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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Communicating God's Love

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

In their book The... -- Luke 12:49-56 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - C -- 2001
In their book The Fourth Turning: An American Prophecy (Broadway Books, 1997), William Straus
One afternoon in April 1689... -- Luke 12:49-56 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - C -- 2001
One afternoon in April 1689, as the American colonies boiled with rumors that King James II was abou
One of my summer challenges... -- Hebrews 12:18-29 -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - C -- 2001
One of my summer challenges each year is to coach a neighborhood girl's softball team.
Fire is an appropriate image... -- Hebrews 12:18-29 -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - C -- 2001
Fire is an appropriate image for God because fire is something that we often experience as being bey
In the spring of 1999... -- Hebrews 12:18-29 -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - C -- 2001
In the spring of 1999, Ingo Potrykus, professor at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology at Zuri
When this passage warns us... -- Hebrews 12:18-29 -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - C -- 2001
When this passage warns us not to refuse to hear God when God speaks, I think of my grandparents.
Some people can sleep anywhere... -- Luke 12:32-40 -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - C -- 2001
Some people can sleep anywhere.
I like to collect congregational... -- Hebrews 11:29--12:2 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - C -- 2001
I like to collect congregational history books.
As we become aware of... -- Hebrews 11:29--12:2 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - C -- 2001
As we become aware of the cloud of witnesses surrounding us, we should draw encouragement from them
Ten-year-old Taylor Touchstone... -- Hebrews 11:29--12:2 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - C -- 2001
Ten-year-old Taylor Touchstone survived four days alone in the waters of Turtle Swamp, Florida, swim
When this passage talks about... -- Hebrews 11:29--12:2 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - C -- 2001
When this passage talks about keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, I am reminded of open water swimming.
When I was growing up... -- Luke 12:49-56 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - C -- 2001
When I was growing up in Pueblo, Colorado, there was a family nearby who had 14 children.
Most of my sermons are... -- Luke 12:49-56 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - C -- 2001
Most of my sermons are Gospel-oriented, written to encourage people to get in touch with what and ho
Many immigrants were lured to... -- Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16 -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - C -- 2001
Many immigrants were lured to the Americas by the promise of free land, the prospect of wealth and j
Of the companies that were... -- Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16 -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - C -- 2001
Of the companies that were on the Fortune 500 list in 1955, 70 percent are now out of business.
A huge burial site lies... -- Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16 -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - C -- 2001
A huge burial site lies beneath the city of Paris in what was once an ancient stone quarry.
Different people like to travel... -- Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16 -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - C -- 2001
Different people like to travel in different ways.
The stewardship campaign had begun... -- Luke 12:32-40 -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - C -- 2001
The stewardship campaign had begun at the local church.
Clara was 97 years old... -- Luke 12:32-40 -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - C -- 2001
Clara was 97 years old when I met her almost 30 years ago.
A member of our congregation... -- Luke 12:32-40 -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - C -- 2001
A member of our congregation served as an aircraft-based fighter pilot during World War II and the K
During his tenure as president... -- Colossians 3:1-11 -- Proper 13 | Ordinary Time 18 - C -- 2001
During his tenure as president, John Kennedy was walking through the base at Cape Canaveral.
In the summer of 1930... -- Colossians 3:1-11 -- Proper 13 | Ordinary Time 18 - C -- 2001
In the summer of 1930, a penniless Italian living in exile in Switzerland, who adopted the pseudonym
I used to visit a... -- Colossians 3:1-11 -- Proper 13 | Ordinary Time 18 - C -- 2001
I used to visit a young man of 18 years who had leukemia.
Malcolm Forbes was a very... -- Luke 12:13-21 -- Proper 13 | Ordinary Time 18 - C -- 2001
Malcolm Forbes was a very wealthy magazine publisher.
Once there were two men... -- Luke 12:13-21 -- Proper 13 | Ordinary Time 18 - C -- 2001
Once there were two men named Dan and Ed. They had been friends for as long as they could remember.

Political Pulpit

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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
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Proper 8 | OT 13 | Pentecost 3
29 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
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Proper 9 | OT 14 | Pentecost 4
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31 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
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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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