Just a note before this morning's Pouring-out of Beakers.
As usual for Sunday we will be having three readings - from The Return of the Native, The House at Pooh Corner and the poem "Excelsior!"
Now normally everybody would just assume my sermon would be based on the third reading, and have a bit of a nap during the other two. But this week I'm going to be flitting around between all three to build my argument. Clearly we can't expect everyone to stay awake that long, so Hnaef will stand next to me with a red flag, and raise the flag to ensure everyone knows a pertinent section is coming and they should pay attention.
Obviously if some-one has truly fallen asleep as opposed to being in a fitful doze, the flag's not gonna help much. That's why Hnaef is also going to have an air-horn...
You mean the readings weren't designed as periods of rest so everyone would be refreshed and able to give the sermon their full attention?
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to know in advance which sections the preacher will choose as pertinent for the day's elaborations and it is custom that these are repeated during the talk when everyone is wide awake.
Hmm, I am out of step here. I practice mindfulness by listening to the readings, then sleep during the sermon, as the effort of listening to the readings is quite tiring.
ReplyDeleteI found so many sermons just repeated the readings in the speaker's own words it wasn't worth listening.
PS Whereas the readings are classic texts and worth listening to.
ReplyDeleteAhem. Obviously I don't mean your sermons Archdruid. I make an exception for those.
ReplyDeleteIt certainly seems to be that one can only listen to either or.
ReplyDeleteYou need to keep people moving, calling on them at unexpected intervals to stand, sit or kneel ('as you are able' being optional). This keeps them awake, whereas if you concentrate on the reading or teaching, some of us may slip into deeper meditations, and those who tend to snore will be getting elbows stuck in their ribs.
ReplyDeleteIt should be 'a banner with a strange device,' surely, rather than a mere flag?
ReplyDeletelove Mags B x (Excelsior!)