Preach Magazine Issue 4 - Preaching in the digital age | Page 7
LETTERS AND TWEETS
Worth the wait
Misdiagnosis
‘I have now read both the previous
issues of Preach and had a look at
the website. I think that both are
brilliant resources.
‘I have been reading the “Preaching
Problems” pages in the Summer 2015
issue and I am not altogether happy
with the way the panel addressed
the problem of nervousness. The
emphasis of the advice given to the
nervous minister seemed to be about
preparation of sermon and service. A
review of the way he undertakes this,
and a possible change of format of
service and sermon may help, but only
up to a point.
I got very confused about what
was happening with LWPT – the
changing format and the missed
issues. However, we now seem to
be back on solid ground. The new
resources were worth waiting for.
Such resources are very necessary
as being a preacher can be a very
solitary occupation. We need input!
Keep up the good work.’
Carolyn Mann, by email
Small world
‘Since receiving the latest issue
of Preach (Spring) I have been
intending to write to you to
congratulate you on such wellproduced and helpful magazine.
I have been a Methodist local
preacher for many years now and
I would say that Preach is one of
the most useful publications for
preachers I have ever received. The
feature articles and regular items
give the magazine well-balanced
content.
I was especially interested in
reading the interview you had with
your father, Peter Harris. It was
during the 1990s that my son spent
a number of visits to the Algarve
assisting with some of the work
on A Rocha’s first project. I did
come over on one occasion (partly
holiday) while he was there and
had the privilege of meeting your
mum and dad, along with the family
(including you) at Cruzinha where
the field study centre was based.
Until receiving the recent issue of
Preach and also speaking with my
son, I had no idea that you were
Peter’s daughter. It’s a small world.
I pray that you and your team
will keep up the good work for the
magazine and look forward to
receiving the next issue.’
Owen Gardiner, Peterborough
I feel that the problem should have
been addressed as plain, old-fashioned
stage-fright, from which many
preachers, myself included, suffer.
The panel should have been offering
help to cope with this, indicating
methods of relaxation and other ways
of overcoming nervousness, even quite
extreme nervousness. One way might
be to find out how actors, singers,
politicians and others in the public eye
have learnt to cope with stage fright,
apart from drink and drugs.
I hope that the minister with this
problem is able to overcome it. He or
she is in my prayers.’
Ray Lee, Kidderminster
Welcome diversity
‘Thank you very much for the Summer
issue of Preach. The articles were all of
a very high standard and the editing
made very good use of them. I am a
Methodist but I was pleased to see
that Pentecostals were involved. I was
especially pleased to see that the need
for diversity was mentioned because
my reading of history suggests that
our faith has evolved because of
divergence of understanding which
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TO US
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has allowed opinion to change. We
are not stuck with St Augstine’s view
of women, for example. Perhaps
there could have been more emphasis
on the diversity of experience of
preachers. I am a scientist and I
would never give a presentation at
work to a formal group without a
well-prepared script. I can’t preach
without a script because I take it
seriously. But I can understand
that some people have the gift of
extemporary preaching and are very
good communicators. We need both!
Please accept my thanks.’
SD Mason, by email
TWITTER
@Davidjg2013Djg: ‘@ruthvalerio
@PreachMagazine So sorry
missed your seminar… Plenty
of experience at preaching really
bad sermons!’
@paulkerensa: ‘@richardlittlda
@CRE_churchshow
@PreachMagazine Love
@storycubes. Idea: make em
from sugar, preach from em,
pop em in the tea after’
@LSTheology: ‘Superb to catch
up with @PreachMagazine
at @CRE_churchshow
#CREInternational – future good
things afoot with @LSTheology’
@BigChurchDayOut: ‘Who’s in the
bazaar at #BCDO 2015? Make sure
you go and see @PreachMagazine
and find out more about what
they do!’
We’d love to hear from you – whether you have
thoughts on the features, ideas for future issues,
experiences or inspiration about preaching or
constructive criticism (please be kind – we are humans
with feelings). You can write to us at PO Box 2352,
Watford, Herts WD18 1PY, email [email protected], or
tweet us @preachmagazine.