More Than Hearing

We’re back!! David got a new hard drive! And, it works! YAY!

We are continuing to work on only one passage through David’s sabbatical and have switched tracks this week from the Gospel lesson to the Epistle lesson. If you have been following us for a while, you may feel emboldened to try developing illustrations and special effects on your own. If so, the Old Testament passage is full of drama and intrigue with all manner of PEOPLE and SELF smart elements. The Gospel lesson has some BODY smart elements (food and eating) and EYE elements (imagining manna in the wilderness). We have two links in MUSIC smart below that include hymns and songs for each of these passages, as well. 

These verses from Paul are well used, especially anytime we do a survey on Spiritual gifts or want to seriously study the unity of the Body of Christ. Paul is writing in an attempt to unify a congregation that on the surface does not have much connection within its fellowship. How much contact would a Jew or a Gentile have in practice and theology? Well, Paul says, when we put Jesus and the cross into the mix, they have a great deal in common. How much connection do we have with one another today in our own Christian discipleship? Paul would urge us in the same manner – through Christ, we have union.

We didn’t come up with anything for MATH smart for the recording, but in working on the show notes here, one became obvious. Just look at the picture at the top of the page! Use a Venn diagram to talk about how the various gifts work together in the one body of Christ. In set theory, the union of two or more sets is the collection of all elements in both or all of the constituent sets. (This article might be help?) So in the diagram above, all the elements in set A plus all the elements in set B would be the union of set A and set B. Similarly, all the saints, with their different gifts and different backgrounds and different appearances but within the one body with one Lord through one baptism in the one Spirit make up a union of the saints.

In the episode, we begin in WORD smart wondering what mental images come to mind when Paul calls himself a “prisoner” of the Lord. We also got caught up in the phrase “blown about by every wind” demonstrating just how easy it is for that to happen! The special effect we suggest for EYE smart is one David has used that was quite effective! For BODY smart, find someone in your congregation who doesn’t mind being compared (favorably, of course) to a parent. Also, don’t forget leg day! Download the worksheet for an interpretive movement script of the first six verses of this passage.

We also have a way to read this passage rhythmically in MUSIC smart – see the worksheet for that, too! We have links to two websites with music suggestions for this passage (and the other passages for the day) below. Going back to wind in NATURE smart suggested windmills to me, and David found an article about hip dysplasia in dogs that may illustrate what happens when the body is NOT knit together with every ligament and sinew working properly. Since this passage is often used in spiritual gifts surveys, we think that’s a good way to plug into PEOPLE and SELF smart here. See the worksheet for questions you might raise.

Image Credit: created by me in Lucidchart. I have my permission to use it. As far as I know, you do, too.

Greetings!! About three weeks ago, I began to get a bit worried about attendance at my church; we were dwindling pretty badly. Then for the past two weeks, our levels have returned to normal. I guess everyone scheduled time away at the same time and they are all back now! If your congregation is on the larger size, you may not notice when many people go on vacation all at once, but for us smaller flocks, the holes are obvious. Everyone needs time away, though; it’s important to stop from time to time and take sabbath rest. In the Gospel passage for today, Jesus calls the disciples away to a “deserted place” to rest a while. Yet, human need doesn’t stick to timetables and vacation dates; Jesus saw the great need among people rushing to meet him as he and the disciples neared the shore, and his compassion moved him to do what he could. I suppose the point of the passage for those of us who are professionals is to make the time to stop, knowing we may be interrupted. Even so, caring for our own health is important – even encouraged by Jesus!

