Thomas Willadsen

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The Reverend Doctor Thomas Willadsen has been a Presbyterian minister for more than 30 years, leading congregations in Minnesota, Maryland, Wisconsin, and Nebraska. He served The Cresset, Valparaiso University’s Review of Literature, the Arts and Public Affairs as humorist from 1996 until 2021. He is the author of OMG! LOL! Faith and Laughter published by Gemma Open Door in 2012 and Gratitude on the Prairie published by CSS Publishing in 2020. He is currently a Transitional Pastor at a Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in suburban Reno, Nevada.

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Children's sermon

The Immediate Word

Life is a Participation Trophy -- Joel 2:23-32, 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18, Luke 18:9-14, Psalm 65 -- Katy Stenta, Mary Austin, Dean Feldmeyer, Thomas Willadsen, Christopher Keating, George Reed -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - C -- 2022

For October 23, 2022:

Questions That Really Don't Matter -- Haggai 1:15b--2:9, 2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17, Luke 20:27-38, Psalm 145:1-5, 17-21 -- Christopher Keating, Thomas Willadsen, Mary Austin, George Reed, Dean Feldmeyer -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - C, All Saints Day - C -- 2022

For November 6, 2022:

Is Paul Crazy? -- Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31, Romans 5:1-5, John 16:12-15, Psalm 8 -- Mary Austin, Christopher Keating, Thomas Willadsen, George Reed, Dean Feldmeyer, Quantisha Mason-Doll, Katy Stenta -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - C -- 2022

For June 12, 2022:

Telling Our Stories -- Isaiah 65:17-25, 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13, Luke 21:5-19, Isaiah 12, Malachi 4:1-2a, Psalm 98 -- Dean Feldmeyer, Thomas Willadsen, Katy Stenta, Mary Austin, Christopher Keating, George Reed, Quantisha Mason-Doll -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C -- 2022

For November 13, 2022:

Is Anyone Listening? -- Jeremiah 23:1-6, Colossians 1:11-20, Luke 23:33-43, Luke 1:68-79, Psalm 46 -- Thomas Willadsen, Dean Feldmeyer, Mary Austin, Christopher Keating, George Reed, Katy Stenta -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - C -- 2022

For November 20, 2022:

Red, White, and Blurry -- 2 Kings 5:1-14, Galatians 6:(1-6) 7-16, Luke 10:1-11, 16-20, Psalm 30, Isaiah 66:10-14, Psalm 66:1-9 -- Christopher Keating, Quantisha Mason-Doll, Thomas Willadsen, Mary Austin, George Reed, Dean Feldmeyer -- Proper 9 | Ordinary Time 14 - C -- 2022

For July 3, 2022:

Abandon Your Calendars -- Isaiah 2:1-5, Psalm 122, Romans 13:11-14, Matthew 24:36-44 -- Mary Austin, Christopher Keating, Thomas Willadsen, George Reed, Dean Feldmeyer, Quantisha Mason-Doll, Katy Stenta -- First Sunday of Advent - A -- 2022

For November 27, 2022:

Why Pass By? -- Amos 7:7-17, Colossians 1:1-14, Luke 10:25-37, Psalm 82, Deuteronomy 30:9-14, Psalm 25:1-10 -- Dean Feldmeyer, Thomas Willadsen, Katy Stenta, Mary Austin, Christopher Keating, George Reed, Quantisha Mason-Doll -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - C -- 2022

For July 10, 2022:

Let Us Go Forth and Not Be Offended -- Matthew 11:2-11, Isaiah 35:1-10, James 5:7-10, Psalm 146:5-10, Luke 1:46b-55 -- Katy Stenta, Mary Austin, Dean Feldmeyer, Thomas Willadsen, Christopher Keating, George Reed -- Third Sunday of Advent - A -- 2022

For December 11, 2022:

Hospitality -- Amos 8:1-12, Colossians 1:15-28, Luke 10:38-42, Psalm 52 -- Thomas Willadsen, Dean Feldmeyer, Mary Austin, Christopher Keating, George Reed, Katy Stenta, Quantisha Mason-Doll -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - C -- 2022

For July 17, 2022:

Faith is a Verb -- Isaiah 1:1, 10-20, Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16, Luke 12:32-40, Psalm 50:1-8, 22-23, Genesis 15:1-6, Psalm 33:12-22 -- Katy Stenta, Mary Austin, Dean Feldmeyer, Thomas Willadsen -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - C -- 2022

For August 7, 2022:

Missile Gap -- Isaiah 7:10-16, Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19, Romans 1:1-7, Matthew 1:18-25 -- Thomas Willadsen, Christopher Keating, Dean Feldmeyer, Mary Austin, George Reed, Katy Stenta -- Fourth Sunday of Advent - A -- 2022

