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John E. Sumwalt And Jo Perry-sumwalt

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I Shall Always Be Near You -- Ruth 1:1-18, Hebrews 9:11-14, Psalm 146 -- John E. Sumwalt And Jo Perry-sumwalt -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - B
Contents A Story to Live By: "I Shall Always Be Near You"
Get Out Of The Boat -- Matthew 14:22-33, Romans 10:5-15, Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28, Psalm 105:1-6, 16-22, 45b -- John E. Sumwalt And Jo Perry-sumwalt -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - A
Contents What's Up This Week A Story to Live By: "Walking on Water"
The Call Of God -- 1 Samuel 3:10 -- John E. Sumwalt And Jo Perry-sumwalt -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - B
ContentsSharing Visions: "The Call of God" by Bill Dow
Jesus Is Counting On Us -- Jeremiah 23:1-6, Luke 1:68-79, Colossians 1:11-20 -- John E. Sumwalt And Jo Perry-sumwalt -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - C
StoryShare Edited by John Sumwalt and Jo Perry-Sumwalt
God Will Meet Our Needs -- Ruth 3:1-5, 13-17, Hebrews 9:24-28, Mark 12:38-44 -- John E. Sumwalt And Jo Perry-sumwalt -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - B
A Note from John
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: "
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
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
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"
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"
Faithfulness -- Psalm 24:3-4a -- John E. Sumwalt And Jo Perry-sumwalt -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - B
ContentsA Story to Live By: "Faithfulness"
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"
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"
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"
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 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
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?
The Voice Of The Broken Branch -- Mark 13:28-29 -- John E. Sumwalt And Jo Perry-sumwalt -- First Sunday of Advent - B
Contents
The Dishonest Woodcutter -- Jeremiah 8:18-9:1, 1 Timothy 2:1-7, Luke 16:1-13, Psalm 79:1-9 -- John E. Sumwalt And Jo Perry-sumwalt -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - C
Contents What's Up This Week: "Balm in Viborg"
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)
UPCOMING WEEKS
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Easter 6
30 – Sermons
110+ – Illustrations / Stories
26 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
25 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Ascension
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160+ – Illustrations / Stories
22 – Children's Sermons / Resources
18 – Worship Resources
23 – Commentary / Exegesis
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Easter 7
30 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
25 – Worship Resources
27 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Pentecost
29 – Sermons
140+ – Illustrations / Stories
27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
28 – Worship Resources
32 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
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Trinity Sunday
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140+ – Illustrations / Stories
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30 – Commentary / Exegesis
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New & Featured This Week

The Immediate Word

Thomas Willadsen
Dean Feldmeyer
Mary Austin
Christopher Keating
Katy Stenta
George Reed
Bethany Peerbolte
For May 9, 2021:
  • One Nation Under God? by Tom Willadsen — What would the United States look like if we truly were “one nation under God?” What would it be like to live in a place where everyone was treated as one who has been “born of God?”
  • Dying Is Easy by Dean Feldmeyer — Dying is easy; living the gospel is hard.

StoryShare

John E. Sumwalt
Frank Ramirez
Contents
“Waking Up to Racism” by John Sumwalt
“Twists and Turns” by Frank Ramirez

 
Waking Up to Racism
by John Sumwalt
Psalm 98

Let the floods clap their hands;
    let the hills sing together for joy
 at the presence of the Lord, for he is coming
    to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with righteousness,
    and the peoples with equity. (vv. 8-9)

Emphasis Preaching Journal

David Kalas
In the mid-1960s, a popular song declared, “What the world needs now is love, sweet love. It's the only thing that there's just too little of.”1 It was an era of both national and international unrest. And the American landscape was reeling from the Vietnam War, the Civil Rights movement, and opposition to both. Amidst headlines so marked by unrest and division, therefore, the sentiment of the song struck a chord with an American audience. 
Bill Thomas
Mark Ellingsen
Frank Ramirez
Bonnie Bates
Acts 10:44-48
Prejudice is always wrong. Nat King Cole is a well-known artist who was the first African American to host his own national television program. In 1948, he purchased a beautiful home in an exclusive Los Angeles neighborhood. When the local neighborhood association confronted him and informed him it didn’t want any undesirables to move in, Cole responded, “Neither do I. If I see any coming in here, I’ll be the first to complain.” He lived in that house until his death in 1965.

CSSPlus

John Jamison
“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.” (vv. 9-12)

Hi, everyone! (Let them respond.)

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Call to Worship:

Jesus gave up his life for us. In our worship today let us explore how to love one another as he has loved us.

Invitation to Confession:

Jesus, sometimes our love for each other is thin and pale.
Lord, have mercy.

Jesus, sometimes we pretend to love but fail to care.
Christ, have mercy.

Jesus, sometimes we don't know how to love.
Lord, have mercy.

SermonStudio

John E. Sumwalt
Jo Perry-sumwalt
One evening, when I was 26 years old, beleagered by guilt for acknowledged sins, I was deep into an hour-long prayer of repentance. In despair, I grieved that I had broken the commandments and that I was not worthy of God's love.

Near me lay the Bible, unused and unfamiliar. I had never, ever read from the Bible. Yet my hands reached out and took the Bible to open it. I knew not where, nor why. But my hands knew the way. They opened to John 15:9-11 and as my eyes began to read, my mind knew the meaning with clarity. My eyes read verse 10 first:
Mark Ellingsen
Theme of the Day
God's love brings us together.

Collect of the Day
It is noted that God has prepared great joy for those who love Him. Petitions are then offered that such love may be poured into the hearts of the faithful so that they may obtain these promises. Justification as a reward for our deeds (love) is communicated by this prayer.

Psalm of the Day
Psalm 98
Stan Purdum
(See Christmas Day, Cycles A and B, for alternative approaches.)

Richard E. Gribble
Once upon a time a great and powerful king ruled over a vast territory. There was something very strange about this kingdom, however -- everything was the same. The people ate the same food, drank the same drink, wore the same clothes, and lived in the same type of homes. The people even did all the same work. There was another oddity about this place. Everything was gray -- the food, the drink, the clothes, the houses; there were no other colors.

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