The sermon that follows here is truly a one-of-a-kind. I am preaching before First Lutheran Church in Blair, NE, right before their annual meeting. Like all congregations, the people of Blair are better than the believe they are, and probably not as good as they think. That famous quote from St. Augustine comes to mind: "Do not despair, one of the criminals was saved. Do not presume, one of the criminals was damned." Good stuff.
The setting for this worship is a L.I.F.E. Center, and you can see the trombone player left it there. We have a wonderful worship Ensemble that brings life and music that that worship, and it has been one of the great treats of this job to be part of the music here. I've worked with many, many gifted musicians in my pastoral career. Mr. Vince Krysyl is a true delight, and you never know what he's going to write for a worship service.
Anyhow, don't assume you know why God gives you a gift. Sometimes, that answer is quite a few years down the road. When I'm in the pulpit, I often think, this is what I've been trained for." But for most of that training, it never occurred to me that I would wind up in a pulpit. Where might your gifts lead you in God's mission to create a trustworthy world?
May your tables be full, and your conversations be true.
Your Blog Steward
- Scott Frederickson
- Omaha, Nebraska, United States
- I am more and more convinced that most congregations die from a staggering lack of imagination. Let's change that. Let's imagine a creative future with God and each other together. Drop me a line on email or leave a comment if you have thoughts on God, Jesus, congregations, the church or whatever.... I look forward to our conversations.
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