Starting with WORD smart, we suggest doing a first person account as one of the disciples returning to tell Jesus about what you had done while sent out by him. Three places mention the size of the crowd in this passage, so for EYE smart, we linked to some pictures of very large groups. Also for EYE smart, the way the crowds follow Jesus reminded me of paparazzi and that reminded David of a scene in the movie The Right Stuff. Jesus’ bowel-shaking compassion may be something to explore in BODY smart; think of a time when you have been so affected by what you see that you feel it elsewhere. We have a link to some MUSIC related to the passages for today and one clip of an anthem written about Jesus’ healing. In NATURE smart, we have some maps and pictures of potential places this story may have happened. We also talked about deserted places way back at the end of January, so you could follow the link below to see what we did then. In PEOPLE smart, a wee Princess has decided she does not care for crowds pressing around her and her family. We also have some questions you could use for group discussion. In SELF smart, try the special effect where you demonstrate how relentless the needs of ministry can be sometimes. 

Image Credit: Photo by Erik-Jan Leusink on Unsplash. Used by permission.

Greetings!! I’ve often told people to read the Gospel of Mark as though it were a novel; just start it and read until you get to the end. Don’t think about it – just fall into the setting and let it bear you along like a river. And, like a river, the story moves; characters enter and exit quickly and in the case of the reading for the lectionary this week, suddenly. Last week, Jesus was attempting to work some power among his hometown people and was not able to do so. He then sends his disciples out with instructions to carry his message to and heal as many people as possible. This week’s passage comes right on the heels of that story and to keep with the river metaphor, we run up against a big rock named Herod. Where did that come from? Don’t panic, though; let the story bear you past and pay attention to what happens. The scenery may change downriver, but you’ll notice some familiar patterns and people. We’ll show you some of what we noticed in the illustrations and special effects below.

We began in WORD smart where David and I independently thought that Herodias must have sounded like Malefiecent in Disney’s Sleeping Beauting when she gave instructions to her daughter. The combination of superbly lifelike animation and a glorious voice actor made an impact on each of us, obviously! Who do YOU hear in that short response to the question in verse 24? Invite your congregation to imagine, as well. David noticed the series of choices identifying Jesus at the beginning of the passage is the same list in Mark 8:27 – is this another Mark sandwich? If it is, it’s a big one! Sort of like a Dagwood!! For an EYE smart special effect, put together a Dagwood as you identify all the ways Jesus’ identity is refined between these two lists. We thought we had nothing for MATH smart until we noticed the sentence “King Herod heard about this” and wondered what “this” is. We think it was the work the disciples did around the country; the healing and teaching and powerful work Jesus sent them to do. Word about it got around – like a viral video today – and eventually got to Herod. 

What kind of dance did Herodias’ daughter perform that pleased Herod so much? It says a lot about us that we’ve frequently interpreted it as something salacious. Could it be that this girl was simply a gifted dancer? In BODY smart, we offer some video clips of really good dancing. If you have a dancer in your congregation, ask them what they think the dance may have looked like. The MUSIC in the clips did not exist in the first century, so I went looking for something that might and found The Epitaph of Seikilos, a first century composition found engraved on a tombstone. You might use this haunting melody for a prelude or an offertory. We have a very interesting article about fetishization in PEOPLE smart; what kind of hold did John the Baptist have on Herod? And in SELF smart, we have an article about the psychology of grudges.

Image Credit: Photo by Felipe P. Lima Rizo on Unsplash. Used by permission.

Hey all! We’re back from a week of Vacation Bible School! We had a wonderful experience and are so grateful for a tremendous staff that gave so much of themselves on behalf of the kids. The Spirit of God was moving, indeed! That movement is vital – providing support and guidance for disciples as they teach and learn and interact. In the Gospel selection for this week’s lectionary, Jesus sends the twelve out with authority to cast out demons and heal. They come back to report on their successes and are quite happy with their accomplishments. As readers, we are also pleased and we notice the marked contrast between their ministry out in the countryside and Jesus’ inability to do much at all in his hometown. Is it because people in Nazareth couldn’t see Jesus as anything other than the boy they once knew? “Look at Mary’s kid thinking he knows so much!”, you might hear them saying to one another. Did their familiarity precluded the Spirit’s movement among them? Either way, may we all be so receptive to the Spirit moving in our own lives that the children we touch will come back in later years and astonish us with their own teaching and healing! 

