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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Communicating God's Love

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

In the June 27, 1999... -- Luke 21:25-36 -- First Sunday of Advent - C -- 2000
In the June 27, 1999 issue of the New York Times, Marcelle Fischler wrote an article about Cl
Televangelist Robert Schuller sought special... -- Mark 9:30-37 -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - B -- 2000
Televangelist Robert Schuller sought special perks at the airport and got in a dispute with a male U
Sometimes folk bemoan the fact... -- Mark 8:27-38 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - B -- 2000
Sometimes folk bemoan the fact that the contemporary church is not more like the church of the first
There was a man who... -- Mark 7:24-37 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - B -- 2000
There was a man who was having serious relationship problems in his life.
A small boy, fighting the... -- Romans 3:19-28 -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - B -- 2000
A small boy, fighting the town bully, was amazingly winning the battle.
Human life is under siege... -- Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - B -- 2000
Human life is under siege not because so many important things go wrong but because we make lesser v
Jesus proposes new categories for... -- Mark 10:35-45 -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - B -- 2000
Jesus proposes new categories for determining success and failure, winning and losing, and achieveme
In Old Testament times, there... -- Mark 10:17-31 -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - B -- 2000
In Old Testament times, there was a widespread assumption that wealth was the sign of God's favor.
God has taken the initiative... -- Mark 9:38-50 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - B -- 2000
God has taken the initiative and opened for us the possibility of a new relationship of closeness.
Recently, I visited the Dominican... -- Matthew 6:25-33 -- Thanksgiving Day - B -- 2000
Recently, I visited the Dominican Republic where poverty is a way of life.
At its best, politics is... -- John 18:33-37 -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - B -- 2000
At its best, politics is used to benefit others and broaden our understandings of life.
Mark predicts a coming fearful... -- Mark 13:1-8 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - B -- 2000
Mark predicts a coming fearful and distressing time for the church.
There are few better ways... -- Mark 12: 38-44 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - B -- 2000
There are few better ways to do a spiritual self-analysis than by looking at your checkbook.
Jesus' friends bemoaned his poor... -- John 11:32-44 -- All Saints Day - B -- 2000
Jesus' friends bemoaned his "poor timing" which allowed the death of Lazarus, but the evangelist mak
The Roman aristocrat Cornelia was... -- John 10:11-18 -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - B -- 2000
The Roman aristocrat Cornelia was the mother of two sons, Tiberius and Gaius, the pair of whom grew
The comedian and pianist, Victor... -- John 15:1-8 -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - B -- 2000
The comedian and pianist, Victor Borge, once surprised his friends by purchasing a chicken farm.
The contemporary church is not... -- Mark 4:35-41<br> -- Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 - B -- 2000
The contemporary church is not exempt from the storms of life.
Marlene Dietrich, the German actress... -- Luke 24:36b-48 -- Third Sunday of Easter - B -- 2000
Marlene Dietrich, the German actress and singer, became famous for her starring role in The Blue Ang
The story of Nicodemus is... -- John 3:1-17 -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - B -- 2000
The story of Nicodemus is best understood when viewed in the light of a mid-life crisis.
The wonder of the church... -- John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15 -- Day of Pentecost - B -- 2000
The wonder of the church is that in moments when it just seemed most dead, out of its own body there
Terry Anderson was stationed in... -- Luke 24:44-53 -- Ascension of the Lord - B -- 2000
Terry Anderson was stationed in Beruit, Lebanon, as a journalist for the Associated Press.
The U.S. Bureau of Internal... -- John 2:13-22 -- Third Sunday in Lent - B -- 2000
The U.S.
Samuel Taylor Coleridge, a British... -- Mark 8:31-38 -- Second Sunday in Lent - B -- 2000
Samuel Taylor Coleridge, a British poet, critic, and philosopher, was once out riding near his home
The classical scholar Gilbert Murray... -- Mark 1:9-15 -- First Sunday in Lent - B -- 2000
The classical scholar Gilbert Murray one day encountered the brilliant physicist Albert Einstein si
Humility never comes easily, especially... -- Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 -- Ash Wednesday - B -- 2000
Humility never comes easily, especially for those with a lot to lose.

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
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27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
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Proper 9 | OT 14 | Pentecost 4
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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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