The Speechless Preacher
Author: Mark Fenstermacher
December 24, 2020
What do you do at Christmas when you're a preacher and you can't speak?
I faced that challenge for three or four of the eight years we were at New Haven United Methodist. About the time the Christmas trees arrived in a semi-trailer, for the annual United Methodist Men's Christmas tree sale, I would start losing my voice. I "chalked" it up to seasonal stress, a tendency to burn the candle at both ends, and the dry air in the house. It turned out, we discovered, that I was slightly allergic to pine needles: so the stress, long days and short nights, dry air in the house, and my handling of a couple hundred Christmas trees, all worked together to steal my voice away by the later part of December.
So by the time Christmas Eve rolled around, I had a major league case of laryngitis. I'd be doing everything I could to manage some kind of desperate whisper, drinking warm tea, gargling with warm salt water, and sucking on cough drops, but still all I could do was whisper.
I'd walk into the packed sanctuary (we usually had three Christmas Eve services), the service would unfold, and then when it was time for the sermon I would step out into the chancel light and begin to whisper the Christmas story. People would lean forward. You could have heard a pin drop.
Each time that happened, I felt like Zechariah. The old priest lost his voice when he doubted the good news delivered by the angel, Gabriel: Elizabeth, despite her advanced years, was going to give birth to a son who would be named John.
Luke says that Zechariah lost his voice as punishment for not believing the angel. There may be another explanation: Zechariah may have gone speechless with wonder at the amazing God who shows up in dark times and does something we never thought possible.
I've learned to manage my tendency to get laryngitis and so have a voice when it is time to stand up and tell the story in late December. Still, there is a part of me that is speechless with wonder at the God who shows up in the darkness, bringing the whole world good news. If you think about it, tidings of comfort and joy can be so good that fall silent in wonder and praise.
Blessings to you at Christmas!
Pastor Mark
- Join us for worship on Christmas Eve, Dec 24th, as our service "premiers" at 10am that day on our website, Facebook, and YouTube. (Make sure you prepare by getting your communion elements as we will celebrate the Lord's Supper near the end of the service.) INVITE A FRIEND, FAMILY MEMBER OR NEIGHBOR TO JOIN YOU IN WORSHIP ON-LINE
- Our offices will be closed on Christmas Day, as well Monday and Tuesday (28th and 29th). We will be open on Christmas Eve from 9-2pm and from 9-4pm on the 30th and 31st.
- Year-end gifts need to be postmarked or in our office by the end of the day on Dec 31st.
- Thank you to those who have been so generous with their financial gifts during a challenging year. If you have not yet expressed your love for God, your church and the world by making your 2021 faith promise financial pledge, please remember to do that this week. You can even do that online here. Thanks so much!
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