From the Gospel reading appointed for Sunday, September 8:
Now large crowds were traveling with Jesus; and he turned and said to them, “Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple.” Luke 14:25
- Tell a charming anecdote that has nothing to do with the gospel passage, yet heartwarming enough to be the one thing people remember when they leave church.
- Preach on the Psalm.
- Find strange historical, biblical facts to distract congregation from what Jesus is saying and/or focus on one word translated from the original Greek and discuss the varied interpretations of the translation.
- Tell a lot of jokes and/or use props.
- Make the children’s sermon really really long so there’s no time for the “grown-up” sermon.
- Talk about a current event in the news instead.
- Have an interactive sermon and make the congregation talk to each other – what do YOU think Jesus meant?
- Ask the organist to play a musical meditation in place of the sermon that day.
- Preach on the Collect of the Day.
- Assign the seminarian intern to preach.
Also from Sunday’s appointed Gospel reading:
“So therefore, none of you can become my disciple if you do not give up all your possessions.” Luke 14:33
What is your preacher going to do? Come to church on Sunday to find out!