Pentecost 10-14 B: Bread of Life

Dear Partner in Preaching,

I’m going to take a brief hiatus over the next five weeks as we traverse the 6th chapter of the Gospel of John. The last time I took a break from writing this weekly column was six years ago and at the time I wrote a column at Working Preacher suggesting a sermon series on the Bread of Life passages and offering a few thoughts and a question each week to help with that, which is linked here.

I’ll also put links to the letters I wrote to you on these texts in this space three years ago. While I don’t like offering up previous work, I will admit – which is not easy for me to do – that I need a little break to catch up on some other projects at my congregation and to complete a writing assignment and, with a little luck, to get away for a bit. Hopefully you’ll find something here, as well as at the other resources you use – like WorkingPreacher.org, of course 🙂 – that is helpful.

Finally, I’ll also put below a video excerpt of an interview with my friend Michael Curry on the Bread of Life passages. (If you can’t watch it on the embedded video below, you can find it on YouTube or at the Working Preacher site.)

Blessed Late July and August, Dear Partner! I am grateful for your faithful proclamation week in and week out. And remember that others are both grateful and blessed as well!
David

July 29: Pentecost 10, John 6:1-21

August 5: Pentecost 11, John 6:24-35

August 12: Pentecost 12, John 6:35, 41-51

August 19: Pentecost 13, John 6:51-58

August 26: Pentecost 14, John 6:56-69

Two final notes:
1) For some reason, when I posted these reflections three years ago, I used a different numbering for the lectionary texts, one week behind the pattern today. So… Pentecost 14 this year, for instance, was Pentecost 13 (at least in my numbering) three years ago. I don’t know or remember why, but there you go. Pay attention to the text from John, and you’ll be fine. 🙂
2) With a little luck, I may post a few other things over the next five weeks, that aren’t about preaching. But no promises… 🙂