Login / Signup

Arley K. Fadness

Arley K. Fadness is a retired ELCA pastor who has served numerous Lutheran parishes in South Dakota and Minnesota. He is currently a member of Custer Lutheran Fellowship in the beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota. Pastor Fadness is a congregational consultant who coaches churches in visioning processes, and he also conducts leadership retreats and workshops on “Finding Your True Flair.” A graduate of Augustana College, Luther Theological Seminary, and McCormick Theological Seminary, Fadness is the author of several CSS titles, including Blueprints For Advent and Christmas, Blueprints for Lent, Six Spiritual Needs in America Today, Holy Moses, Hey Joseph!, and Where’s Noah? He is also a contributing author to Sermons on the First Readings (Series I, Cycle A).
Hold down Ctrl (Windows) / Command (Mac) for multiple selections (scroll list to see all options)

Children's sermon

CSSPlus

The Little Bible -- John 3:14-21 -- Arley K. Fadness -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - B -- 2018
“For God so loved the world He gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may n
Blind Beggar Bartimaeus Believes -- Mark 10:46-52 -- Arley K. Fadness -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - B -- 2018
“And immediately he received his sight and followed him on the way.”  (v.
A Miracle Seed -- John 12:20-33 -- Arley K. Fadness -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - B -- 2018
“Very truly I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains ju
Love in Two Colors -- Mark 12:28-34 -- Arley K. Fadness -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - B -- 2018
“You shall love the Lord your God....and your neighbor as yourself.” (v.
Betrayed! -- Mark 14:1--15:47 -- Arley K. Fadness -- Passion Sunday - B -- 2018
“Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went to the chief priests in order to betra
Jesus' New Math -- Mark 12:38-44 -- Arley K. Fadness -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - B -- 2018
“...this poor widow has put in more...all she had to live on.” (v.
The Last Commandment: Love One Another -- John 13:1-17, 31b-35 -- Arley K. Fadness -- Maundy Thursday - B -- 2018
“I give you a new commandment, that you love one another.
Be Calm -- Mark 13:1-8 -- Arley K. Fadness -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - B -- 2018
“...do not be alarmed...” (v. 7a)
Finished! -- John 18:1--19:42 -- Arley K. Fadness -- Good Friday - B -- 2018
“When Jesus had received the wine, he said, 'It is finished.' Then he bowed his head and gav
Thank you, God -- Matthew 6:25-33 -- Arley K. Fadness -- Thanksgiving Day - B -- 2018
“Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?” (v.
Doubt Or Dare (to believe) -- John 20:19-31 -- Arley K. Fadness -- Second Sunday of Easter - B -- 2018
“Do not doubt but believe.” (v. 27b)
The Truth King -- John 18:33-37 -- Arley K. Fadness -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - B -- 2018
“My kingdom is not from this world” (v. 36a)
No Ghost But God -- Luke 24:36b-48 -- Arley K. Fadness -- Third Sunday of Easter - B -- 2018
“Touch me and see: for a ghost does not have flesh and bone.” (v.
Watching -- Luke 21:25-36 -- Arley K. Fadness -- First Sunday of Advent - C -- 2018
“Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.”
The Very, Very Good Shepherd -- John 10:11-18 -- Arley K. Fadness -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - B -- 2018
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” (v.
Connected -- John 15:1-8 -- Arley K. Fadness -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - B -- 2018
“I am the vine, you are the branches.
A Road For The King -- Luke 3:1-6 -- Arley K. Fadness -- Second Sunday of Advent - C -- 2018
Good morning boys and girls,
Protect Them -- John 17:6-19 -- Arley K. Fadness -- Seventh Sunday of Easter - B -- 2018
“Holy Father, protect them in your name....” (v.11a)
You've Got A Friend -- John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15 -- Arley K. Fadness -- Day of Pentecost - B -- 2018
“When the Spirit of Truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth;” (v.
Closer And Closer -- Luke 3:7-18 -- Arley K. Fadness -- Third Sunday of Advent - C -- 2018
“...but one who is more powerful than I is coming..” (V. 16a)
God In A Teacup? -- John 3:1-17 -- Arley K. Fadness -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - B -- 2018
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son.... (v.
Mother's Day -- Luke 1:39-45 (46-55) -- Arley K. Fadness -- Fourth Sunday of Advent - C -- 2018
“...blessed are you among women...” (V. 42b)
Who, Who, Who Is Jesus' Family? -- Mark 3:20-35 -- Arley K. Fadness -- Proper 5 | Ordinary Time 10 - B -- 2018
“Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.” (v.35)
The Gift That Never Ceases Giving -- Luke 2:(1-7) 8-20 -- Arley K. Fadness -- The Nativity of our Lord - C -- 2018
“...and Mary gave birth to her first born son...and laid him in a manger..”
The Kingdom Grows -- Mark 4:26-34 -- Arley K. Fadness -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - B -- 2018
“The kingdom of God... is like a mustard seed....” (v.31)