Jesus’ hometown folk are not impressed with him and their comments made us think about a couple phrases in our culture’s vernacular that express a similar disdain. (Who knew that “too big for his britches” was coined by Davy Crockett about Andrew Jackson?) We examine these idioms in WORD smart. We think you could demonstrate these phrases in EYE smart, too! For MATH smart, utilize a chart to show the level of respect and honor given a prophet by different groups (see this week’s worksheet for an example). In BODY smart, talk about a time when you literally shook off the dust of an experience and then invite your congregation to do the same. We each thought of a song that relates to this passage for MUSIC smart that doesn’t entirely fit – so play with the lyrics! Being sent out with only the clothes on your back relates to NATURE smart survival techniques. We have a link to a rather unusual television show in PEOPLE smart that sends people out in a way Jesus probably never thought of – I hope. Relying on hospitality is both a SELF smart issue as well as a PEOPLE smart consideration, especially when hospitality is not extended, or worse, is rescinded.

Image Credit: Photo by Joe Green on Unsplash. Used by permission.

Greetings!! We are beginning the new “slimmed down” version of our podcast this week. As we’ve mentioned in previous shows, David is about to go on a three month sabbatical starting in July. We spent some time discerning how this would effect this project and decided that we don’t want to stop doing it, but keeping up with three passages was going to be way too much. David will be traveling part of this time, and we just couldn’t quite figure out how to do a long distance recording. We’ve decided that we will instead simply focus our attention on one passage for the coming Sundays, probably the gospel lesson. This means we may not have any material for the Old Testament or Epistle lesson, unless that is the passage we choose to do. If you’ve been with us for a while, and have read some of our links to Multiple Intelligence Theory, you have some tools to jump in and try this process yourself! It’s like getting into the pool – once you get in, the water is great and a lot of fun! Please stay subscribed and thank you for your interest! And feel free to share any ideas you come up with, especially for the texts we miss.

The single passage we are focussing on today is the Gospel lesson from Mark. This is a very familiar story and if you’ve been doing this preaching gig for a while, you’ve come across this a time or three. We don’t have much new for the theology or exegesis of the passage – no flashes of insight about zeitgeist today – but we do have some fun ideas for each of the eight intelligences. Any one of these would be interesting to try and I know for a fact that we’ve done the special effect for EYE smart. I’ve seen the video! (I don’t know where it is, though…harumph.)

Ahoy, matey! Here in the Northern Hemisphere, we are solidly into summer. This week’s passage has some earmarks of summertime vacations at the lake! We have boats and wind and water! But we also have storms and foundering and panic, which also may be part of your summertime history; I have a couple of those to tell. At any rate, the passage begins quietly with Jesus and the disciples getting away from the crowds and setting sail in the evening for the other side of the lake.

We begin our podcast with some WORD smart elements, because the Greek word mega is used three times. Try finding some other words in English that use “mega” as a prefix. We also have an idea for a special effect that has some EYE elements. For EYE smart, try telling this story visually as a skit. I know we’ve done this before for a Youth Sunday service at David’s church, and we had a lot of fun with it. Use your imagination and involve the congregation as much as you are able.

In MATH smart, we have an article that contains a chart explaining why boats float. It’s pretty simple, really, and for a special effect, get an aquarium and a toy boat to demonstrate the principle. Then, sink the boat! In BODY smart, we have an article from Psychology Today giving a brief rundown of hormones and stress and some tips to counteract them in times of crisis. We have a link to a poem and a hymn in MUSIC smart. 

This story is full of NATURE smarts, and I went looking for information about windstorms over water. I found the link below that looks a weather event that happened on Lake Michigan that may have some connection to Lake Galilee. Essentially, when bodies of water experience disequilibrium, the water may surge and recede dramatically – and disastrously. Mark’s story is also a PEOPLE smart story, and this is usually where we “spiritualize” the storm. We have some commentary that does this in thoughtful ways. Finally for SELF smart, we have some ideas and questions for your own consideration and to give to your congregations to mull over in the coming days.

