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John E. Sumwalt

John E. Sumwalt is a retired United Methodist pastor and the author of nine books for CSS Publishing Company, including How to Preach the Miracles and the Vision Stories series. He and his wife, Joanne Perry-Sumwalt, were the original editors of StoryShare. John is an acclaimed storyteller. He writes a weekly spiritual column for several Wisconsin newspapers.
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StoryShare

Loving Neighbors, Killing Neighbors -- Matthew 22:34-46, Deuteronomy 34:1-12, 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8, Psalm 90:1-6, 13-17 -- John E. Sumwalt, C. David Mckirachan -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - A -- 2011
Contents"Loving Neighbors, Killing Neighbors" by John Sumwalt
So What Is It Anyway? -- Matthew 20:1-16, Exodus 16:2-15, Philippians 1:21-30, Psalm 105:1-6, 37-45 -- Frank Ramirez, John E. Sumwalt -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - A -- 2011
Contents"So What Is It Anyway?" by Frank Ramirez
The End Of What? -- Matthew 25:14-30, Judges 4:1-7, 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11, Psalm 123 -- David O. Bales, John E. Sumwalt -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - A -- 2011
Contents"The End of What?" by David O. Bales "The Aqueduct" by John Sumwalt
A Church For Christmas -- Luke 1:26-38, 2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16, Romans 16:25-27, Luke 1:46b-55 -- John E. Sumwalt, Frank Ramirez -- Fourth Sunday of Advent - B -- 2011
Contents"A Church for Christmas" by John Sumwalt
Found In Darkness -- Matthew 4:12-23, Isaiah 9:1-4, 1 Corinthians 1:10-18, Psalm 27:1, 4-9 -- John E. Sumwalt, Craig Kelly -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - A -- 2011
Contents"Found in Darkness" by John Sumwalt "Sold Out" by Craig Kelly
What Kind Of Fool Are You? -- Matthew 5:38-48, Leviticus 19:1-2, 9-18, 1 Corinthians 3:10-11, 16-23, Psalm 119:33-40 -- John E. Sumwalt, Keith Hewitt -- Epiphany 7 | Ordinary Time 7 - A -- 2011
Contents"What Kind of Fool Are You?" by John Sumwalt
Any Where But There -- John 3:1-17, Genesis 12:1-4a, Romans 4:1-5, 13-17, Psalm 121 -- C. David Mckirachan, John E. Sumwalt -- Second Sunday in Lent - A -- 2011
Contents"Any Where but There" by C. David McKirachan
The Feud -- John 24:13-35, Acts 2:14a, 36-41, 1 Peter 1:17-23, Psalm 116:1-4, 12-19 -- Keith Hewitt, John E. Sumwalt -- Third Sunday of Easter - A -- 2011
Contents"The Feud" by Keith Hewitt "Two Mothering Pastors" by John Sumwalt
Passionate Sense -- Luke 22:14--23:56, Isaiah 50:4-9a, Philippians 2:5-11, Psalm 31:9-16 -- Peter Andrew Smith, John E. Sumwalt, C. David Mckirachan -- Passion Sunday - C -- 2010
ContentsWhat's Up This Week "Passionate Sense" by Peter Andrew Smith
Told Ya So -- John 21:1-19, Acts 9:1-6 (7-20), Revelation 5:11-14, Psalm 30 -- C. David Mckirachan, John E. Sumwalt -- Third Sunday of Easter - C -- 2010
ContentsWhat's Up This Week "Told Ya So" by C. David McKirachan
I'd Like To Thank… -- John 14:8-17 (25-27), Acts 2:1-21, Romans 8:14-17, Psalm 104:24-34, 35b -- C. David Mckirachan, John E. Sumwalt, Sandra Herrmann -- Day of Pentecost - C -- 2010
ContentsWhat's Up This Week "I'd like to thank…" by C. David McKirachan
In Him All Things Hold Together -- Luke 10:38-42, Amos 8:1-12, Colossians 1:15-28, Psalm 52 -- John E. Sumwalt -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - C -- 2010
Contents"In Him All Things Hold Together" by John Sumwalt
Balm In Gilead -- Luke 16:1-13, Jeremiah 8:18--9:1, 1 Timothy 2:1-7, Psalm 79:1-9 -- John E. Sumwalt, Sandra Herrmann -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - C -- 2010
