Login / Signup

Teresa L. Major

Hold down Ctrl (Windows) / Command (Mac) for multiple selections (scroll list to see all options)

Children's sermon

SermonStudio

Stain Remover -- 1 John 1:9 -- Teresa L. Major -- 1998
Do you know what this is? (Children respond. Offer help if needed.) It's stain remover.
Trouble -- Teresa L. Major -- 1998
Can you read this word? (Children read from the game.) Trouble.
Don't Forget Jesus -- Luke 2:10-11 -- Teresa L. Major -- 1998
In my family, we love to decorate for Christmas.
Too Close To The Edge -- Proverbs 4:14-15 -- Teresa L. Major -- 1998
I have a story for you today.
Tug-Of-War -- Ephesians 4:1-3 -- Teresa L. Major -- 1998
I need a few helpers this morning.
Pieces And Parts -- 1 Corinthians 12:14-21 -- Teresa L. Major -- 1998
(Display pictures one at a time, or if you have enough children, have four of them stand in front an
Discrimination -- Galatians 3:28 -- Teresa L. Major -- 1998
Hmm, let me look you over this morning. Here, you don't have blonde hair, you can have a present.
Change -- Isaiah 43:19 -- Teresa L. Major -- 1998
Do you notice anything different this morning? Has anything been changed?
God Looks At The Heart -- 1 Samuel 16:7 -- Teresa L. Major -- 1998
The Bible tells us a story about a time when Israel needed a new king.
Serendipity! -- Matthew 6:33 -- Teresa L. Major -- 1998
There are some words in the English language that are just plain fun to say and hear.
Judge Not -- Matthew 7:1-5 -- Teresa L. Major -- 1998
I would like to tell you a story this morning about a brother and a sister, Mary and Jack.
Expectations -- Romans 15:7 -- Teresa L. Major -- 1998
How many of you love to go to school? Raise your hands. Suppose you loved to go school.
Something To Hang On To -- 2 Corinthians 12:9a -- Teresa L. Major -- 1998
Have you ever seen any of these? (Display poles.) Do you know what they are used for?
Gifts For Mom -- Proverbs 31:28 -- Teresa L. Major -- 1998
Today is a special day for us. Who knows what today is?
The Inside And The Outside -- 1 Corinthians 15:50 -- Teresa L. Major -- 1998
Let's see what we've got in here. A bar of soap, what do we do with this?
Thanks, Dad -- Exodus 20:12 -- Teresa L. Major -- 1998
There are many special days in a year and today is one of those days. Who knows what today is?
The Right Answer -- Lamentations 3:24 -- Teresa L. Major -- 1998
You are going to have to think this morning in order to help me with our lesson.
Remembering Something Important -- 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 -- Teresa L. Major -- 1998
Have you ever taken a picture of someone or something?
Nothing Is Impossible With God -- Luke 1:37 -- Teresa L. Major -- 1998
I know it's not Christmastime, but this morning we are going to talk about the very beginning of the
Rise Again! -- Matthew 28:5-6 -- Teresa L. Major -- 1998
I want you to watch my hands as I talk this morning. Are you watching?
Where Do Our Words Come From? -- Matthew 12:34b -- Teresa L. Major -- 1998
Where do words come from? When you say something, where do you get the words? (Children respond.
The Messenger -- Luke 2:8-14 -- Teresa L. Major -- 1998
Christmas is coming! You can feel it in the air.
Spice It Up -- Matthew 5:13 -- Teresa L. Major -- 1998
What kinds of foods do you like to put salt on? (Children respond.
I'm Somebody! -- Luke 2:8-11 -- Teresa L. Major -- 1998
Look at my little shepherd friend here.
Sharing The Warmth -- 1 John 4:21 -- Teresa L. Major -- 1998
When you have been out in the snow building a snowman and you come inside with wet mittens and a red

Illustration

The Immediate Word

Word Keepers Needed -- John 14:23-29, Revelation 21:10, 22--22:5, Acts 16:9-15, Psalm 67 -- Thom M. Shuman, Teresa L. Major -- Sixth Sunday of Easter - C
Jesus tells his disciples in this Sunday's gospel reading that "those who love me will keep my word"

Preaching

The Immediate Word

Word Keepers Needed -- John 14:23-29, Revelation 21:10, 22--22:5, Acts 16:9-15, Psalm 67 -- Thom M. Shuman, Teresa L. Major -- Sixth Sunday of Easter - C
Jesus tells his disciples in this Sunday's gospel reading that "those who love me will keep my word"

Sermon

The Immediate Word

Word Keepers Needed -- John 14:23-29, Revelation 21:10, 22--22:5, Acts 16:9-15, Psalm 67 -- Thom M. Shuman, Teresa L. Major -- Sixth Sunday of Easter - C
Jesus tells his disciples in this Sunday's gospel reading that "those who love me will keep my word"

Worship

The Immediate Word

Word Keepers Needed -- John 14:23-29, Revelation 21:10, 22--22:5, Acts 16:9-15, Psalm 67 -- Thom M. Shuman, Teresa L. Major -- Sixth Sunday of Easter - C
Jesus tells his disciples in this Sunday's gospel reading that "those who love me will keep my word"
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
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
30 – Children's Sermons / Resources
29 – Worship Resources
34 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
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...

New & Featured This Week

CSSPlus

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.

* * *

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.

Special Occasion

Wildcard SSL