the same joy that he has, so he must be joyful. Every time someone could see or hear again, got up and walked, or even came back to life, I like to picture Jesus filled with joy, seeing his creation restored.

Posted in Ministry

What they didn’t teach me at the seminary (part 2)

Posted on by William Douthwaite

I am still leaning that I have to do a lot of things around the church I didn’t realize were part of the job description. For example:

  • Changing batteries in smoke detectors that are chirping and driving you up the wall.
  • Compiling the list of who gets offering envelopes, which includes active members, those who regularly attend but are not members, and excludes those members who don’t use offering envelopes.
  • Pick up dead bugs in the chancel.
  • Reassemble chapel Advent wreath that was disassembled to make a Good Friday tenebrae candle holder.
  • Retrieve loaner key from drop box where a black widow spider is living.
  • Fetch new roll of toilet paper for “stranded” parishioner.

A lot of these things end up on my plate just because I’m around just about every day. Try as I might to delegate these jobs, new ones, different but similar will find their way to me.

Posted in Grace, Ministry

House cleaning

Posted on by William Douthwaite

Today in my sermon I asked if anyone cleaned up their house before their cleaning person came to clean their house. Just about all who had cleaning people admitted to that practice. Which is a little mind-bending for me, but I think I get it. You really don’t want anyone to see your mess, even if that someone is your cleaning person.

I brought it up as we were talking about confessing our sins rather than covering them up with denial, excuses, or justification. Do we have to try to clean up our lives before Jesus comes to clean up our lives (Malachi 3)? We can’t actually do that, since he knows what’s going on with us anyway. It’s better to confess, knowing that he’ll forgive and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. It’s better to confess, get it out on the table, knowing that he’ll clean it up.

I also talked about the importance of voicing your confession. To God. To each other. To a pastor on occasion. Getting it out there goes a long way towards appreciating his grace. It’s hard, but it’s worth it.

One of the boldest prayers of the bible is at the end of Psalm 139 where David invites God to poke around in his life and see if anything needs fixing or straightening out. How many of us would have the guts to pray that prayer?

Posted in Ministry

A little dialogue

Posted on by William Douthwaite

Last night at our Advent Midweek service, I tried to interact with the congregation during the sermon. I asked questions to get responses, to get at what they were thinking or their impressions of a person or situation. I’ve done this a little bit in the past, but tried to do even more. It’s an interesting process. In our church, they aren’t used to talking to me during a sermon, although we’ve had plenty of personal conversations in the past.

I believe they liked it. I believe it kept their attention on a warm, rainy evening. (Yes, in Florida, Advent is usually warm.) And it gives me a chance to respond to their thoughts, rather than simply guessing what they might be thinking.

The idea of some dialogue in a sermon requires a lot of flexibility, and the ability to keep moving towards the goal and conclusion. It requires a lot of faith, that people will respond and that you’ll be able to think on your feet, responding to what they say. You may need to abandon something you were going to say along the way, to make room for other thoughts. It works best, of course, in a smaller group. In front of 500 people, it just won’t happen. But with 50 or so, it has possibilities.

Posted in Ministry

The cattle are lowing

Posted on by William Douthwaite

I sang “Away in a manger” with the preschool children this morning. I meet with them each Wednesday to read a Bible story, sing some songs, pray, and learn some Bible words. They are getting ready for their Christmas program next week, so we practiced a few of their songs.

After we sang about lowing cattle, I asked them what “cattle” were. I got some really interesting answers. Everything from flying very high in the sky to something you wrap up the baby in, to a box with feathers in it. Once I told them it was a bunch of cows mooing, they understood. They told me the mooing cows woke up baby Jesus, but he didn’t cry, at least not that time.

There are probably lots of other words they can’t define, but we’ll just take one at a time.

Posted in Ministry

Advent midweek worship

Posted on by William Douthwaite

Tomorrow is the first of our midweek Advent worship services. They are part of our worship tradition in my denomination (Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod) and my congregation (Shepherd of the Coast, Palm Coast, FL). But they are not a part of most people’s lives. In other words, few show up.

I believe that if you didn’t grow up with this tradition, it wouldn’t even occur to you to show up at a church for a Wednesday night worship service during Advent, Lent or any other time of the year. Even if it’s heavily promoted, the idea is a hard one to sell to busy people who figure they get enough religious input on Sunday mornings.

But I like it. I like night services. Things look and sound different to me. Rather than being at the beginning of the day, it’s the end, before bed, and our thoughts are on the day past, rather than  the day or week ahead.

This year, I’m going to try and be less formal and more conversational with those who are there, most of whom will be the choir and the youth group, who are there every Wednesday anyway. I want to hear from people, not just talk at them. We don’t do much of this, but it’s worth a try. I’ll let you know how it goes!

Posted in Grace, Ministry

Kids in church

Posted on by William Douthwaite

I love having kids in church. I know not everyone shares my zeal. That’s OK. I’m not against children’s church at all. It’s just that I love kids, and I love kids in church.

In our church, kids

  • Teach us how to pray. Confidently, with no hesitation, perhaps with some made up words, and with no doubt whatsoever that God is listening.
  • Pay attention. Especially when you get down on their level, tell them a story, and show them something.
  • Tell the truth. They don’t tell you what they think you want to hear. They are real.
  • Snack. Hey, we always eat at movies and sporting events. Why not church?
  • Dance. Our little ones love to get up during the last song and gather in a make-shift mosh pit of movement and joy.
  • Teach us about grace. We have to be like them to get in the kingdom, right?
  • Make us laugh. We all need to lighten up a little.
  • Are blessed. By no less that our Lord who wants the little children to come to him.

I love having kids in church.

Posted in Grace, Ministry

Advent begins

Posted on by William Douthwaite

I wasn’t really sure what to expect in worship today. It was the first Sunday in Advent, the beginning of a church season I dearly love, from the Advent wreath and candles to the blue of the paraments. But it was also the Sunday after Thanksgiving, so I thought a lot of families might still be out of town or traveling back in time for work and school tomorrow. Even our organist was out of town, having sequenced all her music on the organ for our traditional service.

Though quiet, it turned out to be a moving morning for me. I focused on the Righteous branch of Jeremiah 33, who we know as Jesus. Our hope is found in the promise of his coming, just as it was for Jeremiah’s audience for whom invasion, destruction and exile were inevitable. Don’t let anyone fool you with the nice words, “Everything will be OK.” Both Jeremiah and Jesus tell us it won’t. Things are bad and getting worse, but we have a Savior who is coming. And that is why we have hope.

Rather than getting swept away in the hurried culture of Christmas preparation, the quiet assurance of Advent has already made an impression on me. I “get it” in a way that I don’t think I did before. I’m getting off the ride and spending some time focusing on the Son of God who came and is coming. Who was here and will be back. Who somehow gives me hope.

Posted in Ministry, Rant

We gather together…

Posted on by William Douthwaite

We had our usual Thanksgiving Eve worship at church today. Actually two times today, once at noon for those who don’t drive at night, and then again in the evening. Each year, the attendance goes down. In the evening, half of those who came were the choir. A quarter were small children (pre-schoolers), which made me think maybe we could try something different.

I like having some kind of Thanksgiving worship, but wonder what we could do that was a little more interactive, a little more family-oriented, a little less formal, and perhaps a little more attractive. I think it’s important to have something, a time to give thanks together, but I’m not sure what it should look like.

I’m going to research some alternative types of worship, activities, gatherings, something different than the usual I grew up with. Maybe wii-thanksgiving.  Some interactive thing we make to take home with us. Something we can share with each other. I’m certain I can find something.