Preaching with a purpose

I'm getting ready for a trial service at the end of this week. Also I will be visiting a synagogue on Friday evening, so it's quite an eventful time. I'm working on unit 7 which is all about worship past and present. My readings for Sunday are Jeremiah 20 v1-11; and Luke 10 v 1-20. I have an awful desire to thoroughly lash my congregation. It's to do with my childhood when I was not in the Methodist church. Mind you we all need to be challenged about our treatment of God, as to whether we do give Him anything like enough attention. But I don't suppose the dear ladies in my congregation have sacrificed any children lately, so I must build in some encouragement for them also. Isn't it wonderful how human nature works. I find myself giving extra attention to this service just because it is a trial service. Perhaps I can use it to raise my game and not slip back into a lower standard again. Find more like this on http://www.squidoo.com/Preach

I know preachers in training would find my lens on Squidoo helpful but are there any passing this way. Here is the link http://www.squidoo.com/preach

So what do you do, when you need to take the pews out of your church building, in order to make the place usable for more people in the village and you have two elderly people who are adamant that the pews should stay? The majority think they should go, the pews that is!It looks as if we have to say,"Sorry but they are going" and risk losing two members. I suppose that is their choice. The pews are standing in the way of progress. We have a pre-school which could do with extra space. They are our outreach and should be encouraged.

I'm reading through Jeremiah at the moment. I have a service to prepare around Jeremiah 20 1-11 for July 5th. I like to think well ahead and as I am retired I have the time for that.When did you last hear a sermon that warned your congregation, indeed when did you ever deliver such a sermon? I have a strong desire to warn, and so have to remember to encourage as well.There is a great need for warning when we are all so inclined to put other things before God.We all say,"Oh God won't mind, He'll understand." this is foolishness and presumptious folly at that. God is not some jolly old gentleman in the skies. He is totally other and all powerful, and the only one who deserves our praise. But is He getting our praise? Even we christians only allow Him one hour a week and even then we spend part of the service thinking about what is going to happen in the up-coming week.Our God deserves far better than that.

I'm 62 and struggling to keep up with technology, but determined to succeed. One's children have no patience so have to struggle on as best as I can.(Not altogether fair, they do help sometimes.) The books I've worked through seem very basic now. Everything that is available to do I want to try out. Squidoo has been a huge learning curve but no doubt there are even more mysteries to conquer. I guess more and more things are being invented as I write.

The Internet is a funny place. There is the potential to reach out to millions upon millions of people and yet you can get stuck in a little by water all of your own and just be speaking to yourself. Hopefully, eventually I will break through and actually make contact with someone. Today I had another glorious walk through the Devon Lanes, taking photos as I went. Otherwise I have been working on my Squidoo lenses. I feel tranquil and satisfied.

Had a smashing day. Had three ladies round for coffee to discuss prayer. We decided not to have a prayer meeting as such as people didn't feel happy with that. Instead we are going to have a prayer chain in which we will phone around to let people know what needs praying for. I can understand why prayer meetings are not popular. They can be boring if unenthusiastic and can be taken over by the person with the biggest ego. Prayer is just thinking, but acknowledging that God is listening in and taking an interest. So carry on thinking. In the afternoon I had a glorious walk of almost three miles and took more plotos for my Squidoo lens Down a Devon Lane http://www.squidoo.com/DevonLane which you are invited to view oh lonely stranger who has strayed to this solitary spot.

I've just published a lens about childhood after the second world war http://www.squidoo.com/mypartinthebabyboom Have a look and enjoy the nostalgia if you are from that era. Otherwise enjoy some history.

Time I posted again. So far no one has found me here but I guess they will sometime. I don't want to be a voice shouting in the dark. I will be preaching tomorrow at a little chapel in the hills. I go there frequently as a member of the congregation so know them well. I would like to hear from other preacher's. The only one I've found is a bit too political for me. when you live in the countryside as I do you are looking after the welfare of little old ladies and although there are political implications it all seems a bit distant.

That's how it was in Devon today. But I had a good day. First short mat bowling which I love. It takes your mind off anything that is worrying you too. Then a lunch at the chapel for which a donation is given. This goes to missionary work. Then I had a nap. Next I got fired up to continue writing my sermon for June 21st. It just came so easily. They are usually the best. I'm a beginner so I like to keep well ahead with my sermon writing. My sermon for June 14th was originally written for June 7th, then there was a change of plan. The one for the 21st just needs prayers added now. Probably they are better added nearer the date.

Dreadful weather yesterday but sunny today although not very warm. Last evening the Occasional singers gave an evening of singing and ringing. Some of our ladies also ring hand bells. the food afterwards was good. It was a happy time and we gave money for a school for blind children in Bethlehem. Not sure how much was raised yet. It was a happy christian occasion but it made me wonder about our need to reach out to others who don't know Jesus as Saviour. So I wrote a poem and you can see it at this link http://squidoo.com/InspMed it is near the bottom and called Wake up Call. When I see the christian church these days it reminds of what was said by the German seagull in Watership Down. He said,"Stupid bunnies, no chicks." We have very few children in our churches. So where is the future. It's not to late to do something about it.

Hopefully I preached with a purpose today. Of course it was Pentecost which is the birthday of the whole church throughout the world. So I took along a birthday cake. The congregation looked pleased! I had candles too. The youngest member of the group was about 40 and the oldest 89. I think they might want me to go there again. I had those candles that relight themselves if you blow them out. I said that we try to stop the Holy Spirit showing in our lives. I blew out a candle to illustrate. It didn't relight, so I kept my cool and re-lit it from a match and this time it did what it should and re- lit. It's a lovely illustration of how if we have the spirit he never leaves us and wont be hidden in our lives for long