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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

In Marathon, Florida, Billy Wagner... -- Luke 3:7-18 -- Third Sunday of Advent - C -- 2000
In Marathon, Florida, Billy Wagner, the emergency management chief for Monroe County, tried to persu
When a tornado warning sounded... -- Luke 3:1-6 -- Second Sunday of Advent - C -- 2000
When a tornado warning sounded in Jarrel, Texas, on May 27, 1997, two young members of the high scho
Helen Lane, 78, of Crab... -- Luke 21:25-36 -- First Sunday of Advent - C -- 2000
Helen Lane, 78, of Crab Orchard, Tennessee, has written an annual Fall weather column for the Crossv
Orator, reformer, and statesman, that... -- Mark 9:30-37 -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - B -- 2000
Orator, reformer, and statesman, that was John Bright of England.
Tennyson tells the story of... -- Mark 8:27-38 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - B -- 2000
Tennyson tells the story of a young man named Gareth who wants with all his heart to become a knight
Hundreds of tourists include a... -- Mark 7:24-37 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - B -- 2000
Hundreds of tourists include a day or more at the Butchart Gardens on Vancouver Island, British Colu
One of my professors at... -- Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - B -- 2000
One of my professors at Pittsburgh Seminary was Dr. Addison Leitch. After his wife's death, Dr.
Gepetto, a carpenter, creates a... -- Romans 3:19-28 -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - B -- 2000
Gepetto, a carpenter, creates a puppet which comes to life.
Her name was in the... -- Mark 10:35-45 -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - B -- 2000
Her name was in the newspapers: Louise Degrafenreid. It was the first time we ever read about her.
Dr. Harry Hutchison and his... -- Mark 10:17-31 -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - B -- 2000
Dr. Harry Hutchison and his wife were Christians committed to the mission field.
There was once a father... -- Mark 9:38-50 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - B -- 2000
There was once a father who possessed a ring set with a highly-valued opal.
In the dreadful days of... -- John 18:33-37 -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - B -- 2000
In the dreadful days of battle in Scotland, the Marquis of Huntly was captured.
A farmer advertised for a... -- Matthew 6:25-33 -- Thanksgiving Day - B -- 2000
A farmer advertised for a worker, and several applicants came looking for the position.
Early in the twentieth century... -- Mark 13:1-8 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - B -- 2000
Early in the twentieth century, a devout couple in the Midwest became obsessed with "the end of the
It's a moving, gripping scene... -- John 11:32-44 -- All Saints Day - B -- 2000
It's a moving, gripping scene.
On a wall in one... -- Mark 12:38-44 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - B -- 2000
On a wall in one of the buildings at Oxford University in England hangs a framed copy of a letter wh
In the early '70s, as... -- John 15:1-8 -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - B -- 2000
In the early '70s, as NASA was gearing up for its Apollo moonshot program, someone was supposed to h
Helen Keller was an inspiration... -- Luke 24:36b-48 -- Third Sunday of Easter - B -- 2000
Helen Keller was an inspiration to a previous generation.
A sheep rancher decided to... -- John 10:11-18 -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - B -- 2000
A sheep rancher decided to try playing music for his sheep to soothe their nerves, provide for tranq
The boys and girls got... -- Mark 4:35-41 -- Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 - B -- 2000
The boys and girls got into the story of David and Goliath.
Julia Kale Kellersberger was writing... -- John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15 -- Day of Pentecost - B -- 2000
Julia Kale Kellersberger was writing of her very first trip to Africa.
In his wonderful book, By... -- John 3:1-17 -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - B -- 2000
In his wonderful book, By the Bonnie Briar Bush, Ian Maclaren tells of a brokenhearted father, Lachl
We visited a communal farm... -- Luke 24:44-53 -- Ascension of the Lord - B -- 2000
We visited a communal farm one day in Cuba.
While painting the ceiling of... -- John 2:13-22 -- Third Sunday in Lent - B -- 2000
While painting the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, Michelangelo was much troubled about the quality o
There's an old campfire story... -- Mark 8:31-38 -- Second Sunday in Lent - B -- 2000
There's an old campfire story about an Indian chief.

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UPCOMING WEEKS
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Proper 7 | OT 12 | Pentecost 2
30 – Sermons
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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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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.

Special Occasion

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