In my church, the “sermon” is generally a short homily of 10-15 minutes focused on one of the four lectionary Scripture readings for that Sunday. Personal stories are kept to a minimum or not at all, in favour of focusing on the text. Some might find this confining, but I find it rather freeing, for the liturgical form of worship means that there is less emphasis on the preacher and the sermon. Instead, the entire service carries the message.
In my former church, the sermon was generally a little longer, maybe 20-25 minutes that might be focused on a particular passage of Scripture, or on a theme like Many Peoples Sunday or Truth and Reconciliation or Creation Care. Sometimes we would have personal testimonies or a drama in place of a regular sermon. I loved the rhythm of preaching just twice a month, which left room for my other ministry responsibilities and encouraged other voices, other gifts, and different ways of communicating.
As a guest speaker, I’m sometimes asked to speak for 30 minutes or even 40-45 minutes. These are often more topical sermons on Self-Care or Friendship or other broad themes that go beyond any one Scripture passage. I enjoy this longer teaching time too, for it allows me to focus on Scripture more broadly and to include personal stories and examples connecting Scripture to daily life.
Just as the kind of worship music may vary from church to church and within a particular congregation, so the form of the sermon or homily or teaching time or message may vary too. They may go by different names, be more formal or informal, shorter or longer depending on the context, but in all their varied forms and styles, may our sermons inspire, encourage, teach, challenge, help us draw nearer to God, to listen more deeply to the Spirit, and to follow Jesus more faithfully.
Below is the audio of my homily “God’s Invitation to Rest” followed by my closing slide as a summary. This was for my particular congregation and context, so it may be shorter than you’re used to, more focused on the text and less on personal experience. For a different congregation and a 20-minute sermon or a 45-minute teaching time, the style and content would be different, likely more informal and conversational with story-telling and examples. But whatever our personal or church style, God’s invitation to rest is for all of us.
When You Work for the Church 
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