Saturdays have often felt weird to me. Many people enjoy the weekend off from work; not quite the same now.
As a minister/preacher I have found, and still today, a difficulty in the concept of a day off. Saturdays are often filled with anxiety about worship coming on Sunday. Questions of am I ready, does the message make sense to me, and will it make sense to others, flood over me. Anxiety creeps in. I can “put the sermon to bed” and leave it there but as a creative I’m constantly rethinking and tweaking a turn of phrase here and perhaps adding a poem or a quotation there. The sermon never feels done.
In normal life I would preach three services each week which gives me the opportunity to finesse the message after each one. I would have time to work with the congregation who are present. Now with only one service and online complications, I feel like I’m preaching to myself. Perhaps that is exactly what I’m doing. Perhaps that is exactly what I need.
Be not afraid is my mantra these days. Reminding myself that I have no reason to fear. God is with me. God is with us. We are not alone. Thanks be to God.
May your Saturday be exactly what is needed for you today, this moment.
Blessings always
Barbara
Musings from the Manse 