Image Credit: Photo by Joseph Barrientos on Unsplash. Used by permission.

Hey there! Welcome back! We are very grateful to Cindy Thompson for checking in with us last week with an absolutely BRILLIANT idea for the 1 Samuel 8 passage! Go back to last week’s show notes and check out her comment if you missed it! Once again, we are leaving the Old Testament passage on the shelf, but there are many NATURE and EYE smart elements to Ezekiel’s prophecy about God plucking a branch from the noble cedars of Lebanon. The NATURE smart elements are also all over the Gospel passage as Jesus tells two parables about growing things. In 2 Corinthians, Paul’s encouragement to them  ends with the well known verse that “if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation.” As I look out the window at the plants growing in our garden, I’m gratified that the mud pit that it was in March is now showing signs of potential produce! It is a new creation, indeed! If God can do that in our yard, what might God do in our lives? or our sermons?

We begin the Epistle lesson with EYE smart and verse 16 where Paul says that because of what Jesus has done, we no longer look at other people from a human point of view. So, look at people! (I remember an experience I once had waiting for David and the kids after a Dayton Dragons baseball game; I was watching people walk past me to their cars and had an overwhelming sense of love for them because I knew Jesus had died for each one. I just stood there with a goofy grin on my face, feeling joy!) In MATH smart, we explore Paul’s logic using some commentary and Sherlock Holmes. Walking by faith reminded me of a scene in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade for a BODY smart illustration. For a special effect, to some breathing and visualization. David is always reminded of an old song by verse 17 in MUSIC smart. In SELF smart, think about a time when you “saw” others the way Jesus does. 

As David says in the introduction to this passage, if you have been using Multiple Intelligence Theory in your preaching, you are someone who uses parables! We take some time to define a parable in WORD smart. Then, in MATH smart, we briefly remind everyone we made an interesting discovery about the way a parable works like a parabola. Go check out the links below! In MUSIC smart, we have an anthem that goes along with the idea that growth happens over time and two poems about seeds and parables. NATURE smart is the star of the show for this selection! We have some other ways of looking at the kingdom of God and some video clips of seeds germinating, sprouting, and growing in time lapse photography. In PEOPLE and SELF smart, we encourage you to take the metaphor of planting seeds and growing to maturity as a way of looking back at your own faith development. 

Image Credit: Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash. Used by permission.

Hey all! Welcome back! When we moved into our house back in 2004, the housing bubble here in the US was still expanding. We had been in a bit of a tight spot; we were looking for something with a fenced yard for the dog, bedrooms for each kid, and within our budget. Property values around David’s church were much higher than we could reasonably afford, so we eventually settled about twenty miles away and one state over. We are very glad we did for a variety of reasons but the main one is that when the bubble popped and the market crashed in 2008, we did not lose our home. Many people were not so fortunate and we as a nation are still feeling the repercussions of that ten years later. Finding a place to dwell or feeling secure where you pitch your tent are fundamental issues for human beings. In the two passages for today, we get references to houses or places where we belong and can feel at home. Paul writes to the Corinthians that while our outer natures are decaying or that our earthly tents may be destroyed, we have an eternal home with God. In the Mark passage, Jesus is at home but not at rest. He is accused of being demon possessed which he finds preposterous. How can a house divided against itself stand? While the scribes try to come up with an answer to that, Jesus redefines what it is to be family under the roof of God’s household.  

After the first Sunday in July, David will be on a three month sabbatical. You may have noticed the past two weeks that we have only presented two passages – part of that is we just haven’t settled on which Old Testament preaching path follow and so have just avoided it. The other reason is that we are discerning how best to keep the podcast going during his absence. One thought is to limit the show to two passages, or even just one. We have some options open to us but if you have a suggestion, please let us know in the comments below or at our Facebook page. Meanwhile, let’s go look at what we have for this Sunday.

