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Congratulations! You made it through another Church year.
Next Sunday, we begin the cycle again with Advent--and all the busy-ness of Christmas preparations.
But this week? Give yourself the gift of a little extra time and space. Take a nap. Have a second helping of sweet potatoes. Say thank you to someone whose guidance, help, or companionship has blessed you this year. Appreciate the blessings of this day. Slow down and take a Sabbath rest. Taste and see for yourself that the Lord is truly good!
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Thank you, dear preacher, for the hundreds of hours you spent this year reading, studying, outlining, writing, listening, and learning so that you could preach the Word of God faithfully, week after week. Your preaching matters!
- Thank you for wading into the (sometimes messy) lives of your parishioners and for lifting the congregation in prayer in good times and not-so-good ones.
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Thank you for staying faithful to God's call and soft-hearted toward the people around you, even when the state of the world / the church / your own life gives you plenty of perfectly reasonable reasons to give up and do something else instead. Nobody said this would be easy, but some seasons are particularly difficult. Thanks for continuing to walk the path God has set before you, even when it's not easy.
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Thank you for serving on Presbyterial committees and Synodic task forces and Denominational boards and as General Assembly commissioners (as if you didn't already have enough to do). It's incredible what God can accomplish when we are willing to set aside our differences and our own agendas and work together!
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Thank you for showing up, for speaking up, and for leading by example as you proclaim the Good News and champion the Way, the Wisdom, and the Words of Jesus Christ.
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Receive this Benediction.
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One of the great privileges of life as a Minister of Word and Sacrament (and really--there are so many!) is the honor of speaking a benediction over the congregation.
A benediction (or "good words," from the Latin, "well" + "say") is a blessing from God: specifically, one that reminds us of God's presence with us. With that assurance, we can go out into the world and know that whatever the day brings, we are not alone.
We preachers don't give the blessing of God's faithful presence any more than we give pardon for sins, because it is not ours to give. We simply invite people to lay hold of what God has offered.
If we get that mixed up, and assume that we're the giver since we're the one with our arms raised doing the talking, we're in danger of forgetting that what God has offered the people in the pews is offered to the person behind the pulpit, too: the assurance of God's attentive presence and all the benefits that come along with that (guidance, correction, grace, peace, joy, etc).
What an extraordinary gift--for preachers and parishioners alike.
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Set aside whatever you're doing (it can wait 2 1/2 minutes). Take a deep breath, quiet your heart and mind, and receive this benediction, as sung by The Ladies of Lee (Lee University).
Thanks be to God!
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The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you. The Lord lift up the light of His countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen.
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The Six Days 'til Sunday Preaching Conference: March 18-20, 2025 in Bowling Green, KY |
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Registration is closed. You can add your name to a waiting list by replying to this email. If additional spots open up, I will contact people on the waiting list in the order they have contacted me.
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The Louisa Woosley Preaching Initiative is a grant-funded program of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Our goal is to equip ministers and candidates for ministry to preach compelling sermons to today's diverse and often divided world.
For more information about the initiative and our programs, visit our website.
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