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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Communicating God's Love

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

We are so prone as... -- Luke 12:13-21 -- Proper 13 | Ordinary Time 18 - C -- 2001
We are so prone as human beings to place our faith in things other than God.
The Russian novelist, Leo Tolstoy... -- Luke 12:13-21 -- Proper 13 | Ordinary Time 18 - C -- 2001
The Russian novelist, Leo Tolstoy (born 1828), devoted the second half of his life to writing on mor
In preparation for the 2000... -- Colossians 3:1-11 -- Proper 13 | Ordinary Time 18 - C -- 2001
In preparation for the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, agents for the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) raced
In the United States, the... -- Luke 1:26-38 -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - C -- 2001
In the United States, the only Jesus most of us know is the one who was born in Bethlehem.
If your telephone rang and... -- Luke 1:26-38 -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - C -- 2001
If your telephone rang and someone said, "Please answer the following three questions to see if you
Part of the nature of... -- Luke 1:26-38 -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - C -- 2001
Part of the nature of grace is that it is always surprising; it is always unexpected.
One of the most memorable... -- Hebrews 10:4-10 -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - C -- 2001
One of the most memorable moments of the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta was the final vault of Americ
The best thing about the... -- Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32 -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - C -- 2001
The best thing about the daily newspaper is the comics.
Mary was upset with herself... -- Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32 -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - C -- 2001
Mary was upset with herself. Her sister was moving home.
I was once part of... -- Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32 -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - C -- 2001
I was once part of a group taking children to a zoo in a major city.
Has anyone considered the feelings... -- Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32 -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - C -- 2001
Has anyone considered the feelings of the fatted calf, caught in the middle of this family drama.
Some people down through history... -- Luke 1:26-38 -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - C -- 2001
Some people down through history have done things which are above the capability of most.
The church telephone rang on... -- 2 Corinthians 5:16-21 -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - C -- 2001
The church telephone rang on the Tuesday after Labor Day.
It is not unusual for... -- 2 Corinthians 5:16-21 -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - C -- 2001
It is not unusual for the federal government to provide new identities for people who turn state's e
Tim loved to rummage through... -- 2 Corinthians 5:16-21 -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - C -- 2001
Tim loved to rummage through the wastebaskets, against his mother's wishes.
There is a trick soap... -- Hebrews 10:4-10 -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - C -- 2001
There is a trick soap that looks like a real bar of soap, but when you wash with it, you get dirty i
Every time you go to... -- Hebrews 10:4-10 -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - C -- 2001
Every time you go to the grocery store, you see signs that say "New and Improved." You see it on cer
No one knew for sure... -- Hebrews 10:4-10 -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - C -- 2001
No one knew for sure what to expect. No one was sure who the targets were.
While coaching a girls softball... -- Luke 13:1-9 -- Third Sunday in Lent - C -- 2001
While coaching a girls softball team, I was determined that one girl should be cut.
A church was having a... -- Luke 13:1-9 -- Third Sunday in Lent - C -- 2001
A church was having a youth retreat.
Galileo, 1564-1642, the great Italian... -- Luke 13:1-9 -- Third Sunday in Lent - C -- 2001
Galileo, 1564-1642, the great Italian astronomer and physicist, challenged Aristotle's position that
Thirty-three-year-old Gary... -- Luke 13:1-9 -- Third Sunday in Lent - C -- 2001
Thirty-three-year-old Gary Hawkins had always lived in the fast lane.
For a decade Hector Marciel... -- 2 Corinthians 5:16-21 -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - C -- 2001
For a decade Hector Marciel (pronounced Mach ale) has worked for a private university as a do
Who is our spiritual... -- 1 Corinthians 10:1-13 -- Third Sunday in Lent - C -- 2001
Who is our spiritual rock?
Don't make the same mistakes... -- 1 Corinthians 10:1-13 -- Third Sunday in Lent - C -- 2001
"Don't make the same mistakes I made," Jim said to his son on his wedding day.

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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...

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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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