It’s been about 18 months since I stepped away from pastoring after 20 years. Since then, I’ve been resting, healing, experimenting, and quietly working on something new called Sunday Ready.
Over the last year, I’ve gotten to help pastors ease the pressure of sermon prep. Honestly, it’s been really fun because it lets me combine two things I love: writing and helping pastors.
I’m sure I’ll talk more about Sunday Ready later, but for now, I’ve started sending out a weekly email every Monday to help you build your sermon.
Each week you’ll get 1 stat, 1 quote, and 1 story you can use. This month, everything is geared toward the Christmas season.
I hope it helps lighten the load a little bit. If I can ever help you let me know.
Stat
38% of American adults say they are currently estranged from a family member.
The breakdown is estrangement from a sibling (24%), a parent (16%), a child (10%), a grandparent (9%), and a grandchild (6%).
The top reasons for the estrangement are: Personality conflicts (29%), Lies or betrayal (29%), Manipulative behavior (26%), Conflict with other family members (24%), Conflicting values or lifestyle (23%)
Takeaway: Christmas is a season where many carry deep relational wounds.
Source:
https://today.yougov.com/society/articles/52733-family-estrangement-how-often-and-why-it-happens
Story
In 2016, The Washington Post ran a story about a judge in North Carolina named Lou Olivera.
One of his cases involved a retired army veteran who had violated his probation, so the judge had no choice but to sentence him to one night in jail.
The moment he heard the sentence, the veteran started freaking out. He had PTSD from the war, and jail triggered memories of being trapped during combat. He told the judge he didn’t think he could make it through the night alone.
So Judge Olivera did something unprecedented: He walked into the jail cell with him and spent the entire night there, sitting beside him so he wouldn’t be alone.
Takeaway: This is what Jesus did. We were guilty, so he took off his royal robes to come be with us.
Source:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2016/04/22/a-judge-sentences-a-veteran-to-24-hours-in-jail-then-joins-him-behind-bars/
Interesting Links
Family estrangement: How often and why it happens
This is the article where I got the estrangement numbers, and it gives a helpful breakdown of why so many families are hurting today. It’s worth reading if you want deeper insight into what people in your congregation may be carrying.
For many, the holidays this year means having to make do with less
This article reports that rising economic pressure is leading many Americans to cut back on holiday spending — forcing families to adjust traditions, reduce gift-giving, or even rethink holiday celebrations altogether.
