Festival of Homiletics - random reviews

• When the rental car company says "Special- Van" on their reservation, it doesn't just mean a discount price. In this case, it meant a cargo carrier roughly the size of Delaware.

• Parking was a challenge; finding the vehicle in the parking lot later was not.

• Emory University (my residence for the week) needs some serious help with their wifi/connectivity. Not only glitchy, but the instructions they supply are seriously outdated.

• On the other hand, Emory employees were uniformly pleasant, eager to be helpful where they could, and generally delightful to deal with.

• Desmond Tutu is a joy-filled elf. Amazing that such a small body can contain such a giant soul.

• The concept of "church campus" (which descriptor applied to all three host congregations) leaves me bemused. I've visited smaller convention centers.

• The Methodist organ is what other organs want to be when they grow up. Phenomenal!

• The Baptists won the prize for most comfortable pews. Is this a happy side effect of expecting lengthy sermons?

• Some worship leaders try too hard. Worship has meaning by its nature; overdone voice inflections do not add to the experience.

• Blogger friends are even better in person.

• The Rt. Rev. Michael Curry, Episcopal bishop of North Carolina, is a homiletical hero. The man can preach.

• ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark Hansen is a direct and linear preacher-- easy to follow. He is also a gracious man.

• Anna Carter Florence's lecture was one of the better sermons of the week.
  

• Walter Brueggemann: Curmudgeon for Christ.

• Good music, secular as well as sacred, and sometimes the borders blurred.
  

"Trying to drink from a fire hose." Yep-- an apt description of the week. And SO worth it!