We fall into interesting and delightful habits. For the last eighteen months or so, I have spent Sunday evening unwinding, relaxing from the stress of preaching and teaching by spending some time alone. One of my seminary professors suggested the obligatory Sunday afternoon pastor nap is a response to the “post-partum” depression of spending a week preparing a sermon, only to see it put into the archives.
What do I do on Sunday evening to relax? I write. Each weekday, around 8:30 in the morning, you can hear the Moments of Meditation on KJOE radio, Slayton, Minnesota, 106.1 on your FM dial. For several hours each Sunday evening I look at the best way to proclaim salvation by grace through faith for the sake of Christ in 90 to 120 seconds. That is both a difficult challenge, and a lot of fun.
Of course, there are other projects on Sunday evening. In 2017 I wrote a series of sermons tying the Introit to the Gospel lesson. This was supposed to be a way to proclaim the Gospel during Lent, but the exercise and study was so interesting that I completed the whole year. Now I am collecting these sermons into a book for others to enjoy.
Of course, the KJOE morning spots are also collected into a book. You can find it at either https://lulu.com or https://amazon.com. This year’s radio devotions will be available in late January or early February next year.
I’m also pondering an approach to adult confirmation based on the liturgy of the church. Because the liturgy is drawn from the Bible, it is a great starting place. Also, we learn by going from the known to the unknown. Therefore, if we start with that which is familiar, the liturgy of the Divine Service, we can draw in the Bible and the Catechism. This is not an original idea. One of my seminary professors, the late Dr. Donald Deffner, wrote several books using this approach.
You would think that this time alone, the writing and recording, the study, would be tiring after a morning of preaching and teaching. Yet it is invigorating, especially as I can find other ways to proclaim the goodness of our Lord and Savior.
May our Lord continue to bless you.