Paul has been accused by some in the Corinthian congregation of being weak and unimpressive. He agrees to an extent; he admits his body has begun to exhibit the stress of age and work, but denies that his weakening outer nature in any way diminishes his renewed spirit in Christ. In fact, he feels strength and power as God’s glory flows through him and his words. In WORD smart, we have an idea that mirrors verse 13 – “I believed and so I spoke”. Paul’s image of the body as a tent got us to thinking about the blanket forts kids make and play in. Try constructing one for an EYE smart illustration and special effect! Taking Paul’s metaphor onto our own persons as per the quote for a BODY smart illustration on the worksheet, ask your people to consider what type of dwelling or tent their body resembles. Verse 14 has some interlaced melody, so try arranging it into a canon for MUSIC smart. In NATURE smart, we suggest using an onion that has begun to go over as an illustration and special effect. Also, what happens to matter as it decays? Some of it is transformed into something new while at a sub-atomic level, it goes on perpetually.

So much happens in Mark so quickly that it’s difficult to keep track of it all! We’ve jumped a bit in the third chapter to get to this passage; Jesus’ renown keeps growing and he calls his disciples in the verses omitted. As this selection begins, he’s gone back home. Maybe he thinks he’s finally going to get to sleep in a bed and have a decent meal. Nope. There are so many people pushing their way into the house he cannot get his hand to his mouth! I’ve been in places where there were crushes of people like that while in college, but this gathering does not seem to have a party atmosphere to it at all. I always get a sense of desperation; people see a chance at hope in this man which draws them from everywhere. We recommend commentary by Ched Myers for WORD smart which we explain in the show. Jesus is accused of doing miracles by the power of “the ruler of demons” which he thinks is impossible – it’s like dividing by zero! We have a link to a video discussing this in MATH smart. Jesus also refers to binding a strong man so we have an article discussing the pros and cons of different strength training programs in BODY smart. Mark often uses a literary “sandwich” technique which shows up here. We have a MUSIC smart illustration by The Beatles that shows how it works. In PEOPLE smart, use some links to TVTropes and Robert’s Rules of Order. And finally in SELF smart, we have two quotes that illuminate just what that unforgivable sin may be. 

Smarts – Word [18:02], Math [19:0], Body [21:45], Music [23:08], People [24:57], Self [29:08]

Image Credit: Photo by Dane Deaner on Unsplash. Used by permission.

Greetings!! We’re glad you’ve joined us! This week, we couldn’t decide which Old Testament passage to pursue, so we decided not to pursue one at all. Plus, I had a Memorial Day event at my church midday Monday and our wonderful daughter came to visit – so we also ran out of time! If you are looking for some ideas for the Deuteronomy or 1 Samuel passage, check out our previous episodes “See, Hear” for the Samuel story and “Like a Michael Bay Explosion” for Deuteronomy. Meanwhile, on with this week’s show. Paul writes to the Corinthians that the gift we have in Jesus gives us strength, supports our perseverance, and makes us shine with light. In Mark, Jesus reminds those who think otherwise that the sabbath was made for the benefit of humanity. Sabbath observance asks us to stop; push the pause button, do something different for a day, find a new path, seek God in places outside the ordinary obligations of living. The Corinthians passage assures us that as we go down our roads, we are accompanied by Jesus. So, whether we stop or whether we go, we are God’s, and we rejoice. 

The gift we’ve been given in Jesus Christ is beyond value yet it comes and dwells in *us* – fallible human beings. Paul speaks to this dichotomy with a wonderful image of treasure in clay jars. Of course, we would want to hold precious things in special containers, not ordinary everyday storage bins. For an EYE smart special effect, bring in some ordinary containers. In verses 10 and 11, Paul talks about the death and resurrection as characteristics of Jesus’ disciples that we carry around within our bodies. We use tattoos as an illustration of meaningful events carried around on a person in BODY smart. Also, the poetic construction of affliction upon affliction in verses 8 and 9 (which would be interesting poetry or a song for MUSIC smart) bring to mind the punishing good guy/bad guy fights in movies. Also for MUSIC smart, you might reference the musical group Jars of Clay who take their name from this passage. For NATURE smart, explore the properties of clay; its composition, malleability, and uses are a good illustration for the lives of disciples. Finally, in SELF smart, go back to those EYE smart containers and mull over what treasure you would keep in an ordinary container. 

