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Bonnie Bates

The Reverend Doctor Bonnie Bates currently serves as the Associations Associate for Congregational Vitality and Development for the Eastern Ohio and Western Reserve Associations of the Ohio Conference of the United Church of Christ.  The Reverend Dr. Bonnie Bates received her Masters of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry from Colgate Rochester Divinity School.  The focus of her doctoral work was transformational leadership and her dissertation is titled, Navigating the River of Grief.   She has served churches in New York both as a licensed and ordained minister.  She directed and taught in the Graduate Human Resource Development program at St. John Fisher College in Rochester.  She has worked for several non-profits and has served on several not-for-profit Boards including the Dunkirk Camp and Conference Center in western New York.  She has been an active member of the associations where she has served as well as numerous leadership positions within the New York Conference including its work in becoming a Global Mission conference and designing its current governance structure.   She has recently completed the development and implementation of a Boundary Training model for local congregations.

Her hobbies are singing, reading, fly fishing. She once sang with a national choir in Carnegie Hall, Constitution Hall, the White House, Royal Albert Hall, and a variety of locations in Belgium, France, Switzerland, Austria and Italy.   She and her husband, Steve Vulcheff, have one son Samuel and two grandsons Kiel and Jakob.
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Illustration

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Illustrations for Proper 5 | Ordinary Time 10 (2021) -- 1 Samuel 8:4-11 (12-15) 16-20, Psalm 138, 2 Corinthians 4:13--5:1, Mark 3:20-35 -- Frank Ramirez, Bonnie Bates, Bill Thomas, Mark Ellingsen -- Proper 5 | Ordinary Time 10 - B -- 2021
1 Samuel 8:4-11 (12-15) 16-20 (11:14-15)
Sermon Illustrations for Christmas 2 (2021) -- Jeremiah 31:7-14, Ephesians 1:3-14, John 1:(1-9) 10-18 -- Mark Ellingsen, Frank Ramirez, Bonnie Bates, Bill Thomas -- Second Sunday after Christmas - B -- 2021
Jeremiah 31:7-14
Sermon Illustrations for Thanksgiving (2021) -- Joel 2:21-27, 1 Timothy 2:1-7, Matthew 6:25-33, Psalm 126 -- Bill Thomas, Bonnie Bates, Mark Ellingsen, Frank Ramirez -- Thanksgiving Day - B -- 2021
Joel 2:21-27
Sermon Illustrations for Epiphany of Our Lord (2021) -- Isaiah 60:1-6, Ephesians 3:1-12, Matthew 2:1-12 -- Bonnie Bates, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez, Mark Ellingsen -- Epiphany of the Lord - B -- 2021
Isaiah 60:1-6
Sermon Illustrations for Advent 1 (2021) -- Jeremiah 33:14-16, 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13, Luke 21:25-36 -- Bonnie Bates, Mark Ellingsen, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez -- First Sunday of Advent - C -- 2021
Jeremiah 33:14-16
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 6 | OT 11, Cycle B (2021) -- 1 Samuel 15:34--16:13, 2 Corinthians 5:6-10 (11-13) 14-17, Mark 4:26-34, Psalm 20 -- Mark Ellingsen, Frank Ramirez, Bill Thomas, Bonnie Bates -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - B -- 2021
1 Samuel 15:3--16:13
Sermon Illustrations for Baptism of Our Lord (2021) -- Genesis 1:1-5, Acts 19:1-7, Mark 1:4-11 -- Mark Ellingsen, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez, Bonnie Bates -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - B -- 2021
Genesis 1:1-5
Sermon Illustrations for Advent 2 (2021) -- Baruch 5:1-9, Philippians 1:3-11, Malachi 3:1-4, Luke 3:1-6 -- Mark Ellingsen, Bonnie Bates, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez -- Second Sunday of Advent - C -- 2021
Baruch 5:1-9
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 7 | OT 12, Cycle B (2021) -- 1 Samuel 17:(1a, 4-11, 19-23), 32-49, 2 Corinthians 6:1-13, Mark 4:35-41, Psalm 9:9-20, Psalm 133 -- Mark Ellingsen, Frank Ramirez, Bill Thomas, Bonnie Bates -- Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 - B -- 2021
1 Samuel 17: (1a, 4, 11, 19-23) 32-49
