Preaching In Pumps | Sermons By Rev. Sarah E. Weaver

Ack!  I need to get in the habit of posting these sermons on Sunday night because once I get into the office on Tuesday, I hit the ground running and don't have time to sit down and get it done.  I had a really busy week, both at home and at church (which is made obvious by the fact that you can hear Harrison shrieking in my intro to this week's podcast).  I know life is just full of seasons, so I am trying to dance with the crazy instead of just looking to get past it. Here is last week's sermon!  It is the call story of Philip and Nathanael from the Gospel of John.  I actually kind of preached on star words again.  If I remember correctly, I did this last year - I preached on star words the week we handed them out and then talked about them again the following week in case people weren't in church the week before (also giving those folks a chance to get star words the following week!).  I'm not sure I actually meant to do it again, but it worked! Here's my sermon!  Enjoy ... - Rev. Sarah

Hi friends! Yesterday was Star Sunday at the Rehoboth Congregational Church.  We did this for the first time last year and I think it really started to gain traction this year.  My sermon is part sermon and part star story.  After I preached, I invited three members of the congregation to stand up and share their star stories.  It was wonderful!  I hope next year more people are interested in sharing, as well. Have a great week, everyone! -Sarah

Hi friends!  Happy New Year!  I hope y'all had a wonderful Christmas celebration.  I am posting (albeit very delayed) my sermon from Christmas Eve.  Probably not super relevant at the moment considering we've all moved past Christmas (although my tree is still up #waitingforepiphany #actuallyjustdontfeelliketakingitdown), BUT I do think the concept of living in both worlds is super applicable to our faith throughout the year, not just on Christmas. Enjoy!

I was SO excited about worship this week.  The amazingly talented Mary Bee was in town and singing in worship.  She sang the Francesca Battistelli song, Heaven Everywhere and also Sweet Little Jesus Boy.  I was able to bring in a drummer and a bass player for Heaven Everywhere, which just rounded out the sound.  It was so much fun! Next Sunday is Christmas Eve!  That's so hard to believe.  I know technically it is Advent 4, but we are going to have our Family Worship & Pageant at the 10AM service this year.  The pageant is shaping up to be adorable, as always (and I am not just saying that because my son is going to be a lamb).  One of the parents came to me with a really cute idea and it's going to be so fun to see it all come together. I hope you all are are finding God's hope, peace, joy and love this season!  Thank you for being part of my year.  I am thankful for you! Many blessings, Sarah

I completely shifted gears this week in terms of my approach to Advent.  I spent the first two weeks talking about the magic and joy of the season and this week I talked about what it means to be in a dark or sad place during this season.  If you are feeling pain or grief this season, please know that this season is just as much for you as it is for those who are experiencing joy.  You do not have to fake happiness or joy to participate in this season of waiting - be who you are, where you are. If you are in a dark place this year, please leave me a comment or email me and let me know how I can pray for you. Happy Advent, friends.

Hi Friends! When I went to upload my sermon I was reminded that I have three separate documents with three different versions of Sunday's sermon.  I couldn't figure it out!  It just wasn't working - probably because I was preaching on repentance and - ugh.  That's hard. I hope you enjoy my sermon!  I named my struggle right off the bat and I think people really relate when I do that.  But working through this actually gave me a lot to think about as I approach my own Advent season. Have a great week, everyone! - Rev. Sarah

Hi Friends! We moved up the start of Advent for several reasons this year, most of which I outlined in my sermon.  According to Facebook, I would say it was pretty evenly split as to whether people moved up the start of Advent or are waiting until next week. My second year in Rehoboth, I did a Hanging of the Greens service.  That first year, everyone pretty much thought I was nuts.  The second year, the flower committee tried to help me set up, but ended pretty much decorating everything the day before.  The third or fourth year, Bruce and I got into an argument about whether or not we could pull off the greens on the balcony could be hung during the service itself (or if we had to be totally lame and pre-hang them).  Last year, his point was proven when the greens almost fell off the balcony during The Holly and the Ivy. Suffice is to say, it's a work in progress. That being said, every year the service has gone a little bit smoother and I thought this year was the smoothest it has ever gone!  I asked for ex

Hi Friends!  I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving.  For the fifth year in a row, we trotted for Bella at the turkey trot in Pawtucket, RI.  It was extra special this year, because she had been admitted to Hasbro Children's Hospital the night before. Here is my sermon from last weekend.  I talked about living in God's light and, the funny thing about this sermon was that it was POURING when I arrived at church that morning, but when church was over, the sun was coming out!  I guess when you preach on light, light shine! Enjoy! Rev. Sarah

I don't normally preach on Homeless Awareness Weekend, but it light of what happened in Sutherland Springs, TX the week before, I really needed to respond from the pulpit.  We ended up having a really nice service - following my remarks and the choir anthem, I interviewed the kids that took part in Homeless Awareness Weekend and they were able to each talk a little bit about their experiences over the weekend. Here's my sermon!  Enjoy ...  - Rev. Sarah

GUYS. It's been too long.  I actually took two weeks off from preaching because we had testimonies as part of our stewardship campaign and then last week was so nutty at the church that I never was able to upload my sermon. SO - he we go.  This is my sermon from November 5th.  I used the All Saints Day liturgy, but tied it into our church bazaar weekend (which is a BIG DEAL in Rehoboth).  We received new members that Sunday and shared communion, so it was a busy Sunday with not a lot of time to preach.  That being said - it didn't need to be a long sermon!  The message was succinct. Enjoy! - Rev. Sarah

