crossroads

so it's been a month since i last posted...again. i have had so much that i wanted to share, and yet the time has been blazing by. Shey's pregnancy has had some busier times than we expected, which means that I basically went to school, did schoolwork, did church work, spent time with students, helped take care of the house and Shey, then hit the repeat button. I finally got the garden planted (more on that soon) and in the meantime have turned in a Master's Sermon (see more info below) and am getting ready to graduate. It's been nice to slow down from some stuff, which by "some stuff" I mean going to class three days a week, but really, I've found more than enough to keep me busy otherwise. If you are in town and want to show a little love and support, I will be preaching my Master's Sermon next week. If it works, I'll try to record it, post the audio and manuscript. Just as an FYI: my sermon is clocking in around 20 minutes, so don't worry, I won't be preaching for an hour or anything. I'd love to hang out afterwards too if anyone would like to rejoice in the ending of school! Here is the info they sent out:

Dear Students,

Graduating Students Josh Hayden and Eric Reiser will be giving their Master’s Sermon on Tuesday, June 3^rd at 6:00 PM in the Chapel at The Leland Center.

We ask that you attend this event to show your support for these two students.

Please see the ad below for more information.

The John Leland Seminary

Announces

Graduating Student’s Josh Hayden and Eric Reiser are to give their Master’s Sermon

When

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

6:00 PM

Where

The Chapel at The Leland Center

1301 N. Hartford St. Arlington, VA 22201

PLEASE SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR THESE STUDENTS BY ATTENDING THIS EVENT

Much love to everybody. Sorry for the lack of posts. I hope you are doing well.

latest sermon and something new

I preached on Sunday, and if you are interested, below are some links to listen or download the sermon, Shey said it was one of the best I've preached. It was short and sweet, and it was a new style for me. Almost completely narrative.

On Monday November 26, I am going to have an initial meeting with Father Lewis Fiorelli, as I am considering meeting with a Spiritual Director, and Father Fiorelli is taking a chance to spend some time with a Baptist Youth Pastor who is interested in ecumenical dialogue and the spirituality of St. Francis of De Sales. I really hope this works out, and I am looking forward to the experience, the questions, and the reflections that will come in meeting with Father Fiorelli.

Has anyone else had any experience meeting with a Spiritual Director? What was it like?

On Being A Pharisee

11/11/07 - Message Title: On Being A Pharisee, Josh Hayden
Right Click Here to Download mp3 OR Listen Live

so i preached...

I don't preach too often at the church where I'm youth pastor at (probably for a number of very good reasons!), but this past Sunday I got to throw all my cards on the table and share a message from the pulpit, that is the music stand in the elementary school gym where we have our worship gatherings. I preached a sermon titled "The Kingdom of God: God With Us." I explored and visited the text of Lamentations 3:15-26 as a meditative reading and responsive reading during different parts of the service, and preached on Luke 4:14-30.

If you'd like to download the sermon right click here and "save as" to download the sermon. If you'd like to stream the sermon, simply click here and you you'll be redirected to stream and listen now to the sermon.

Some of you may know that the last six weeks or so have been some difficult ones...my grandfather passed away just as finals were beginning for seminary, I got poison ivy so that I couldn't walk, my mother-in-law broke her ankle, and since Shey's only sister who requires full-time care as a result of a car accident a number of years ago was devoid of a care giver who could get around...Shey and I moved in to the in-laws house for a few days each week for a few weeks to help out. My youngest brother C-$$ graduated high school, and I had crazy papers to write to finish up school which all hit in a short amount of time. And as I was preaching and sharing about God being those who are down-and-out, the vulnerable, the blind, the poor and the downcast...I was moved deeply as I was realizing the depth to which God is with us in the midst of an embodied community.

I'm no great preacher, but I am thankful for the chances to share a little bit of where I am going in my journey with Christ in the midst of a larger community that I am a part of.

Hopefully the summer will slow down a bit from here. I'm trying to read some literature and novels along with some theology this summer and play a little Wii if I get a chance. Anybody read The Kite Runner? That's one of the highest on my list for the summer, it kind of skipped up the list after listening to a recent podcast with Greg Horton over at The Parish and with Wired Parish.com. Otherwise, just trying to chill out a bit for the first time in a while it seems...