I have begun working on my preaching calendar for 2013, and find myself thankful for the instruction I received at Wesley Seminary regarding the Church Calendar/Seasons. While I am not binding myself to the Lectionary, I hope to avoid ever feeling like I am running out of material.

I have heard the complaint of “After ten years of preaching, I find it difficult to preach Christmas in a fresh way and not recycle sermons,” from several pastors, seminary trained and not. I understand the frustration, as the Gospels only provide us with four chapters of Christmas material, and ever year we usually have four or five sermons between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Yet I have a solution (not original with me of course), which is to STOP PREACHING CHRISTMAS DURING ADVENT.

I used to anticipate Christmas. In September, stores had “Back to School Sales” and Fall decorations. In October, the Halloween decorations and costumes came out. November decorations consisted of Autumn leaves, turkeys, and pilgrims. Finally, in December stores painted snow on their windows and we geared up for Christmas. Now I find Halloween costumes and Christmas decorations having dedicated store sections in September. (Thanksgiving is probably skipped by everyone except the grocery stores because it is difficult to find a way to get people to buy more during a season when we are supposed to be thankful for what we already have.)

When we pastors skip Advent, we also jump the gun. We should build anticipation. God’s people waited thousands of years for the Messiah, surely we can wait four weeks! I do not think four Sundays each year for ten years will allow me to exhaust the prophesies regarding the first and second coming of our Savior, and those that only come to church on Christmas Day (or Eve) might gripe that I am still in Matthew chapter 2 after ten years, but they will not be able to say that it is the same sermon they heard last year.

photo credit: out of ideas via photopin cc

©2012 Paul Tillman