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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Communicating God's Love

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

Senator Tom Carper spoke to... -- Luke 17:11-19 -- Thanksgiving Day - A -- 2002
Senator Tom Carper spoke to the Delaware Postmasters at their annual Christmas dinner.
A quote from Oliver Wendell... -- Luke 17:11-19 -- Thanksgiving Day - A -- 2002
A quote from Oliver Wendell Holmes: "If one should give me a dish of sand, and tell me there were pa
Now Thank We All Our... -- Luke 17:11-19 -- Thanksgiving Day - A -- 2002
"Now Thank We All Our God" has long been a standard hymn for Thanksgiving.
Sometimes the best example of... -- Luke 17:11-19 -- Thanksgiving Day - A -- 2002
Sometimes the best example of the powerful impact of faith can only be seen in the life of those who
The hazard, and the adventure... -- 1 John 3:1-3 -- All Saints Day - A -- 2002
The hazard, and the adventure, of living as children of God is that we end up with a set of values t
Elaine Ward writes, It was... -- 1 John 3:1-3 -- All Saints Day - A -- 2002
Elaine Ward writes, "It was Sunday morning. I had spent the night at my son's.
Irene lives with chronic pain... -- Matthew 5:1-12 -- All Saints Day - A -- 2002
Irene lives with chronic pain -- pain that needs to be controlled with morphine in order for her to
Beverly is 76 years old... -- Matthew 5:1-12 -- All Saints Day - A -- 2002
Beverly is 76 years old and a widow. She no longer drives.
In the military, everyone is... -- Matthew 5:1-12 -- All Saints Day - A -- 2002
In the military, everyone is evaluated, from the lowest to the highest, and performance reports are
so that you may not... -- 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - A -- 2002
"... so that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope ...
When the curtain goes up... -- 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - A -- 2002
When the curtain goes up in Fiddler on the Roof, a dim light outlines a house.
There is both promise and... -- 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - A -- 2002
There is both promise and threat in the news that God will come quickly to interrupt our earthly exp
His grandfather lay in the... -- 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - A -- 2002
His grandfather lay in the coffin. He did not move.
It was the night of... -- Matthew 25:1-13 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - A -- 2002
It was the night of the quartet contest.
Prior to the attacks on... -- Matthew 25:1-13 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - A -- 2002
Prior to the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, military service involved a state o
When I was a kid... -- Matthew 25:1-13 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - A -- 2002
When I was a kid there was something called a service station. That's right -- service.
But he replied, 'Truly I... -- Matthew 25:1-13 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - A -- 2002
"But he replied, 'Truly I tell you, I do not know you.' " He was not the last doorkeeper to exclude
Following the horrific events of... -- 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - A -- 2002
Following the horrific events of 9/11, a young woman in New Jersey refused to leave her apartment be
There are people who qualify... -- 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - A -- 2002
There are people who qualify for the title "encourager," and they are worth so much in the Church.
Staying awake at critical times... -- 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - A -- 2002
Staying awake at critical times can save something as precious as our own souls, or something as mun
Anthony de Mello, the Jesuit... -- 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - A -- 2002
Anthony de Mello, the Jesuit retreat leader and writer, once told a story about keeping awake: The M
Don, Ted, and Ruth were... -- Matthew 25:14-30 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - A -- 2002
Don, Ted, and Ruth were brothers and sister.
Grace Church was in a... -- Matthew 25:14-30 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - A -- 2002
Grace Church was in a unique location.
John watched from his front... -- Matthew 25:14-30 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - A -- 2002
John watched from his front porch as the City Public Works truck turned onto his block.
Mom, what will I be... -- 1 John 3:1-3 -- All Saints Day - A -- 2002
"Mom, what will I be when I grow up?" Jenny asked.

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

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John Jamison
Object: A pig stuffed animal.

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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
Bonnie Bates

1 Kings 19:1-4 (5-7) 8-15a and Psalm 42-43
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

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