Sermon Planning 2013 This is mostly for pastors. It s an introduction to sermon series, and a summary of sermon-planning for 2013 from three of our congregations: Faith in Bellaire, Texas, Messiah in Cypress, Texas and Hosanna in Mandeville, Louisiana. These three congregations use the fall to plan the entire year in advance. They divide the year into series. All three congregations happen to be growing congregations, that spend time in creative worship planning. In our tradition, we read in worship from a three-year rotation of Bible lessons. Some congregations that use sermon series change those readings, some use the readings, and some read them but ignore them. The latter was Luther s approach. If he preached a series on the Ten Commandments, he would have the appointed lessons read, but preach on whichever commandment was up for that Sunday, ignoring the lessons. As a parish pastor I didn t run series back-to-back. I would do one, then take a break for a few weeks. I used the lectionary, trying to build series around it, as some of these three churches have done in places. I always kicked off a series on Christmas because a lot of people were there, many unchurched, who I would like to "hook" into returning. This has to be a compelling series something that would really grab someone who has not connected with organized religion. I generally ran series six weeks or less. Four weeks is better IMHO. People's attention span (and mine) falter after that. So a first series for 2013 might look something like this: New Year: New Life Monday, Dec 24, 2012 Sunday, Dec 30 Sunday, Jan 6 (Ephiphany) Sunday, Jan 13 Sunday January 20 Sunday January 27 Then I would take a few weeks off (of series) until Lent (February 13, 2013). My first series of the year was usually on new life. I might use the Epiphany stories as a spring board. Around New Years people are making resolutions. I tried to tie those goals to God's vision for our lives, so they didn't get caught up in just wealth acquisition goals. But getting out of debt, losing weight and so on were issues I tied of justice. Setting goals for life is cool. One year I used Brian Tracy's book "Goals" as a template, though the congregation didn't study it. I just quoted it a lot. I rarely used canned series, except in the fall, when we would do a 40 Days of Something series. So series two for me in 2013 would be: Lent: Prodigal God, by Timothy Keller Wednesday, Feb 13 Sunday, Feb 17 Sunday, Feb 24 Sunday, Mar 3 Sunday, Mar 10
Sunday, Mar 17 Sunday, March 24 Prodigal God is a phenomenal book by Keller. Easy for lay people to read. The Prodigal Son, or "The Lost Son" as I prefer to call it (Luke 15) only pops up once every three years in our liturgy. It's March 10, 2013, and then not again until 2016. I wouldn't want to miss it. Then I would do an Easter series, with an Easter kickoff since there are so many people I want to entice to come back. March 31 April 7 April 14 April 21 April 28 Then I would take May and the first part of June off, followed by a summer series, starting when I got back from vacation mid-june to the end of July. In the Fall we would do a fall series or two. Aug/Sept. (spiritual growth). Oct/Nov. (generosity). December/Advent becomes a sort-of series of its own. Hope. Most often we would run some kind of small group study along with our series. There is tremendous synergy when the whole congregation is studying the same thing at the same time. It also helps the sermons pop. I might write the study, or I would borrow it from a book, like Prodigal God. By comparison, Pastor Brad Otto at Messiah, Cypress says they are going all-series this year. It looks like this: 6-Jan And they Called it the church Sermon to kick off the 30 Day CC 13-Jan 30 Day Challenge: Community Acts 2:44 World Music to support the Acts 2 Church 20-Jan 30 Day Challenge: Worship Acts 2:46-47 going into the world 27-Jan 30 Day Challenge: Growth Acts 2:42 3-Feb 30 Day Challenge: Stewardship Acts 2:44-45; 4:32-35 10-Feb 30 Day Challenge: Outreach Acts 2:47 13-Feb Ash Wednesday 17-Feb The Least of These 24-Feb The Least of These 3-Mar The Least of These 10-Mar The Least of These 17-Mar The Least of These 24-Mar The Least of These 31-Mar Easter- The Grace Shaped Life Start Grace Series by Max Lucado 7-Apr Jesus stooped low to take our place 14-Apr You can rest now 21-Apr Accepting the gift of wet feet 28-Apr Coming clean within grace that abounds
