ENGAGING SACRED STORIES AND TRADITIONS
Maturing in effective proclamation and preaching.
During my time in seminary I took several classes that informed my knowledge of the New Testament and Hebrew Scriptures which all of these classes have informed the way I prepare to write a sermon.
To prepare to write a sermon, I first read the text I plan to preach about in the style of Lectio Divina which is a practice that I also learned about and adopted during my seminary training. I find the part of the scripture that stands out for me. Then I read the rest of the lectionary texts for that day. I do not include a second text at a time point in my development, but I hope to be able to do that someday. Then I "go to the Greek" and find the Greek translation of a particular part of the text that stands out. I find that doing this can often "pull the veil back" so to speak and allow me to go deeper into the text. I also like to find art work or poetry that is inspired by the particular gospel text I am preaching on.
Next, I spend time reading several sermon commentaries such as the UCC sermon seeds, Working Preacher and listening to podcasts such as Sermon BrainWave. I also engage in discussion with my colleagues and friends from seminary. Processing my thoughts out loud provides clarity for me and hearing their thoughts provides me with different perspectives and insights I would not have come up with on my own.
I believe I have made a great deal of progress in my preaching over the years and so I have included a sermon from 2019 during the pandemic in a basement as well as a recent sermon. I plan to take a continuing education class regarding the Hebrew Bible as I did not take a class as part of my seminary training. Right now, I stick with the gospel text assigned from the Revised Common Lectionary. I would like to branch out and try a sermon series of even preach from a different lectionary text.
Here is a recent Email I received regarding my preaching:
Dear Kaity,
I am writing to express my gratitude for your preaching and the courage of your vulnerability in the January 28th sermon. I came to know you through dear friends in Dubuque - Dave and Ann-Bodnar Donovan - with whom I share a zoom call every Sunday evening. They spoke so highly of you that I started to attend services from far away, and yet, feel right in the heart of all that you say. I appreciate your accessible exegesis and your ability to weave the words of scripture through the weft of daily life. You are a gifted preacher.I hope that you are told that often and that you believe it deep in your bones.
I have lived just north of New York City for 35 years but I grew up in Waterloo. I think I share with you a call to learning. Purely by way of background, I have a couple of graduate degrees in theology, worked for my entire career in the international non-profit sector and was a personnel director for Catholic priests. I only mention this to emphasize that I know good preaching when I hear it, and you are among the best.
Dave, Ann, and I spend part of our "two or three gathered in God's name" Sunday evening reflections talking about your sermon. I think that you should know that your words always inspire us. Wherever the "second call" takes you, fresh air follows. Know that you are deeply respected and appreciated. I hope you enjoy your "Future of the Church" class. Perhaps our small Sunday Zoom circle is an unexplored model. All that we know is that the future is almost never what we expect.
With gratitude,
Teresa Rhodes
To prepare to write a sermon, I first read the text I plan to preach about in the style of Lectio Divina which is a practice that I also learned about and adopted during my seminary training. I find the part of the scripture that stands out for me. Then I read the rest of the lectionary texts for that day. I do not include a second text at a time point in my development, but I hope to be able to do that someday. Then I "go to the Greek" and find the Greek translation of a particular part of the text that stands out. I find that doing this can often "pull the veil back" so to speak and allow me to go deeper into the text. I also like to find art work or poetry that is inspired by the particular gospel text I am preaching on.
Next, I spend time reading several sermon commentaries such as the UCC sermon seeds, Working Preacher and listening to podcasts such as Sermon BrainWave. I also engage in discussion with my colleagues and friends from seminary. Processing my thoughts out loud provides clarity for me and hearing their thoughts provides me with different perspectives and insights I would not have come up with on my own.
I believe I have made a great deal of progress in my preaching over the years and so I have included a sermon from 2019 during the pandemic in a basement as well as a recent sermon. I plan to take a continuing education class regarding the Hebrew Bible as I did not take a class as part of my seminary training. Right now, I stick with the gospel text assigned from the Revised Common Lectionary. I would like to branch out and try a sermon series of even preach from a different lectionary text.
Here is a recent Email I received regarding my preaching:
Dear Kaity,
I am writing to express my gratitude for your preaching and the courage of your vulnerability in the January 28th sermon. I came to know you through dear friends in Dubuque - Dave and Ann-Bodnar Donovan - with whom I share a zoom call every Sunday evening. They spoke so highly of you that I started to attend services from far away, and yet, feel right in the heart of all that you say. I appreciate your accessible exegesis and your ability to weave the words of scripture through the weft of daily life. You are a gifted preacher.I hope that you are told that often and that you believe it deep in your bones.
