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Elaine M. Ward

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Children's sermon

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The Lord's Prayer -- Luke 11:14 -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2002
One day Jesus sat in the garden with a friend. The air was still. The garden was quiet.
O Lord, Save My Life -- Psalm 116:1-4, 12-19 -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2002
There once was an eagle, a large, strong eagle who would stretch her wings and soar on the air.
The Secrets Of God -- Psalm 148:5-12 -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2002
When a child is in the mother's womb, God whispers to that child the secrets of the universe.
In The Presence Of God -- Psalm 13 -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2002
"But, Grandma, I gave all of my Halloween candy but the M and M's to Brad," she gulped between tears
Only The Father Knows -- Matthew 24:36-44 -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2002
One day Sarah was sitting beside the window, looking out at the rain falling.
Breaking Branches -- Romans 8:22 -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2002
There once was a poor woodcutter whose heart was full of love, but his stomach was very empty.
The Gifts -- Matthew 2:11 -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2002
"Where are the gifts?" the first wise man asked the other two wise men.
Trinity Sunday -- Matthew 28:16-20 -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2002
(Read the text aloud.) My granddaughter knows the meaning of Trinity.
Trust In The Lord -- Psalm 56:4 -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2002
Peter was four and Peter had an older brother, Alan, who was ten. Peter followed Alan everywhere.
The Monkey Who Wanted Misery -- Romans 8:26a -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2002
Talk together: What is "misery"? What is the very worst thing that might happen to you?
The Eensy-Weensy Spider -- Psalm 147:8b -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2002
Together the nursery children and I wondered at the beauty and importance of water as part of God's
Christmas Eve -- Luke 2:1-20 -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2002
Call To Worship:
Opened Eyes -- Psalm 25:2 -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2002
Once upon a time a grandfather gave his granddaughter, about your age, not a pony, nor a puppy, nor
Baptism -- Matthew 3:13-17 -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2002
In our Bible story Jesus went to John the Baptist at the River Jordan to be baptized.
Timothy's Questions -- Psalm 100:3a -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2002
"Who made it? How does it work? What is it for? Why is it here? Where did it come from?
During Lent -- Psalm 116:12-19 -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2002
In the classroom Bernadette prayed that the floor would open so she could fall in it, or if not that
36 People -- Matthew 22:36-39 -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2002
Talk together: 36 is a special number for the Jewish people. Do you know why?
Passion/Palm Sunday -- Matthew 21:1-11 -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2002
As God heard the shouting, God saw Jesus approaching the people, riding on the back of a small donke
The Christmas Star -- Matthew 2:2 -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2002
Once, long ago, a new star was born in the sky. Because it was a new star it was very small.
The Eagle -- Isaiah 40:31 -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2002
A man found an eagle's egg and put it in the nest of a barnyard hen.
Pentecost -- Acts 2:1-21 -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2002
One day Jesus' friends came together. They were sad because Jesus was no longer with them.
The Magic Thread -- Psalm 118:24 -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2002
When it was summer, the boy wanted winter, and in the winter, he dreamed of summer.
Jesus At Twelve -- Luke 2:41-52 -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2002
Mary said to Joseph, "I thought Jesus was with you!" Joseph replied, "I thought Jesus was with you."
Can I Help You? -- 1 John 4:7 -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2002
The young girl, her arms full of books, crossed the park, seeing the old man sitting on a bench.
Jesus And The Children -- Luke 18:15-17 -- Elaine M. Ward -- 2002
Pantomime "Jesus And The Children" while it is being read.

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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.
Mark Ellingsen
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?

StoryShare

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?”

CSSPlus

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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