For December 18, 2022:

Holy Heart Burn -- Isaiah 5:1-7, Hebrews 11:29--12:2, Luke 12:49-56, Psalm 80:1-2, 8-19, Jeremiah 23:23-29, Psalm 82 -- Christopher Keating, Quantisha Mason-Doll, Thomas Willadsen, Mary Austin, George Reed, Dean Feldmeyer -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - C -- 2022

For August 14, 2022:

No Room? No Way! -- Isaiah 9:2-7, Titus 2:11-14, Luke 2:1-14 (15-20), Psalm 96, Psalm 98, John 1:1-14 -- Dean Feldmeyer, Thomas Willadsen, Katy Stenta, Mary Austin, Christopher Keating, George Reed -- The Nativity of our Lord - A -- 2022

For December 25, 2022:

4,000 Beagles and A Boy -- Jeremiah 1:4-10, Hebrews 12:18-29, Luke 13:10-17, Psalm 71:1-6, Isaiah 58:9b-14, Psalm 103:1-8 -- Dean Feldmeyer, Thomas Willadsen, Katy Stenta, Mary Austin, Christopher Keating, George Reed, Quantisha Mason-Doll -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - C -- 2022

For August 21, 2022:

Gatekeepers and Humility -- Jeremiah 2:4-13, Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16, Luke 14:1, 7-14, Psalm 81:1, 10-16, Proverbs 25:6-7, Psalm 112 -- Thomas Willadsen, Dean Feldmeyer, Mary Austin, Christopher Keating, George Reed, Katy Stenta, Quantisha Mason-Doll -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - C -- 2022

For August 28, 2022:

But What About Meeeee? -- Jeremiah 18:1-11, Philemon 1:1-21, Luke 14:25-33, Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18, Deuteronomy 30:15-20, Psalm 1 -- Mary Austin, Christopher Keating, Thomas Willadsen, George Reed, Dean Feldmeyer, Quantisha Mason-Doll, Katy Stenta -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - C -- 2022

For September 4, 2022:

Should We Let Jesus Off the Hook Here? -- Hosea 1:2-10, Colossians 2:6-15 (16-19), Luke 11:1-13, Psalm 85, Genesis 18:20-32, Psalm 138 -- Mary Austin, Christopher Keating, Thomas Willadsen, George Reed, Dean Feldmeyer, Quantisha Mason-Doll, Katy Stenta -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - C -- 2022

For July 24, 2022:

When The Wine Runs Out -- Isaiah 62:1-5, 1 Corinthians 12:1-11, John 2:1-11, Psalm 138 -- Christopher Keating, Quantisha Mason-Doll, Thomas Willadsen, Mary Austin, George Reed, Dean Feldmeyer -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - C -- 2022

For January 16, 2021:

Somehow It All Works Out -- Jeremiah 8:18--9:1, 1 Timothy 2:1-7, Luke 16:1-13, Amos 8:4-7, Psalm 113 -- Katy Stenta, Mary Austin, Dean Feldmeyer, Thomas Willadsen -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - C -- 2022

For September 18, 2022:

Haunted by Haughtiness -- Jeremiah 32:1-3a, 6-15, 1 Timothy 6:6-19, Luke 16:19-31, Psalm 91:1-6, 14-16, Amos 6:1a, 4-7, Psalm 146 -- Christopher Keating, Quantisha Mason-Doll, Thomas Willadsen, Mary Austin, George Reed, Dean Feldmeyer -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - C -- 2022

For September 25, 2022:

Coach Comes Calling -- Luke 4:14-21, 1 Corinthians 12:12-31a, Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10, Psalm 19 -- Dean Feldmeyer, Thomas Willadsen, Katy Stenta, Mary Austin, Christopher Keating, George Reed -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C -- 2022

For January 23, 2022:

Mustard Seeds and Mulberry Trees -- Lamentations 1:1-6, Lamentations 3:19-26, 2 Timothy 1:1-14, Luke 17:5-10, Habakkuk 1:1-4; 2:1-4, Psalm 37:1-9 -- Dean Feldmeyer, Thomas Willadsen, Katy Stenta, Mary Austin, Christopher Keating, George Reed, Quantisha Mason-Doll -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - C -- 2022

For October 2, 2022:

Bait and Switch -- Luke 4:21-30, 1 Corinthians 13:1-13, Jeremiah 1:4-10, Psalm 71:1-6 -- Thomas Willadsen, Dean Feldmeyer, Mary Austin, Christopher Keating, George Reed, Katy Stenta, Quantisha Mason-Doll -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - C -- 2022

For January 30, 2022:

You Want Me to Do What? -- Isaiah 6:1-8 (9-13), 1 Corinthians 15:1-11, Luke 5:1-11, Psalm 138 -- Mary Austin, Christopher Keating, Thomas Willadsen, George Reed, Dean Feldmeyer, Quantisha Mason-Doll -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - C -- 2022

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Preaching

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Worship

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New & Featured This Week

Emphasis Preaching Journal

The God of Fruition

David Kalas

In the sometimes-tiresome debate over science and scripture with respect to creation, it’s easy to become distracted. While the argument typically requires a focus on the how, we may lose sight of the what. And so, for just a moment, let me invite us to think for a moment about what God created.