Contents"Balm in Gilead" by John Sumwalt
G P S -- Luke 18:9-14, Joel 2:23-32, 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18, Psalm 65 -- Keith Hewitt, John E. Sumwalt -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - C -- 2010
Contents"G P S" by Keith Hewitt "Growing Up" by John Sumwalt
Waiting In The Light -- Matthew 24:36-44, Isaiah 2:1-5, Romans 13:11-14, Psalm 122 -- Peter Andrew Smith, John E. Sumwalt -- First Sunday of Advent - A -- 2010
Contents"Waiting in the Light" by Peter Andrew Smith
Taking His Joy Unto Ourselves -- Luke 2:1-14 (15-20), Isaiah 9:2-7, Titus 2:11-14, Psalm 96 -- Lamar Massingill, John E. Sumwalt -- The Nativity of our Lord - A -- 2010
Contents"Taking His Joy unto Ourselves" by Lamar Massingill
Mistaken Identity -- Mark 10:46-52, Job 42:1-6, 10-17, Hebrews 7:23-28, Psalm 34:1-8 (19-22) -- Argile Smith, John E. Sumwalt, C. David Mckirachan -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - B -- 2009
ContentsWhat's Up This Week "Mistaken Identity" by Argile Smith
Mistaken Identity -- John 8:31-36, Jeremiah 31:31-34, Romans 3:19-28, Psalm 46 -- Argile Smith, John E. Sumwalt, C. David Mckirachan -- Reformation Sunday - B -- 2009
ContentsWhat's Up This Week "Mistaken Identity" by Argile Smith
A Sacrifice Of Thanksgiving -- Mark 13:1-8, 1 Samuel 1:4-20, Hebrews 10:11-14 (15-18) 19-25, 1 Samuel 2:1-10 -- John S. Smylie, John E. Sumwalt, Peter Andrew Smith -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - B -- 2009
ContentsWhat's Up This Week "A Sacrifice of Thanksgiving" by John Smylie
Listening -- Mark 9:2-9, 2 Kings 2:1-12, 2 Corinthians 4:3-6, Psalm 50:1-6 -- Argile Smith, Keith Hewitt, John E. Sumwalt -- Transfiguration Sunday - B -- 2009
ContentsWhat's Up This Week "Listening" by Argile Smith
Shining On The Hill -- Mark 1:9-15, Genesis 9:8-17, 1 Peter 3:18-22, Psalm 25:1-10 -- Peter Andrew Smith, Larry Winebrenner, Lamar Massingill, John E. Sumwalt -- First Sunday in Lent - B -- 2009
ContentsWhat's Up This Week "Shining on the Hill" by Peter Andrew Smith
Showing Them Jesus -- John 12:20-33, Jeremiah 31:31-34, Hebrews 5:5-10, Psalm 51:1-12 -- Peter Andrew Smith, Larry Winebrenner, John E. Sumwalt -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - B -- 2009
ContentsWhat's Up This Week "Showing Them Jesus" by Peter Andrew Smith
Discovering What We Will Be -- Luke 24:36b-48, Acts 3:12-19, 1 John 3:1-7, Psalm 4 -- Peter Andrew Smith, David O. Bales, John E. Sumwalt -- Third Sunday of Easter - B -- 2009
ContentsWhat's Up This Week
Witnessing To The Truth -- Luke 24:44-53, Acts 1:1-11, Ephesians 1:15-23, Psalm 47 -- Peter Andrew Smith, John E. Sumwalt, Argile Smith, C. David Mckirachan -- Ascension of the Lord - B -- 2009
ContentsWhat's Up This Week "Witnessing to the Truth" by Peter Andrew Smith
Witnessing To The Truth -- John 17:6-19, Acts 1:15-17, 21-26, 1 John 5:9-13, Psalm 1 -- Peter Andrew Smith, John E. Sumwalt, Argile Smith, C. David Mckirachan -- Seventh Sunday of Easter - B -- 2009
ContentsWhat's Up This Week "Witnessing to the Truth" by Peter Andrew Smith
UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Proper 7 | OT 12 | Pentecost 2
30 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
30 – Children's Sermons / Resources
29 – Worship Resources
34 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 8 | OT 13 | Pentecost 3
29 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
29 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 9 | OT 14 | Pentecost 4
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...

