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Leah Thompson

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Children's Activity

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The least of these -- Matthew 25:31-46 -- Leah Thompson -- New Year's Day - A, New Year's Day - B, New Year's Day - C -- 2010
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOME
Who I am -- John 10:22-30 -- Leah Thompson -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2010
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOME
Pure in heart -- Matthew 5:1-12 -- Leah Thompson -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - A -- 2010
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOME
The Christian uniform -- John 13:31-35 -- Leah Thompson -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2010
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOME
Keep the word -- John 14:23-29 -- Leah Thompson -- Sixth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2010
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOME
Whodunit? -- Luke 24:44-53 -- Leah Thompson -- Ascension of the Lord - C -- 2010
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOME
Storytellers -- John 17:20-26 -- Leah Thompson -- Seventh Sunday of Easter - C -- 2010
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOME
Hit it, maestro! -- John 14:8-17 (25-27) -- Leah Thompson -- Day of Pentecost - C -- 2010
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOME
Hear it now -- John 16:12-15 -- Leah Thompson -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - C -- 2010
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND AT HOME

Children's sermon

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Silver and gold -- Luke 12:32-40 -- Leah Thompson -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - C -- 2010
"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (v. 34)
Whodunit? -- Luke 24:44-53 -- Leah Thompson -- Ascension of the Lord - C -- 2010
"You are witnesses of these things." (v. 48)
Follow -- John 1:29-42 -- Leah Thompson -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - A -- 2010
The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. (v. 37)
Lessons to learn -- Luke 18:1-8 -- Leah Thompson -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 2010
And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says." (v. 6)
True heroes -- Hebrews 11:29--12:2 -- Leah Thompson -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - C -- 2010
"For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the p
Being clean -- Revelation 22:12-14, 16-17, 20-21 -- Leah Thompson -- Seventh Sunday of Easter - C -- 2010
"Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they will have the right to the tree of life and
Who do you belong to? -- 1 Corinthians 1:10-18 -- Leah Thompson -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - A -- 2010
What I mean is that each of you says, "I belong to Paul," or "I belong to Apollos," or "I belong
Stamina -- 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18 -- Leah Thompson -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - C -- 2010
"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." (v. 7)
Bringing fire -- Luke 12:49-56 -- Leah Thompson -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - C -- 2010
"I came to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!" (v. 49)
Unshakeable -- Hebrews 12:18-29 -- Leah Thompson -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - C -- 2010
"Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us give thanks, by which
Storytellers -- John 17:20-26 -- Leah Thompson -- Seventh Sunday of Easter - C -- 2010
"I made your name known to them, and I will make it known, so that the love with which you have l
Follow me -- Matthew 4:12-23 -- Leah Thompson -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - A -- 2010
Immediately they left their nets and followed him. (v. 20)
Mercy -- Luke 18:9-14 -- Leah Thompson -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - C -- 2010
But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his br
Sabbath laws -- Luke 13:10-17 -- Leah Thompson -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - C -- 2010
"And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen long years, be set
Spirited -- Romans 8:14-17 -- Leah Thompson -- Day of Pentecost - C -- 2010
"For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spir
What do you need? -- 1 Corinthians 1:18-31 -- Leah Thompson -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - A -- 2010
For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling blo
Outgrown -- 2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 11-12 -- Leah Thompson -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - C -- 2010
"We must always give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters, as is right, because your faith
Entertaining angels -- Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16 -- Leah Thompson -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - C -- 2010
"Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels
Hit it, maestro! -- John 14:8-17 (25-27) -- Leah Thompson -- Day of Pentecost - C -- 2010
"The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his w
Words -- 1 Corinthians 2:1-12 (13-16) -- Leah Thompson -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - A -- 2010
When I came to you, brothers and sisters, I did not come proclaiming the mystery of God to you in
Sons of Abraham -- Luke 19:1-10 -- Leah Thompson -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - C -- 2010
"Then Jesus said to him, 'Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abra
Fortune and fame -- Luke 14:1, 7-14 -- Leah Thompson -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - C -- 2010
"For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted."
Love poured out -- Romans 5:1-5 -- Leah Thompson -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - C -- 2010
"And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces enduranc
Lamp -- Matthew 5:13-20 -- Leah Thompson -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - A -- 2010
In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and giv
Remember me -- Ephesians 1:11-23 -- Leah Thompson -- All Saints Day - C -- 2010
"I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, and for this r