I have lived just north of New York City for 35 years but I grew up in Waterloo. I think I share with you a call to learning. Purely by way of background, I have a couple of graduate degrees in theology, worked for my entire career in the international non-profit sector and was a personnel director for Catholic priests. I only mention this to emphasize that I know good preaching when I hear it, and you are among the best.
Dave, Ann, and I spend part of our "two or three gathered in God's name" Sunday evening reflections talking about your sermon. I think that you should know that your words always inspire us. Wherever the "second call" takes you, fresh air follows. Know that you are deeply respected and appreciated. I hope you enjoy your "Future of the Church" class. Perhaps our small Sunday Zoom circle is an unexplored model. All that we know is that the future is almost never what we expect.
With gratitude,
Teresa Rhodes
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Pandemic Sermon |
Recent Sermon |
Bringing life to sacred stories and traditions in worship, proclamation, and witness.
I have been blessed over the past few years to have had the opportunity to preach and lead worship at several different types of churches; from a small little country church, to online worship in the basement of my fiances' home during the pandemic, to the large congregation I am serving now. I truly love studying the scriptures and allowing the Holy Spirit to bring that scripture to life through the keys of my laptop computer. I have grown significantly in my sermon writing and preaching and plan to continue to grow in this area.
I particularly enjoy collaborating with the musicians in the worship service. I believe strongly that music provides a central vehicle of prayer, praise, welcome and affirmation. I believe that the Holy Spirit dances and plays throughout the music in a worship service inspiring and transforming and can be as powerful as hearing the word.
The church I am currently serving is currently unable to worship in their building. This has presented the congregation with some unique challenges that I have helped them navigate. We had a non-traditional "Jazzy New-Years Eve" service this year on a Saturday night and we all slept in on Sunday as it didn't make sense to rent a space for a Sunday morning worship on New Years Day that was bound to have low attendance. We have had to adapt our music program due to lowered participation and inability to transport equipment like hand bells since we are worshiping away from our sanctuary. This has presented me with the challenge of re-imagining worship music. I have brought in local musicians and am also in the process of starting a "folk band" style of worship with an acoustic guitar, keyboard, rhythm and vocals to lead the congregation in song every fourth Sunday. We have traditional choir-type music the rest of the month.
I particularly enjoy collaborating with the musicians in the worship service. I believe strongly that music provides a central vehicle of prayer, praise, welcome and affirmation. I believe that the Holy Spirit dances and plays throughout the music in a worship service inspiring and transforming and can be as powerful as hearing the word.
The church I am currently serving is currently unable to worship in their building. This has presented the congregation with some unique challenges that I have helped them navigate. We had a non-traditional "Jazzy New-Years Eve" service this year on a Saturday night and we all slept in on Sunday as it didn't make sense to rent a space for a Sunday morning worship on New Years Day that was bound to have low attendance. We have had to adapt our music program due to lowered participation and inability to transport equipment like hand bells since we are worshiping away from our sanctuary. This has presented me with the challenge of re-imagining worship music. I have brought in local musicians and am also in the process of starting a "folk band" style of worship with an acoustic guitar, keyboard, rhythm and vocals to lead the congregation in song every fourth Sunday. We have traditional choir-type music the rest of the month.
Leading faith formation effectively across generations.
I have been involved in the Youth Ministry for several years, I was during my time as a Director of Faith Formation that I discerned that I might have a calling to ministry. I have worked intergenerationally and have served across the spectrum of ages and generations including: Sunday school, youth groups, adult programming, Children's sermons, and Youth Mission Trips and have assisted in leading Confirmation.
Holding the Holy with integrity especially as represented in the Sacraments
It has truly been an honor to have been approved for authorized ministry for First Congregational United Church of Christ and to be able to preside over the Lord's Supper and to perform Baptisms. Communion is one of my favorite things about worship. It is a ritual ripe with meaning and power. I believe that Communion is a powerful act. I believe that God is present in the bread and the cup. In that holy moment of eating and drinking, one can feel the presence of God. This is at the foundation of my Communion theology, and everything follows from this precept. God meets people in Communion. I am grateful for the United Church of Christ and for its open table, where everyone, without exception, is welcome to come forward and receive the bread and the wine. Baptism is a powerful sacrament. Baptism gives us the power to live in love, to be rooted in love, to belong to a love that will never let us go. When we are baptized into Jesus Christ, we are baptized into the same compassion that led Jesus to step into the waters of the Jordan River and to be baptized by John. In Baptism, we are not only united with Christ, we are united with each other. We become part of the one body (to use Paul’s image), the universal church.