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Julia E. Bland

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Children's sermon

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God's Word Is Like A Foundation -- Matthew 7:24-27 -- Julia E. Bland -- 2002
Happy are those who keep his decrees.... (Psalm 119:2a)Scripture: Matthew 7:24-27
God's Word Is Like A Map -- Isaiah 30:21b, John 14:6 -- Julia E. Bland -- 2002
This is the way; walk in it. (Isaiah 30:21b)
God's Word Is Like Seed -- Matthew 13:3-8, 18-23 -- Julia E. Bland -- 2002
I treasure your word in my heart.... (Psalm 119:11a)
God's Word Is Like A Mirror -- James 1:23-25; 2:8b; 4:11 -- Julia E. Bland -- 2002
... The commandment of the Lord is clear, enlightening the eyes. (Psalm 19:8b)
God's Word Is Like A Lamp -- Psalm 119:105 -- Julia E. Bland -- 2002
The unfolding of your words gives light.... (Psalm 119:130a)
God's Word Is Alive And Eternal -- Matthew 24:35 -- Julia E. Bland -- 2002
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. (Matthew 24:35)
God's Word Became A Person Like Us -- John 1:14; 12:49; 8:12 -- Julia E. Bland -- 2002
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1)
God's Word Is Real -- Timothy 3:16 -- Julia E. Bland -- 2002
Scripture: 2 Peter 1:16, 21; also see 2 Timothy 3:16
Willing To Die -- John 10:11-13, 15, 18 -- Julia E. Bland -- 2001
Jesus, our Good Shepherd, died for us, his sheep.
The Shepherd Is Alive! -- John 10:17b-18, 10, 28, Psalm 23 -- Julia E. Bland -- 2001
Jesus, our Good Shepherd, is alive!
Shepherd's Helpers -- John 21:15, 1 Peter 5:1-4, John 21:1-19 -- Julia E. Bland -- 2001
We are the Good Shepherd's helpers.
The Shepherd And His Sheep -- John 10:14, 26-27 -- Julia E. Bland -- 2001
Jesus is the Good Shepherd of those who listen and follow him.
The Shepherd Knows -- John 10:3b, 14, 27 -- Julia E. Bland -- 2001
Jesus the Good Shepherd loves us, knows our name and all about us.
The Sheep Hear And Follow -- John 10:4-5, 27 -- Julia E. Bland -- 2001
Jesus our Good Shepherd wants us to spend time with him.
Jesus Is The Gate -- John 10:9, Psalm 23 -- Julia E. Bland -- 2001
It is through Jesus, the Good Shepherd, that we become part of his flock.
Other Sheep, One Flock -- John 10:16, Ezekiel 34:11-16 -- Julia E. Bland -- 2001
Jesus, our Good Shepherd, brings us together with all kinds of people.

Preaching

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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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