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

The book Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein is a well-known book... -- 1 Timothy 6:6-19 -- Leah Thompson -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - C -- 2010
The book Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein is a well-known book of children's poetr
Thank-you notes take a lot of work... -- 1 Corinthians 1:1-9 -- Leah Thompson -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - A -- 2010
Thank-you notes take a lot of work.
NULL -- Galatians 6:(1-6) 7-16 -- Leah Thompson -- Proper 9 | Ordinary Time 14 - C -- 2010
A popular poster in grade school classrooms reads something like this: "Thirty years from now, it wo
NULL -- Lamentations 1:1-6 -- Leah Thompson -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - C -- 2010
In the film Gran Torino, Clint Eastwood plays a man who has nothing left to live for.
Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman -- 1 Corinthians 1:18-31 -- Leah Thompson -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - A -- 2010
Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman, two contemporary satire writers, outdo themselves in their joint no
NULL -- Amos 7:7-17 -- Leah Thompson -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - C -- 2010
The Israelites were familiar with building.
NULL -- Luke 17:5-10 -- Leah Thompson -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - C -- 2010
Kirstin, a university student, worked backstage in the school's theatre as a costumer.
NULL -- Isaiah 58:1-9a (9b-12) -- Leah Thompson -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - A -- 2010
Her family and friends keep pressuring her to quit smoking, but Cynthia can't bring herself to do it
NULL -- Luke 10:25-37 -- Leah Thompson -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - C -- 2010
Jerry was not a good neighbor. His dogs sometimes did their business in Randy's yard.
NULL -- 2 Timothy 2:8-15 -- Leah Thompson -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - C -- 2010
In Ray Bradbury's science fiction classic Fahrenheit 451, firefighters are not as we know the
NULL -- Matthew 5:13-20 -- Leah Thompson -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - A -- 2010
In an old fairy tale, a king asks his three daughters how much they love him.
NULL -- Hosea 1:2-10 -- Leah Thompson -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - C -- 2010
"If you talk the talk, you have to walk the walk." We want our role models to practice what they pre
NULL -- Jeremiah 31:27-34 -- Leah Thompson -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 2010
When you are in the third grade, times tables are one of the world's great mysteries.
The Andersons are Catholic... -- 1 Corinthians 3:1-9 -- Leah Thompson -- Epiphany 6 | Ordinary Time 6 - A -- 2010
The Andersons are Catholic, and they are very fond of the priest in their parish.
NULL -- Luke 11:1-13 -- Leah Thompson -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - C -- 2010
In a traditional retelling of the story Beauty and the Beast, the Beast asks Beauty the same
NULL -- Luke 18:1-8 -- Leah Thompson -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 2010
Anthony is a good actor, but he says he doesn't want to audition for the school play.
Charlize doesn't get along with her dad... -- Leviticus 19:1-2, 9-18 -- Leah Thompson -- Epiphany 7 | Ordinary Time 7 - A -- 2010
Charlize doesn't get along with her dad.
You know the story by heart... -- Colossians 1:15-28 -- Leah Thompson -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - C -- 2010
You know the story by heart -- perhaps you have this story.
NULL -- 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18 -- Leah Thompson -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - C -- 2010
Drink offerings have a long history.
NULL -- Habakkuk 1:1-4; 2:1-4 -- Leah Thompson -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - C -- 2010
A poor mother in early twentieth-century India sends her child to a British boarding school.
In the 1992 film Last of the Mohicans... -- Matthew 5:38-48 -- Leah Thompson -- Epiphany 7 | Ordinary Time 7 - A -- 2010
In the 1992 film Last of the Mohicans, Daniel Day-Lewis stars as Hawkeye, an Englishman adopt
NULL -- Colossians 3:1-11 -- Leah Thompson -- Proper 13 | Ordinary Time 18 - C -- 2010
In the classic musical My Fair Lady, Professor Henry Higgins bets a friend that he can transf
NULL -- Luke 19:1-10 -- Leah Thompson -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - C -- 2010
"Zacchaeus was a wee little man, and a wee little man was he!" Many Sunday school students know the
NULL -- 1 Corinthians 4:1-5 -- Leah Thompson -- Epiphany 8 | Ordinary Time 8 - A -- 2010
Lorraine puts her foot in her mouth at every opportunity, or so it seems to her.
NULL -- Ephesians 1:11-23 -- Leah Thompson -- All Saints Day - C -- 2010
The 1991 film Hook, starring Robin Williams and Julia Roberts, is an adaptation of the story
UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Proper 23 | OT 28 | Pentecost 18
30 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
30 – Children's Sermons / Resources
29 – Worship Resources
34 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 24 | OT 29 | Pentecost 19
29 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
29 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 25 | OT 30 | Pentecost 20
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 November 2, 2025:
Thomas Willadsen
Nazish Naseem
Dean Feldmeyer
Mary Austin
Katy Stenta
George Reed
For November 2, 2025:

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John Jamison
Object: This message involves roleplay. You will need a chair for Zach to stand on, unless it is ok for him to stand on a front pew. For the best fun, you will also want to have an adult volunteer play the role of Jesus and walk in when it is time. Whether he is in costume is up to you.