Drama

Sermon

UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Proper 7 | OT 12 | Pentecost 2
30 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
30 – Children's Sermons / Resources
29 – Worship Resources
34 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 8 | OT 13 | Pentecost 3
29 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
29 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 9 | OT 14 | Pentecost 4
34 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
32 – Children's Sermons / Resources
26 – Worship Resources
31 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Plus thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...

New & Featured This Week

The Immediate Word

Thomas Willadsen
Nazish Naseem
Dean Feldmeyer
Mary Austin
Katy Stenta
George Reed
For July 6, 2025:
  • Who Is My Neighbor? by Tom Willadsen based on 2 Kings 5:1-14, Galatians 6:(1-6) 7-16, Luke 10:1-11, 16-20; Psalm 30.

CSSPlus

John Jamison
Object: This is a role play activity for the children.

Note: You will need an older volunteer to help with this activity. One option would be to find a teenager with some physical ability. If a teen is not available, an adult could be used instead. For simplicity here, I will refer to my older volunteer as “TOM”. You will also need to select three of your younger children to serve as volunteers in the story.

* * *

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Mark Ellingsen
2 Kings 5:1-14
Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Mark Ellingsen
Bonnie Bates
2 Kings 5:1-14, Psalm 30
Naaman seeks healing. He travels hoping healing will come to him when he visits the king of Israel. Yet, healing does not come in that way. Rather healing comes through Elishah. Healing comes from believing and being cleansed in the River Jordan. Healing comes through Naaman’s faithfulness and through God’s grace. Psalm 30 also reminds us to seek healing; to seek God and God will heal and restore us. Do we believe that? Do we believe that God can bring healing?

StoryShare

John E. Sumwalt
But whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest against you. Yet know this: the kingdom of God has come near.’ (vv. 10-11)

When I visit your church for the first time, consider the possibility that I might be looking for a church home. I am a good-looking old guy, but I have gray hair and I dress down in the summer, so don’t be put off by my cargo shorts and tank top. Talk to me!

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Damien and Ora grinned at each other in excitement. The time had come - at last! They'd been with the Leader for months and months, waiting for this moment. Not that it had felt much like training. They'd simply lived with the Leader, listening to his stories, hearing about the Kingdom, learning to get along really well with all the other people at Mission Headquarters. Now all seventy of them were ready, the spaceship had docked, and the Mission was about to begin. Ora was glad she'd been paired up with Damien again.

SermonStudio

James Evans
Stan Purdum
Carlos Wilton
(See Epiphany 6/Ordinary Time 6, Cycle B, and Easter 3, Cycle C, for alternative approaches.)

Anyone who has ever had the experience of losing a friend because of some conflict or dispute, and then has had the friendship restored because of love and forgiveness, has a unique insight into the meaning of this psalm. Although the poem begins and ends with praise, there is in the middle of the poem a brief moment of confession and contrition that puts the praise portions of the psalm in an entirely different light.

April Yamasaki
A word of encouragement came from an unlikely source the other day in a television interview with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. The former football player, wrestler, and now actor was asked about a low time in his life when he was very discouraged about his career and future.

"How did you make your way back from that?" he was asked.

The Rock replied, "You have to put yourself out there. You have to get out there and fail, and learn from your failures."

Larry D. Powell
In the summer of 1983, I participated in a ministerial exchange program sponsored by my denomination. My assignment was to a circuit of churches on the Isle of Man, a tiny island located in the Irish Sea. The months preceding the exchange included considerable correspondence with the minister on the island with whom I would exchange pastoral duties for six weeks.
Richard E. Gribble, CSC
A wealthy businessman decided to take a walk and eat his lunch at the same time. He strolled by a park. There he purchased a hot dog and a soft drink. As he walked through the park two different "street people" approached him one by one. Each asked, "Can you help me? I am hungry." Each time the businessman looked straight ahead and kept walking. After finishing his lunch, he stopped and bought a chocolate eclair for dessert. As he was about to take the first bite, he was forced to jump out of the way as a young boy raced by on his skateboard. The eclair went flying and landed on the ground.

Special Occasion

Wildcard SSL