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Keith Wagner

Rev. Dr. Keith Wagner is the pastor of St. John's UCC in Troy, Ohio. He has served churches in Southwest Ohio for over three decades. He is an ordained minister of the United Church of Christ and has an M.Div. from Methodist Theological School, Delaware, Ohio, and a D.Min. from United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio. He has also been an adjunct professor at Edison Community College, Piqua, Ohio. He and his wife, Lin, live in Springfield, Ohio.
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Beyond The Fence -- Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23, Song of Solomon 2:8-13, James 1:17-27, Psalm 45:1-2, 6-9 -- Keith Wagner, Sandra Herrmann -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - B -- 2015
Contents "Beyond the Fence" by Keith Wagner
Spiritual Truth -- Mark 1:29-39, 1 Corinthians 9:16-23 -- John Fitzgerald, Keith Wagner -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - B -- 2015
Contents "Spiritual Truth" by John Fitzgerald
He Descended Into Hell -- Mark 1:9-15, 1 Peter 3:18-22, Psalm 25:1-10 -- Sandra Herrmann, Keith Wagner -- First Sunday in Lent - B -- 2015
Contents "He Descended Into Hell" by Sandra Herrmann
The Royal Hostage -- John 3:14-21, Numbers 21:4-9, Ephesians 2:1-10, Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22 -- Sandra Herrmann, Keith Wagner -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - B -- 2015
Contents "Changing Our Focus" by Keith Wagner
Dirty Jobs -- John 13:1-17, 31b-35, Exodus 12:1-4 (5-10) 11-14, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, Psalm 116:1-2, 12-19 -- John Fitzgerald, Keith Wagner -- Maundy Thursday - B -- 2015
Contents "Dirty Jobs" by John Fitzgerald "A Deeper Love" by Keith Wagner
Food For The Soul -- Mark 6:30-34, 53-56, 2 Samuel 7:1-14a, Ephesians 2:11-22, Psalm 89:20-37 -- Keith Wagner -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - B -- 2015
Contents "Food for the Soul" by Keith Wagner
Basic Lessons For The Faith Community -- James 5:13-20, Esther 7:1-6, 9-10; 9:20-22 -- Keith Wagner -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - B -- 2015
Contents "Basic Lessons for the Faith Community" by Keith Wagner
Seeing Clearly -- Mark 10:46-52, Job 42:1-6, 10-17, Hebrews 7:23-28, Psalm 34:1-8 (19-22) -- Keith Wagner -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - B -- 2015
Contents "Seeing Clearly" by Keith Wagner
The Power Of Now -- Matthew 6:25-33, Joel 2:21-27, 1 Timothy 2:1-7, Psalm 126 -- Keith Wagner -- Thanksgiving Day - B -- 2015
Contents "The Power of Now" by Keith Wagner
The Love Ethic -- Matthew 5:38-48, Leviticus 19:1-2, 9-18, 1 Corinthians 3:10-11, 16-23, Psalm 119:33-40 -- Keith Wagner, Keith Hewitt -- Epiphany 7 | Ordinary Time 7 - A -- 2014
Contents"The Love Ethic" by Keith Wagner
The Long Wait -- Mark 13:24-37, Isaiah 64:1-9, 1 Corinthians 1:3-9, Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19 -- Keith Hewitt, Keith Wagner -- First Sunday of Advent - B -- 2014
Contents"The Long Wait" by Keith Hewitt
Not Easy To Let Go -- Matthew 10:24-39, Genesis 21:8-21, Romans 6:1b-11, Psalm 86:1-10, 16-17 -- Keith Wagner -- Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 - A -- 2014
Contents"Not Easy to Let Go" by Keith Wagner
Called To Serve -- John 1:29-42, Isaiah 49:1-7, 1 Corinthians 1:1-9, Psalm 40:1-11 -- Keith Wagner -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - A -- 2014
Contents"Called to Serve" by Keith Wagner "Using Our Gifts" by Keith Wagner
Miracles Of Sight -- John 9:1-41, 1 Samuel 16:1-13, Ephesians 5:8-14, Psalm 23 -- Keith Wagner -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - A -- 2014
Contents"Miracles of Sight" by Keith Wagner
Living The Song Of The Servant -- John 18:1--19:42, Isaiah 52:13--53:12, Hebrews 10:16-25, Psalm 22 -- Keith Wagner, C. David Mckirachan -- Good Friday - A -- 2014
Contents"Living the Song of the Servant" by Keith Wagner
We Are Never Alone -- John 14:15-21, Acts 17:22-31, 1 Peter 3:13-22, Psalm 66:8-20 -- Keith Wagner -- Sixth Sunday of Easter - A -- 2014
Contents"We Are Never Alone" by Keith Wagner
Conflicts And Blessings -- Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23, Genesis 25:19-34, Romans 8:1-11, Psalm 119:105-112 -- Keith Wagner, Keith Hewitt -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - A -- 2014
Contents"Conflicts and Blessings" by Keith Wagner
My Sisters Were Saints -- Matthew 14:22-33, Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28, Romans 10:5-15, Psalm 105:1-6, 16-22, 45b -- C. David Mckirachan, Keith Wagner -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - A -- 2014
Contents"My Sisters Were Saints" by C. David McKirachan
In The Zone -- Matthew 18:21-35, Exodus 14:19-31, Romans 14:1-12, Psalm 114 -- C. David Mckirachan, Keith Wagner -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - A -- 2014
Contents"In the Zone" by C. David McKirachan
Relief For The Stiff Neck -- Matthew 22:1-14, Exodus 32:1-14, Philippians 4:1-9, Psalm 106:1-6, 19-23 -- Keith Wagner -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - A -- 2014
Contents"Relief for the Stiff Neck" by Keith Wagner
A Song Of Rejoicing -- Matthew 25:14-30, Judges 4:1-7, 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11, Psalm 123 -- Sandra Herrmann, Keith Wagner -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - A -- 2014
Contents"A Song of Rejoicing" by Sandra Herrmann
Hope For The New Year -- John 1:(1-9) 10-18, Jeremiah 31:7-14, Ephesians 1:3-14, Psalm 147:12-20 -- Keith Wagner, Frank Ramirez -- Second Sunday after Christmas - B -- 2014
Contents"Hope for the New Year" by Keith Wagner
Good Investment -- Luke 16:19-31, Jeremiah 32:1-3a, 6-15, 1 Timothy 6:6-19, Psalm 91:1-6, 14-16 -- C. David Mckirachan, Keith Wagner -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - C -- 2013
Contents"Good Investment" by C. David McKirachan
Right Place, Right Time -- John 8:31-36, Jeremiah 31:31-34, Romans 3:19-28, Psalm 46 -- Frank Ramirez, Keith Wagner -- Reformation Sunday - C -- 2013
Contents"Right Place, Right Time" by Frank Ramirez
Celebrating The Bounty Of God -- John 6:25-35, Deuteronomy 26:1-11, Philippians 4:4-9, Psalm 100 -- Sandra Herrmann, Keith Wagner -- Thanksgiving Day - C -- 2013
Contents"Celebrating the Bounty of God" by Sandra Herrmann
UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Proper 10 | OT 15 | Pentecost 5
30 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
30 – Children's Sermons / Resources
29 – Worship Resources
34 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 11 | OT 16 | Pentecost 6
29 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
29 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 12 | OT 17 | Pentecost 7
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

