"The Gentle Whisper" provides preaching resources for proclaimers following first lesson texts from the Common Lectionary during the first third of the Pentecost season (Sundays from Corpus Christi through Ordinary Time 16 on the Roman Catholic calendar). Whether the preacher follows the Common Lectionary texts or not, the sermons in this series offer an exciting cycle of messages based on the ministry of the prophet Elijah. Lead your congregation up Mount Carmel for a collision with the prophets of Baal; to Ahab's palace for a showdown with the wicked Queen Jezebel; into the desert to listen for "the gentle whisper"; and to the Jordan River, where the prophet chooses his successor and ascends in a chariot of fire. If your congregation has not listened lately to the stories of Elijah, this can be a powerful resource for a sermon series on that theme.
Duane Kelderman is pastor of Ridgeview Hills Christian Reformed Church, Littleton, Colorado. He is a graduate of Calvin College and Calvin Theological Seminary, both in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Prior to coming to his present parish, he served Community Christian Reformed Church, Lambertville, Michigan. Kelderman's second title with CSS is "When a Good God Lets Bad Things Happen."