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John E. Sumwalt And Jo Perry-sumwalt

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Thanksgiving Communion -- 2 Samuel 23:1-7, Revelation 1:4b-8, John 18:33-37 -- John E. Sumwalt And Jo Perry-sumwalt -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - B
Contents A Story to Live By: "Thanksgiving Communion"
An Awakening -- Isaiah 2:1-5, Romans 13:11-14, Matthew 24:36-44, Psalm 122 -- John E. Sumwalt And Jo Perry-sumwalt -- First Sunday of Advent - A
StoryShare Edited by John Sumwalt and Jo Perry-Sumwalt
A Call To Ministry -- Mark 1:16-18 -- John E. Sumwalt And Jo Perry-sumwalt -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - B
ContentsSharing Visions: "A Call to Ministry" by Nancy Nichols
Christmas Absence -- Titus 2:11-14, Isaiah 9:2-7, Luke 2:1-20, Psalm 96 -- John E. Sumwalt And Jo Perry-sumwalt -- The Nativity of our Lord - A
Contents A Story to Live By: "
Thanksgiving Communion -- 2 Samuel 23:1-7, Revelation 1:4b-8, John 18:33-37 -- John E. Sumwalt And Jo Perry-sumwalt -- Thanksgiving Day - B
Contents A Story to Live By: "Thanksgiving Communion"
Baptism Of Repentance -- Isaiah 11:1-10, Romans 15:4-13, Matthew 3:1-12, Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19 -- John E. Sumwalt And Jo Perry-sumwalt -- Second Sunday of Advent - A
Contents What's Up This Week A Story to Live By: "Baptism of Repentance"
A Prison Called Unforgiveness -- Isaiah 35:1-10, Luke 1:46b-55, James 5:7-10 -- John E. Sumwalt And Jo Perry-sumwalt -- Third Sunday of Advent - A
Contents What's Up This Week
Faithfulness -- Psalm 24:3-4a -- John E. Sumwalt And Jo Perry-sumwalt -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - B
ContentsA Story to Live By: "Faithfulness"
Reason To Doubt -- Acts 2:14a, 22-32, 1 Peter 1:3-9, John 20:19-31, Psalm 16 -- John E. Sumwalt And Jo Perry-sumwalt -- Second Sunday of Easter - A
Contents What's Up This Week A Story to Live By: "Reason to Doubt"
Atonement -- 1 Samuel 1:4-20, Hebrews 10:11-14 (15-18) 19-25, Mark 13:1-8, Psalm 113 -- John E. Sumwalt And Jo Perry-sumwalt -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - B
Contents A Story to Live By: "Atonement"
To Bind Up The Brokenhearted -- Isaiah 61:1-3b -- John E. Sumwalt And Jo Perry-sumwalt -- Third Sunday of Advent - B
Sharing Visions: "To Bind Up the Brokenhearted" by Roy Nelson
God's Filling Me -- Isaiah 63:7-9, Hebrews 2:10-18, Matthew 2:13-23, Psalm 148 -- John E. Sumwalt And Jo Perry-sumwalt -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - A
StoryShare Edited by John Sumwalt and Jo Perry-Sumwalt
Like Sheep With A Shepherd -- Mark 6:34 -- John E. Sumwalt And Jo Perry-sumwalt -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - B
ContentsA Story to Live By: "Like Sheep with a Shepherd"
With Advocates Like This... -- Acts 17:22-31, John 14:15-21, 1 Peter 3:13-22, Psalm 66:8-20 -- John E. Sumwalt And Jo Perry-sumwalt -- Sixth Sunday of Easter - A
Contents What's Up This Week
A Dishonest Painter -- Proverbs 31:10-31, Psalm 1, James 3:13--4:3, 7-8a, Mark 9:30-37 -- John E. Sumwalt And Jo Perry-sumwalt -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - B
Contents Post-9/11 Comfort
A Fist And A Kiss -- 2 Samuel 18:5-9, 15, 31-33, Ephesians 4:25--5:2, 2 Samuel 18:5-9, 15, 31-33, Psalm 130 -- John E. Sumwalt And Jo Perry-sumwalt -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - B
Contents
Stand Firm -- Luke 13:31-35, Philippians 3:17--4:1, Luke 13:31-35, Psalm 27 -- John E. Sumwalt And Jo Perry-sumwalt -- Second Sunday in Lent - C
A Story To Live By Stand Firm
Picture Of Peace -- Acts 9:36-43, John 10:22-30, Revelation 7:9-17, Psalm 23 -- John E. Sumwalt And Jo Perry-sumwalt -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - C
A Story to Live By Picture of Peace
Come Over And Help -- Acts 16:9-15, Acts 16:9-15, Psalm 67 -- John E. Sumwalt And Jo Perry-sumwalt -- Sixth Sunday of Easter - C
A Story to Live By Come Over and Help
The Voice Of The Broken Branch -- Mark 13:28-29 -- John E. Sumwalt And Jo Perry-sumwalt -- First Sunday of Advent - B
Contents
The Kiss -- 1 Kings 21:1-21a, Galatians 2:15-21, Luke 7:36--8:3, Psalm 5:1-8 -- John E. Sumwalt And Jo Perry-sumwalt -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - C
A Story to Live By The Kiss
Cameron's Story -- Isaiah 40:5 -- John E. Sumwalt And Jo Perry-sumwalt -- Second Sunday of Advent - B
Cameron's Story by Todd Chrisler (as told to John Sumwalt)
Faith Like A Lion -- Isaiah 5:1-7, Hebrews 11:29--12:2, Isaiah 5:1-7, Psalm 80:1-2, 8-19 -- John E. Sumwalt And Jo Perry-sumwalt -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - C
And what more should I say?
Keep Sharp -- Jeremiah 31:27-34, Luke 18:1-8, 2 Timothy 3:14--4:5, Psalm 119:97-104 -- John E. Sumwalt And Jo Perry-sumwalt -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C
Contents What's Up This Week A Story to Live By: "Keep Sharp"
Dead Duck -- Haggai 1:15b-2:9, 2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17, Luke 20:27-38, Psalm 145:1-5, 17-21 -- John E. Sumwalt And Jo Perry-sumwalt -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - C
Contents What's Up This Week A Story to Live By: "Dead Duck"
UPCOMING WEEKS
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Easter 4
28 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
33 – Children's Sermons / Resources
23 – Worship Resources
34 – Commentary / Exegesis
5 – Pastor's Devotions
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Easter 5
33 – Sermons
140+ – Illustrations / Stories
34 – Children's Sermons / Resources
30 – Worship Resources
35 – Commentary / Exegesis
5 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Easter 6
30 – Sermons
180+ – Illustrations / Stories
32 – Children's Sermons / Resources
23 – Worship Resources
31 – Commentary / Exegesis
5 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
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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
Bill Thomas
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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