Today I’m sharing an article on who owns a pastor’s sermons. Perhaps an odd topic to some, but it highlights something interesting, in my opinion. While some want individual ownership, and while several laws actually could be seen to favor corporate ownership, I wish there could be such a thing as church ownership!
I think of the days when things truly could be gifts to the church! Admittedly, patronage has always had its limits and, worse, abuses. <sigh> But I reserve the right to occasional fanciful notions about anonymous works that survive through the ages to the glory of God and strengthening of the faithful. 🙂
Here’s your answer to Who Owns a Pastor’s Sermons, though I doubt many congregations would raise a fuss. I’ll also add that I was working for a temp agency the first time I had to sign something, essentially granting my (temporary!) employer full rights over my creative work during that time.
I kind of sweated over whether it was worth signing it. It was for a pharmaceutical company and I was answering phones! I bet I was all of 19-years-old! Smart business, perhaps, but no business has tied down all my rights to my writings yet. 😉 I just chose to read for a spell that summer rather than write away as I sometimes do.
I’ve been working on a bout of poetry again, which feels good. I wish I could take a masterclass with Anthony Esolen! His book, The Hundredfold, is pretty impressive, and I may just have to study the introduction like I’m back in school. So much to learn. 🙂
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