Preaching in the Key of Life

It has been said that the best preachers, when they craft their sermons, begin with a thoughtful analysis about what needs to be said, the scripture in which it is wrapped, and then “open a vein and bleed a little". If great preaching comes from great self-exploration and willingness to share where you are, then there should be no doubt why the sermons featured in "Preaching in the Key of Life" quickly became favorites of the faithful. Dr. William Ritter takes on a tour of some of the peaks, valleys, pauses and progressions, of his own life, and in doing so, teaches us a bit about ours. These sermons mark universal milestones of life including baptism, confirmation, graduation, marriage, death, and more, offering timeless perspectives on the life markers that we all share. Following his local church ministry at First United Methodist Church in Birmingham, Michigan (a 3200 member congregation), Ritter joined the faculty at Duke Divinity School, teaching sermon design and delivery to a new generation of church leaders. A graduate of Albion College and Yale Divinity School, Ritter is now retired and lives in Northville, Michigan with his wife, Kristine, and just across the backyard from his grandchildren. In other words, he is enjoying a very sweet key of life.

William A. Ritter retired on June 30, 2005 after 40 years as a United Methodist minister and 12 years as senior minister of the 3200 member First United Methodist Church of Birmingham, Michigan. Pastoral assignments also included Nardin Park UMC, Farmington Hills, MI, Newburg UMC in Livonia, MI and Dearborn, First UMC, Dearborn, MI A Detroit native, Bill graduated from Albion College, Albion, MI (BA, 1962) and Yale Divinity School (M.Div., 1965). Albion College awarded him an honorary DD in 1981. Bill is married to the former Kristine Larson. As a couple, they have traveled widely including trips to Europe, China, the Middle East and Africa. A recent trip to Zambia, Botswana and South Africa resulted in the establishment of a scholarship fund for impoverished children in Cape Town in memory of their son. Their daughter, Julie Ritter Hopkins, her husband Jared Hopkins and their children Jacob and Georgia now live in Michigan. Their son, Bill Ritter, Jr., died in 1994. Bill has served on a number of denominational boards and community agencies, and was a Trustee of Albion College for 33 years. In addition to authoring a book of prayers (Prayers for Albion College), his book of sermons, Take the Dimness of My Soul Away: Healing After a Loved One's Suicide, was released in 2004. After retirement, Bill held the title of Visiting Faculty in Preaching at Duke Divinity School, Durham, North Carolina, where he also taught a course in church stewardship, fundraising and financial management. He was designated Visiting Scholar in the Gerald R. Ford Institute of Public Policy and the Carl Gerstacker Institute of Professional Management at Albion College (winter/spring, 2006) and has taught at Ecumenical Theological Seminary in Detroit, MI.