5-May Chose to a guaranteed place in the family 12-May Sustaining and sufficient grace 19-May Pentecost Sunday 26-May James 2-Jun James 9-Jun James 16-Jun James 23-Jun James 30-Jun James 7-Jul The Power of A Whisper 14-Jul The Power of A Whisper 21-Jul The Power of A Whisper 28-Jul The Power of A Whisper 4-Aug The Circle Maker: The Power of Prayer 11-Aug The Circle Maker: The Power of Prayer 18-Aug The Circle Maker: The Power of Prayer 25-Aug The Circle Maker: The Power of Prayer 15-Sep Not A Fan 22-Sep Not A Fan 29-Sep Not A Fan 6-Oct Not A Fan 13-Oct Not A Fan 20-Oct Not a Fan 27-Oct Soul Detox 3-Nov Soul Detox 10-Nov Soul Detox 17-Nov Soul Detox 24-Nov Soul Detox Pastor Chris Christopher at Hosanna, Mandeville shared this schedule with me: 2-Dec God Still Chooses the Unlikely (Mary) 9-Dec God Still Confronts Common Sense (Joseph) 16-Dec God Still Invites all to be a part (Shepherds) 23-Dec God Still Shows up in Unexpected Places (Bethlehem) 24-Dec God Still The Story Continues (Christmas Eve) 30-Dec God Still Draws the Whole World (Wisemen) 4 baptisms scheduled 6-Jan Broken Dreams When We Forget Genesis 37:1-11 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28 13-Jan Broken Dreams When we know what's Wrong Genesis 37:12-36
20-Jan Broken Dreams Blessing in brokenness Genesis 41:1-25, 41:37-39 27-Jan Broken Dreams Promise Renewed Genesis 46:1-4, Genesis 50:15-21 (Class Series) 3-Feb Broken Dreams A New Covenant Jeremiah 31:31-34 (Super Bowl Sunday) 10-Feb Broken Dreams A New Way Isaiah 40:1-5 Ash Wednesday Un-Messiah Isaiah 53 (ALPHA begins - 8 weeks) 17-Feb The Way Jesus' Baptism Baptism Sunday 24-Feb The Way Jesus' Healing Ministry Bishop Rinehart at Hosanna 3-Mar The Way Jesus' Message 10-Mar The Way Jesus' Miracles 17-Mar The Way Jesus and the outcasts ALPHA Weekend 3/22-23 24-Mar The Way Jesus' final days Palm Sunday Maundy Thursday Good Friday Maundy Thursday Good Friday 31-Mar Stuck Like Glue Death and Life John 20 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39 7-Apr Stuck Like Glue Angels and Demons Mark 5:1-20 14-Apr Stuck Like Glue Present and Future Matthew 6:25-34 (Crawfish Boil) 21-Apr Stuck Like Glue Powers & Principalities Acts 16:16-40 (Leadership Retreat) 28-Apr Stuck Like Glue Anything Psalm 139:7-12, Psalm 103:8-14 (Baptisms) 5-May Your Roots are ShowingGalatians 5:22-23 Luke 6 (Quilt Blessing) 12-May Your Roots r Showing John 15 (Graduate Recognition) 19-May Your Roots r Showing Colossians 1 (Confirmation) 26-May Your Roots r Showing Luke 8 (Memorial Day) 2-Jun Acting Out Philippians 1:6 Acts 2: Pentecost 9-Jun Acting Out Peter's Dream (Detroit Commissioning) 16-Jun Acting Out Acts 9: Conversion 23-Jun Acting Out Acts 8: Ethiopian Eunuch (VBS Commissioning) 30-Jun Acting Out Acts 17: Unknown God(LutherRock Sending) July God in Movies Summer Fellowship Event August Wrestling with God September Vocation Day(remember baptism)/unlikely Leaders October (4+1) Exodus Nov (3) Ezra and Nehemiah Stewardship/solid ground Clayton Faulkner at Faith, Bellaire said they just finished planning 2013 a couple weeks ago. One of my guiding principles for series planning, Clayton said, is balance between: insider/outsider felt need/real-spiritual need biblically-rooted/society-rooted popular culture/theology-doctrine
January: "Enough" based on Adam Hamilton book Lent Sundays: "Core Values" Lent Wednesdays: "Holy Spirit" Easter: "Social Justice" (4 weeks: human trafficking, malaria, immigration, and health care) May: "Modern Family" (divorce, singles, blended, etc.) June: "Reel Spirituality" (using movie clips) July/August: "Colossians" August: "The Great Emergence" (Phyllis Tickle's book) September: "Psalm 23" October: "Increase our Faith" Whether series are your thing or not, it sure helps to plan the year in advance. It makes it easier for musicians, Sunday school planners, youth workers and many others to coordinate their efforts into one cohesive whole. It allows plenty of time ahead to think of creative ways to bring energy to the ministry of the congregation. Many thanks to the folks at Faith, Hosanna and Messiah for being open to sharing their planning with us. Peace, Mike Rinehart, bishop