PREACHING CONTEXT
How I prepare by Margaret Mumford I mainly preach at an all age service on a large housing estate. We are a mixed-race congregation and ages range from 0 to 99. As the children stay in for the whole service, I take this into consideration when planning my sermon.
SERMON THEME
I am usually asked to preach from the lectionary readings and have f lexibility to choose which one(s) are appropriate for the Sunday service. I always start by reading them through a few times, looking for connections and a possible way to introduce the main theme, as well as committing them to God in prayer. I ask myself ‘What is the aim of my sermon?’ ‘What does God want me to say to this congregation?’ Once the Scripture is decided, I jot down my aims and verses that may speak to the hearts of our congregation. I often have ample time to turn over the readings in my mind and add any suitable ideas to my jottings. Current events, newspaper articles, charity newsletters as well as my own experiences and that of others may generate points to bring out in my sermon.
INTRODUCTION
As a preacher I try to find creative ways to begin my sermon which will immediately involve the congregation and engage their attention.
A talk by David Attenborough at a country park recreated (resurrected) from a disused rubbish dump, was an introduction to a sermon on transformation! (2 Corinthians 3:18)
On another occasion a selection of used combs and hair brushes were scraped by children to find the hidden dirt and grease beneath, then
