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Ron Love

Ronald H. Love was called into the ordained ministry from a career as a state trooper. He has served Methodist churches in rural, inner-city and suburban settings for 20 years, and also served for four years as an Army chaplain. Dr. Love has also been a corporate librarian for a Fortune 500 company and been a university professor for ten years, teaching history and theology. His writing experience includes denominational publications, magazine articles on religion, and a newspaper devotional column. He holds a bachelor's degree in sociology (Slippery Rock State College), master's degrees in library and information science (University of Pittsburgh), secondary education (Duquesne University), church history (Indiana University of Pennsylvania), and theology (Wesley Theological Seminary), as well as a doctorate in homiletics (Pittsburgh Theological Seminary). Dr. Love now resides in South Carolina.
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Commentary

Children's sermon

Illustration

The Immediate Word

From Womb To Tomb -- Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20 -- Ron Love, Dean Feldmeyer, Mary Austin -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - A -- 2011
This week the lectionary's designated Old Testament passage is God's declaration of the Ten Commandm
Gods Of Gold -- Exodus 32:1-14, Philippians 4:1-9, Matthew 22:1-14 -- Dean Feldmeyer, Ron Love, George Reed -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - A -- 2011
The lectionary text from the Hebrew scriptures assigned for this week -- Aaron's creation of the gol
The Green Room -- 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10, Exodus 33:12-23, Matthew 22:15-22 -- Ron Love, Mary Austin, George Reed -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - A -- 2011
In this week's lectionary epistle passage, Paul commends the Thessalonian Christians for their faith

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Names. Nicknames. Titles... -- Matthew 1:18-25 -- Ron Love -- Fourth Sunday of Advent - A -- 2010
Names. Nicknames. Titles.
NULL -- Hebrews 12:18-29 -- Ron Love -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - C -- 2010
Labor Day 2000 marked the fortieth anniversary of Betty Haughin's column, "Chit Chat." The column is
NULL -- Isaiah 63:7-9 -- Ron Love -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - A -- 2010
As a young vaudeville actor Bob Hope found himself alone each Christmas.
NULL -- Jeremiah 2:4-13 -- Ron Love -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - C -- 2010
Stacy Finley knew people would go to any lengths and pay exorbitant sums of money for the promise of
NULL -- Matthew 2:13-23 -- Ron Love -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - A -- 2010
"So you understand the roaring wave of fear that swept through the greatest city in the world just a
NULL -- Luke 14:1, 7-14 -- Ron Love -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - C -- 2010
William Booth had just stepped into the pulpit when members of his Methodist congregation started th
NULL -- Jeremiah 31:7-14 -- Ron Love -- Second Sunday after Christmas - A -- 2010
Seventeen-year-old Joni Eareckson dived off a floating dock into the shallow water of the Chesapeake
Margaret Lee suffered from asthma... -- Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16 -- Ron Love -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - C -- 2010
Margaret Lee suffered from asthma, so her husband, Sam Houston, the US Senator from Texas, decided t
NULL -- John 1:(1-9) 10-18 -- Ron Love -- Second Sunday after Christmas - A -- 2010
At the conclusion of the sermon, distribute to everyone in the congregation a wallet-size picture of
NULL -- Jeremiah 18:1-11 -- Ron Love -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - C -- 2010
Adelide Pollard was discouraged. Living in Chicago she taught at several girls' schools.
NULL -- Ephesians 3:1-12 -- Ron Love -- Epiphany of the Lord - A -- 2010
Why is it that we practice a religion that has so little room for others?
NULL -- Luke 14:25-33 -- Ron Love -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - C -- 2010
Jesus was asked what it meant to be one of his followers.
NULL -- Isaiah 42:1-9 -- Ron Love -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - A -- 2010
Actress Ann Julian's struggle with cancer and her resulting double mastectomy has been much publiciz
NULL -- 1 Timothy 1:12-17 -- Ron Love -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - C -- 2010
Rembrandt completed an inspiring painting in 1634 that he titled, "The Descent from the Cross." Stan
NULL -- Matthew 3:13-17 -- Ron Love -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - A -- 2010
Cecil B.
NULL -- Jeremiah 8:18--9:1 -- Ron Love -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - C -- 2010
We will never be sure of all the details. Separating fact from fiction may be nearly impossible.
Apollo 8 was the first manned spacecraft... -- Isaiah 9:1-4 -- Ron Love -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - A -- 2010
Apollo 8 was the first manned spacecraft to enter the moon's orbit.
NULL -- Luke 16:1-13 -- Ron Love -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - C -- 2010
Tom Monaghan needed money if he were going to study architecture at the University of Michigan and o
NULL -- Matthew 4:12-23 -- Ron Love -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - A -- 2010
In 1946, a California lawyer needed a change in his life.
Julie of Bradenton, Florida, wrote an inspiring letter to Abigail Van Buren... -- 1 Timothy 6:6-19 -- Ron Love -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - C -- 2010
Julie of Bradenton, Florida, wrote an inspiring letter to Abigail Van Buren, better known to us as D
Norman and Ruth Peale share adjoining offices... -- 1 Corinthians 1:18-31 -- Ron Love -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - A -- 2010
Norman and Ruth Peale share adjoining offices at the Foundation for Christian Living in Pawling, New
NULL -- Lamentations 1:1-6 -- Ron Love -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - C -- 2010
Anna Matilda McNeil Whistler was immortalized in her son's painting, popularly known as "Whistler's

Preaching

Sermon

Worship

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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