From Maryland-Preaching on the Sunday morning after the George Zimmerman/Trayvon Martin verdict seemed daunting. It turned out not to be so.
The worship bulletin was already printed. Hymns had been chosen. So were the readings from the Revised Common Lectionary. It seemed perfectly served up for a guest preacher like me rewriting the sermon on the fly.
We church folk like to credit the Holy Spirit when things like this happen.
Even if the congregation hadn’t already been discussing the verdict, I knew interest would be high. I’ve visited this congregation before. St. Paul’s is the oldest Episcopal church in Baltimore. It is racially diverse, but like most Episcopal congregations, it’s predominantly white.
The opening hymn was, “In Christ There is no East or West.” The second verse lifted the hearts of the congregation. “Join hands, disciples of the faith, what e’er your race may be! Who serves my Father as his child is surely kin to me.” Before the Gospel reading we sang, “Jesu, Jesu,” which includes this chorus: “Fill us with your love, show us how to serve the neighbors we have from you.”
More here-
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/on-faith/commentary-preaching-in-the-shadow-of-the-trayvon-martin-verdict/2013/07/16/58696228-ee40-11e2-bb32-725c8351a69e_story.html
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