We are back to Mark! In this passage, we have two stories about Jesus and the Sabbath. The word is used more than once, so I looked it up (see link below). It means to stop what you’re doing so try illustrating this using our WORD smart suggestion. You could also incorporate some EYE smart by bringing in a stop sign or two. For MATH smart, we think illustrating analogies will help show the logic of the passage. For BODY smart, invite everyone to stretch out a hand during the prayers of the people. This passage presents the conflict between keeping the rules or abiding by the spirit behind the rules. For PEOPLE smart, we have some blog post comments (ufdah) that illustrate this very well. As we are wont to do, have your folks break up and discuss this dilemma. 

Thanks to Pastor Susan Presley in Illinois for sharing her Pentecost sermon on Isaiah 6:1-8 with us. She had come across a commentary that discussed the idea of “spiritual synesthesia” and used that idea to encourage our own multi-sensory experience of God. Very engaging!

Then Molly and I both used various things we had suggested for Pentecost and Trinity Sunday, including the Ezekiel 37 choral reading and the Romans 8 string art SFX. Listen to find out how they all turned out!

Image Credit: Photo by David Guenther on Unsplash. Used by permission.

Greetings!! It’s Trinity Sunday this week! This is the day when many preachers think about breaking out theological terms to describe the mystery of God as Three in One. If you are looking for deep theological journeys into obscure reaches of complexity — you will not find it here. We are not offering any specific insight into the theology of the day; rather, we are concentrating on the texts that have been selected, looking to glean insight into God’s character from them. Isaiah has a vision of God the Creator filling the temple as seraphim sing praises. Paul encourages the Romans to consider their lives as children of God, adopted by the power of the Spirit. Jesus and Nicodemus discuss God’s great love for creation and how that creation will be redeemed through the Son. The passages reveal God keeping relationship with Godself, creation, and us – keeping it all in the family. We have some ideas you can use to bring out particular smarts in each passage that illuminate Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer. So get your multiple intelligence hat on, and join us as we explore the selections for this Sunday.

Most prophets and pastors begin their ministries with a vision of God’s call. I wonder how many of us began with a seraph burning our lips with charcoal? Not me! On the day of King Uzziah’s death, Isaiah is in the temple where he receives a vision of God on the throne with smoke and the train of his robe filling the sanctuary. Heavenly beings voice praise in such a way that the room’s support beams shake. For a WORD smart special effect, make use of that auditory drama with a big bass drum! For an EYE smart special effect, try replicating one of those old OxyClean commercials. We have some suggestions for MUSIC smart that could be very effective in bringing your congregation into a contemplative place. We think the hot coal was a method of purification and recommend trying out some of the experiments we have listed in NATURE smart! And finally, we suppose Isaiah laments his unclean lips and unclean people because of dishonesty; we have a link to a study in PEOPLE smart that has some NATURE and BODY connections.

We’ve pulled material out of this passage twice before; see the links below for those shows. We think this passage was included in the Trinity Sunday readings because it presents images of God’s three Persons, which we think you could illustrate and demonstrate in EYE smart using string art. Much MUSIC has been generated based on these verses, and we have three pieces you might consider. Paul tells the Romans they are not to fall back into a spirit of slavery but consider themselves adopted by God through Jesus Christ. In SELF smart, we have a discussion about how a spirit of slavery may manifest itself.