Sermon Illustrations for Epiphany 2 (2021) -- 1 Samuel 3:1-10 (11-20), 1 Corinthians 6:12-20, John 1:43-51 -- Mark Ellingsen, Frank Ramirez, Bill Thomas, Bonnie Bates -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - B -- 2021
1 Samuel 3:1-10, (11-20)
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 8 | OT 13 (2021) -- 2 Samuel 1:1, 17-27, 2 Corinthians 8:7-15, Mark 5:21-43 -- Mark Ellingsen, Frank Ramirez, Bill Thomas, Bonnie Bates -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - B -- 2021
2 Samuel 1:1, 17-27
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 9 | OT 14 (2021) -- 2 Samuel 5:1-15, 9-10, 2 Corinthians 12:2-10, Mark 6:1-13 -- Frank Ramirez, Bill Thomas, Bonnie Bates, Mark Ellingsen -- Proper 9 | Ordinary Time 14 - B -- 2021
2 Samuel 5:1-5, 9-10
Sermon Illustrations for Epiphany 3 (2021) -- Jonah 3:1-5, 10, 1 Corinthians 7:29-31, Mark 1:14-20 -- Bonnie Bates, Bill Thomas, Mark Ellingsen, Frank Ramirez -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - B -- 2021
Jonah 3:1-5, 10
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 10 | OT 15 (2021) -- 2 Samuel 6:1-5, 12b-19, Ephesians 1:3-14, Mark 6:14-29 -- Mark Ellingsen, Frank Ramirez, Bill Thomas, Bonnie Bates -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - B -- 2021
2 Samuel 6:1-5, 12b-19
Sermon Illustrations for Epiphany 4 (2021) -- Deuteronomy 18:15-20, 1 Corinthians 8:1-13, Mark 1:21-28 -- Frank Ramirez, Bill Thomas, Bonnie Bates, Mark Ellingsen -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - B -- 2021
Deuteronomy 18:15-20
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 11 | OT 16 (2021) -- 2 Samuel 7:1-14a, Ephesians 2:11-22, Mark 6:30-34, 53-56 -- Frank Ramirez, Mark Ellingsen, Bonnie Bates, Bill Thomas -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - B -- 2021
2 Samuel 7:1-14a
Sermon Illustrations for Epiphany 5 (2021) -- Isaiah 40:21-31, 1 Corinthians 9:16-23, Mark 1:29-39 -- Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez, Bonnie Bates, Mark Ellingsen -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - B -- 2021
Isaiah 40:21-31
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 12 | OT 17 (2021) -- 2 Samuel 11:1-15, Ephesians 3:14-21, John 6:1-21, Psalm 14 -- Mark Ellingsen, Frank Ramirez, Bonnie Bates, Bill Thomas -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - B -- 2021
2 Samuel 11:1-15
Sermon Illustrations for The Transfiguration (2021) -- 2 Kings 2:1-12, 2 Corinthians 4:3-6, Mark 9:2-9 -- Bonnie Bates, Mark Ellingsen, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez -- Transfiguration Sunday - B -- 2021
2 Kings 2:1-12
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 13 | OT 18 (2021) -- 2 Samuel 11:26--12:13a, Ephesians 4:1-16, John 6:24-35 -- Bonnie Bates, Mark Ellingsen, Frank Ramirez, Bill Thomas -- Proper 13 | Ordinary Time 18 - B -- 2021
2 Samuel 11:26--12:13a
Sermon Illustrations for Ash Wednesday (2021) -- Joel 2:1-2, 12-17, 2 Corinthians 5:20b--6:10, Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21, Isaiah 58:1-9a (9b-12) -- Bill Thomas, Mark Ellingsen, Bonnie Bates, Frank Ramirez -- Ash Wednesday - B -- 2021
Joel 2:1-2, 12-17
Sermon Illustrations for Lent 1 (2021) -- Genesis 9:8-17, 1 Peter 3:18-22, Mark 1:9-15 -- Frank Ramirez, Bill Thomas, Mark Ellingsen, Bonnie Bates -- First Sunday in Lent - B -- 2021
Genesis 9:8-17
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 14 | OT 19 (2021) -- 2 Samuel 18:5-9, 15, 31-33, Ephesians 4:25--5:2, John 6:34, 41-51 -- Bonnie Bates, Frank Ramirez, Mark Ellingsen, Bill Thomas -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - B -- 2021
2 Samuel 18:5-9, 15, 31-33
Sermon Illustrations for Lent 2 (2021) -- Mark 8:31-38, Romans 4:13-25, Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16 -- Mark Ellingsen, Bill Thomas, Bonnie Bates, Frank Ramirez -- Second Sunday in Lent - B -- 2021
Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 15 | OT 20 (2021) -- 1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-4, Ephesians 5:15-20, John 6:51-58 -- Frank Ramirez, Mark Ellingsen, Bill Thomas, Bonnie Bates -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - B -- 2021
1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14

