President Barack Obama and his family attended Sunday services at St. John’s Church, an Episcopal church on Lafayette Square just across the street from the White House.
Obama, first lady Michelle and daughters Sasha and Malia listened to a sermon about how Christianity has consequences.
Mike Angell, a seminarian of the church, told the parishioners that the consequences vary, whether it’s making a hard decision at work or deciding to give more time to God.
Seldom does a seminarian have a chance to preach to POTUS as a surprise attendant.
I think i had a nightmare like that in seminary . . .
I was just thinking the same thing. Worst I had was looking up and seeing a) my homiletics prof and b) the president of the seminary. That was bad enough.
First sermon I preached (this was before seminary) was at a smaller Evening Prayer service and Bishop Alden Hathaway showed up. Talk about nervous!
I guess the worst I had it was the sermon I had to tape so my homiletics professor (and the whole class) could critique it.
I was the only student in our class that preached before an actual congregation: at the time I was the Assistant Pastor for a storefront Assemblies of God church in Skid Row Los Angeles.
No chance of POTUS–or any other notable–showing up there. When the AoG district supervisor visited, we always had plenty of warning.
If I recall correctly, this is the church most often attended by Mr. Obama’s immediate predecessor while he was in office.
#6 Do not tell this president. He will never go back.
you are correct #6. the Rector also participated in the 2004 inauguration iirc…
Ah, my first sermon! It was my home parish, as a seminarian on the Seminary Sunday. The rector of that parish was into half hour sermons. I was of the thought that if one hadn’t made his point within 15, one might as well say, “In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost [this was in 1961], Amen.” and leave the pulpit. I think that sermon was actually closer to 10 minutes. As I was concluding, there was this commotion in the choir. It seems the organist was accustomed to leaving for the parish hall to drink coffee during the sermon, and someone had to rush to bring him back for the offertory hymn.
There were no VIPs in the congregation; but in a few years though, I was preaching to the former governor of the state and his family.
Rector of St John’s is Rev Luis Leon, a graduate of Sewanee undergrad in 1971, a great guy, and a good priest and preacher. He has been on Day One a few times. He’s been at that church for quite a few years. He was always a moderate guy at Sewanee and I think he keeps a fairly moderate profile there – treats the church like a church, not like a political sideshow.
The most nervous I ever became before a sermon was this past June when I was asked to preach at the ordination of two new deacons. I was preaching to my Bishop and a lot of the men and women who had trained me during my academic formation as a Deacon. It is a humbling experience to preach to your bishop.
YBIC,
Phil Snyder
[blockquote]It is a humbling experience to preach to your bishop.[/blockquote]
Well, you are in venerable company. Both Sts. John Chrysostom and Gregory of Nazianus did. Chrysostom did when he was a presbyter in Antioch before becoming the Bishop of Constantinople. For the presbyter and later bishop of another diocese the bishop to whom he preached was also his father. I suspect that St. Athanasius also preached to his bishop–and he would have been a deacon at the time.
And, just think, all of them eventually became bishops themselves.
[blockquote]And, just think, all of them eventually became bishops themselves.[/blockquote]
Ken,
Thank God that the canons no longer allow for deacons to be elected directly to the episcopate!
YBIC,
Phil Snyder
Don’t think I’d be nervous with the current president. I think I could do a much better job than Rev. Wright with one arm tied behind my back.
bl
He he. I am not ordained, never have been. Yet, in June of 2000, I was given the opportunity to “deliver the baccalaureate sermon” to a crowd of 3,500+ at our local high school. In attendance was one RC archbishop, several Notre Dame university faculty, and probably 40 to 50 “local” protestant ministers.
I did OK. And yes, my knees did shake slightly.
I was a seminarian at St. John’s back when Gerald Ford was President; thank goodness I never had to preach when he was in attendance. My sincere congratulations to Mike Angell!