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Anna Shirey

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Children's sermon

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What the Heart Knows -- Luke 24:13-35 -- Anna Shirey -- Third Sunday of Easter - A -- 2014
First Thoughts
The Source of Living Water -- John 4:5-42 -- Anna Shirey -- Third Sunday in Lent - A -- 2014
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The Bravery of Sight -- John 9:1-41 -- Anna Shirey -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - A -- 2014
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Let Your Light Shine -- Matthew 5:13-20 -- Anna Shirey -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - A -- 2014
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Our Laser Beam Lives -- Matthew 5:21-37 -- Anna Shirey -- Epiphany 6 | Ordinary Time 6 - A -- 2014
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Surprising Kindness -- Matthew 5:38-48 -- Anna Shirey -- Epiphany 7 | Ordinary Time 7 - A -- 2014
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Seeing the Magic -- Matthew 17:1-9 -- Anna Shirey -- Transfiguration Sunday - A -- 2014
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Praying with Ashes -- Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 -- Anna Shirey -- Ash Wednesday - A -- 2014
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Choices We Make -- Matthew 4:1-11 -- Anna Shirey -- First Sunday in Lent - A -- 2014
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Seeing Things Differently -- John 3:1-17 -- Anna Shirey -- Second Sunday in Lent - A -- 2014
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God Recycles! -- John 11:1-45 -- Anna Shirey -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - A -- 2014
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In the Breaking of Bread -- Matthew 26:14--27:66 -- Anna Shirey -- Passion Sunday - A -- 2014
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Do It to Be It -- John 13:1-17, 31b-35 -- Anna Shirey -- Maundy Thursday - A -- 2014
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The Hardest Day -- John 18:1--19:42 -- Anna Shirey -- Good Friday - A -- 2014
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The Rest of the Story -- John 20:1-18 -- Anna Shirey -- Easter Day - A -- 2014
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Do You Trust Me? -- John 20:19-31 -- Anna Shirey -- Second Sunday of Easter - A -- 2014
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Good Shepherd Jesus -- John 10:1-10 -- Anna Shirey -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - A -- 2014
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In God's House -- John 14:1-14 -- Anna Shirey -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - A -- 2014
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Looking for Ghosts -- John 14:15-21 -- Anna Shirey -- Sixth Sunday of Easter - A -- 2014
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Eyes Open! -- Luke 24:44-53 -- Anna Shirey -- Ascension of the Lord - A -- 2014
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The Learning Curve -- Matthew 5:1-12 -- Anna Shirey -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - A -- 2014
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Strengthened to Serve -- John 13:1-17, 31b-35 -- Anna Shirey -- Maundy Thursday - C -- 2013
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Increase Our Faith! -- Luke 17:5-10 -- Anna Shirey -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - C -- 2013
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Not Following Instructions -- Luke 17:11-19 -- Anna Shirey -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - C -- 2013
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Our Laser Beam Lives -- Matthew 5:21-37 -- Anna Shirey -- Epiphany 6 | Ordinary Time 6 - A -- 2014
First Thoughts
UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Easter 2
20 – Sermons
170+ – Illustrations / Stories
26 – Children's Sermons / Resources
24 – Worship Resources
20 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
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Easter 3
34 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
32 – Children's Sermons / Resources
26 – Worship Resources
31 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
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Easter 4
30 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
33 – Children's Sermons / Resources
24 – Worship Resources
33 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Plus thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...

New & Featured This Week

The Immediate Word

Katy Stenta
Mary Austin
Dean Feldmeyer
George Reed
Tom Willadsen
For May 25, 2025:

CSSPlus

John Jamison
Object: A mat, like an exercise mat, or a blanket.

Note: You can do this all by yourself, but if you want to have more fun, help your children role-play the story. Select one child to be the sick man, and a few children to be the crowd. I usually play the role of Jesus so I can easily guide things. As you tell the story, have the sick man try to crawl, and have a group of children be the crowd blocking him, and then after Jesus helps him, have the man stand up, roll the mat up under his arm, and walk away smiling. Have fun with it!

StoryShare

Frank Ramirez
(This particular installment of StoryShare is adapted from a review of “Seven Psalms” that I wrote for Messenger, our denominational magazine.)

During the night, Paul had a vision: there stood a man of Macedonia pleading with him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” (v. 9)

It all began with a dream.

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Frank Ramirez
The church is a work in progress — and we are expected to be a critical part of that church’s work. In the absence of synagogue worship, Lydia and her fellow believers meet anyway at the riverside. Their faithfulness leads to Paul’s dream which helps create something where there was nothing. The passage from Revelation creates a target for us to aim for, and to work for, even as we wait for its perfect fulfillment.
Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Mark Ellingsen
Bonnie Bates
Acts 16:9-15
John Calvin claimed that this is a text to stir up our commitments to reach out to those in need, especially in this time of intolerance towards immigrants and the poor. A 2024 Gallup poll indicates that 56% of Americans favor mass deportation. And in the most recent poll on the subject of the poor, (a 2002 NPR/Kaiser poll), 52% of Americans found the poor not to have a proper work ethic. It is unlikely we have outgrown that prejudice. In response, the reformer of Geneva wrote:

SermonStudio

Wayne Brouwer
During World War II, many members of the Lutheran church in Germany lost their faith because Hitler seduced them into ways of living that kept them from practicing their faith. But there was one man whom Hitler could not compromise. His name was Martin Niemöller. During World War I, Niemöller had been a great hero in the German military but when the Second World War came, he refused to bow to the authorities. He was marching to a different drumbeat. And march he did.
Forrest E. Chaffee
After this there was a festival of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
Stephen P. McCutchan
May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us....
-- Psalm 67:1

Steven E. Albertin
(Sing the first verse and chorus of "The Battle Hymn Of The Republic.")

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord;
He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored;
He has loosed the fateful lightning of his terrible swift sword;
His truth is marching on.

Glory, glory! Hallelujah!
Glory, glory! Hallelujah!
Glory, glory! Hallelujah!
His truth is marching on.
1

Charles D. Reeb
Life has a way of presenting us with defining moments. I remember facing a defining moment in my ministry. I went to see a man in the hospital who was dying. He was not active in the church I pastored, but I knew who he was. When I entered his hospital room, his whole family was standing in a semi-circle around his bed. They greeted me, and then the man told his family that he wanted a moment alone with me. So they left us alone.

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Call to Worship:

Jesus said to the paralysed man, "Stand up, take your mat and walk." In our worship today let us explore all that paralyses us, then let us respond to Jesus' command to stand up and walk.


Invitation to Confession:

Jesus, sometimes I'm so afraid of ridicule that I keep my head down.
Lord, have mercy.

Jesus, sometimes I'm so afraid of doing the wrong thing that I do nothing at all.
Christ, have mercy.

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