dusty sermon notes

Last week, I mentioned how overjoyed I was at the prospect of packing stuff for our upcoming change of address. (I have begun packing.) Among the things I’ve come across are some papers containing sermon notes from the early 90s. I had these handed out to the people just before I preached my sermons.

The first one is a Q and A on “Who is my neighbor?” Starting with the parable of the Good Samaritan, I tried to cast a pretty wide net. Of course, I also felt that adorning the document with the duck I’ve mentioned before added the right touch. (That, and the various Christian symbols in the lower right corner.)

The second page was the outline of a sermon suggesting that women should be deacons. (How dare I be that impertinent?) And yes, this was a church that still didn’t permit that. I tried to ease into the issue by speaking of moving past our comfort zone; I mentioned a Greek Orthodox Christmas Eve service, which at the time, was very new to me. I proceeded to Joel 2:28-29, a favorite Old Testament text among Pentecostals. (“Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy.”) Then there is the case of Phoebe, the deacon who is commended by the apostle Paul.

My quote, “the vision thing,” is about George H. W. Bush’s admission that he apparently lacked enough vision to inspire people. But it’s not just his problem: vision is what we need, whoever we are, to see beyond our current boundaries.

Anyway, that’s what I dug up as I was packing.