We begin this very familiar passage with a recommendation for the reading of it; try a translation that you’ve never used before. We have a couple suggestions for WORD smart. If you did not try the string art for Romans 8, you can give it a go for EYE smart here – it works in either place. Jesus seems a little exasperated with Nicodemus’ lack of understanding. If he cannot be convinced of Jesus’ truth by earthly signs, how on earth will he be able to comprehend heavenly things? We have a link to a blog post and a study in MATH smart that suggest you may be able to convince someone of something if you approach the task with the humility to admit you may be wrong. There are some PEOPLE smart elements in this illustration, as well. In BODY smart, remind your folks what it feels like to fly a kite or deal with the wind currents. Sticking with currents, for NATURE smart, bring in an oscillating fan and demonstrate the difference between a known, predictable flow of air and the movement of the Spirit. And finally, in SELF smart, we have some questions to ponder about what it takes to change your mind.

Image Credit: Copyright: bernardojbp / 123RF Stock Photo. Used by permission.

It’s Pentecost! This is that time of the year when the color red is prominent in our places of worship, and we talk a lot about fire and wind. For this podcast, we are going to pay attention to the Old Testament and New Testament readings for the day. Both readings feature the movement of the Spirit which accomplishes truly astonishing things. The Hebrew word for spirit, ruach, also translates as “wind” and just this past Monday, we experienced the power and might of wind as a storm ripped through our area with high winds and hail. WOW. We know from our own experiences that the wind and the Spirit can do fantastic things that leave us in awe. Let’s go examine what is available in these passages to blow new life and energy into our congregations. Bring a mop!

As we lost visual contact with the end of our deck Monday afternoon, I was not thinking about the Holy Spirit moving through a valley of dry bones. I *was* praying to that Spirit for protection, though! Once the storm was over and we were mostly confident about going back outside, the power of the wind was evidenced everywhere. Hail had shredded leaves on many trees and our roof looks like someone dumped a salad up there. We saw that a neighbor had lost the top out of a pine tree – which gave the air a fresh smell as he was probably calling his insurance agent. I bet, like us, Ezekiel stood in trembling awe of what the ruach had done in the valley. If you have experienced a big wind storm like that, try to use that energy and awe in the choral reading we have for WORD smart. We did not see the wind blow dead bodies back to life, but maybe the clip from the movie in EYE smart might be fun to show. The bones in the valley are thought to be the result of a massacre so we have a list of massacres in MATH smart. The numbers are staggering. We have a link in BODY smart about decomposition rather than recomposition. The bones represent the spiritual reality of the people of Israel who feel entirely cut off from hope. We have a very brief list of people in our world today who may be experiencing that same hopelessness in PEOPLE. We also have links to how others could help. And we have a question for you and your congregation to ponder in SELF smart. What is more terrible to see; our tendency towards destruction or God’s power that overcomes it?

Here is a link to a past episode that covers this passage. We have some different options here.

MTH Year A Lent 5 Ez 37

This is a Sunday that is just made for experimentation! It only happens once a year, has some spectacular special effects, and a huge party at fellowship, so why not break down some traditional practices and let a little air inside? As we read the story, a whole LOT of air came inside; so much that the apostles were blown out into the street with the capacity to speak another language! We think exploring the sound of diversity is a great way to begin the service, so use this passage as we suggest in WORD smart special effect. Since fire is part of this story, David has a link to a way you might demonstrate tongues of flame in EYE smart. As usual, BE CAREFUL working with fire. Some preachers, if they read further than the assigned passage, get distracted by the addition of 3000 new members as the result of one really good sermon. We indulge in that a bit with some number crunching in MATH smart. Want to demonstrate wind instead of fire? We have a links to a lot of science projects in NATURE smart! The boom of the wind is what draws people’s attention and the plethora of languages spoken by Galileans is what keeps people around. Talk about the challenges of language in PEOPLE smart. And finally in SELF smart, when have you been surprised at what comes out of your own mouth?

We’ve covered this passage twice before and here are links to those times! We didn’t re-invent anything – too obviously!

MTH Year C Acts 2       MTH Year A Acts 2

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