I kicked off stewardship this morning and someone said to me as they were leaving church, "That was the best stewardship sermon I've ever heard, I forgot you were talking about money for awhile!" Jury's still out as to whether or not that's a good thing or a bad thing. ;) I followed the lectionary and it just happened to line up really well with our theme for the year, It Takes A Church In The Village.  I really love the theme this year, because it puts to words what I have been learning about this community for the past 6+ years.  We are a church founded in our community and I am so glad we are finally celebrating that! Full text is available on my blog, www.preachinginpumps.com.  Have a great week, everyone! - Rev. Sarah

Well, if you were wondering how I'm finding the whole balance between motherhood and ministry, the fact that I am here with LAST week's sermon might give you an indication (insert face palm emoji here). I preached on the Ten Commandments the week after the Las Vegas shooting.  I think every now and then we need to remind ourselves that we need to hold one another (and ourselves!) accountable for our actions and our faith.  We don't really like rules in the protestant church (particularly this old congregational ones), but we do need to take responsibility and live our lives worthy of God's grace. Here is last week's sermon.  Full text is available on my blog, www.preachinginpumps.com - enjoy! - Rev. Sarah

Oh friends - I am not even sure where to begin following Sunday night's senseless acts of violence in Las Vegas.  We held a prayer service at the church on Monday night and I continue to discern what God is calling me to say this weekend. Monday morning I posted the following to Facebook: I am at a loss for words. I went to sleep last night so grateful for the unity we celebrated yesterday on World Communion Sunday, for the opportunity to remind my congregation that around the communion table light shines, love wins and grace comes alive. And just like that ... 50 people are dead in Vegas. I still believe in the promises I preached yesterday. Maybe even more so now. But our brokenness is real, raw and undeniable right now. There is still so much work that needs to be done. Vegas, my prayers are worth you. Here is my sermon from this past weekend.  I think it speaks even more powerfully now.  The full text is available at my blog, preachinginpumps.com. Have a great week, everyone.

Hi all!  I hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend.  It kind of feels like summer came back around for one final hurrah - we were debating robing this morning!  Not that I'm wanting it to snow or anything, but I'm definitely ready for fall. Here is my sermon from this morning.  This was not an easy text to preach on!  I am always grateful for the opportunity to use preaching as a way of deepening my own faith and listening to the bold and radical call of God in my life. Enjoy!

You'll see in my sermon that I gave my church a charge this week to go into fellowship after worship and talk to someone they had never talked to before.  I wasn't sure how it would go, but it was awesome!  I posted this on Facebook on Sunday night: During my sermon this morning, I charged everyone to go into fellowship after worship and talk to someone they had never talked to before. Not necessarily someone new - just someone they didn't know. We all know how easy it is to just get comfortable in our little groups and social circles but are never sure how to break the cycle. Might as well all give it a shot together, right? I told everyone if they needed an ice breaker, they could either talk about the weather OR use the opening line, "Can you believe Sarah is making us do this?" And seriously - by the time I went downstairs to my office to drop off my robe and walked into fellowship, I literally NOTICED a difference in conversation in the room. I saw people I know didn't know each other talking and laughi

Oh my goodness, y'all I am SO sorry I am so delayed in posting this.  I keep asking veteran mamas what ages their kids were when they managed to pull themselves back together and they all just laugh at me.  Ha!  So I'm doing the best I can, but definitely still working out the kinks of my new schedule. Anyway, here is my sermon from last week.  I think this is a message we all need to hear - a reminder that so much of the Gospel boils down to the simple commandment to love one another. Enjoy! - Rev. Sarah

Oh friends, I told Bruce last night that "everything is changing this week!"  I am back to work full time, my sweet Baby Harrison started daycare and we have two new staff members starting on Sunday.  This past Sunday was Jordan's last Sunday and we sent him off with love and music!  If you follow us on Facebook, you saw that we sang Piano Man with re-written lyrics, complete with a harmonica, solos for everyone and a singalong at the end.  It really was incredible! I hope you enjoy my sermon.  It really was a tribute to the work Jordan has put in at the church over the past 4 1/2 and the impact he's had on all of us. Good luck in Austin, Jordan!  They don't know how lucky they are. See y'all next week.  On to new beginnings ... 

So sorry for the horrible eclipse joke that didn't even make any sense!  I think the sleep deprivation is starting to get to me.  Regardless, this is one of my favorite passages to preach on - I love thinking about how the Body of Christ comes alive in local churches! - Rev. Sarah

Hi friends ... I don't know about the rest of you, but I am humbled by the inadequacy of words right now.  I don't know how to reflect on what happened in Charlottesville this weekend and yet I know my silence is deafening and part of the problem right now. I thought about scrapping my sermon and starting over last night, but ultimately I decided to address what happened in Charlottesville at the beginning of the service and in my pastoral prayer.  Next week is Beatles Sunday at church and Jordan and I are planning weaving the theme of Love Wins throughout the service.  It won't change anything that happened, but maybe it will inspire us all to continue to fight to resist the evil, hatred and racism in the world. Have a great week, everyone. Rev. Sarah

It felt so great to be back in the pulpit yesterday after nine weeks of maternity leave!  I preached on the feeding of the multitude, filled the altar with bread and we feasted on it afterwards.  As always, the full text is available on my blog, www.preachinginpumps.com. Enjoy! - Rev. Sarah