[this sermon was prefaced by stories submitted by members of the congregation]

When someone learns that I’m pastor of a church their follow up questions fall into a couple predictable patterns. The inquirer either asks demographic and geographic questions–where is that, how many members do you have, how long has the church been there/how long have you been there?

As I begin preaching I invite you to imagine meme after meme scrolling across 21st-century, high-tech, integrated video screens here in the sanctuary:

*Black text from Lutheran pastor, memoirist and public theologian Nadia Bolz-Weber on rainbow colored background: Yearly reminder: there is no resolution that, if kept, will make you more worthy of love. You, as your actual self not as some made up ideal, is already worthy.

My colleague, friend, role model, Mike Mather signs his correspondence “keep tellin’ the story.” Since he always writes “the story” not “a story” I think he must have a particular story in mind, though I’ve never known him to specify one.