Kudos for the 2006 Sermon Seminar
Richard Hughes, Messiah College: “This is a marvelous event. Every preacher in America should be required to attend.”
Ken Chaffin, Raleigh, NC: “The best ever.”
Greg York, Indianapolis: “Absolutely stunning and magnificently helpful.”
Russ Bone, Lincoln Park, MI: “My bucket was full and I am more inspired to preach and know by heart the Sermon on the Mount.”
Rhonda Lowry, Nashville, TN: “The depth and richness of Scripture presented by brilliant and articulate speakers while allowing us to worship impacted me most. Great balance of head and heart.”
Andy Wall, Thousand Oaks, CA: “The quality of speakers across the board is consistently strong.”
Gayle Crowe, Lafayette, IN: “Your choice of speakers is always refreshing and broadening.”
Nathan Pickard, Newmarket, Ontario, Canada: “This is the most encouraging and thought-provoking seminar around. Keep doing what God has blessed you with: the gift of encouraging and equipping co-leaders.”
Matt Tibbles, Federal Way, WA: “The seminar’s worship is a movement of God’s Spirit. The emphasis on community in the Sermon on the Mount and the encouragement to champion justice were powerful.”
Christian Holleck, ELCA, Cape Cod, MA: “Wonderful, engaging, energizing and inspiring.”
Raymond Stewart, Lawrence, PA: “You continue to set and meet a high standard of quality in both speakers and topics. I expect next year’s program will continue this tradition.”
Jared Cramer, MDiv student, ACU: “I appreciated the strong connections between each presenter’s information and feel I have a better understanding of the Sermon on the Mount and its relationship to preaching.”
Keith Geiselman, First Presbyterian, Ypsilanti, MI: “I though this year’s conference was excellent – appropriately provocative given the world today, thoughtfully presented and rooted in the Bible. I particularly enjoyed becoming exposed to Professor Carter’s work. Keep up the excellent work.”
Danny Dodd, Pensacola, FL: “A time of challenge and refreshment.”
Sara Barton, Rochester MI: “Powerful worship.”
The responses to past seminars have been overwhelmingly positive. What follows are some recent comments from attendees from around the United States, Canada and beyond:
"Rochester has become the highlight of my year, and this year was no exception." Jeff Christian, Tyler, Texas
"Thank you again for an excellent event that blessed me and, I'm sure, will bless the people I serve here at Trinity Lutheran Church." Tim Oslovich, Vernon, Connecticut
"I was impressed with the presenters and with my fellow participants and it is my impression that Rochester's Sermon Seminar is going to have a great impact on Protestant Christianity." Lorne Bean, Wawick, Bermuda
"Thank you again for a wonderful 48 hours at the Sermon Seminar. It was one of those life and ministry affirming experiences that I will long remember." Bill Norman, Toronto, Ontario
"I was very blessed by being at this event. It was a breath of fresh air to engage Scripture without the barriers of traditionalism. The featured speakers were worth every cent the cost of the trip." Don Truitt, Peoria, Illinois
"The entire Seminar experience was a blessing. It was the third time that I have attended the Rochester Seminar . . . I have been to preaching and ministry gatherings in the past that seem to be more about professional placement and advancement. This has never been the case for my colleagues and me at the Rochester Seminar." Chris Benjamin, Little Rock, Arkansas
"This has been the most satisfying, accessible, applicable, insightful of any seminar I've attended. Thank you and may God continue to bless you and these seminars to God's glory and purpose." Dave Schulze, Ventura, California
"The cool thing was the fact that the Seminar was not just about learning but an event bathed in worship and fellowship . . . with people from different fellowships, who are supposed to be divided and distinct, coming together in unity to study and worship!" Rex Butts, Memphis, Tennessee
"My preaching has been positively influenced by the days of saturation in academic excellence. This rich experience refreshes my call to the ministry." Tim Kraus, Conneaut, Ohio
An Anonymous comment on the 2005 seminar: "Last year was excellent, but this year surpassed last year!"
"Thank you for the Sermon Seminar. For me, as for many others, it's a high point of the year." Jeremy Hoover, Windsor, Ontario
"Amazing work. So helpful in every way" David Magnum, Indianaoplis, Indiana
"I have been looking for something like this for some time now and it was wonderful!" Matt Tibbles, Federal Way, Washington
"This is the kind of resource preachers need . . . . a model that takes today's preacher from theory, through reflection, into the suggestive possibilities for their own practice." Robert Reid, Dubuque, Iowa
"The opportunity to meet and hear Morna Hooker and Fred Craddock (and to get them to sign books!) was special." Mark Henderson, Edmond, Oklahoma
"Craddock and Hooker were profound." Bob Randolph, Boston, Massachusetts
We have reflections from several bloggers, all meaningful reflections on the Seminar experience. Here is one representative response posted during the 2005 Seminar, "On Monday the seminar featured Fred Craddock, whom I must admit, not being a biblical scholar or homiletican, I had never heard of him. But now I cannot imagine not having the benefit of the insight he demonstrated during his sermon on the book of Mark. Even now thinking about his way with explaining the text brings tears to my eyes which seem silly I know but he said some things that made me feel included." Candace Cain, Rochester, Michigan