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John Jamison
Object: You will need one or more pictures of people recognized as saints. You may find some pictures by Googling “public domain pictures of saints” and printing images from the results.

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

Mark Ellingsen
Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Habakkuk 1:1-4, 2:1-4 and Psalm 119:137-144
Walter Elwell in the Shaw Pocket Bible Handbook notes of righteousness that it is, “Right standing, specifically before God. Among the Greeks, righteousness was an ethical virtue. Among the Hebrews it was a legal concept; the righteous man was the one who got the verdict of acceptability when tried at the bar of God’s justice.” God is a righteous God, even when is people are not righteous.
Frank Ramirez
One of the features of synagogue worship is the Shema. The Hebrew word is “Hear!” and is the opening for Deuteronomy 6:4-5, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” God’s people are commanded to “hear” these words. They come from the Lord. And these three scriptures invite us to hear God and each other, something that is lacking in our society today.
Wayne Brouwer
Fred Craddock tells of a vacation encounter in the Smokey Mountains of eastern Tennessee years ago that moved him deeply. He and his wife took supper one evening in a place called the Black Bear Inn. One side of the building was all glass, open to a magnificent mountain view. Glad to be alone, the Craddocks were a bit annoyed when an elderly man ambled over and struck up a nosey conversation: “Are you on vacation?” “Where are you from?” “What do you do?”
Mark Ellingsen
Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Daniel 7:1-3, 15-18 and Psalm 149

StoryShare

John E. Sumwalt
Trouble and anguish have overtaken me, but your commandments are my delight. Your statutes are always righteous; give me understanding that I may live. (vv. 143-144)

When I was an associate pastor in Janesville, Wisconsin one of my responsibilities was to give a lecture on spirituality once a month at a drug treatment facility. The students who attended were persons who had been convicted of drunk driving and were required to attend the class as a condition of their sentence. Attendance was always good.
Frank Ramirez
Call them the good old days. Call it the Golden Age. It’s not unusual for people to look back in their youth, or to the youth of their country, as somehow more perfect, honorable, or simpler. C.S. Lewis was always skeptical about claims that chocolate was better in one’s youth. It wasn’t better. Our taste buds were stronger and more receptive.

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
The Roman Catholic Church's canonisation of Edith Stein some years ago, fuelled considerable controversy. Edith Stein was born and bred into a Jewish family, becoming a Roman Catholic Christian at the age of 31. She was also a leading German intellectual in the early thirties, during the run-up to World War 2, although she gave up that career in order to become a Carmelite nun. But she didn't deny her Jewish roots, for in 1933 she petitioned the Pope, Pious XI to write an encyclical in defence of the Jews.
Janice B. Scott
Call to Worship:

Jesus didn't reject anyone, even those who were liars and cheats. By a simple act of friendship Jesus turned Zaccheus' life around. In our worship today let us consider friendship and all that it means.


Invitation to Confession:

Jesus, there are some people I don't like.
Lord, have mercy.
Jesus, there are some people I reject.
Christ, have mercy.
Jesus, there are some people I keep out of my circle of friends.
Lord, have mercy.


Reading:

SermonStudio

Carlos Wilton
Theme For The Day
The world offers many blessings, but none of these things will save us: only the blessing of God in Jesus Christ can do that.

Old Testament Lesson
Daniel 7:1-3, 15-18
Daniel's Apocalyptic Dream
Perry H. Biddle, Jr.
Comments on the Lessons
John W. Clarke
This chapter of Luke brings us ever closer to the end of Jesus' public ministry. Jesus enters Jericho, just fifteen miles or so from the holy city of Jerusalem. It is here that Jesus transforms the life of Zacchaeus, the tax collector. This is one of the few stories that is peculiar to Luke and is a wonderful human-interest story. The fact that Zacchaeus is willing to climb a tree to see Jesus is a clear indication that he really wanted to see and meet the carpenter from Nazareth. His eagerness to see Jesus is rewarded in a very special way.
Scott A. Bryte
Then he looked up at his disciples and said: "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled. Blessed are you who weep now for you will laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets.
Mark Ellingson
This is a story written for people who had been or were about to be persecuted, if not enslaved. (The book of Daniel was probably written in the mid-second century B.C. during a period of Seleucid [Syrian] domination in Palestine.) It tells them and us how their ancestors had once faced a similar slavery under the oppression of the Babylonians centuries earlier. The implication was that if these ancestors could endure and overcome such bondage, so could they and so can we.
Gary L. Carver
Ulysses S. Grant fought many significant battles as commander of the Union forces in the War Between the States. He also served as President of the United States where he probably engaged in as many battles as he did while he was a general. Toward the end of his life he fought his toughest battle -- with cancer and death.

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