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The Joy of New Beginnings -- John M. Braaten -- 1987
(Name) and (name), what a lovely way to begin the new year.
One from Two -- John M. Braaten -- 1987
(Name) and (name) , on this your wedding day, grace to you and peace from God our Father and from th
Love as Grace -- John M. Braaten -- 1987
(Name) and (name) , you have come to this day and to this place to receive the benediction of Christ
The Love which Makes a Marriage -- John M. Braaten -- 1987
(Name) and (name), as you stand here today I suppose there is nothing more important to you than the
A Need for Newness -- John M. Braaten -- 1987
(Name) and (name), in the soft, romantic glow of this candlelight wedding, everything seems so warm
How God Blesses a Marriage -- John M. Braaten -- 1987
(Name) and (name), it is good that you are here, in this church, with relatives and friends, to take
Grounds for Marriage -- John M. Braaten -- 1987
(Name) and (name), this ceremony marks the culmination of your courtship.
The Foundation of Faithfulness -- John M. Braaten -- 1987
(Name) and (name), on this your wedding day I am reminded of a phrase that has appeared on many post
Living In Harmony -- Anthology -- 1972
By Elmer E. Flack
The Greatest Of These Is Love -- Anthology -- 1972
By Kenneth H. Sauer
Self--Disclosure - Self--Surrender -- Anthology -- 1972
By Leslie F. Brandt
Mystical And Real -- Anthology -- 1972
By Paul O. Hamsher
Love, Honor, Forgive -- Anthology -- 1972
By Leslie F. Brandt
Service For The Fiftieth Anniversary -- Anthology -- 1972
By Michael B. GoldnerWesley T. RunkOrder Of Service
A Personal Approach -- Anthology -- 1972
By Thomas W. Lentz
Contemporary Wedding Service -- Anthology -- 1972
By Leslie F. Brandt(A contemporary wedding ceremony for the author's daughter)
Marital Horticulture -- Anthology -- 1972
By John M. Braaten
Married To The Holy One Of Israel -- Anthology -- 1972
By William J. Rauch
From Guest To Member -- Anthology -- 1972
By Gary C. Bratz
Marriage Likened To A Wedding Cake -- Anthology -- 1972
By Richard E. Boye
Marriage Is Joy -- Anthology -- 1972
By Kenneth H. Sauer
One Husband's Counsel -- Anthology -- 1972
By John M. Braaten
Accept Our Failures -- Anthology -- 1972
By Leslie F. Brandt
A Prayer For Your Marriage -- Anthology -- 1972
By Robert Howard Clausen
The Mathematics of Marriage -- Anthology -- 1972
By William McKee Aber
UPCOMING WEEKS
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Easter 4
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160+ – Illustrations / Stories
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34 – Commentary / Exegesis
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Easter 5
33 – Sermons
140+ – Illustrations / Stories
34 – Children's Sermons / Resources
30 – Worship Resources
35 – Commentary / Exegesis
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Easter 6
30 – Sermons
180+ – Illustrations / Stories
32 – Children's Sermons / Resources
23 – Worship Resources
31 – Commentary / Exegesis
5 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Plus thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
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New & Featured This Week

Emphasis Preaching Journal

David Kalas
In the sometimes-tiresome debate over science and scripture with respect to creation, it’s easy to become distracted. While the argument typically requires a focus on the how, we may lose sight of the what. And so, for just a moment, let me invite us to think for a moment about what God created.
Mark Ellingsen
Frank Ramirez
Bonnie Bates
Bill Thomas
Acts 8:26-40
As a local church pastor, I was often asked if I would baptize a child whose family were not members of the church. Some churches rebelled against this, but I remember this scripture — the hunger for understanding and inclusion of the Eunuch and Philp’s response — to teach and share and baptize in the name of our God. How could we turn anyone away from the rite of baptism?

StoryShare

Peter Andrew Smith
“Dad, I think you worked a miracle.” Rolf slowly walked around the tree. “After that windstorm, I assumed this tree was as good as gone.”

“We just needed to give the branches time to heal and come back,” Michael replied.

 “I know, but so many of them were battered and broken I figured that it couldn’t recover. Now though it looks just like it did before the storm.” Rolf paused. “Do you think it will bear any fruit this summer?”

CSSPlus

John Jamison
Object: A live plant that produces fruit, and a broken branch from that plant. I used a tomato plant from a local greenhouse. Ideally, find a plant with blossoms or small fruit already growing. If you use a different kind of fruit-producing plant, just change the script to fit.

* * *

Hello, everyone! (Let them respond.) Are you ready for our story today? (Let them respond.) Excellent!

The Immediate Word

Christopher Keating
Katy Stenta
Thomas Willadsen
Mary Austin
Elena Delhagen
Dean Feldmeyer
Quantisha Mason-Doll
For April 28, 2024:
  • On The Way To Gaza by Chris Keating based on Acts 8:26-40. On the way to Gaza, Philip discovers the startling ways the Spirit of God moves across borders, boundaries, customs, and traditions.
  • Second Thoughts: Abiding by Katy Stenta based on John 15:1-8.
  • Sermon illustrations by Mary Austin, Tom Willadsen, Elena Delhagen, Dean Feldmeyer.

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Call to Worship:

Jesus is the vine, we are the branches. In our service today, let us absorb from the vine all the nourishment we need.

Invitation to Confession:

Jesus, sometimes our branches become cut off from the vine.
Lord, have mercy.

Jesus, sometimes our branches are withered.
Christ, have mercy.

Jesus, sometimes we fail to produce good fruit.
Lord, have mercy.

SermonStudio

Stan Purdum
We will meet Psalm 22 in its entirety on Good Friday, but here the lectionary designates just verses 23-31. The lectionary psalms generally illuminate the week's First Lesson, which in this case is about the covenant initiated by God with Abraham and Sarah in Genesis 17. The nine verses from this psalm, while not inappropriate, nonetheless leave us looking for an obvious connection with the First Lesson.

John S. Smylie
I think some people are natural-born gardeners. Our Lord grew up in a society that was familiar with agriculture. The images that he used to explain the ways of his Father in heaven are familiar to his audience. Growing up, my closest experience to agriculture was living in, "the Garden State." Most people, when they pass through New Jersey, are surprised to see that expression on the license plates of vehicles registered in New Jersey. Most folks traveling through New Jersey experience the megalopolis, the corridor between New York City and Washington DC.
Ron Lavin
A pastor in Indiana went to visit an 87-year-old man named Ermil, who was a hospital patient. A member of his church told the pastor about this old man who was an acquaintance. "He's not a believer, but he is really in need," the church member said. "I met him at the county home for the elderly. He's a lonely old man with no family and no money."

Paul E. Robinson
"Love is a many splendored thing...." Or so we heard Don Cornwall and the Four Aces sing time and again. Of course you or I might have other words to describe love, depending on our situation.

Love. "I love you." "I love to play golf." "I just love pistachio lush!" "It's tough to love some people." "Jesus loves me, this I know."

Love.

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