Anyone Preach From The Lectionary?

[Macrina]

Hi folks,

More often than not, I preach from the Revised Common Lectionary. I like when it works steadily through a book, like 1 Timothy which I just started. Sometimes I preach a different message because of a special occasion, and once I am farther into my ministry (I was only ordained on August 8) I plan to preach on some of the texts not included in the lectionary, but this works pretty well, and my congregation likes it (it ties to their Sunday school lessons).

If anyone else here preaches from the lectionary, it might be nice to compare notes now and then on the passages we are studying and how we can present them to our congregations. I meet monthly with other presbyterian clergy to go over upcoming passages, and I find it very helpful.

anyone interested?

Macrina

 

[Bizzlebin Imperatoris]

What is a lectionary?

 

[Macrina]

A lectionary is a schedule of readings for use in public worship. Different denominations use slightly different ones, but the Revised Common Lectionary is the one used by most protestants who choose to use a lectionary. It rotates through much/most of scripture in three years. Each Sunday, there are four readings: Psalms, other Old Testament, Gospel, and Epistle. Sometimes the readings are seasonally-based (such as during Advent) and other times it is "ordinary time" where we just progress through some different books.

It's a useful tool if you want to have different congregations on the same page for the purposes of preaching, studying, etc.

Macrina

 

[Bizzlebin Imperatoris]

Oh. I don't use a lectionary when I teach. I try to tailor my sermons directly to the needs.

 

[Macrina]

Oh. I don't use a lectionary when I teach. I try to tailor my sermons directly to the needs.

You're sixteen and you preach? Sounds like there's a story in that...

I don't always stick to the lectionary. It helps sometimes, though.

Mac

 

[Bizzlebin Imperatoris]

You're sixteen and you preach? Sounds like there's a story in that...

I don't always stick to the lectionary. It helps sometimes, though.

Mac

Yes. I am an elder and bishop. And yes, it IS a LONG story

I have seen teachers teach right from books, and it works well, especially if no other topic is outstanding. But, there usually is some problem in a congregation.

 

[clonenomore]

My background is in the United Methodist Church, and I know that many UMC pastors in this area preach from a lectionary. I don't. I preach topical messages, and I try to gear the topics to relevant things going on in this community today.

We are all created differently, for different ministries. God has called me to reach out to the "unchurched" population of this area. I believe that if I tried to preach from a lectionary, many of these people would never come back.

 

[Macrina]

What are you preaching on this Sunday?

The lectionary passages didn't inspire me this week (except for the Psalm, which I'll use in worship). I'm going to go with the story of the young Samuel hearing God's voice instead.

Macrina

 

[Rev. Smith]

As an Old Catholic Priest I use the Catholic lect. in my services, I also substitute pastor at a local Anglican Church - which uses the 1928 BCP. I find the lectionary a very powerful tool for teaching and worship, one that insures that over the course of the years our people are given an opportunity to delve into the core of Scripture.

 

[benedictine]

Yes. I am an elder and bishop. And yes, it IS a LONG story

I have seen teachers teach right from books, and it works well, especially if no other topic is outstanding. But, there usually is some problem in a congregation.

I like long stories, and it sounds interesting.

 

[Macrina]

As an Old Catholic Priest I use the Catholic lect. in my services, I also substitute pastor at a local Anglican Church - which uses the 1928 BCP. I find the lectionary a very powerful tool for teaching and worship, one that insures that over the course of the years our people are given an opportunity to delve into the core of Scripture.

Our lectionaries are very similar, I believe. If you would ever like to compare notes, I would find that very interesting.

Thanks for responding.

 

[Koey]

I use the 3 year lectionary at times, other times not. The lectionary does not cover the entire Bible, so I believe it is helpful at times and limited in its use as well. I do try to preach in season and sometimes a particular congregation's "season" may vary from that of an official church lectionary calendar. For instance, a tragic death, a disaster, a world situation, a local dispute or other need will often be far more important than rigid adherance to a preaching schedule set out by the boys in their ivory towers and flowing robes.

 

[holyrokker]

I like to use the Revised Common Lectionary. But I venture from it from time to time.
Right now I'm doing a series based on the phrase "Blessed is the man..." I'm taking a different passage each week that uses that phrase. This week's theme is from Ps 119:2
"Blessed are they who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart."

 

[Macrina]

I use the 3 year lectionary at times, other times not. The lectionary does not cover the entire Bible, so I believe it is helpful at times and limited in its use as well. I do try to preach in season and sometimes a particular congregation's "season" may vary from that of an official church lectionary calendar. For instance, a tragic death, a disaster, a world situation, a local dispute or other need will often be far more important than rigid adherance to a preaching schedule set out by the boys in their ivory towers and flowing robes.

So true! I find the lectionary to be an excellent guideline, but not a prescription.

On the other hand, I believe that God sometimes works providentially through the lectionary... there have been times when the lectionary passage was strangely appropriate to the needs of the congregation at that time. I suppose one just has to be open to the movement of the Spirit.

 

[Koey]

So true! I find the lectionary to be an excellent guideline, but not a prescription.

On the other hand, I believe that God sometimes works providentially through the lectionary... there have been times when the lectionary passage was strangely appropriate to the needs of the congregation at that time. I suppose one just has to be open to the movement of the Spirit.

Excellent! As I was writing my previous answer, I was also thinking that there can be a danger in being too overly reactive to local situations. People can think you are using the pulpit to gossip or interfere or run their lives for them. So sometimes it is better to get their minds off local problems and onto the things above. If we don't tell them about the mighty things of God, then no one else will, and the lectionary can keep us focused on that most important task.