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David Coffin

David Coffin is pastor of Elgin/Highland Lutheran Parish in Elgin, Iowa. David is a graduate of Ferris State University with a BS degree in printing. He earned his Master of Divinity degree from Trinity Lutheran Seminary (Ohio) and his Doctor of Ministry Degree from Winebrenner Seminary. He enjoys bike riding and working with small group ministries. He also eats lots of pizza, so he needs to ride the bike.
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Commentary

Emphasis Preaching Journal

The nature of faith -- Genesis 22:1-14, Romans 6:12-23, Matthew 10:40-42 -- David Coffin -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - A -- 2014
A single mother and her child are living with her parents.
New light in darkness -- 1 Samuel 16:1-13, Ephesians 5:8-14, John 9:1-41 -- David Coffin -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - A -- 2014
A group of younger workers are seated next to one another at a workplace where they have to deal wit
Pound of flesh demanded -- Acts 2:14a; 22-32, 1 Peter 1:3-9, John 20:19-31 -- David Coffin -- Second Sunday of Easter - A -- 2014
It is the time of year for the last push of demands before the summer season beckons upon the horizo
Long-term ascension assurances -- Acts 1:1-11, Ephesians 1:15-23, Luke 24:44-53 -- David Coffin -- Ascension of the Lord - A -- 2014
Nobody thought this day would happen. The longtime department supervisor was retiring.
Kingdom ambiguities -- Genesis 29:15-28, Romans 8:26-39, Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52 -- David Coffin -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - A -- 2014
So a person believes they have gotten a job or are active in a community that calls itself "Christia
Coming off the sidelines -- Exodus 3:1-15, Romans 12:9-21, Matthew 16:21-28 -- David Coffin -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - A -- 2014
A certain congregation has many problems as they survey the community where they exist grows more se
By what authority? -- Exodus 17:1-17, Philippians 2:1-13, Matthew 21:28-32 -- David Coffin -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - A -- 2014
It is the first week of classes at a small college or university in the 1970s and 1980s in Midwest A
Mature thanksgiving faith -- Deuteronomy 8:7-18, 2 Corinthians 9:6-15, Luke 17:11-19 -- David Coffin -- Thanksgiving Day - A -- 2014
It is Thanksgiving or any one of the winter holidays, and certain couples who have no children are c
When does a house become a home for the holidays? -- 2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16, Romans 16:25-27, Luke 1:26-38 -- David Coffin -- Fourth Sunday of Advent - B -- 2014
Many people make Advent preparations in hopes that they will be able to celebrate their hard-earned
Spirit of purpose -- Genesis 1:1-5, Acts 19:1-7, Mark 1:4-11 -- David Coffin -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - B -- 2014
It is way past Christmas and New Year's celebration times.
Fork in the road: emptiness or fulfillment -- Isaiah 55:1-9, 1 Corinthians 10:1-13, Luke 13:1-9 -- David Coffin -- Third Sunday in Lent - C -- 2013
About this Third Sunday of Lent, Fat Tuesday and Ash Wednesday are memories for those in the broader
Words of new life -- Acts 10:34-43, 1 Corinthians 15:19-26, John 20:1-18 -- David Coffin -- Easter Day - C -- 2013
In our community most people have to go back to school or work on the Monday after Easter Sunday.
Who do we let in? -- Acts 11:1-18, Revelation 21:1-6, John 13:31-35 -- David Coffin -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2013
The cry goes out in either the church council or congregational meeting: "We need more people to com
Christ's ministry continues -- Acts 2:1-21, Romans 8:14-17, John 14:8-17 (25-27) -- David Coffin -- Day of Pentecost - C -- 2013
I believe it happens in every congregation.
Trust for the journey -- 1 Kings 21:1-10 (11-14) 15-21a, Galatians 2:15-21, Luke 7:36--8:3 -- David Coffin -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - C -- 2013
So who do we trust while taking our journey of faith during the season of Pentecost?
Baseline of faith -- Amos 7:7-17, Colossians 1:1-14, Luke 10:25-37 -- David Coffin -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - C -- 2013
"Who would ever have dreamed that we are now raising our grandchildren rather than living out our re
Created to be God's people -- Isaiah 5:1-7, Hebrews 11:29--12:2, Luke 12:49-56 -- David Coffin -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - C -- 2013
A congregation has started a new ministry to work with younger children.
Commitment test -- Jeremiah 18:1-11, Philemon 1:1-21, Luke 14:25-33 -- David Coffin -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - C -- 2013
Shall we or shall we not continue a certain ministry, program, or event in our congregation?
Dimensions of faith -- Lamentations 1:1-6, 2 Timothy 1:1-14, Luke 17:5-10 -- David Coffin -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - C -- 2013
On any given communion Sunday, various people line up either to take continuous communion or table c
A timely word -- Jeremiah 31:27-34, 2 Timothy 3:14--4:5, Luke 18:1-8 -- David Coffin -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 2013
Charles Dickens begins his classic work A Tale of Two Cities with "It was the best of times;
To glorify God -- Haggai 1:15b--2:9, 2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17, Luke 20:27-38 -- David Coffin -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - C -- 2013
A church council member announces to the rest of the members and the pastor that a certain family ha
Still standing in line -- Isaiah 35:1-10, James 5:7-10, Matthew 11:2-11 -- David Coffin -- Third Sunday of Advent - A -- 2013
Inevitably it happens to any adult or any church leader toward the end of the year, or the time thei
God's timing -- Ecclesiastes 3:1-13, Revelation 21:1-6a, Matthew 25:31-46 -- David Coffin -- New Year's Day - A, New Year's Day - B, New Year's Day - C -- 2013
Another year has gone by as one awakens on New Year's Day.
Light enters into darkness -- Isaiah 9:1-4, 1 Corinthians 1:10-18, Matthew 4:12-23 -- David Coffin -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - A -- 2013
An older woman is homebound because of a bad hip.
Foundations for mature faith -- Leviticus 19:1-2, 9-18, 1 Corinthians 3:10-11, 16-23, Matthew 5:38-48 -- David Coffin -- Epiphany 7 | Ordinary Time 7 - A -- 2013
It might happen in any given church or nonprofit organization in the middle of the winter months, or
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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.
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Frank Ramirez
Bonnie Bates
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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?

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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?”

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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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