Tools for Preachers

The following are tools for preachers which I have developed or adapted.  While they are in Microsoft Office formats, these can be opened with free software from LibreOffice.orgDownload the zipped folder, unzip it – usually simply by double clicking on it – and double click the document inside the zipped folder.

Open Source Lectionary Preaching Planning Worksheets: This is a useful Excel spreadsheet tool for planning preaching over time using the three year Revised Common Lectionary as a framework, recording changes or ‘mods’ one makes to the lectionary, and sharing lectionary mods with others. (updated 11/10/2010)

Open Source Lectionary 2013-14: The same as above, except that the calendar dates for each liturgical date for Years A, 2013-14 are included, and some special days have been added.

Hermeneutical Journey Report: A Word template for sermon preparation based on Nancy Lammers Gross, If You Cannot Preach Like Paul…; Tom Long, The Witness of Preaching; and class discussions with Dr. Fred Gaiser and Dr. Shauna Hannan.

Weekly Priorities for Pastors:  a Word template for setting weekly priorities in the life of a pastor, inspired by the ELCA’s Wellness Wheel, a conversation with Bishop (now Pastor) Peter Strommen, and Stephen Covey’s concept of setting weekly priorities.  While not directly about preaching or the lectionary, setting weekly priorities helps the preacher set aside time for sermon preparation.

Read the Bible in One Year:  Should not we preachers do this every year?  Print this double sided and stick it in your Bible.  Alternatively, check out this page, where you can click on a link for each day of the year to read an Old and New Testament passage for that day.

Preaching Resources Folders: A zip file of empty Windows folders for filing and organizing preaching resources.  Includes folders for each book of the Bible, each Sunday and festival day of the lectionary cycle, and special festival days.