This past sunday morning

I am in a relatively small rural church in the northern part of Indiana. It reminds me a lot of home and the types of services that we had sunday after sunday. My senior pastor was gone this past week so that left the preaching duties to me one sunday morning! I love preaching and getting a message to the people in different ways. I am not a great preacher and I am not that creative. But last week, the moon must have been in line with me or something because I changed things up a little bit. Sunday morning service usually goes something like this: Welcome/announcements, songs, tithe, songs, pastoral prayer, special song and then the sermon. Well I threw a curveball that was welcomed by some and almost caused an ambulance to be summoned. I had the welcome and announcements, the special song and THEN I did the sermon!!! After which we sang and I did the pastoral prayer. Here is where it gets humorous. I was doing the pastoral prayer and as soon as I get done there is an elderly saint of the church standing in front of the pulpit waiving wildly his check and telling me that I had forgot to take the offering!!! I laughed out loud (I think) and told him that it was next and you should have heard the sigh from the congregation!!!! Oh boy...after church I got the normal "I loved your sermon" and "the nod" from most of the men. I got one note that said the service was "awesome" and another lady said that I was "refreshing". I had a good time switching it up. Sometimes we get into such a groove we forget to actually listen to what is being said. Oh the joy of being young and having people blow off what you do and use your youthful exhuberance as the excuse!!! I had a great time doing it though...it was different for even me. I will never forget the look on the mans face though as long as I live! God is good all the time!!!