Called To This Moment: My First Homily, My First Pulpit

OCTOBER 30, 2024

Preaching in the church for the first time is an honor, a horror, and a mixed bag of emotions for me.

I have listened to Sunday sermons every week for most of my life. That is roughly 1,488 sermons if we count infancy and toddler years. The point is, I am familiar with sermons. What I am NOT familiar with is to be the one to prepare and deliver a sermon.

I preached for the first time at my field site, Bethany United Church of Christ, and it was a stretching experience, to say the least. I felt pulled in so many different directions, wanting to preach what God laid on my heart while dedicated to staying on theme, remaining in the text, and connecting to the congregant members. Could I satisfy each requirement with one sermon?

Preparing this sermon was like a tug of war, inching closer to where you want to go while unexpectedly being pulled in the opposite direction, repeatedly. It is a humbling process, as it should be. People dedicating their time to give their undivided attention to me for 15 minutes is significant, and the words the preacher says can stay with them, for better or worse. Even though the fear and anxiety of preparing my first sermon will subside as I continue to preach, I hope some of that on-edge and anxious feeling remains, reminding me of the power I hold while in the spotlight and the care and awareness I must cling to as I wield it.

Preaching the sermon felt satisfying and terrifying. All of the preparation and prayer lead to one moment. And then the moment is done. I am all too aware of my human limitations when it comes to preparing and delivering a sermon but I trust God to fill in the gap, as God does time and time again. 

Author:
Kelli Manning
MDIV, McCormick Theological Seminary