...they're just not mine. I read the blogs of friends and colleagues and people I don't even know, but respect through their wise words, beautifully written. I yearn to write words that flow like that, not quite poetry, but still with a rhythm and beauty that I just can't seem to manage. Sure, I can use nice words once in a while, but not the way some of you do. I can't quite manage the lyric quality that some of you posses. And I *want* to, I really do.
Only mostly off topic: So, I sent some sermon recordings to the PNC of the church that asked for them. They did get back to me for a phone interview. They say, "So, we were wondering if you were an English major. Your pronunciation is so good!" Argg! My pronunciation?! Ok, I wasn't an English major, in case you were wondering. I majored in Theology. That's right, not religion, Theology. Anyway, I was, however, on my high school's speech team for four years. But that was a looong time ago. We didn't do debate, we did monologues, dialogues, impromptu, there were all kinds of events. My AP English teacher believed that good diction was really important for those of us interested in higher education. He actually had the entire class practicing good pronunciation. It was kind of like the Professor and Eliza Dolittle in "My Fair Lady." Kinda funny now that I'm recalling it. Anyway, in the mid-west, where I was for h.s., they had several funny ways of saying things incorrectly. People often left out verbs. "It needs doin'," was one of my favorites. That thing with sirens to take sick people to the hospital? "Amblance" Doing the dishes? They're "warshed and rinched." (That's "washed and rinsed.")
Anyway, I'm going through all of this to say, yeah, I speak more clearly and confidently than a lot of people, but- they complimented my speaking, not my sermons!! Eesh! DH did help some when he told me that speaking clearly was actually something really important for PNCs since so many pastors don't. (He was on the PNC for the church we most recently attended.) And, as he put it, the best sermon in the world doesn't do anybody any good if no one can understand it.
Ok, but still... Eesh. Even pastors are allowed to have a little ego crisis, right? :)
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2 comments:
I have to say that of the APNCs I talked to (three), none commented on my sermons at all. However, after (well, you) sent the Psalm 23 service to them, I noticed that a bulletin a few weeks later had a similar format! I laughed and laughed. They did 'fess up when I got here and asked about it, but they still didn't say anything about any sermons! So...all that to say: "good diction" is better than no comments!
Certainly allow yourself that ego crisis, but I'll bet after hearing muffled sermons they had to strain to hear on Thelma's ancient tape recorder they were happy to hear one that was loud and clear.
Good luck!
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