When a client says “I have been asked to speak but I don’t know what to say” my immediate response is to ask about the audience. If you are speaking to engineers your topic might suitably be called, “Building bridgesâ€�. If you are speaking to miners it might be one on “Digging deepâ€�. A general audience is more tricky but choosing a topical subject, something in the headlines means that mot of them will know what you are talking about at least. They’ll probably have a view on it too so you might want to give both sides of the argument or alternatively, make them remember you and your views with interest or even with loathing. At least though you will have made them think!

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The parishioner was worried. My parish priest is leaving for another parish and I have been asked to present him with a gift and to give a little speech. I have no idea what I should say. Can you help? he asked.. It appeared that this priest had a wonderful gift for getting things done. He had single-handedly raised the finances for a parish hall and a new school. He had organised rotas of parishioners to run all the different activities in the parish and had taken an active part in all these activities himself. Moreover he had a wonderful sense of humour which endeared him to one and all.

I suggested that his speech might start by saying that Fr. John was used to having a captive audience for his sermons but tonight he has to listen to his parishioner speaking.

Then he could go on to say that there was nothing unusual in that because he had always listened to his parishioners and that the result was that he was leaving not only parishioners but very good friends. He could go on to mention some of the things he had done while in the parish and to mention how disappointed people were when they heard he was leaving. He should speak about where the priest was going and what he was going to do there while suggesting that it just wasn’t possible to do more than he had done in his current parish. He should finish by saying he would be greatly missed but that he had left a very worthwhile legacy behind. Finally he should wish him God Bless in the days to come. The parishioner said afterwards that the priest had asked him had he ever cobnsidered writing sermons?

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