RESOURCES
FOR WORSHIP
© B D Prewer 2006
(revised 2011)
COPYRIGHT
The copyright for all these resources is
held by Bruce D Prewer. This means no item shall be included in another
publication without the authorisation of the author.
One big exception: permission is hereby given for
this material to be freely copied in a printed weekly orders of worship, or in
parish news bulletins. The copyright should be acknowledged (preferably in fine
print footnote) and the words “used with
permission of the author” included.
SOME KEY DATES
To assist in using the lectionary resources, the following dates may be of assistance.
First Advent: 2009: 29 Nov. 2010: 28 Nov. 2011: 27 Nov. 2012: 2 Dec. 2013: 1 Dec
Ash Wed: 2009: 25 Feb. 2010:17 Feb. 2011: 9 March. 2012: 22. Feb. 2013:13 F eb.
Easter
Day: 2009: 12April 2010: 4Apr. 2011: 24
April 2012: 8 April 2013: 31 March
Pentecost: 2009: 31 May 2010: 23 May 2011: 12 June. 2012: 27 May. 2113: 19 May
BEWARE OF LENGTH !
Beware!
Many of the following sermons that are too long. These sermons are in a
pre-preached stage. A number are far too wordy as they stand. (The same
goes for many of the “Prayers of the People”) Adapt and abbreviate, I
beg you.)
Over my long ministry there has been a marked
change in the attention span of most listeners. A new visual era of
communication came with a bang in the form of TV and now with the web.
I am convinced that a sermon should NOT run longer than 10-15 minutes
at the most. One exception: those special occasions when either
grievous or joyful events have, prior to folk coming to church, has
established an eager receptivity.
This requires rigorous self
discipline.The shorter the sermon the longer the time spent in
preparation.. If without warning I were given a text and asked to
preach for an hour, I could do so without a worry. But if a ten
minute sermon is required, hours of preparation are necessary.
A
number of the raw sermons offered here are unrefined and verbose. This
preacher’s method is to prepare well in advance, then revise and
condense during the week prior, and then create a last precis, usually
on the day before. What is delivered will differ significantly from
what you have in the version below. Recent events, even overnight
news, can reshape the preaching event. Sometimes, in the moment of
preaching, the prepared outline may be scrapped and a new sermon emerge
from the ashes.
ADAPTATION IS ENCOURAGED
The
author encourages adaptation. It is hoped that the liturgies here
offered will be tuned for local situations. Prayers may need a local
slant, and intercessions updated to embrace recent events. Where
geographical references are used, these could be edited to include
regional features.. To cover copyright, the footnote may run: “adapted
with permission of the author.”
Bruce would enjoy receiving emails showing such creative adaptations.
FORMAL AND INFORMAL
These
resources are presented in shape appropriate for formal worship.
Apologies to those who are looking for material for less formal
settings. The writer has considerable experience in informal settings,
but preparation for this can only be fruitfully done in conjunction
with the fertile minds within a group of lay persons. This material
lacks that dimension, and is the poorer for it. It could however, be
used as a starting point for such group preparation.
SOME VARIATIONS
The
reader will find that at times there may be variations from the Revised
Common Lectionary. Some of these may be one denomination’s changes (The
Uniting Church in Australia) or the quirk of the writer.
Usually
the general theme of the service is related to the Gospel for the day.
Poems/reflections also are inspired by the Gospel lesson. However, the
sermons are not always solely from the Gospel for the day.
MY ERRORS
I am grateful to those folk who email me about
errors in these writings. I regret to say these will keep occurring. This material has been a one-person
contribution for the people of God. I have always been an ineffectual
proof-reader of my own writings. But these days, with the slow, incremental effects
of Parkinson’s Disease, with which for some years I have been blessed, both my
typing and my concentration are becoming more problematical. Please continue to
let me know of any significant bloopers. But be patient, it may be months
before the corrections appear on the web page.
OTHER RESOURCES
From time to time, additional prayers and homilies will be placed on the Web Page. See main page for each link. bruceprewer.com