New & Featured This Week

The Immediate Word

Thomas Willadsen
Nazish Naseem
Dean Feldmeyer
Mary Austin
Katy Stenta
George Reed
For July 6, 2025:

CSSPlus

John Jamison
Object: This is a role play activity for the children.

Note: You will need an older volunteer to help with this activity. One option would be to find a teenager with some physical ability. If a teen is not available, an adult could be used instead. For simplicity here, I will refer to my older volunteer as “TOM”. You will also need to select three of your younger children to serve as volunteers in the story.

* * *

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Mark Ellingsen
2 Kings 5:1-14
Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Mark Ellingsen
Bonnie Bates
2 Kings 5:1-14, Psalm 30
Naaman seeks healing. He travels hoping healing will come to him when he visits the king of Israel. Yet, healing does not come in that way. Rather healing comes through Elishah. Healing comes from believing and being cleansed in the River Jordan. Healing comes through Naaman’s faithfulness and through God’s grace. Psalm 30 also reminds us to seek healing; to seek God and God will heal and restore us. Do we believe that? Do we believe that God can bring healing?

StoryShare

John E. Sumwalt
But whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest against you. Yet know this: the kingdom of God has come near.’ (vv. 10-11)

When I visit your church for the first time, consider the possibility that I might be looking for a church home. I am a good-looking old guy, but I have gray hair and I dress down in the summer, so don’t be put off by my cargo shorts and tank top. Talk to me!

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Damien and Ora grinned at each other in excitement. The time had come - at last! They'd been with the Leader for months and months, waiting for this moment. Not that it had felt much like training. They'd simply lived with the Leader, listening to his stories, hearing about the Kingdom, learning to get along really well with all the other people at Mission Headquarters. Now all seventy of them were ready, the spaceship had docked, and the Mission was about to begin. Ora was glad she'd been paired up with Damien again.

SermonStudio

James Evans
Stan Purdum
Carlos Wilton
(See Epiphany 6/Ordinary Time 6, Cycle B, and Easter 3, Cycle C, for alternative approaches.)

Anyone who has ever had the experience of losing a friend because of some conflict or dispute, and then has had the friendship restored because of love and forgiveness, has a unique insight into the meaning of this psalm. Although the poem begins and ends with praise, there is in the middle of the poem a brief moment of confession and contrition that puts the praise portions of the psalm in an entirely different light.

April Yamasaki
A word of encouragement came from an unlikely source the other day in a television interview with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. The former football player, wrestler, and now actor was asked about a low time in his life when he was very discouraged about his career and future.

"How did you make your way back from that?" he was asked.

The Rock replied, "You have to put yourself out there. You have to get out there and fail, and learn from your failures."

Larry D. Powell
In the summer of 1983, I participated in a ministerial exchange program sponsored by my denomination. My assignment was to a circuit of churches on the Isle of Man, a tiny island located in the Irish Sea. The months preceding the exchange included considerable correspondence with the minister on the island with whom I would exchange pastoral duties for six weeks.
Richard E. Gribble, CSC
A wealthy businessman decided to take a walk and eat his lunch at the same time. He strolled by a park. There he purchased a hot dog and a soft drink. As he walked through the park two different "street people" approached him one by one. Each asked, "Can you help me? I am hungry." Each time the businessman looked straight ahead and kept walking. After finishing his lunch, he stopped and bought a chocolate eclair for dessert. As he was about to take the first bite, he was forced to jump out of the way as a young boy raced by on his skateboard. The eclair went flying and landed on the ground.

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