Sinning Like a Christian, the 7 Deadly Sins

Why, oh, Why did I say yes I would preach on the 7 Deadly sins for Lent? Here I am on the sin of Greed, and just stuck, its not making much sense for my people who are poor anyway, on fixed incomes, don't necessarily have a greedy bone in their body. I am the one with the greedy bone. Came by it naturally, my dad had to have more and more. He came by it by trying to fill up the hole left from the depression. But he is dead, and gone are all his possessions. He died buying more things, looking through mail order catalogues, trying to figure out what he was going to buy. I think the day after he died something he had ordered came in the mail.

When I went on a mission trip to Pass Christian, Miss. I was struck by how everything was gone, where once there was beautiful homes. I was walking around thinking, I have too much stuff. I was going to come home and go through it, and get rid of it, simplify. Ha, that's too much like work. When I have gone to China and been in the homes out in the rural areas or in the Hatungs, and see how little they have in such a little space, all I can say is I am a greedy individual.

I find myself wanting an IPOD just cause its the latest hitech thing. I haven't bought it yet, trying to hold off. I have even tried to hold myself from buying something by waiting 10 days (read that somewhere). I can't seem to make it past day 5 or 7. God, truly forgive me for I am a sinner, have sinned and probably will sin again. Okay, Okay, I just wrote some of my sermon.

But here's the deal, this 7 deadly sin thing was started by my Bishop, Will Willimon who wrote a new book "Sinning Like a Christian". He then went around to the different districts doing discussion sessions on the book. He drew a lot of crowds. He got my intrigue up and the intrigue of the lay person who went with me.

Now I didn't grow up knowing about the 7 deadly sins, knew the 10 Commandments. I have had to read and study up for this series, and ask my husband, and a church member, both former Catholics to help me out with this thing. Plus, the series was interupted by our trip to China for 3rd child, (thank you very much). I'd appreciate any help anyone can give. In other words can anybody help a poor former Baptist girl out here?

See...

See don't I look like the Vicar of Dibley, NOT! I can't even tell jokes like her. I forget the punch line, or remember the punch line and forget the other lines.

Talk With the Preacher: Flip That Church

Talk With the Preacher: Flip That Church

This preacher has put into words, a word picture, what restoring, turning around, an old or dying church is about. You might want to read this if you are serving in a small church, old church, or one that is dying. Rev. Amy Butler has something to say that is worth hearing and thinking about. I have read a lot of books on what the churches need to survive, make disciples, be successful in the 21st century, postmodern world, all good stuff. It is helpful and hopeful when you read what someone who is actually turning a church around is thinking and doing. Well said Rev. Amy and keep up the good work at Calvary Baptist Church, Washington DC.

Her last paragraph is really a question for all of us to ponder and work toward in our churches. Here it is:
"The real question of whether or not we can flip this church will be answered right after we make our way through the flower garden into the community. If this is a place where people love each other and want to follow Jesus, well, then, this flip is going to turn a profit in the end."
That leaves me to ask the question of myself as Pastor here in these two churches; "am I leading these people to love each other and to want to follow Jesus." Thanks Rev. Amy, I certainly feel challenged.

The title of this Blog

Want to know where the Vicar of Wadley title came from? Well, you are probably right. The BBC comedy, Vicar of Dibley was the inspiration. BBC - Comedy - Guide - The Vicar Of Dibley

I loved the show when it was on in 1994 and following.

A boisterous female minister comes to serve in an eccentricly conservative small town's church. If you recall the plot the older vicar dies, and what the town gets is Geraldine Granger, a non-traditional, chocolate loving, rock n' roll playing vicar. That is not what gets the citizens of Dibley in a uproar though. It's because she is a woman. Still, that doesn't stop Geraldine from proving her worthiness to the village. After time, the villagers (with the exception of influential David Horton) accept Geraldine as The Vicar of Dibley. I know the show wasn't as popular with the Brits, but I loved it. If you haven't seen it, try to catch it, sometimes BBC has it on or

My husband and I have joked since I was told I was coming here to Wadley that I was the Vicar of Wadley. Of course I am not Anglican; I am non-traditional, choclate loving, rock n' roll playing female minister. Wadely is itself a conservative small town church, I will not say it is eccentric, although there might be some outsiders that say it is. I am their first female minister, and have been for 5 years, a lot longer than the men ever stayed. I love it here, I love the people, I love the church, the kids, the quietness, the list could go on. And thats after living in Big towns and cities like Huntsville, Columbus, Birmingham, Louisville, and Tallahassee. So there you have it!

Depression and faith

I could not have said the below any better. If you know someone who is dealing with depression don't jump on them about their lack of faith or prayerlife. Probably this person has prayed until they are blue in the face as it is, and it doesn't have to do with them losing their faith or having more faith. So check the link out. I found it at Gospelcom.net, one of the sites I visit often.What (not) to say to a depressed Christian“Real Christians don’t get depressed.” “If you’re depressed, there must be something wrong with your spiritual life.” “You just need to have more faith!”If you’ve ever heard a statement like these uttered to somebody suffering from depression, you’ve heard one of many myths about depression and Christianity. The Christian Depression Pages ministry has gathered an extensive list of Christian myths about depression and explains why they miss the mark–and how they often do more harm than good. If you struggle with depression, you’ll find encouragement in the debunkings; and if you don’t, you’ll learn how you can be truly helpful to a depressed Christian in your life or congregation.

Christian Depression Pages
Gospelcom.net

The vicar is in Maybe

The Vicar is back from two weeks in China, and is in the house. But that doesn't mean her mind or body is back yet. She is moving in a robotic like fashion, doing what she knows how to do to get it done. Thankfully last week she had someone else preach for her, and he did a marvelous job. You can read about it in the post from her other log. She was really clear her mind was not working right to put together a sermon. On top of that the kids had been getting up at 3am and waking the parents up making it harder to think to preach.
So the Vicar is in. Don't expect much for awhile but this. But it will come. It will come.
God be with you tonight and as you start your morning. May you do better with sleep than she.