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John Jamison
Object: You may present this message as a simple story, or have the children act it out as a role-play. I will show the role-play version, but you can ignore the acting pieces and just tell the story if you prefer.

Note: For the role-play version, you will need to select two girls and one boy to play the roles. You might also have a broom and a dust rag if you want to.

* * *

Hello, everyone! (Let them respond.) Are you ready for our story today? (Let them respond.) Great! Let’s get started.

The Immediate Word

Mary Austin
Dean Feldmeyer
Christopher Keating
Thomas Willadsen
George Reed
Katy Stenta
Nazish Naseem
For July 20, 2025:

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Mark Ellingsen
Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Bonnie Bates
Amos 8:1-12, Psalm 52
Amos proclaims the word from God that punishes the people. The people are to be punished for their lack of faith, for their focus on practicing deceit, betraying honesty to their neighbors, and being impatient for the time after the Sabbath when they can focus on profit and selling their crops and wares. Oh, my! What a terrible message for people. You have been unfaithful so I will punish you. And then in the psalm, God is proclaimed to be the olive tree, that which brings blessing.
David Kalas
I have tried to find different ways of saying it so that my children don’t tire of hearing it. But the basic principle remains the same, and my kids have heard it a ton. “First things first.” They ask if they can do this or they start to do that, and I will endeavor to redirect them, saying, “Why don’t we make sure we’re doing first things first!”

StoryShare

John E. Sumwalt
I am now rejoicing in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am completing what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church. (v. 24)

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
One of Martha's earliest memories was of her little sister Mary singing and dancing in the middle of an admiring crowd of friends. Mary had always been a dancer, from the time she could walk. Privately, Martha thought she'd always been something of a show-off and ought to go on the stage, for Mary loved an audience.

SermonStudio

John E. Sumwalt
Jeanne Jones
Several years ago, before we moved to Wisconsin, I was an honorary nanny for our pastor's son, Jonathan. I took care of him from the time he was able to walk until our pastor moved, when Jonathan was about five. We had wonderful times together. One time, when I was at their house, and we had been doing some spiritual direction together, Pastor Michael asked me if I knew the name of my guardian angel.
James Evans
We are not surprised when we learn about crooks and robbers boasting about "mischief done against the godly" or "plotting destruction" all day long. The image we have in our minds about who "bad" people are, and how they conduct themselves, make such accusations completely plausible. We are less inclined to believe such things about leaders, especially respected leaders among us. We have difficulty believing someone with wealth and power would deliberately plot to do someone else harm.
Arley K. Fadness
Today's gospel from Luke 10 follows the parable of the good Samaritan. Luke positions the good Samaritan and the Mary-Martha story back to back for good reason. The parable and the story are examples of the Great Commandment "to love the Lord your God with all your heart and your neighbor as yourself." The good Samaritan parable illustrates "love to neighbor," whereas the Mary-Martha story illustrates "love to God."
Kirk R. Webster
In the early 1990s, Wesley Nunley of Dallas completed a project he had dreamed of for decades. "I tell you, this could be a big thing," he explained. Wes then walked out to a concrete octagon in the middle of his backyard. With a beaming smile, arms raised up in excitement, the energetic retiree said, "This welcomes the UFO to land, which has never been done before."
John W. Wurster
It was the best of times. A time of prosperity and confidence, a time of relative peace, a time when most everything looked pretty good, a time when most everyone felt pretty good. It was a time maybe not unlike our own time.
H. Burnham Kirkland
Words Of Assurance
Our God is both wise and caring: afflicting the comfortable and comforting the afflicted.

Pastoral Prayer
God, we bow before you this morning, knowing that you hear every prayer. We know that in all of Creation, you are the source of life. You are the one who set the light swirling between the galaxies. The breath of your Spirit pulses through all life. You have even become flesh among us. We praise you, Lord, that in all your wonder, you have not forgotten us.

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