Sermon Illustrations for the Fifth Sunday after Easter (2024)

Mark Ellingsen
Frank Ramirez
Bonnie Bates
Bill Thomas

Acts 8:26-40
As a local church pastor, I was often asked if I would baptize a child whose family were not members of the church. Some churches rebelled against this, but I remember this scripture — the hunger for understanding and inclusion of the Eunuch and Philp’s response — to teach and share and baptize in the name of our God. How could we turn anyone away from the rite of baptism?

StoryShare

Abiding in Jesus

Peter Andrew Smith

“Dad, I think you worked a miracle.” Rolf slowly walked around the tree. “After that windstorm, I assumed this tree was as good as gone.”

“We just needed to give the branches time to heal and come back,” Michael replied.

“I know, but so many of them were battered and broken I figured that it couldn’t recover. Now though it looks just like it did before the storm.” Rolf paused. “Do you think it will bear any fruit this summer?”

CSSPlus

Branches!

John Jamison

Object: A live plant that produces fruit, and a broken branch from that plant. I used a tomato plant from a local greenhouse. Ideally, find a plant with blossoms or small fruit already growing. If you use a different kind of fruit-producing plant, just change the script to fit.

* * *

Hello, everyone! (Let them respond.) Are you ready for our story today? (Let them respond.) Excellent!

The Immediate Word

On the Way to Gaza

Christopher Keating
Katy Stenta
Thomas Willadsen
Mary Austin
Elena Delhagen
Dean Feldmeyer
Quantisha Mason-Doll

For April 28, 2024:

On The Way To Gaza by Chris Keating based on Acts 8:26-40. On the way to Gaza, Philip discovers the startling ways the Spirit of God moves across borders, boundaries, customs, and traditions.
Second Thoughts: Abiding by Katy Stenta based on John 15:1-8.
Sermon illustrations by Mary Austin, Tom Willadsen, Elena Delhagen, Dean Feldmeyer.

The Village Shepherd

Ant-Ipathy Leaves The Column

Janice B. Scott

Call to Worship:

Jesus is the vine, we are the branches. In our service today, let us absorb from the vine all the nourishment we need.

Invitation to Confession:

Jesus, sometimes our branches become cut off from the vine.
Lord, have mercy.

Jesus, sometimes our branches are withered.
Christ, have mercy.

Jesus, sometimes we fail to produce good fruit.
Lord, have mercy.

SermonStudio

Easter 5

Stan Purdum

We will meet Psalm 22 in its entirety on Good Friday, but here the lectionary designates just verses 23-31. The lectionary psalms generally illuminate the week's First Lesson, which in this case is about the covenant initiated by God with Abraham and Sarah in Genesis 17. The nine verses from this psalm, while not inappropriate, nonetheless leave us looking for an obvious connection with the First Lesson.

Weed And Feed

John S. Smylie

I think some people are natural-born gardeners. Our Lord grew up in a society that was familiar with agriculture. The images that he used to explain the ways of his Father in heaven are familiar to his audience. Growing up, my closest experience to agriculture was living in, "the Garden State." Most people, when they pass through New Jersey, are surprised to see that expression on the license plates of vehicles registered in New Jersey. Most folks traveling through New Jersey experience the megalopolis, the corridor between New York City and Washington DC.

Yesterday, Today, And Forever

Ron Lavin

A pastor in Indiana went to visit an 87-year-old man named Ermil, who was a hospital patient. A member of his church told the pastor about this old man who was an acquaintance. "He's not a believer, but he is really in need," the church member said. "I met him at the county home for the elderly. He's a lonely old man with no family and no money."

Easy To Say; Hard To Do

Paul E. Robinson

"Love is a many splendored thing...." Or so we heard Don Cornwall and the Four Aces sing time and again. Of course you or I might have other words to describe love, depending on our situation.

Love. "I love you." "I love to play golf." "I just love pistachio lush!" "It's tough to love some people." "Jesus loves me, this I know."

Love.

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Mark Ellingsen
Frank Ramirez
Bonnie Bates
Bill Thomas

Christopher Keating
Katy Stenta
Thomas Willadsen
Mary Austin
Elena Delhagen
Dean Feldmeyer
Quantisha Mason-Doll