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Steve Swanson

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Life From Water: The Ark -- Genesis 6:11-22 -- Steve Swanson -- 1986
Water is the very stuff of life.
Escape Through Water: The Red Sea -- Genesis 14:10-14 -- Steve Swanson -- 1986
Many thousands of people left Egypt.
Washed By Water: The Jordan -- Matthew 3:13-17 -- Steve Swanson -- 1986
When a priest in the medieval Christian church stood before the altar of God and raised the bread of
Wine from Water: The Wedding -- John 2:1-11 -- Steve Swanson -- 1986
Wouldn't you think that when early man and woman learned to make wine they thought it a miracle - or
Saved From Water: The Storm -- Luke 8:22-25 -- Steve Swanson -- 1986
Jesus performed many miracles during his ministry.
Saved By Water: The Well -- John 4:7-29 -- Steve Swanson -- 1986
The legend of Noah and the flood, and Jesus' miraculous stilling of the storm, are both stories of f
Serving With Water: The Washing -- John 13:3-15 -- Steve Swanson -- 1986
You have heard it said, "Clothes make the man." Or perhaps it was put this way: "You are what you we
Bread From Earth -- Steve Swanson -- 1984
And to Adam God said, "Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten of the tr
Bread From Heaven -- Steve Swanson -- 1984
They set out from Elim, and all the congregation of the people of Israel came to the wilderness of S
Bread From A Stone -- Steve Swanson -- 1984
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
Bread For The Many -- Steve Swanson -- 1984
Lifting up his eyes then and seeing that a multitude was coming to him, Jesus said to Philip, "How a
Bread For The Few -- Steve Swanson -- 1984
So they drew near to the village to which they were going [Emmaus].
Bread For The Soul -- Steve Swanson -- 1984
Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek me, not because you saw signs, but becaus
Bread For The Body -- Steve Swanson -- 1984
And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to them, and he sa
UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Proper 16 | OT 21 | Pentecost 11
30 – Sermons
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30 – Children's Sermons / Resources
29 – Worship Resources
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4 – Pastor's Devotions
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Proper 17 | OT 22 | Pentecost 12
29 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
29 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 18 | OT 23 | Pentecost 13
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...

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John Jamison
Object: This message is a role play. You can do this with only two children playing the parts of the two women, but if you have more children, you could have two more playing the parts of the children, another playing the part of the synagogue leader, and another playing the part of the country’s leader. You can also add any other roles you might want to add to make it interesting. Also, I have created places for your characters to speak, but you can add more of those to make it all more fun and memorable.

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The Immediate Word

Mary Austin
Dean Feldmeyer
Christopher Keating
Nazish Naseem
Thomas Willadsen
George Reed
Katy Stenta
For August 24, 2025:

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Wayne Brouwer
C. Knight Aldrich, a medical doctor and the first chairperson of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Chicago (1955-1964), was a keen analyst of the motivations for our behaviors. He worked with the social services agencies of Chicago for a time, particularly spending hours with teenagers who had been arrested for shoplifting or other theft. Aldrich interviewed them to find out how they had come to this. He also talked with the parents, attempting to discover how they had handled the problem from the first time they knew about it.
Mark Ellingsen
Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Jeremiah 1:4-10 and Psalm 77:1-6

StoryShare

Peter Andrew Smith
“We have questions about your conduct as our pastor,” Carl announced as soon as Pastor John sat down at the hastily called board meeting. “We have received complaints about you from the congregation.”

“Complaints?” Pastor John frowned. “From whom and about what?”

“Mrs. Finnigan saw you coming out of what she politely described as ‘A Gentleman’s Club’ last Thursday night when she was driving downtown.” Bruce scowled. “Do you deny this?”

“Not at all,” Pastor John said. “I did have to go to that place on Thursday evening.”

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Call to Worship:
Jesus was aware of people's deepest needs and what prompted their actions. In our worship today let us consider how we can discover people's deepest needs and the motives for their actions.

Invitation to Confession:
Jesus, sometimes we see only the surface and condemn without real understanding.
Lord, have mercy.
Jesus, sometimes we are afraid to get sufficiently close to other people to see their inner needs.
Christ, have mercy.

SermonStudio

James Evans
(See Epiphany 4/Ordinary Time 4, Cycle C, for an alternative approach.)

The old saying, "experience is the best teacher," could serve as a subtitle for this psalm. Written as a prayer for help in a time of distress or oppression, the psalm subtly hints at a recognition and awareness that only comes with time. There is a track record, so to speak, that the psalmist is aware of: God's record of dependability. Based on God's proven record of saving power and grace, the psalmist is able to pray for salvation, but at the same time celebrate the certainty of its arrival.
Lee Ann Dunlap
Carrie's1 high school guidance counselor noticed she had been acting out a bit in school recently. She had appeared depressed and had been having some authority issues over rules and such. The guidance counselor set Carrie up with a local pastor who had been volunteering a few hours each Friday after a teen suicide a few months before. Most of the other students who came to see the pastor just needed someone to listen to their usual teen issues and heartaches. But, shortly into their time together, Carrie began to open up about some real grown-up problems.
Kirk R. Webster
It's a typical Sunday morning at St. Stephen Presbyterian Church in Orlando, Florida. The people file in and sit down in plush pews. Their attention is drawn to the chancel where they see choir members calmly seated, robed in dark blue and white. The mahogany altar table is draped with a silk parament. Two bronze candleholders stand guard at the table edges.
R. Robert Cueni
As was his custom, Jesus went that Sabbath morning to the synagogue for worship. As he was preaching and teaching, he happened to glance toward the fringe of the crowd where he saw a very crippled woman. She was bent over and was unable to stand up straight. When he inquired, Jesus was told the woman had been that way for eighteen years.
John H. Will
Call to Worship
Indeed, this is a day of rest and gladness.
This is God's Sabbath, created for our reflection and renewal.
Let us then not profane it, but keep it holy.
We do this as we honor God and commit ourselves to the well--being of God's creation.
Each of us individually needs a personal rejuvenation of spirit.
Together we seek a strengthening of community, a community that continues to build itself in love.
So do we come as one people to worship God, our Maker and our Sustainer.

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