Login / Signup

Emphasis Preaching Journal

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

Commentary

Communicating God's Love

Guest column

Illustration

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Amnesty International is an organization... -- 2 Samuel 23:1-7 -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - B -- 1994
Amnesty International is an organization that spends its time shining lights into the darkest closet
It was in Hannah's faith... -- 1 Samuel 1:4-20 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - B -- 1994
It was in Hannah's faith that God willed to change her circumstances -- God was the one who could co
Acts... -- 2:1-21 The Holy Spirit is probably one of the most misunderstood components of the Christian faith. And the challenge on Pentecost is to help the people see what the Holy Spirit is and what it is not. A worship service in a small Mexican church ended t -- Day of Pentecost - B -- 1994
Acts
An important book about the... -- Isaiah 6:1-8 -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - B -- 1994
An important book about the church's role in a changing world is called The Frog In The Kettle.
One Sunday morning, a beloved... -- Acts 1:15-17, 21-26 -- Seventh Sunday of Easter - B -- 1994
One Sunday morning, a beloved pastor announced to his congregation that he would be leaving after mo
In one of her many... -- Acts 1:1-11 -- Ascension of the Lord - B -- 1994
In one of her many poems about death, poet Emily Dickinson used the phrase "awful leisure" to charac
Pastor Harry is a retired... -- Acts 8:26-40 -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - B -- 1994
Pastor Harry is a retired minister who is working with me as our associate pastor.
Loyalties to friends can be... -- 2 Samuel 1:1, 17-27 -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - B -- 1994
Loyalties to friends can be difficult to maintain.
It's a basic learning step... -- 1 Samuel 15:34--16:13 -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - B -- 1994
It's a basic learning step, to discern larger from smaller, more from less.
I once read in a... -- 1 Samuel 17:(1a, 4-11, 19-23), 32-49 -- Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 - B -- 1994
I once read in a letter from a UCC minister to his congregation that children are not learning to li
I remember as a teenager... -- 1 Samuel 8:4-11, (12-15), 16-20, (11:14-15) -- Proper 5 | Ordinary Time 10 - B -- 1994
I remember as a teenager saving my allowance so that I could buy a wool sweater -- one just like my
Jimmy Graveline was about two... -- Exodus 12:1-4 (5-10) 11-14 -- Maundy Thursday - B -- 1994
Jimmy Graveline was about two years old when I lived with him and his parents.
A question often asked in... -- Isaiah 50:4-9a -- Passion Sunday - B -- 1994
A question often asked in the ranks of professional caregivers -- medical doctors, nurses and techni
Vern Jacobi had the Graham... -- Jeremiah 31:31-34 -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - B -- 1994
Vern Jacobi had the Graham-Paige automobile agency in our little town during the 1930s and he ran a
When they were interviewed on... -- Numbers 21:4-9 -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - B -- 1994
When they were interviewed on various television talk shows and news programs, the family appeared o
Eager to use the church's... -- Exodus 20:1-7 -- Third Sunday in Lent - B -- 1994
Eager to use the church's new video camera in her classroom, the Sunday school teacher asked her cla
A Chicago chain of book... -- Acts 4:8-12 -- Third Sunday of Easter - B -- 1994
A Chicago chain of book stores recently reported what book is the most shoplifted from its store.
The Western Pennsylvania church is... -- Acts 4:23-33 -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - B -- 1994
The Western Pennsylvania church is a 200-member congregation in Washington, D.C.
I can remember back when... -- Acts 4:32-35 -- Second Sunday of Easter - B -- 1994
I can remember back when I was serving a large suburban congregation as one of two associate pastors
In the play Othello, William... -- Isaiah 52:13-53:12 -- Good Friday - B -- 1994
In the play Othello, William Shakespeare writes: "The robb'd that smiles steals something from the t
The top box office movie... -- Isaiah 25:6-9 -- Easter Day - B -- 1994
The top box office movie of all time is the 1982 film E.T., with E.T.
At night, in cities across... -- Isaiah 60:1-6 -- Epiphany of the Lord - B -- 1994
At night, in cities across our country, the glow from streetlights and the lights from homes and bus
Preachers and prophets, prophets and... -- Deuteronomy 18:15-20 -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - B -- 1994
Preachers and prophets, prophets and preachers; the Word comes through human agents.
The book of Jonah tells... -- Jonah 3:1-5, 10 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - B -- 1994
The book of Jonah tells a story of a man's journey: first, to avoid responsibility and then, to reex
Four-year-old Heather had... -- 1 Samuel 3:1-10 -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - B -- 1994
Four-year-old Heather had never answered the phone before.

Political Pulpit

Sermon

The Political Pulpit

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

CSSPlus

John Jamison
Object: A pig stuffed animal.

* * *

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

The Immediate Word

Christopher Keating
Thomas Willadsen
Katy Stenta
Mary Austin
Nazish Naseem
Dean Feldmeyer
George Reed
For June 22, 2025:

StoryShare

John E. Sumwalt
But now that faith has come, we are no longer subject to a disciplinarian,  for in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith.  As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is no longer Jew or Greek; there is no longer slave or free; there is no longer male and female, for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. (vv. 25-28)

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Mark Ellingsen
1 Kings 19:1-4 (5-7) 8-15a
Life can be frightening sometimes. Thus it is both comforting but disconcerting to find a giant of faith like Elijah to fear the future. On that matter Martin Luther once claimed:
David Kalas
We’re not far from the 4th of July. And while for so many Americans, it seems that the holiday has become more about long weekends, cookouts, and fireworks shows, the theme of freedom is still there at least in the background. We might take advantage of that, therefore, and give some thought to the theme of freedom as it is revealed in our assigned texts for this week.

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Call to Worship:

The madman cried out to Jesus, "What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?" In our worship today let us explore what Jesus has to do with us and invite him to heal our brokenness.

Invitation to Confession:

Jesus, we often find ourselves thinking, saying and doing things that we quickly regret.
Lord, have mercy.

SermonStudio

Constance Berg
When Jill was five, she began to have headaches. The headaches were so severe she would throw up. Sometimes she would pass out. They usually came once a month. Jill could be playing, resting, or watching television when the headaches would come. Her only warning was a sudden pain in her head, then a blinding light would appear, and she would be rocked with pain. In her teenage years, they became debilitating, causing Jill to be in bed for three days at a time.
Stan Purdum
I'm not sure when the term "burn out" ceased being only a description of what happened to a campfire when you ran out of firewood to a term describing the experience of long-term exhaustion and diminished interest, usually coming immediately after an extended period of overwork, but the expression seems to fit that later situation, doesn't it? Exhaustion, deep weariness, all used up, nothing more to give, wiped out, burned out -- call it what we will, its symptoms are all too familiar to many of us.
April Yamasaki
In the classic movie, Mary Poppins, Julie Andrews plays a no-nonsense, yet delightful, nanny to two young children. As a nanny to a wealthy family, she is part teacher, part parent, and part disciplinarian. She gets the children up in the morning, puts them to bed at night, supervises their many adventures, and guides them in many ways. While they are in her care, she is responsible for their overall safety and well-being.

Julia Ross Strope
Zoos are no longer in people's good graces.
Religion faces the same problem.
Certain illusions about freedom plague them both.
-- Yann Martel, Life of Pi

Call To Worship
Leader: I'm so glad you're here! There are seats for everyone; there's slight air movement; the windows engender tranquility and imagination and words will stimulate fresh thoughts.

People: It's good to be here, in sanctuary. We're glad for opportunities to gather and to express our gratitude to God and our appreciation for one another.

Special Occasion

Wildcard SSL