In my seminary preaching classes they taught us to avoid “preacher voice.” Have you heard such a voice from the pulpit, a voice that seems “put on” or unnatural? Preacher voice is often described as an astute sounding, carefully articulated, loudly projected, serious sounding voice. I know I’ve been guilty of “preacher voice.” In ourContinueContinue reading “Code-switching and Preaching: When “preacher voice” means leaving our selves and God behind.”
Author Archives: Mike Angell
Code-switching and Preaching: Can I talk to you about your sermon?
There’s always a moment of awkwardness when someone asks, “Can I talk to you about your sermon?” When you’ve put hours of work into crafting a message, when that message has a sacramental function, both praise and critique can be awkward to hear. A few times in my preaching career a visitor has approached meContinueContinue reading “Code-switching and Preaching: Can I talk to you about your sermon?”
Where do we begin? A sermon for the First Sunday after the Epiphany
Where do we begin? I find myself focused this morning on beginnings. “In the beginning,” the first words of the Bible. Really, the first word. “Berishit” in Hebrew, just one word. “In the beginning.” Mark’s Gospel also centers on a beginning. Mark, as usual, wastes no time. John announces “one is coming after me,” andContinueContinue reading “Where do we begin? A sermon for the First Sunday after the Epiphany”
The Word was made a pilgrim.
A sermon preached for the First Sunday of Christmas at Christ Church Cathedral, St. Louis. “We are not human beings on a spiritual journey. We are spiritual beings on a human journey.” Does anyone here own this particular bumper sticker? I know several people who own it. But, I grew up in Colorado, so granola-y statements like thisContinueContinue reading “The Word was made a pilgrim.”
Mike Angell 