Episcopal Church Foundation Vestry Papers - for leading congregations

If you’re in church leadership, or just a regular church attendee, there’s a good chance you’ll be asked to write a reflection at some point, either for the advent calendar or for the stewardship campaign. Over the years I’ve written dozen of reflections for everything from my local church newsletter to Forward Movement. Here is some advice I’ve picked up over the years:

Tell a story. I often like to begin reflections with a personal anecdote. A story roots your reflection in your specific experience, and will make it unique to you and memorable to your readers.

Be specific. Give examples and be as clear and specific as you can be. Details make a reflection stand out and come to life. Don’t say, “Our church was pretty.” What color was the carpet? What did the light look like when it came through the stained glass? How did it smell?

Connect your experience to something larger. Find the universal in your own life experience. Start small, and others will be able to find something in your story that they can relate to. Don’t start with that, though. The specific experience needs to come first.

Don’t summarize the scripture reading (this goes for written reflections on scripture, mostly). Don’t tell us what happened in the scripture we just read. We just read it, and if we really can’t remember, we can go back and read it again.

Consider cutting out the first paragraph. This is advice I’ve given before and been given many times. Often the first paragraph I write ends up just getting some thoughts out there, (throat clearing is what my boss calls it) summarizing or laying out themes. This is helpful for you, but boring to read. If it’s vague, or not absolutely necessary, then cut it.

If it sounds like you’ve heard it many times before, don’t repeat it. In other words, stay away from clichés!

Don’t be afraid to leave things open ended. Jesus didn’t always sum up or explain what he had just said. Life isn’t simple and neat, and neither are life’s lessons, and neither is God. Your writing doesn’t need to be either. Resist writing that final sentence that ties up everything neatly in a bow.

These are some of the tips I’ve drawn while writing reflections and from my instructors in my MFA program. What are your tips?