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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Communicating God's Love

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

The apostle advises against the... -- 1 Timothy 6:6-19 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - C -- 2001
The apostle advises against the love of money.
In Toronto, Cass Loma is... -- 1 Timothy 6:6-19 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - C -- 2001
In Toronto, Cass Loma is a monument to greed and dissipation.
T-shirts are an interesting... -- 1 Timothy 6:6-19 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - C -- 2001
T-shirts are an interesting barometer of societal values.
A moving van pulled up... -- Luke 16:19-31 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - C -- 2001
A moving van pulled up in front of the gate of an upper-class section of a large Midwestern city.
I looked up from my... -- Luke 16:19-31 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - C -- 2001
I looked up from my reading as Harry knocked on my door. "Pastor, have you got a minute?" he asked.
This text is reminiscent of... -- Luke 16:19-31 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - C -- 2001
This text is reminiscent of a father who recently entered my office lamenting the struggles of commu
The distance between the rich... -- Luke 16:19-31 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - C -- 2001
The distance between the rich and the poor may be financially great, but it can also be geographical
Few short stories are as... -- Luke 14:1, 7-14 -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - C -- 2001
Few short stories are as compelling in their treatment of humility as Flannery O'Connor's "Revelatio
Children are so good at... -- Luke 14:1, 7-14 -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - C -- 2001
Children are so good at teaching us the important lessons in life.
Heinrich came to Canada in... -- Philemon 1:1-21 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - C -- 2001
Heinrich came to Canada in 1949, together with his young wife and infant son.
Philemon alludes to the need... -- Philemon 1:1-21 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - C -- 2001
Philemon alludes to the need to set slaves free.
Mother Teresa grew up in... -- Philemon 1:1-21 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - C -- 2001
Mother Teresa grew up in Albania.
In requesting help for Onesimus... -- Philemon 1:1-21 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - C -- 2001
In requesting help for Onesimus, Paul alludes to his wish that the Christian community would help hi
Aki was born in a... -- Luke 14:25-33 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - C -- 2001
Aki was born in a small village in Japan.
Many people were interested prior... -- Luke 14:25-33 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - C -- 2001
Many people were interested prior to last year's Olympic games in the quest of actress Geena Davis f
With radical preciseness, Dietrich Bonhoeffer... -- Luke 14:25-33 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - C -- 2001
With radical preciseness, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, in The Cost of Discipleship, introduces his th
The years 1976-1977 found New... -- 1 Timothy 1:12-17 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - C -- 2001
The years 1976-1977 found New York City in a grip of terror.
Amy Grant first rose to... -- 1 Timothy 1:12-17 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - C -- 2001
Amy Grant first rose to prominence as a Christian singer.
U.S. News & World Report... -- 1 Timothy 1:12-17 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - C -- 2001
U.S.
There used to be a... -- 1 Timothy 1:12-17 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - C -- 2001
There used to be a Nike commercial that featured a hard-boiled New York sports fan talking about the
As a child I used... -- Luke 15:1-10 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - C -- 2001
As a child I used to regularly lose things that were precious to me.
The attention of the world... -- Luke 15:1-10 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - C -- 2001
The attention of the world was riveted on the Arctic during August of 2000 as the Russian navy frant
It was Augustine (354-430 A.D... -- Luke 15:1-10 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - C -- 2001
It was Augustine (354-430 A.D.) who wrote these words in Book III of his Confessions, "O God
One pastor writes: Words are... -- Jeremiah 8:18--9:1 -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - C -- 2001
One pastor writes: "Words are a major part of my ministry.
Urban Holmes, an Episcopalian priest... -- Jeremiah 8:18--9:1 -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - C -- 2001
Urban Holmes, an Episcopalian priest, tells of a friend of his, a fellow priest, who, one summer aft

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UPCOMING WEEKS
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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
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27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
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Proper 9 | OT 14 | Pentecost 4
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31 – Commentary / Exegesis
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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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