I tried something new last weekend as I stepped into the pulpit for the first time. Actually I had been there before as a lay reader in my church but last week I delivered my first sermon. One of my children called me “Preacher Pete!”
I’m a member of the First Congregational Church of Fairhaven and also a deacon. Our pastor, Rev. Bette McClure, told us at the January meeting that she would be away on retreat February 27 through March 5. No problem as we usually get another minister to fill in whenever there’s a vacation. During the meeting, one of my fellow deacons said, “It’s too bad we can’t have a deacon preach when we need someone to fill in.” I didn’t know it at the time but she had me in mind.
Rev. Bette, as she’s called, pointed out that some churches occasionally have a Sunday service led by the laity and there was no reason why we couldn’t. It was at that time that I told our minister, “Okay. If you can’t find ANYONE else, I’ll do it.” That’s when I saw her eyes light up at the possibility and I knew I had just locked myself in. I drove home that night wondering, “What have you done now?”
Actually, it was fun!
You would think that the biggest challenge would be deciding what topic to preach on but that actually came to me that night. During the meeting, Rev. Bette told us that at a previous church she worked at, the bulletin listed her as the “Pastor” and for “Minister” it said “everyone else.” Bingo!
I used that as my starting point and asked, “Doesn’t God want us all to minister to each other? Shouldn’t we all use our gifts to help and serve others?” I then looked at the many ways we all serve. It may not be directly related to “church” but we all have a gift and many use it every day to make life better for others. And if not, how could we?
One thing I have learned over the years is that when you’re looking for a topic to write about or use on a podcast or even back when I did a talk show, sometimes your topic is right in front of you. I spent years overthinking this trying to find the perfect topic when it was probably right there all the time. I don’t know what your beliefs are but I have learned to realize that if something has been on my mind for days, maybe God wants me to write about that. Hey! Can’t hurt!
Last week I stepped outside my comfort zone and it felt good! I mentioned in my sermon (And yes it feels weird to type that), how I had an Uncle who was a minister for many years in Maine. I have a cousin who was the organist/choir director at the First Congregational Church at Lunds Corner for years. And when my mother passed away in 2009 I was given a notebook from her that included handwritten sermons that she gave years ago at meetings of Church Women United. So was this meant to be? Maybe.
I did gain a whole new appreciation for what a church minister does every week. Not only is there a sermon to be researched and written but there are many other facets to it. I’m not sure how other churches or denominations work but for me I had to choose what scripture readings would back up my sermon. I had to find three hymns that were “on topic” and there were three different prayers and a benediction to write. Full disclosure: Rev. Bette helped with those but I did add a little of myself to what she had written. If you are a church goer, maybe show a little more appreciation to your priest or minister for what they do. I know, “it’s their job” but you can tell when someone puts the effort in.
Many thanks to my fellow deacons for helping with other parts of the service.
Will I ever do it again if needed? Probably. It seemed to be well received and I enjoyed the experience. One of my children asked recently if this could be a new option for me and maybe I should think about the seminary. I don’t think I’m ready for that. Just the thought of writing all those papers and the classes that would be needed is a bit intimidating. However, another phrase I have learned over the years is….”Never say ‘never’.”
Catch up on past Sunday Columns by clicking here.
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