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I am a scoreboard watcher. I follow a lot more games than I actually watch, but since technology makes it easy to check scores on a moment’s whim, I watch a lot of scoreboards of teams and games that I am at least mildly interested in. And as I check those scores, I find myself having immediate reactions: “Great!” “Oh, that's too bad.” “Excellent!” “Nuts.” And in the midst of that sports-fan roller coaster, I must continually remind myself that not all scores are final.
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The love of God which lives in man loves sinners, evil persons, fools and weaklings in order to make them righteous, good, wise, and strong. Rather than seeking its own good, the love of God flows forth and bestows good. (Luther’s Works, Vol. 31, p.57)

John Wesley nicely summarizes the Spirit’s role in fighting the lure of our old sinful habits:

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Object: This message is a role-play story. You will need two children to play the roles of the Pharisee and the tax collector. I usually ask two children if they will help me as they are all coming forward for the message, but you may select them however you choose.

* * *

StoryShare

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Trouble and anguish have overtaken me, but your commandments are my delight.
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The Village Shepherd

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Call to Worship:

We all dislike people who blow their own trumpets, although sometimes we may be in awe of them. Jesus too deplored such behaviour and was never in awe of those who practised it. In our worship today let us open ourselves to Jesus, allowing him to see what is in our hearts.



Invitation to Confession:

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Every morning when sleep leaves and waking comes there is cause for praising God. Caught up, as we are, in the currents and eddies of our lives, this is easy to forget. This wonderful psalm is a reminder. God's bounty and abundance spill into our lives like waters over a causeway. God's delight in creation explodes in a million different colors. In every moment there is reason to give God praise.
Robert R. Kopp
When I was a little boy growing up in Nanticoke, Pennsylvania's First Presbyterian Church, one of those Christian chalk artists with black light, neon colors, and black felt canvas who made pictures of Jesus look like those Elvis portraits for sale on the side of the road at the beach showed up as entertainment for a Sunday evening potluck dinner.
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Today's sermon begins with this little one-person drama.
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Have you ever felt that you were absolutely at the end of your rope, left without hope? Sometime during the years of 539 B.C. to 331 B.C. that is the way the people of Judah felt. It seems that their land had been ravaged by a plague of locusts which had had catastrophic consequences.

Once a harvest has been destroyed, you cannot repair it. If a building has burned to the ground, you cannot repair it. In those instances you need to start from scratch with a fresh start.

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