Tag: Christmas

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Christmas church cartoons holiday

Where can pastors find sermon inspiration this year?

Cartoon of a pastor staring at an Elf on the Shelf. He says, "Don't just sit there. I need a sermon illustration!"

This has been a challenging season for everyone. No matter how you slice it, inspiration has been hard to come by. It has been especially so for pastors. Where can pastors find sermon inspiration during COVID-19? There are so many questions they have to deal with.

  • How do you inspire and minister to others when you are forced to pivot to all video services?
  • Who can you call on when you and half your congregation needs tech support in order to view a church service?
  • What happens when you are dealing with the virus in your own family?
  • How can you administer pastoral care when you can’t visit a parishioner in the hospital?
  • What do you do when the two biggest holidays in the church calendar are threatened by this virus? (Looks like Easter and Christmas services will be virtual at my church)
  • Do you address the whole vaccine controversy?

I thought about all these things when I had the idea for this cartoon. It’s must be a challenging time to come up with some sermon inspiration that would bring on a chuckle, yet address some hard issues we’ve all faced this year.

We had such high hopes at the beginning of this year. I was thinking about risk and reward earlier this year. Who knew the risks for 2020 would be so much more prominent than whatever reward we envisioned?

Here’s to next year! May there be some relief for everyone, including the men and women that have had to deal with their own stuff while ministering to others! In the meantime, I do hope all the pastors find some sermon inspiration during COVID-19. Maybe the elf on the shelf could offer some mirth. After all, he shows up in the most curious places.

I drew this cartoon for the November 2022 CHOGNews.

Cartoon of a pastor staring at an Elf on the Shelf. He says, "Don't just sit there. I need a sermon illustration!"
Categories
Christmas holiday

Merry Christmas! (Without the Bling)

Cartoon of two boys staring at a manger. On says, "You know something? The first Christmas didn't have much bling... except for the angel thing."

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

Luke 2:11

Cartoon of two boys staring at a manger. On says, "You know something? The first Christmas didn't have much bling... except for the angel thing."

There was no big, Griswold Family Christmas tree. There were no ugly Christmas sweaters. There was not fruitcake, mistletoe or tinsel. Until the angels made the announcement, no one knew or cared except for the cold, exhausted couple that had nowhere to place the baby except in an animal trough.

As you celebrate today, I hope you are able to take some time, reflect and be thankful for what you have. May you find an opportunity to share kind words, good food, and some joy. Merry Christmas!

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Christmas holiday

Clearer Christmas Requests

Cartoon of a boy and a letter carrier at the post office. The boy says, "It's a letter to Santa. My hopes and fears of all the years are mailed with thee tonight."

It’s a foggy Christmas Eve morning in Ohio. Somebody better get Rudolph ready just in case Santa needs to make a last-minute stop at the Waffle House.

Foggy winter morning in Ohio

I sure hope you sent your letter to Santa before the fog set in. because time is running out! Wait a minute… do kids send text messages or email to Santa now? I guess that would buy a little more time. Who knows how long it takes to get a letter up there, or the cost of overnighting it!

How we get a message across is important. Sometimes, it can be easy to speak a request.

  • Santa, I want a pony.
  • Honey, please clean up this mess.
  • Please don’t bring your fruitcake.

Other messages are much more subtle and leave room for interpretation.

  • Mom, how much does a pony eat?
  • Wow! Look at this mess!
  • Are you bringing fruitcake again?

The second set of statements is much less clear. Family Christmas gatherings can be filled with nuanced conversations and foggy statements. I will resolve to make my point clear if I am wanting a specific outcome.

By the way, Mom and Dad, I don’t want a pony for Christmas anymore. If you get me one, it would only end up at your house.

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Christmas holiday

A Reality Show Christmas

Cartoon of an elf and Santa Claus. The elf says, "It's another cable TV producer asking if we'd like to be in a reality show."

Do reality shows have anything to do with reality? Do reality shows fit in with Christmas? Would Santa even think about being on a reality show without checking it twice? Because they are mostly naughty, not nice.

Cartoon of an elf and Santa Claus. The elf says, "It's another cable TV producer asking if we'd like to be in a reality show."

Reality shows aren’t much fun unless there is some manufactured conflict. Peace on earth is not a great line for the entertainment industry. Happily ever after is the part of the story no television producer wants to touch. Let’s face it! no reality show would want to visit the North Pole unless there was a chance they could incite an elf riot against their jolly old boss. It reminds me of a December 23, 1981, Bloom County comic strip.

There is plenty of conflict going around without manufacturing new ones. As I begin this week of Christmas, I choose to think of all my blessings in the past year and look ahead to the coming new year and a new decade. May your holiday be less of a reality show and more of a happily ever after.

Categories
Attitude

Why we Can't Stand Grinchie Porch Pirates

Cartoon of a policeman interrogating Santa Claus. Santa says, "But you have to believe me! Santa is not a port pirate!"

Santa Claus is the antithesis of porch pirates. We love the story of Santa Claus because he gives presents. Porch pirates, on the other hand, steal them. A study shows as of this year, (2019) over a third of Americans have had delivered packages stolen from their front porches.

Cartoon of a policeman interrogating Santa Claus. Santa says, "But you have to believe me! Santa is not a port pirate!"
We believe you, Santa. You are nothing like a porch pirate!

It is much better to be a giver than a taker. That should go without saying. Yet, when I get into a scarcity mentality, it can be easy for me to think of what I can get instead of what I can give. If I start to believe there is only a limited amount of resources, I begin to get selfish. It happens to all of us.

That’s when I remind myself it is much better to give than receive. It is much better to be a blessing than to make it all about me. It’s much better to have an abundance mentality and to give freely.

May you be blessed this Christmas and be a blessing to others. No porch pirates allowed!