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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

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
Which words get drowned out? -- Jeremiah 1:4-10, 1 Corinthians 13:1-13, Luke 4:21-30 -- David Coffin -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - C -- 2013
In our small town, the local printed newspaper is struggling to survive.
The God who keeps promises -- Malachi 3:1-4, Philippians 1:3-11, Luke 3:1-6 -- David Coffin -- Second Sunday of Advent - C -- 2012
Both my congregation and local community are exhausted with the past political campaign season of at
UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Proper 16 | OT 21 | Pentecost 11
30 – Sermons
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30 – Children's Sermons / Resources
29 – Worship Resources
34 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 17 | OT 22 | Pentecost 12
29 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
29 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 18 | OT 23 | Pentecost 13
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...

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John Jamison
Object: This message is a role play. You can do this with only two children playing the parts of the two women, but if you have more children, you could have two more playing the parts of the children, another playing the part of the synagogue leader, and another playing the part of the country’s leader. You can also add any other roles you might want to add to make it interesting. Also, I have created places for your characters to speak, but you can add more of those to make it all more fun and memorable.

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The Immediate Word

Mary Austin
Dean Feldmeyer
Christopher Keating
Nazish Naseem
Thomas Willadsen
George Reed
Katy Stenta
For August 24, 2025:

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Wayne Brouwer
C. Knight Aldrich, a medical doctor and the first chairperson of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Chicago (1955-1964), was a keen analyst of the motivations for our behaviors. He worked with the social services agencies of Chicago for a time, particularly spending hours with teenagers who had been arrested for shoplifting or other theft. Aldrich interviewed them to find out how they had come to this. He also talked with the parents, attempting to discover how they had handled the problem from the first time they knew about it.
Mark Ellingsen
Bill Thomas
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Jeremiah 1:4-10 and Psalm 77:1-6

StoryShare

Peter Andrew Smith
“We have questions about your conduct as our pastor,” Carl announced as soon as Pastor John sat down at the hastily called board meeting. “We have received complaints about you from the congregation.”

“Complaints?” Pastor John frowned. “From whom and about what?”

“Mrs. Finnigan saw you coming out of what she politely described as ‘A Gentleman’s Club’ last Thursday night when she was driving downtown.” Bruce scowled. “Do you deny this?”

“Not at all,” Pastor John said. “I did have to go to that place on Thursday evening.”

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Call to Worship:
Jesus was aware of people's deepest needs and what prompted their actions. In our worship today let us consider how we can discover people's deepest needs and the motives for their actions.

Invitation to Confession:
Jesus, sometimes we see only the surface and condemn without real understanding.
Lord, have mercy.
Jesus, sometimes we are afraid to get sufficiently close to other people to see their inner needs.
Christ, have mercy.

SermonStudio

James Evans
(See Epiphany 4/Ordinary Time 4, Cycle C, for an alternative approach.)

The old saying, "experience is the best teacher," could serve as a subtitle for this psalm. Written as a prayer for help in a time of distress or oppression, the psalm subtly hints at a recognition and awareness that only comes with time. There is a track record, so to speak, that the psalmist is aware of: God's record of dependability. Based on God's proven record of saving power and grace, the psalmist is able to pray for salvation, but at the same time celebrate the certainty of its arrival.
Lee Ann Dunlap
Carrie's1 high school guidance counselor noticed she had been acting out a bit in school recently. She had appeared depressed and had been having some authority issues over rules and such. The guidance counselor set Carrie up with a local pastor who had been volunteering a few hours each Friday after a teen suicide a few months before. Most of the other students who came to see the pastor just needed someone to listen to their usual teen issues and heartaches. But, shortly into their time together, Carrie began to open up about some real grown-up problems.
Kirk R. Webster
It's a typical Sunday morning at St. Stephen Presbyterian Church in Orlando, Florida. The people file in and sit down in plush pews. Their attention is drawn to the chancel where they see choir members calmly seated, robed in dark blue and white. The mahogany altar table is draped with a silk parament. Two bronze candleholders stand guard at the table edges.
R. Robert Cueni
As was his custom, Jesus went that Sabbath morning to the synagogue for worship. As he was preaching and teaching, he happened to glance toward the fringe of the crowd where he saw a very crippled woman. She was bent over and was unable to stand up straight. When he inquired, Jesus was told the woman had been that way for eighteen years.
John H. Will
Call to Worship
Indeed, this is a day of rest and gladness.
This is God's Sabbath, created for our reflection and renewal.
Let us then not profane it, but keep it holy.
We do this as we honor God and commit ourselves to the well--being of God's creation.
Each of us individually needs a personal rejuvenation of spirit.
Together we seek a strengthening of community, a community that continues to build itself in love.
So do we come as one people to worship God, our Maker and our Sustainer.

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