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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Communicating God's Love

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

Pastor Ken Kettlewell writes that... -- 1 John 3:1-3 -- All Saints Day - A -- 2002
Pastor Ken Kettlewell writes that throughout his youth, he was afflicted with sore throats and tonsi
A small group of worshipers... -- Philippians 2:1-13 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - A -- 2002
A small group of worshipers in a mainline denomination began raising their hands in the Sunday morni
Our good neighbor in one... -- Philippians 2:1-13 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - A -- 2002
Our good neighbor in one of our parishes was a keeper of bees.
Jesus set the quintessential pattern... -- Philippians 2:1-13 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - A -- 2002
Jesus set the quintessential pattern for humility.
She sat paralyzed. The news... -- Philippians 2:1-13 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - A -- 2002
She sat paralyzed. The news had crushed her. Her son was dead.
Dave is awakened by a... -- Matthew 21:23-32 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - A -- 2002
Dave is awakened by a rat-a-tat-tat on the door.
It seems to me that... -- Matthew 21:23-32 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - A -- 2002
It seems to me that every year one of my confirmation students asks me a question about evolution an
One of John Mellencamp's newest... -- Matthew 21:23-32 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - A -- 2002
One of John Mellencamp's newest albums is called Cuttin' Heads.
In The Hero's Life, author... -- Matthew 21:23-32 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - A -- 2002
In The Hero's Life, author Richard Ben Cramer acknowledges that Joe DiMaggio was one of the most ski
More than one sitcom has... -- Matthew 18:21-35 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - A -- 2002
More than one sitcom has been based on a simple premise.
In the film Jesus of... -- Matthew 18:21-35 -- 2002
In the film Jesus of Montreal, an actor, Daniel, is asked to perform in a Passion play.
Muriel was in the hospital... -- Philippians 1:21-30 -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - A -- 2002
Muriel was in the hospital, awaiting an amputation.
For those living according to... -- Philippians 1:21-30 -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - A -- 2002
For those living according to the gospel, the manner of our lives is changed, so that we behave with
Why do they call Saint... -- Philippians 1:21-30 -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - A -- 2002
"Why do they call Saint Paul a 'saint'?" the child wanted to know. "What is a saint?"
Benjamin Franklin is the founder... -- Matthew 20:1-16 -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - A -- 2002
Benjamin Franklin is the founder of the first lending library.
Workers who were paid piecework... -- Matthew 20:1-16 -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - A -- 2002
Workers who were paid piecework harvested the crops grown on our family's fruit farm.
Kids are constantly shouting out... -- Matthew 20:1-16 -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - A -- 2002
Kids are constantly shouting out, "It's not fair!" A brother or a sister gets something and they don
I was the pastor to... -- Matthew 20:1-16 -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - A -- 2002
I was the pastor to a family involved only on the fringes of the church.
A couple was planning its... -- Matthew 18:15-20 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A -- 2002
A couple was planning its marriage.
A California psychiatrist named Richard... -- Romans 14:1-12 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - A -- 2002
A California psychiatrist named Richard Harris came up with a psychological principle that he called
If I were living to... -- Romans 14:1-12 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - A -- 2002
If I were living to myself, I'd consider defrauding an innkeeper without a conscience twang.
Her neighbors whispered, Mary is... -- Romans 14:1-12 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - A -- 2002
Her neighbors whispered, "Mary is pregnant." "But Mary is not married!" "Well, I must say...." As th
A quote from C. S... -- Matthew 18:21-35 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - A -- 2002
A quote from C. S. Lewis: "The sins of the flesh are bad, but they are the least bad of all sins.
Elizabeth Conroy was pastor at... -- Matthew 18:21-35 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - A -- 2002
Elizabeth Conroy was pastor at one of the seven churches in Walkerton, Ontario, and chairperson of t
It was Sunday noon and... -- 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8 -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - A -- 2002
It was Sunday noon and she was exhausted.

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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.

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