Just a Little More Dolly
Word From Wiese
September 30, 2026
#1 favorability rating in America!
Earlier this year, a national survey asked 1,000 American adults how they felt about a variety of well-known public figures. The results were striking: Dolly Parton was the MOST favorably viewed person in the survey, with 70% expressing a favorable opinion and only 5% an unfavorable one. That gave Dolly a net favorability of +65. (UMass Lowell)
So, as mentioned in Sunday’s sermon, perhaps if anybody were going to be elevated to sainthood these days, it would be Dolly Parton. Although, knowing Dolly, she would probably show up to the canonization ceremony wearing enough rhinestones to require a building permit.
We Lutherans don’t pray to the saints as some of our Christian friends do. But we do have a wonderful tradition of remembering them. Open the front of our Evangelical Lutheran Worship hymnal, and you’ll find a list of commemorations: people whose lives have witnessed to God’s work in the world. We remember them not because they were perfect, but because their lives can point us toward Christ.
This Sunday, our praise band will use some Dolly Parton songs to give our liturgy a special twist.
In preparation for that, and to share the songs I featured in my sermon for which some of you asked, let’s consider how the lyrics from Dolly’s very well-lived Christian journey might inspire our own discipleship:
“Coat of Many Colors” reminds us that what looks like scraps to us may look entirely different to God. We may look at our failures, disappointments, insecurities, or difficult chapters and wonder whether we are enough. But God sees the beloved child. God takes the scraps and makes something beautiful.
“9 to 5” reminds us of the dignity of ordinary people who work hard every day and sometimes wonder whether anyone notices. God notices. The work we do, whether spectacular or routine, can become an expression of love for our neighbors.
“I Will Always Love You” reminds us that love sometimes means putting another person’s good ahead of our own. Christian love isn’t always about getting our way or having our Plan A. Sometimes love means saying to others, “I want what is best for you,” and trusting God with the outcome.
“Jolene” reminds us that faithful people aren’t perfect people. Dolly sings honestly about jealousy, fear, insecurity, and the possibility of losing someone she loves. Faith doesn’t require us to pretend that we’re never frightened or messy. We can bring the truth about ourselves to God.
Finally, “Light of a Clear Blue Morning” reminds us that no night lasts forever. The Christian story doesn’t end with the cross. Jesus is raised. God gets the final word, and God’s final word is life and light.
Perhaps that is what makes Dolly’s life worth remembering.
She had a remarkable voice, so she used it. She had money, so she gave. She had influence, so she opened doors. She had a story, so she told it. She loved children, so she put books into their hands.
And every one of us enjoys our own God-given resources, too. So, it’s not a matter of having enough. It’s how we choose to use whatever gifts we already possess…or getting out to work the vineyard on a regular basis, as Jesus put it.
Here’s a relevant clip from Sunday’s gospel:
Jesus asked “What do you think? A man had two sons; he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ He answered, ‘I will not,’ but later he changed his mind and went. The father went to the second and said the same, and he answered, ‘I go, sir,’ but he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Matthew 21.28-31
So, when you hear a Dolly Parton song this week, don’t just sing along. Let it remind you: God can make something beautiful from scraps. Ordinary work matters. Love sometimes means letting go and trusting all will work out OK. Faithful people can be honest about their fears. And no night lasts forever when Jesus is in the mix.
Questions for Reflection:
- Which Dolly song (or another song) reminds you of something important about your faith?
- What is one gift God has given you that you could use this week for someone else?
In Christ’s hope,
Pastor Fritz
Prayer:
Let us pray: Loving God, thank you for people like Dolly whose lives point us toward you and inspire us for the journey. Help us, like Dolly, not just talk about what needs to get done, but do it. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
